Shadow 1 Spring Advice

mb571

mb571

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Hi Folks,
i just got into action shooting and am looking for some advice on tuning up my 9mm CZ75 Shadow SP01.
I love the gun...fits my longer hands well. The double action trigger is a bit heavy though.
I measured the DA pull at about 10 1/2 lbs and the SA at about 4 lbs.

So I bought a 13lb main (hammer) and 13lb recoil spring from Wolverine Supplies.
Then I measured the DA pull at 8 lbs and the SA pull at 3 1/2 lbs.
It did feel considerable better.
While doing some load development and action shooting practice this morning the light strike FTF's began.
I am not 100% certain (didn't record primer type on all my reload batches) but think I got FTF's on SA strikes on certain primers.
I definitely got FTF's on Campro primers and I think CCI's also. I believe the rounds with Federal primers may have been okay.
At the range I reinstalled my old springs and all was well again.
I am not sure I want to limit my gun to certain primer types in these crazy times of supply chain issues.

Any advice on Shadow 1 tune ups would be appreciated.
 
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Never used Campro primers so can't comment but CCI used to be the hardest primers to set off. They are better now I hear but I use Winchester and Federal primers (easiest to set off) exclusively and no issues with my CZ's with 13 lb mainspring on either of these brands.
 
I had my Shadow 1 set up light at one point, It worked flawlessly with CCI primers. I had went lighter and lighter at one point, 11lb spring I think it was, extended firing pin, trigger return spring etc. It was very light. Still never had a CCI misfire. I returned it back to stock to run my .22 Kadet kit again. Honestly it's pretty good stock even still.
Have you cleaned the firing pin area and guts really good?
 
Did your 13lbs main spring come with a lighter firing pin spring? The stock FP spring is fairly stiff, and it will cause light primer strikes. A lighter FP spring - CZ RAMI or Eemann Tech - should help.

Check the FP spring, make sure the FP channel is clean, and also check the primer seating depth: “high” primers are a common cause of ignition problems.

Tons of info on CZ and Enos forums - look up “tuning CZ 75 with Professor Atlas”
 
Follow the tips in the posts above and you should be on the right track. My experience:

- My POS Hornady press has a crappy primer station and doesn't seat some primers all the way. Federal are ok off the press, even with a light 11lb mainspring, but anything else will give me occasional light strikes.

- I hand-seat the primers in my match ammo, or eyeball the primers in my case gauge and toss the high ones in the practice bin. You want the primers to be slightly below the surface. Do not skip this step if you want to avoid light strikes.

- Definitely use a lighter firing pin spring. I tested and found the Eemann Comp spring lighter than the Rami

- Beware Eemann main spring ratings, since they don't go by lb/in like the rest of the world does. Their 7-lb is about 10lbs, 8-lb is about 11, 9lb is closer to 13, 10lb about 14, and so on. I used an Eemann 8-lb at my recent match and didn't have a light strike with Federal primers. My DA pull is around 6lbs.

- I'm also using a lighter Eemann trigger return spring.

- This won't affect trigger pull, but once you have a solid grip, you may find the 13-lb recoil spring to be too heavy. I'm using a 10-lb with my Shadow, and the muzzle returns to where it should after a shot, with my reloads.
 
That's one thing nice about the Shadow 1's and probably 2's, lots pf parts around (normally) to tune to your liking. I had used the Rami spring as well.
 
Hard to get parts now that CZ Custom has turned their back on Canada, but in my Shadow 1 I ran the extended firing pin with a Rami Firing pin spring and it lit off any primer including cheap Russian stuff similar to the Ginex stuff Campro is selling.
 
jimbo14 said:
Follow the tips in the posts above and you should be on the right track. My experience:

- My POS Hornady press has a crappy primer station and doesn't seat some primers all the way. Federal are ok off the press, even with a light 11lb mainspring, but anything else will give me occasional light strikes.

- I hand-seat the primers in my match ammo, or eyeball the primers in my case gauge and toss the high ones in the practice bin. You want the primers to be slightly below the surface. Do not skip this step if you want to avoid light strikes.

- Definitely use a lighter firing pin spring. I tested and found the Eemann Comp spring lighter than the Rami

- Beware Eemann main spring ratings, since they don't go by lb/in like the rest of the world does. Their 7-lb is about 10lbs, 8-lb is about 11, 9lb is closer to 13, 10lb about 14, and so on. I used an Eemann 8-lb at my recent match and didn't have a light strike with Federal primers. My DA pull is around 6lbs.

- I'm also using a lighter Eemann trigger return spring.

- This won't affect trigger pull, but once you have a solid grip, you may find the 13-lb recoil spring to be too heavy. I'm using a 10-lb with my Shadow, and the muzzle returns to where it should after a shot, with my reloads.
Click to expand...

Good info thanks. I am using a steel Frankford Arsenal hand unit. I am going back to reseat some of the brass I had already primed. I am getting some movement. It stands to reason if the primer isn't driven home, then it could act somewhat as a shock absorber. I am no longer being concerned about the small ring mark from seating the primer all the way. I had a more knowledgeable shooter look at it and we cleaned/lubed and put the 13lb hammer spring back in. He mentioned that I needed a lighter firing pin spring, but for now we cut off 1.5 turns off the original. I will need to get out to practice this week before next weekends action shooting match. When I get a chance I will surf for a competition spring kit that is in stock (surfing being the time consuming part).
 
you definitely need the lighter firing pin spring. As well, make sure you're seating the primers deep enough. Federals beyond being nice and soft, are also slightly taller, so if you seat the Ginex/CamPro or CCI to the same depth, as measured from the base of the case, you will often get some light strikes as the firing pin is simply seating the primer instead of setting it off. I've used hundreds of thousands of the Ginex/CamPro primers and never have an issue with light strikes in my Shadow 2s and my trigger is a lot lighter, just over 5lbs in DA.
 
Someone more experienced than I had a look at it gave it a better clean and lube. He cut 1.5 turns off the firing pin spring for now. I also reseated my primers deeper till a divot from the priming tool starts to show. When I took it to the range, it worked much better...no misfires. Now I just need to find who has spring kits in stock in Canada.
 
mb571 said:
Someone more experienced than I had a look at it gave it a better clean and lube. He cut 1.5 turns off the firing pin spring for now. I also reseated my primers deeper till a divot from the priming tool starts to show. When I took it to the range, it worked much better...no misfires. Now I just need to find who has spring kits in stock in Canada.
Click to expand...

Double Tap Sports will probably be your best bet. They stock the Cajun Gun Works springs.
 
texasjohn50 said:
Double Tap Sports will probably be your best bet. They stock the Cajun Gun Works springs.
Click to expand...

Not much there. Or anywhere really. Got on a few "notify me when back in stock" lists. Too bad they all didn't have a filter for in stock items.
Easy to have a full website while the shelves are bare. Tough times.
 
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