I did this mini review when my tanfoglio arrived last year.
Some observations.
The finish on the Stock II is much much nicer than the spo1 shadow. The paint is functional and to be honest I have not put a scratch in it yet during two years of ipsc shooting, but it is a bit fugly. I much prefer the hard chrome finish of the stock 2 and i figure it will wear less through practice draws.
Fuction. I had three stoppages out of about 200 rounds with the tanfoglio stock II. All light primer strikes. They were all near the end of the shooting session. What I am figuring is that there was cosmoline or whatever preservative that they ship the guns with stayed in the firing pin channel, that mixed up with some powder fouling could have made it more difficult for the firing pin to deliver. After the range session I soaked the slide in solvent, I am hoping that this will cure my light hammerstrikes or I may end up having to install a heavier mainspring. To be honest I was about ready to turf my cz sp01 shadaw two years ago. I had tried out four different styles of bullets before finding one that it could digest properly.
The trigger. Somewhat unlike the observations of a few here the trigger I did not find the trigger on the shadow vastly superior to the stock II. They are very different. The shadows double action trigger is longer and requires roughly equal pressure throughout its stroke. The tanfoglios trigger has a much shorter double action trigger pull which does have some stacking. Maybe I am weird but I kind of like that. As I know when the trigger will break and can check my alignment to make a shot. The CZ you have to hold perfect alignment thoughout the pull. Something that I do imperfectly
Single action. Basically a wash both feel around 5 lbs I do not own a fish scale. The CZ has a little cleaner trigger, the tanfoglio had a little bit of creep. This may work itself out after awhile.
There may be a difference in the reset of the trigger. A much more skilled shooter than I could take avantage of the somewhat shorter reset on the tanfoglio.
Accuracy. It was a wash. I was shooting my cast lead 124 grain and 147 grain bullets. They both were shooting 2 inch groups at 10 yards. I could not tell any difference between the guns and probably never will. Both can hold an A zone out to 50 yards which is all I need. I was very happy that the barrel of the tanfoglio was not leaded after shooting a couple hundred rounds of cast bullets. It has polygonal rifling which is the justification that glocks go kaboom with lead bullets. It actually leaded a less than my CZ with standard rifling and I shot about 3 times as many bullets out of it during my shoot yesterday.
Sights. I liked that the tanfoglio's are fully adjustable. My cz sp01 are only drift adjustable and not adjustable for elevation. Mine came from the factory hitting a few inches high. I have to compensate and use a six o'clock hold on more precise shots. However the fibreoptic sight on the cz is quicker to pick up than the standard steel sight on the tanfoglio.
Ergonomics. You would have to be the friendly giant to be able to engage the mag release with your thumb without changing your grip during a mag change on a tanfogio. And the slidestop is pretty much a decoration. There is no way my thumb is able to get past the safety to disengage the slidelock without changing my grip.
I am thinking that I may have to flip the magazine release to the righthand side of the tanfoglio and learn to engage it with my trigger finger. The slidestop will probablly only be used for disassembly and I will need to use me left hand to rack the slide.
Recoil. Hands down tanfoglio. The cz is not uncomfortable, but the tanfoglio is heavier and perceived recoil was less.
One year or so later, I have shot a season of IPSC. In my hands the stock 2 handles a little faster, but it is a little fussier.
I own both ,shoot both and I love both. The tanfoglio is a much prettier pistol, my wife was like ooh made in Italy. But they function about about the same. Some folks use cz competition parts to spruce up thier gun and still be legal. I can not really comment on how a tuned shadow shoots as I do not have one.
as to whether the stock II is worth more? it is what it is. If you want to shoot a stock II then it cost a bit more than a CZ shadow. Worth it is entirely dependent on the individual's desires and means. I have both so it is worth it to me to own both. One of my buddies has two stock IIs and another shooter has two SP01. For all the folks that have one or the other it is obviously worth it to them.
The top production shooter in Canada is shooting a CZ Shadow, so the platform will not hold you back too much.
Here are some pics. Comparing the two.
