If this is your first handgun, here is the plain version. The CZ DUTY 4.0 is a new striker-fired 9mm, which means a simple trigger with no hammer to cock and no decocker to learn. It holds 15 rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber as the C compact, or 17 plus one as the F full-size. Both have a 4-inch barrel, fixed sights with nothing to adjust, and a slide you can add a red dot to later.

The frame is fiberglass-reinforced polymer, light at 770 to 780 g, and the serial number lives on the internal chassis. If you would rather have a thumb safety, pick the MS version of either size. Whether you are in Amarillo, Waco, Huntsville, Fayetteville or Cedar Rapids, the pull is the same 5.6 pounds and the MSRP is $729, which buys a lot of pistol for a first gun.

Capacity on the carry-size is 15+1, with a 17+1 option through the longer base plate. Height is 135 mm (5.3 in) and the empty weight 770 g (27.2 oz). If you carry, this is the DUTY to look at; if you mostly shoot at the range, see the F.

What is new under the slide is the registered modular chassis. The serial number lives on the internal chassis, not on the polymer grip, so the polymer grip is a part you can change while the gun stays the same gun. Around it CZ put a reworked SFDA striker trigger, rated at 25 ± 4 N (5.6 ± 0.9 lbs) with a 4 mm (0.16 in) reset and 9 ± 1 mm (0.4 ± 0.04 in) of travel, and a slide cut for direct-mount optics. CZ's own photos show it wearing Holosun, Aimpoint and Shield dot sights.

MS stands for external safety. This model adds a thumb lever to the passive safeties every DUTY has: the firing pin block, the trigger safety and the trigger bar safety. Agencies and shooters who want a positive on/off control choose this version; the trigger itself is unchanged.

Who is it for: daily carry, a bedside gun that also rides along, and new shooters who want one pistol for everything. If you already shoot a P-10, the DUTY is the next step in the same family, with a new chassis and the optics done right.

Name any licensed dealer in your state and the firearm ships to them for the background check; the dealer applies your state's rules at pickup and will walk you through them. Not sure which dealer? Most gun shops with an FFL will receive it, so ask the one nearest you. Stock and price are re-checked against the distributor the moment you order.

Questions buyers ask: What does striker-fired mean for a beginner? There is no external hammer and no decocker; every trigger pull is the same 5.6 pounds, so there is less to learn than on a hammer-fired pistol. Should a first-time buyer get the MS version? The MS adds a manual thumb safety on top of the built-in firing pin block, trigger safety and trigger bar safety. Some new owners like the extra lever; others prefer the simpler standard model. Both are safe when handled correctly. What does MS mean on the CZ DUTY 4.0 C MS? Manual safety. It adds a thumb lever to the firing pin block, trigger safety and trigger bar safety that every DUTY has.