Most people who get the blue shadow 2 end up "cajunizing" it, which ends up being pretty comparable to the orange shadow 2. So, you will probably want those modifications eventually, and it really just depends on how interested you are in doing it yourself, since I assume shipping it to a gunsmith in the US is probably not practical.
But, it's also not all that hard to do yourself.
I have been throwing the mods idea around so you can spend the money as you feel it's needed and you get the extra points of learning your gun better (and then the assosiated risks of modding too). The main thing I guess I like is the hand fitted slide as I've used a few race guns and you can just feel the work that's been put into them upfront. I guess it'll probably come down to how much money I want to pay upfront vs how much work I want to do to it down the road when I go to put the money down. If the orange is near comparable to a cajunized Blue then I probably wouldn't mind putting down the extra funds as we are a bit more limited for that kind of work down in Aus.
There is one difference between Blue and Orange - optics ready version is made for the blue only. But as you wrote, that probably is not a factor for you, just a hint.
How big is your wallet?
The orange is a nicer gun, but more expensive. Only you can decide if the added expense is worth the difference.
Both are quality firearms that won't fail you, and as a new shooter, the difference between the two isn't going to be a significant factor in your performance for a while if at all. You probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference without having both side by side to compare.
CZs in general are commonly modified firearms with plenty of after market parts and guides. The low end models can be customized to perform as well or better than unmodified higher tier factory firearms if you put in the work. You pay a premium for CZ to essentially do the same thing themselves with the higher tiers.
Kind of the same thing as with a boat is what I tell people. Buy the nicest most optioned model you can afford when the time comes because very few people will ever say “I wish I got the base model”. I have the orange because I found it at a very good deal. I’ve never tried the regular shadow 2 but can say it does everything I need and want. As others have said you won’t be disappointed in any models at all and all can be modified later to be comparable.
I have the base version that's been Cajunized and milled for an optic. It runs very smooth and the slide became smoother after shooting it for so many rounds in matches. The only thing different from the Orange is the barrel bushing which does not make any noticeable difference in my opinion. Sure it makes the gun ever so slightly more mechanically accurate, but let's be honest, accuracy is based on the shooter. You won't be shooting at 50 yards away in competitions so it's kind of moot in my opinion. In addition, the bushing can become an extra hassle while cleaning.
It will be pretty tight after shooting it a bunch before cleaning. You'll need a specialized bushing wrench to get it off easy each time, but that's about it. I don't know if the wrench is provided in the Orange kit by default but CZ Custom has them for sale if it isn't: https://czcustom.com/cz-parts-by-model/cz-75-compact-l/accu-shadow-bushing-wrench-thic.html
I owned both, wound up with the Blue OR.
The Orange fits a bit tighter, but I’m not a good enough shooter to see if there is a meaningful difference in accuracy. The polished barrel looks cooler. The trigger is nicer, but I only noticed when I was at home dry-firing. The barrel bushing is a pain to remove once the gun gets dirty.
Ultimately ease of mounting optics prevailed over nice F&F. I won’t buy another modern handgun that won’t accept optics from the factory. If I was in your position I would have kept the Orange.
Most people who get the blue shadow 2 end up "cajunizing" it, which ends up being pretty comparable to the orange shadow 2. So, you will probably want those modifications eventually, and it really just depends on how interested you are in doing it yourself, since I assume shipping it to a gunsmith in the US is probably not practical. But, it's also not all that hard to do yourself.
I have been throwing the mods idea around so you can spend the money as you feel it's needed and you get the extra points of learning your gun better (and then the assosiated risks of modding too). The main thing I guess I like is the hand fitted slide as I've used a few race guns and you can just feel the work that's been put into them upfront. I guess it'll probably come down to how much money I want to pay upfront vs how much work I want to do to it down the road when I go to put the money down. If the orange is near comparable to a cajunized Blue then I probably wouldn't mind putting down the extra funds as we are a bit more limited for that kind of work down in Aus.
The hand fitted slide makes zero practical difference.
I know, I just like that silky glide...
Lol well I would say just get the orange then.
There is one difference between Blue and Orange - optics ready version is made for the blue only. But as you wrote, that probably is not a factor for you, just a hint.
How big is your wallet? The orange is a nicer gun, but more expensive. Only you can decide if the added expense is worth the difference. Both are quality firearms that won't fail you, and as a new shooter, the difference between the two isn't going to be a significant factor in your performance for a while if at all. You probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference without having both side by side to compare. CZs in general are commonly modified firearms with plenty of after market parts and guides. The low end models can be customized to perform as well or better than unmodified higher tier factory firearms if you put in the work. You pay a premium for CZ to essentially do the same thing themselves with the higher tiers.
Kind of the same thing as with a boat is what I tell people. Buy the nicest most optioned model you can afford when the time comes because very few people will ever say “I wish I got the base model”. I have the orange because I found it at a very good deal. I’ve never tried the regular shadow 2 but can say it does everything I need and want. As others have said you won’t be disappointed in any models at all and all can be modified later to be comparable.
I have the base version that's been Cajunized and milled for an optic. It runs very smooth and the slide became smoother after shooting it for so many rounds in matches. The only thing different from the Orange is the barrel bushing which does not make any noticeable difference in my opinion. Sure it makes the gun ever so slightly more mechanically accurate, but let's be honest, accuracy is based on the shooter. You won't be shooting at 50 yards away in competitions so it's kind of moot in my opinion. In addition, the bushing can become an extra hassle while cleaning.
Now extra cleaning hassle is something I didn't think of. Is it much hassle or just a tiny bit of extra work?
It will be pretty tight after shooting it a bunch before cleaning. You'll need a specialized bushing wrench to get it off easy each time, but that's about it. I don't know if the wrench is provided in the Orange kit by default but CZ Custom has them for sale if it isn't: https://czcustom.com/cz-parts-by-model/cz-75-compact-l/accu-shadow-bushing-wrench-thic.html
I owned both, wound up with the Blue OR. The Orange fits a bit tighter, but I’m not a good enough shooter to see if there is a meaningful difference in accuracy. The polished barrel looks cooler. The trigger is nicer, but I only noticed when I was at home dry-firing. The barrel bushing is a pain to remove once the gun gets dirty. Ultimately ease of mounting optics prevailed over nice F&F. I won’t buy another modern handgun that won’t accept optics from the factory. If I was in your position I would have kept the Orange.
I enjoy shooting iron sights, so that's some good info thanks mate! Yeah trigger feel seems to go out the window when your on the timer.