question for CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow owners re half-#### safety position
- Thread starter dm9
- Start date
Tigerzclaw
Member
I recently bought my first restricted, a CZ 75 SP-01 with the decocker, I was wondering if it's Ok to store the gun half-cocked.
When I'm done using the gun I pull the slide, inspect inside, close, decock and lock.
I don't think there's much tension left on the spring in the half-#### position vs uncock.
From what I heard, dry firing the CZ 75 isn't a huge problem but I wonder... why have a decocked then...
When I'm done using the gun I pull the slide, inspect inside, close, decock and lock.
I don't think there's much tension left on the spring in the half-#### position vs uncock.
From what I heard, dry firing the CZ 75 isn't a huge problem but I wonder... why have a decocked then...
Tigerzclaw
Member
Well, no special reason, I'm not against dry firing it, I like to used the decocker provided with the gun unless there's a real good reason not to leave the hammer under about 1/4 spring tension for long.
For most guns, the half #### position is there to catch the hammer if there is a failure of the sear. In other words, if the sear breaks when the gun is fully cocked, rather than the hammer falling all of the way and firing the gun, the hammer will be caught by the half #### and held there. This is especially important for single action guns, where the gun is usually carried cocked.
My understanding is that the half #### position is no longer intended to be used by the operator (at least not since the days of flintlocks).
My understanding is that the half #### position is no longer intended to be used by the operator (at least not since the days of flintlocks).
I'd agree with the role of the half #### notch overall. Particularly on semi auto guns that have regular hammers with these half #### notches.
But along with flint and cap lock guns you need to expand your exceptions to include all of the Colt revolvers and modern clones of these designs from the 1851 Navy cap&ball gun to the 1873. In all of those the half #### position is also the loading position where the cylinder stop bolt is retracted and allows turning the cylinder for loading. The Remington revolvers of that same time period are also like this. And I suspect there's a slew of similar early revolvers from other countries that also used the half #### to release the cylinder or barrel cluster in the case of pepper box revolvers. But we're still talking about a role that is only used on early designs. For a modern semi auto there's no need other than as a safety catch if the sear hops the hammer's hook for whatever reason.
DM9, in the case of your Shadow leaving it at half #### isn't going to hurt anything. And the residual spring pressure is a lot less than 1/4. When the spring is set into place it's already put under a fair amount of preload compression. Adding on the little extra for the half #### is only about another 10% or so.
Also the springs don't sag from constant pressure. If there's any degradation it's from cycling it. And that's why recoil and mainsprings are generally changed for new ones based on the rounds shot. Or if a large amount of dry firing is done on both the dry fire cycles as well as rounds shot.
