Cadet II and Shadow II 22 conversion kits

[warzaw]

Thanks to Wolverine I have both kits pricey but good quality great service. Pros. Both kits install and work great not one malfunction in hundreds of rounds . Cons. The mags interchange but the Kadet II mags don't hold the slide open on the last round the followers are different . The Shadow II mags work well but are plastic the Cadet II kits are metal. The Shadow II slide is all aluminum the Kadet kit II is all steel but time and round count will tell how well they hold up. The Cadet II slide allows for a fiber optic front sight change up the Shadow II does not ? why ? not big deal for me as I will mill the slide for the change up but it will matter for some . Hope this info helps for some looking at the kits .

 

[Slavex]

my Kadet mags for the Shadow hold open the slide on my Shadow 2 Kadet kit no problem

 

[warzaw]

my Kadet mags for the Shadow hold open the slide on my Shadow 2 Kadet kit no problem

Funny I have 4 Kadet II mags and none of them hold the slide open on the Shadow 2 kit the followers have a different taper where they engage the slide stop then the ones on the Shadow 2 and don/t fully engage the slide stop ? the slide stop on the Kadet II doesn't seem to fit the Shadow 2 slide ?

 

[Slavex]

I'm not sure which Kadet kit I had compared to yours, but as far as I know the mags are the same in the original kits, metal 9mm bodies with the 22 mag inside essentially. Mine have the same follower shape and angle as the new Shadow 2 Kadet and fully engage the slidestop, so long as I don't ride it like I do other protruding slidestops.

 

[warzaw]

My followers are not the same on both sets the little cut out for the slide stop are cut out at different angles and the slide stop overrides the followers on the Kadet II metal mags . The slide stop on the SP01 has the proper shape and width but it has the reverse effect it wont work with the Shadow2 mag followers they don't clear the cut in the followers the head is to wide on the stop. I am going to mill a Shadow 2 follower to fit the Kadet II . I tried these kits on 3 pistols it worked out the same with all of them. On the bright side this problem will give me something to do its all good in the end.

 

[Slavex]

was out again today and took a closer look at the mags, my mags all have the exact same follower and angles, maybe yours is an older kit or something? Post pics if you can

 

[warzaw]

was out again today and took a closer look at the mags, my mags all have the exact same follower and angles, maybe yours is an older kit or something? Post pics if you can

Look closely at your mags the cut on the steel mag follower is smaller with a different radius where the slide stop engages . I couldn't change or modify the follower because of mag inside a mag concept . I had a stop kicking around added .025 to the head of the stop with a mig weld Problem solved the modified slide stop works with both style of mags. I have done this on a few 1911 builds in the past .

 

[Slavex]

My mags look exactly the same as the new ones, and I was just out with a friend and her Kadet II, those mags were exactly the same as mine and worked in the Shadow 2 kit. The plastic mags won't work in the Kadet II though as the ejector housing is different and the mags won't insert all the way.

 

[warzaw]

The followers are cut differently you are not looking in the right place they work if your slide stop is wide enough like the ones you and your friend seem to have. The stop modification solved my problem I have another Shadow coming need to scratch another itch we will see how that one handles the kit . Thanks for your interest with this issue .

 

[ambishooter]

I have the Antreg Zenith 22S (Kadet Clone). By removing the slide and inserting an empty magazine, the follower can easily push the slide stop up. But with the slide mounted, it can barely push the slide stop up. Could this be the same situation with some of the CZ Kadet magazines regardless of the version of the kit? From CZ forums, they use the slide stop for the PCR and seems to do the trick. I am also thinking of replacing the slide stop spring with something lighter. Not sure if this is the way to do it. BTW, the magazine follower looks identical between the clone and the kadet. But the spring is different. See page 14 Kadet 1 user manual. But on the Antreg Zenith 22s, spring is mounted on the front portion of magazine. I am also thinking of modding a spare slide stop by Brazing bronze along the contact point.
https://www.czub.cz/media/attachment/file/c/z/cz75kadet_en.pdf
http://www.antreg.cz/pdfvyrobky/novinky/ZENITH_22S_Spare_Part_List_V03.pdf

 

[warzaw]

Not the same problem my shadow 2 slide stop was to narrow to engage the Kadet II follower , I fitted and tig welded a extra stop I had kicking around . I wouldn't braze a stop to much heat you will probably destroy the stop. I think you would need a heavy spring to lift the stop ? if you have good contact with the follower why would you extend it ? Maybe your conversion kit wasn't designed to hold the slide open on the last shot Kimber , Wilson kits are made that way .

 

[ambishooter]

Maybe. But several videos I saw shows slide open after last shot. I am also hesitant in touching the slide stop spring as it might create issues when switching back to centrefire.

Not the same problem my shadow 2 slide stop was to narrow to engage the Kadet II follower , I fitted and tig welded a extra stop I had kicking around . I wouldn't braze a stop to much heat you will probably destroy the stop. I think you would need a heavy spring to lift the stop ? if you have good contact with the follower why would you extend it ? Maybe your conversion kit wasn't designed to hold the slide open on the last shot Kimber , Wilson kits are made that way .

 

[ambishooter]

Last night, I removed the slide stop spring from my CZ 85C and analyzed further the tension created by the spring. I made another spring out of a thinner gauge spring wire. Installed the new spring, without the slide, pushed the Kadet (clone) mag. Easily, the slide stop moved upward. Re-installed the original spring, and the slide stop did not budge with the rimfire mag. The purpose of this slide stop retaining spring is to keep the slide stop from falling out of the frame. As installed, the frame and slide rails keeps the slide stop in a relatively up-down motion, nothing else. Technically, the magazine spring is the one pushing the follower in contact with the slide stop to hold open after last round. Then, I reduced the tension of the slide stop spring by bending to a slight curve, enough to keep the slide stop from sliding out. Re-installed the spring, slide stop and inserted the mag. So far so good. Then, re-installed the slide and mag. Hand-racked the slide, so far I can see the slide holding open on an empty mag. You are absolutely right in suggestion not to touch the slide stop. Rangetime is all I need to test the mod in both the rimfire conversion kit and the centrefire slides.

Slavex/CZ Guru - am I on the right direction?

Maybe. But several videos I saw shows slide open after last shot. I am also hesitant in touching the slide stop spring as it might create issues when switching back to centrefire.

 

[Slavex]

I've never had to play with the slidestop. I finally found my other 3 Kadet II mags and they are the same as the 2 I had found and work 100% with the new Shadow II 22 kit. The only difference in the followers is color, and the follower is slightly taller on the new plastic body mags, but the part that engages the slidestop is in exactly the same position on both styles of mags and easily engages the slidestop on both guns.

 

[warzaw]

I've never had to play with the slidestop. I finally found my other 3 Kadet II mags and they are the same as the 2 I had found and work 100% with the new Shadow II 22 kit. The only difference in the followers is color, and the follower is slightly taller on the new plastic body mags, but the part that engages the slidestop is in exactly the same position on both styles of mags and easily engages the slidestop on both guns.

Not mine they are both different but all is well with me ,025 slide stop corrected the Kadet 11 mags they will work on my shadow 2 . Have a great day.