Shadow 2 Hits The GTA

same hammer spring, same recoil spring, same sear spring, same mag catch spring, same firing pin spring, same slide catch spring, same mags. Sights are also interchangeable. Slide stop is not, mag catch is though, but probably not IPSC legal if that matters.


"lessen the take up" what exactly do you mean by this? Lessen the weight or the distance? I prefer the 11lb mainsprings (also known as hammer springs) I got from CZ years ago, but they don't sell them anymore. the next best is the 11.5 from Cajun Gun Works (not IPSC legal). You can also get an 8.5lb from CGW but need to use Federal primers with that one.
If you want to reduce the DA length of pull, well, you can't.
 
Yes, the hammer spring weight only changes the resistance, so lighter spring will make the pull lighter but wont change the traval distance required.
 
Slavex said:
same hammer spring, same recoil spring, same sear spring, same mag catch spring, same firing pin spring, same slide catch spring, same mags. Sights are also interchangeable. Slide stop is not, mag catch is though, but probably not IPSC legal if that matters.


"lessen the take up" what exactly do you mean by this? Lessen the weight or the distance? I prefer the 11lb mainsprings (also known as hammer springs) I got from CZ years ago, but they don't sell them anymore. the next best is the 11.5 from Cajun Gun Works (not IPSC legal). You can also get an 8.5lb from CGW but need to use Federal primers with that one.
If you want to reduce the DA length of pull, well, you can't.
Click to expand...

I'm referring to the distance. On my Shadowline, the take up until resistance and then the break was an eternity (DA). Probably almost a half an inch. And the reset was pretty long too. Now, I am comparing the reset on my old Shadowline to an Apex in my new M&P. Is that unfair?

All I'm asking is that take-up distance before the break in DA and the reset distance. I'd like to see them much smaller. I guess if you say that there's nothing that can be done about that distance, I might be setting myself up for disappointment. Is the new hammer spring the answer for the take up distance or just the resistance of the trigger pull in DA?

I guess I'll know in a week when I get mine. I might revisit this subject then.
 
Last edited:
chicu1981 said:
I got the blue one couple of months ago. I find it vey hard to rack the slide due to the angled profile.
Click to expand...

Just tried mine out yesterday at Tenda and found racking the slide to be way easier and faster than my Shadow 1!

Absolutely love the weight, grip and feel of this gun! Love my Shadow but the Shadow 2 feels that much better. Just waiting for the transfer now to get my hands on it and take it for a spin at the range.
 
Last edited:
The physical distance the trigger has to move can't be changed, in DA, learning how to use a DA trigger solves that problem (see Ernest Langdon's Do Not Fear The Double Action Shot). For the SA, make sure the overtravel screw is adjusted properly and you will end up with a very short reset, as close to a 1911 single action as you can get. The Shadow 2 comes with a new style disconnector, not the Pre B one, the one in the 2 allows for a bit more slack in SA as a lot of people thought the Pre B with basically zero slack, was not the best option. SA reset is still really short, but the trigger does have more play in it. I actually like it that was, as when I come off the trigger during movement or mag changes I like to have a small amount of prep available vs, touch the trigger and bang like the Pre B causes.
 
IM_Lugger said:
I have a #13 hammer spring on my 75B stainless. Improved the trigger a lot.
Click to expand...
Keep one thing in mind that by changing the spring, you will get a lighter DA trigger pull, but you also have to make sure that the primers go 'bang'. Most lighter primers such as those from CCI will work, but if it is a harder primer, it may not and all it takes is one dud to cost you your match. IF you are going to lighten the main spring, it is highly recommended that you have an EXTENDED firing pin in as well for 100% reliability. For some reason, they are hard to find here in Canada :(, not so in the US, however, a lot of US suppliers will not ship to Canada. Primers are expensive, and I like to take advantage of sales when I can, so sticking with the same primer brand is not an option for me, and I would not like to be doubtful on reliability.
 
I've been running 11lb hammer spring for almost 10 years in my Shadows, including the 2's I've been using this season. Shooting everything from my own reloads to TulAmmo in Russian, zero issues. I am not a fan of the extended firing pin and have seen issues with them in other people's guns. You can get reduced power firing pin springs too, which are decent.
 
Slavex said:
I've been running 11lb hammer spring for almost 10 years in my Shadows, including the 2's I've been using this season. Shooting everything from my own reloads to TulAmmo in Russian, zero issues. I am not a fan of the extended firing pin and have seen issues with them in other people's guns. You can get reduced power firing pin springs too, which are decent.
Click to expand...

Have you been changing the other springs at the same time (if so, to what weight?) or just the hammer spring?

Thanks for all the Shadow 2 info you've been posting!
 
Slavex said:
I've been running 11lb hammer spring for almost 10 years in my Shadows, including the 2's I've been using this season. Shooting everything from my own reloads to TulAmmo in Russian, zero issues. I am not a fan of the extended firing pin and have seen issues with them in other people's guns. You can get reduced power firing pin springs too, which are decent.
Click to expand...

Any chance you could share the source of these springs? I'd like to give them a try.
 
Pleased to hear Slavex uses 11# mainsprings. I have for years used 13# springs in my CZ's and have never had a light strike ever. We all have our likes. Me. I like the DA and the SA pull the 13# spring gives me. Slavex prefers an even lighter combo. I might try it if light strikes is not an issue and it sounds like it isn't. It is all about preferences. Nice to have choices.

Aside from weighing almost 8oz more than the regular Shadow what else does this gun bring to the table? The reset sounds like it is about the same as the Shadowline/Canadian Edition or a worked on Shadow. Hell it only can be so fast. A longer sight radius and weight would seem to be the only significant changes. Is there anything else? Are the internals the same as the Shadow Rob?

Take Care

Bob
 
Slavex said:
I've been running 11lb hammer spring for almost 10 years in my Shadows, including the 2's I've been using this season. Shooting everything from my own reloads to TulAmmo in Russian, zero issues. I am not a fan of the extended firing pin and have seen issues with them in other people's guns. You can get reduced power firing pin springs too, which are decent.
Click to expand...
Extended firing pins are meant to be used with lightened main springs. If you use these with regular main springs, which people do as they think it provides higher reliability, they can cause issues. You are right though, lightened firing pin spring is another solution as well. I have even seen people cut a coil or two from their present ones, although I would NOT recommend that.
 
Some comparison shots between Shadow & Shadow 2 here.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1461308-CZ-Shadow-2-Urban-Grey-9mm-####
 
Last edited:
I know why people run the extended firing pins, and simply, I think they are wrong. I've only shot a million+ rounds through my Shadows though so what do I know. Seriously, as for the lightened firing pin spring, they come in the Shadowmate kits and are available from CZ, cutting springs as mentioned above is never a good idea. And yes, as Bob says, I run an 11lb hammer spring as well as recoil. Although I ran a gun the other day that has a 6lb recoil spring and no shockbuff in it, that was interesting (Shadow 2). The 11lb I got from CZUB but they don't make them anymore. I've painted them so I can keep track of them, moving them to each year's new gun(s). That's a lot of rounds over those springs. the closest I've found are the 11.5 from Cajun Gun Works which is what my practice guns have in them. My Steel Challenge gun has an 8.5lb hammer spring from Cajun in it. that spring works just fine with a normal firing pin spring and CCI and Federal and Win primers. With S&B it's a no go (11.5lb and 11lb are fine though). Even the Dominion primers from Canada Ammo work with the 11lb springs pretty well with maybe 1 in 100 needing to be hit twice, which is fine for practice ammo.
Bob, the biggest most noticeable differences are the checkering on the front and backstraps, the undercuts in the trigger guard and beavertail, the new profile slide and sight radius. the internals, while essentially the same as a regular Shadow, and swappable with a Shadow, are different. They've changed some alignment points and interfaces to give better DA and SA results. I'll document some of the changes when I get home and can get out the measuring tools.
 
Rob internally it sounds like they did a better than average trigger job that a good 'smith would do on the gun. I would expect that for a $1,500 gun. Most of the changes you mentioned are cosmetic and that is fine. The extra weight will help lower level IPSC shooters manage the recoil better and that will have the potential to help their scoring.

I am not at all sure that many shooters will get much benefit out of an ever so slight improvement in the reset. The regular Shadow was pretty good and in it's upstream siblings were slightly better. No doubt there are other "improvements" made to the gun to help the very best be even better.

The gun will sell well for those who want the latest offering to shoot IPSC. CZ had already made one of the best IDPA DA/SA SSP gun IMHO in the 75 Shadowline/SP-01 Shadowline. I think it only fair they reach out to the IPSC crowd with a quality gun in the guise of the Shadow2.

If more guys move to sell off their regular Shadows in the search for improved scoring I may have to let the Queen breath and chase some deals.

Talk when you get back.

Take Care

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom