CZ 75 shadowline! Awsome.

[CanadianBaconPancakes]

Well, I was torn between CZ 75 shadow, CZ shadow 2 or the CZ shadowline. After spending days looking up the nearly impossible to find differences I got them down to about 400$ of factory upgrades + tuning on the gun ( CZ shadow line compared to CZ shadow, CZ shadow 2 info was impossible to find at the time ).

The difference is very noticeable when handling a normal new CZ shadow and comparing to the new CZ shadowline. A big difference is the weight, the shadowline is lighter imo compared to the CZ shadow with rail and its noticeable right away. The slide moves much easier on the shadow line and it makes it noticeable when comparing. The hammer to me is easier to manipulate on the shadow line and when I played with the regular shadow it just felt odd including the larger controls. I also am able to use all the controls with one hand only with ease, even the slim slide release. The aluminum grips that I was originally worried about sliding really have nice course grips and dig in and hold on.

Im surprised it was so hard to find more info on the difference. Imo more work should be done to make the differences clear on CZ's part. I have only put 300 rounds through it so far but its functioned flawlessly. I paid 220$ more to get the shadowline ( after consider 1 less mag) and I never will look back on that extra money.

 

[Mark-II]

I have both an SP-01 Shadow and a 75 Shadowline. Even the barrels are a different thickness.

Both handle nice, in their own way, but I prefer the looks of the classic 75 to the rail.

I had an LPA rear sight installed on the Shadowline, just so I can dial in my POI to precisely where I want it.

 

[CanadianBaconPancakes]

Never noticed the barrels! Good to know tho. I like the shadowline classic looks better to.

 

[Redblack]

My cz75 shadow line is deadly accurate, it's one of the best purchases I have ever made.

 

[AB.boy]

My cz75 shadow line is deadly accurate, it's one of the best purchases I have ever made.

I agree. (If you remember Redblack you gave me an assist on buying one as well )

 

[Canuck44]

The 75 Shodowline has the short dust cover and no rail while the CZ 75 SP01 Shadowline has a FLDC and rail....I believe. What does it say on your slides just out of curiosity. The SP01 Shadow and 75 SP-01 Shadowline weight the same 1.18KG. The 75 Shadowline with the short dustcover and no rail weighs 1KG the same as the regular 75B. The New Edition I have weighs in at 1.05 KG. All weights from the CZ website.

Mine says CZ 75 on the slide and Shadowline on the grips. The barrel on my 75 Shadowline is the same barrel that is in my 85 Combats and CZ 75 New Edition. Aside from one being stainless and the other being carbon steel the frames of the New Edition and 75 Shadowline are virtually identical. There likely are minor differences but nothing that is going to affect my shooting. The 75 Shadowline has a lighter mainspring than the spring that came with the New Edition. The hammer of course is different and there has has to be slightly different angles on either the hammer hooks or sear to account for the slightly faster reset on the 75 Shadowline.

Unless a trigger job costs more than $600 a regular CZ 75B with a trigger job and springs or more than say $300 for a trigger job on a regular Shadow both the lower price guns represent better value than the either the 75/SP-01 Shadowlines or the New Edition for most shooters. But value and price are not to be confused with buying our blasters and that is why I own a 75 Shadowline and a 75B New Edition along with a tribe of other well known brands all of which were at one time better than the gun I was, at that time, shooting.

Alas I remain a Sharpshooter and B/C Class shooter. Age does not always bring wisdom it would seem.:>)

For those interested here are my experiences regarding these pistols:

1. I enjoy them all
2. I don't find any difference in muzzle rise between the short or long dust cover at my skill level.
3. The slightly shorter reset found on one model over another has no practical affect on my scoring at my skill level.
4. A lighter smoother trigger pull has a major benefit when shooting at targets out to 25 yards.
5. Lighter guns generally work better in IDPA while IPSC shooting generally favours heavier guns.
6. The ability to score well in IDPA or IPSC and shoot accurately is 99% Shooter and 1% Gun.
7. Practice has more affect on scores than the value of the gun used to obtain the scores.
9. Chasing Newton's Laws of physics does not necessarily have any practical value for most shooters.

Take Care

Bob

 

[Mark-II]

Good points

I'm only clinging to my SP-01 because it has the nicest trigger. Though in practice the 75Shadowline is insignificantly less nice.

Trigger job is down to dropping in a competition hammer - I did that on an 85Combat. It does need some polishing. I'm just letting mine wear in. Alternatively the hammer hooks can be reduced to eliminate the camming action, but that throws off the timing and the pistol can drop into DA on firing - not an issue for me since I took out the DA guts and put a SAO trigger in.

So as far as the CZ goes, I'd simply avoid buying one with a firing pin block. Mostly because if there are options without, then why buy one with?

 

[Brettzky]

Yeah a lot of stuff on forums from "experienced" CZ shooters says the shadowline is only a cosmetic upgrade and not worth the extra 4-500. It literally feels and shoots like a completely different / fully custom gun. So don't ever believe that. I've had the pleasure of owning the 75 Shadowline as well as the SP-01 Shadowline, the latter was decked out with more upgrades from Cajun Gun Works and both of those guns had the nicest action, smoothest trigger and nicest reset of any gun I've shot to date. The 75 Shadowline has that awesome no-nonsense classical style with no rail, but you will pay for it a bit if you're going for quick follow up shots as it's pretty light up front.

Keep your eyes peeled for more on the exchange as the Shadow 2 gets released (sold mine a week or two ago) as that gun is supposed to come standard with several of the same features as the Shadowline.. for cheaper than they retail for right now and an extra inch of barrel real estate. So the exchange might blow up with <$1000 Shadowlines pretty quick here.. for the bargain hunters!

 

[Canuck44]

Brettzky for all of that the litmus test is if the shooters scores change significantly with all the "improvements". For 95% of the shooters there will be little to no change in their scoring IMHO. My CZ 85 Combat prepared by the late Ken Soucie has a better trigger and shorter reset than my 75 Shadowline. Both are excellent guns and I see no difference in how I perform using either of them. Neither are nose heavy and they are lighter which is an advantage when shooting IDPA. Not so much shooting IPSC from my experience. The guns I reference have identical innards and barrels. One difference are the hammers which accounts for some of the faster reset.

The Shadow2 will certainly be of interest to the IPSC shooter. Time will tell if the owners scores improve enough to notice. The one constant is the retail price rises as the various "upgrades" ie grips & internal work on existing parts, are added. On that note I replaced the aluminum grips on my 75 Shadowline with the old style rubber grips. I prefer the fatter fuller grips that fill my hands, others of course do better with the thinner grips.

Take Care

Bob

 

[DTM5]

Love my new CZ 75 Shadowline. Recently acquired as an upgrade from my 75b stainless special edition. Improved trigger, barrel, hammer, sights, etc. My only beef is that the safety is low profile and stiffer than the 75b - Not as much of a positive 'click' when it is disengaged. Small issue I know but on the draw it requires a firmer downward push with the thumb. Won't be long till I'm used to it. All that being said, I bet my accuracy won't improve much with it....the 75b standard is a great gun in all regards in its basic form.

 

[SoylentD]

Love my new CZ 75 Shadowline. Recently acquired as an upgrade from my 75b stainless special edition. Improved trigger, barrel, hammer, sights, etc. My only beef is that the safety is low profile and stiffer than the 75b - Not as much of a positive 'click' when it is disengaged. Small issue I know but on the draw it requires a firmer downward push with the thumb. Won't be long till I'm used to it. All that being said, I bet my accuracy won't improve much with it....the 75b standard is a great gun in all regards in its basic form.

I've never used the safety on my shadowline. Start holstered with the hammer forward, first shot is in double action.

 

[ambishooter]

2 1/2 yrs ago, the difference in the cost between a regular 75 and a shadowline (including SP01) is between $ 50-100. But with the loonie tanked, no extra point of argument merits a discussion. Anticipating the release of Shadow 2, I am expecting a drastic influx of pre-owned 75 and Shadow/Shadowlines via EE and LGS. Depending on the supply of Shadow 2, we should see some decent price-drop.

Yeah a lot of stuff on forums from "experienced" CZ shooters says the shadowline is only a cosmetic upgrade and not worth the extra 4-500. It literally feels and shoots like a completely different / fully custom gun. So don't ever believe that. I've had the pleasure of owning the 75 Shadowline as well as the SP-01 Shadowline, the latter was decked out with more upgrades from Cajun Gun Works and both of those guns had the nicest action, smoothest trigger and nicest reset of any gun I've shot to date. The 75 Shadowline has that awesome no-nonsense classical style with no rail, but you will pay for it a bit if you're going for quick follow up shots as it's pretty light up front.

Keep your eyes peeled for more on the exchange as the Shadow 2 gets released (sold mine a week or two ago) as that gun is supposed to come standard with several of the same features as the Shadowline.. for cheaper than they retail for right now and an extra inch of barrel real estate. So the exchange might blow up with <$1000 Shadowlines pretty quick here.. for the bargain hunters!

 

[SoylentD]

2 1/2 yrs ago, the difference in the cost between a regular 75 and a shadowline (including SP01) is between $ 50-100. But with the loonie tanked, no extra point of argument merits a discussion. Anticipating the release of Shadow 2, I am expecting a drastic influx of pre-owned 75 and Shadow/Shadowlines via EE and LGS. Depending on the supply of Shadow 2, we should see some decent price-drop.

I think a lot of people are banking on this. I have a Shadow2 on order but debating on keeping the shadowline as a backup gun in production.