I "Need" a backup gun.

ndb86

ndb86

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Hi all.

I have a shadow, and I love it. However I still feel like I need a backup gun for IPSC production class. I would perfer a gun that uses the same mags as the shadow cuz I'm cheap and don't want to have to buy a whole new setup.

These are my options that I know of.
Most cz 75's
tanfolgio "L"
baby eagle aka jerico.

I'm not planning on buying right away, but I thought I'd get your advice. Should I just get another shadow? I'd like to try something different.

My budget is $800 or less. Less being better. I'm not going to use this gun much, but i will get enough practice to become comfortable with it and may use if for a match or two here and there.

I know a couple of guys with tanfo's and baby eagles and am going to sweet talk them into letting me try them before I actually buy one.

If you have any advice or experience with these guns let me know OR if you have any others to add to the list that also will use my existing mags that would be great. I have a mix of CZ and tanfo mags already, if that makes any difference.
 
Just keep a spare Front FO rod in you kit, spare extractor springs and be sure your magazine lips are not spreading apart.

There you go... I just saved you $800.

I shoot a Shadow in production for the last 3 years and my friend and I thought the same thing but we're glad we didn't buy a spare... our primary Shadow has never failed us except when I was having FTFeed issues and discovered the mag lips had spread apart over time. All fixed up now.
 
take a look at the "rule of threes" and see what you think- the best back-up micmics your primary , as everything is in the same spot- the only thing i don't have as at least duplicates is my 22s- sure different barrel lengths, grips etc, but underneath, it's the same gun
 
best spare part is a spare gun. ideally you want your back up to be the same as your primary. If you're going to spend that kind of money then do it right.
 
why not just buy another CZ shadow? Aren't they around $750+? I am sure I have seen them on sale even cheaper.
 
I have a Glock 17 back up to my Shadow. For $800 you can get an entire Glock set up-mine ran me $775 with the gun used. I'm thinking of splurging and getting the Tanfoglio Stock 3 but your gonna need the gun, FO sight, new holster and maybe a trigger job so probably about twice your budget. I'd say just save up or save the money for a rainy day.
 
I think as others have said, if you truly want a backup gun, get another shadow and set it up identical to your main gun.

Some suggest you do 75% of your practice with the backup gun and put less wear on your competition gun, saving it for the main events.

CRAFM had the shadow for $699 at the end of January.
 
I lugged a CZ75 as a spare for my Shadow for almost 2 years, finally got rid of it and just added some spares. Only needed to steal the slide stop from it once, carrying the slide stop is a lot lighter. I have 45000+ rounds through my Shadow and have replaced a few springs, slide stop x2, and an extractor, thats it. I once broke the slide stop on the first round of a 28 round stage(had a slight jam, didn't realize the slide stop broke, it had actually fallen out except for about a 1/4" nib) and the gun continued to shoot perfect through the next 27 rounds. Only realized it was the slide stop when I was picking up brass and seen it on the ground where I started.
 
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I'm not (yet) into the 'sports', but wouldn't it make sense to keep the same gun as a backup? Otherwise you have to retrain your eyes and muscle memory right?
 
Just buy another CZ shadow, and shoot the back up most of the time in practice as suggested, you will like one more than the other..keep that one primarily for matches.
If you are serious you will need to pick up eihter one and shoot it well without relearning it in the middle of a match.
Murphy's law say if you drag a a spare around you will never need it, if you don't have a spare the likely hood of needing it is directly proportional to the size and expense of the match you travelled 2000 miles to attend.
Besides you can always sell the one you like less.
 
Hi Nick,
Speaking from experience, I have a Shadow back up to my Shadow.
Last Nationals I broke a trigger return spring and went to my back up for the rest or the stages that day. Same gun, same feel. 30 minutes that night to fix and back to my main gun for the remainder of the match.
Cost of a trigger return spring +- $3.00, Cost of a back up gun $739.00 from CRAFM, cost of a back up gun at a major match PRICELESS.
 
ironsights said:
Hi Nick,
Speaking from experience, I have a Shadow back up to my Shadow.
Last Nationals I broke a trigger return spring and went to my back up for the rest or the stages that day. Same gun, same feel. 30 minutes that night to fix and back to my main gun for the remainder of the match.
Cost of a trigger return spring +- $3.00, Cost of a back up gun $739.00 from CRAFM, cost of a back up gun at a major match PRICELESS.
Click to expand...

Andy, you and the others have a good point that if I'm going to have a backup, that it should be the same. I just thought I'd try to get something a little different. I suppose I'll have to keep my eye out for a sale on one.
 
A back up is great, but to be a back up it must be identical to your primary- same everything.
Different anything makes it a different gun which will effect the concept of a backup.
It's the same for any sports really, IMO anyway.
 
I shoot a Jericho Baby Eagle as my main (poorly).

Don't think it would work as a backup for a Shadow.
It's a CZ clone but different enough to be difficult to adjust. Holster and mags won't fit either AFAIK.
 
altaberg said:
I shoot a Jericho Baby Eagle as my main (poorly).

Don't think it would work as a backup for a Shadow.
It's a CZ clone but different enough to be difficult to adjust. Holster and mags won't fit either AFAIK.
Click to expand...

I have a cr speed holter so i wouldn't need a whole new one, and I'm pretty sure that the jericho's will take tanfolgio mags, but not CZ mags... I could easily be wrong on that. However as Andy and a bunch of others said, if it's a backup gun, it should be identicial and I get that. If want a "differnt"gun to screw around with that's all well and good, but to call it a backup gun it should be the exact same.
 
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