CZ TS3 Orange: a $3,549 race gun worth owning without racing
October 28, 2026
Colion Noir spends most of this video explaining why a gun built for competition shooters can still be worth owning for someone who never plans to enter a match. The pistol in question is the CZ TS3 Orange, a steel-framed race gun developed with CZ's shooting team, and Noir argues the appeal has nothing to do with needing it for anything in particular.
Key points
- Trigger: single-action only, breaking around 1.3 pounds with adjustable take-up and overtravel, which Noir says caught him off guard with how light and glassy it felt.
- Build and balance: a one-piece machined steel frame and cold hammer-forged bull barrel put the weight at roughly 3.75 pounds empty, with a front-heavy feel that Noir says keeps muzzle flip to a minimum.
- Ergonomics: an oversized gas pedal, deep undercuts, G10 grips, and an ambidextrous safety and mag release (five adjustable positions) are built to push proper grip mechanics automatically.
- Optics ready: the slide accepts RMR, RMSc, Delta Point Pro, and Holosun K footprints directly, no plates needed, in a 9mm 20+1 configuration.
- Complaint: Noir says the flush, thin safety is his one real gripe, calling it hard to actuate despite CZ reshaping it around the thumb rest.
Quick take
Noir frames the TS3 Orange as an "appreciative aspirational race gun," something people buy not because they'll compete but because they want a taste of what competition shooting feels like. At $3,549 starting price, he admits it's hard to justify on paper, but argues the experience alone is the sell.
Watch the full video: Colion Noir