BItten hard by the CZ bug: New Shadow 2 Orange

[JimLob65]

Since buying the original blue/black Shadow 2 a couple of years ago I have really been bitten by the CZ bug. Several months after I bought the AccuShadow 2, originally with black grips, now with gray. I then did the normal spring changes and extended firing pin with the reduced weight spring. They are both excellent pistols with outstanding, although slightly different triggers. However, the Orange has been really intriguing, almost leading me to buy a TSO recently. However, after mulling it over it was sold in the meantime.

After work today, the first day back in a week due to vacation I made my usual stop in my nearby Sportsmans Warehouse and in the display case was a Shadow 2 Orange! And at a really good price, actually at the pre-COVID price, which was $260 less than my nearest mega gun shop listed it for. On top of that is the extra $100 I saved plus the rewards dollars! I checked it out, found it to be very smooth and VERY TIGHT!! And took it home!!

https://i.imgur.com/LII9T4t.jpg

[Trigger]

Congratulations! Nice blasters.

Now you need to conduct a super shoot-off. With pictures!

[JimLob65]

Congratulations! Nice blasters.

Now you need to conduct a super shoot-off. With pictures!

I will end the suspense right now. They all shoot better than I do:p!

[JCN]

Note that the Shadows don't have a firing pin block.

That coupled with the extended firing pin (which isn't necessary anyway) makes these guns decidedly NOT drop safe and a drop on the hammer earlier this year caused an ND which killed an RO.

So maybe consider going back to standard firing pins.

I switched all my competition guns back to standard pins and haven't noticed any reduced reliability of ignition.

[awp_101]

Nice! Local place has a Shadow 2 SAO that’s calling me but I’ve resisted so far...

[JimLob65]

Note that the Shadows don't have a firing pin block.

That coupled with the extended firing pin (which isn't necessary anyway) makes these guns decidedly NOT drop safe and a drop on the hammer earlier this year caused an ND which killed an RO.

So maybe consider going back to standard firing pins.

I switched all my competition guns back to standard pins and haven't noticed any reduced reliability of ignition.

How awful! I hadn't heard of this.

Did the pistol fall on the hammer? If so was the hammer in the clocked position, or was it down? Was it the inertia of the firing pin that set off the round?

What a terrible thing.

[JCN]

How awful! I hadn't heard of this.

Did the pistol fall on the hammer? If so was the hammer in the clocked position, or was it down? Was it the inertia of the firing pin that set off the round?

What a terrible thing.

Hammer was down, pistol fell on the hammer and the hammer strike on the extended firing pin makes enough contact to fire the primer.

After the incident, people tested a similar setup with a mallet and were able to reproduce it with the extended firing pin but not with the stock pin.

I wish people would stop putting in the extended pins. They’re not necessary anyway.

[JimLob65]

Hammer was down, pistol fell on the hammer and the hammer strike on the extended firing pin makes enough contact to fire the primer.

After the incident, people tested a similar setup with a mallet and were able to reproduce it with the extended firing pin but not with the stock pin.

I wish people would stop putting in the extended pins. They’re not necessary anyway.

Thank you for the information. I did the mods suggested on the CZ forum, evidently before this tragic event. I will swap out the firing pins back to the stock length when I get a chance.

Much appreciated.

[JimLob65]

Another question comes to mind: did you reinstall the stock firing pin return spring?

[Clusterfrack]

I use the OEM firing pins, and light CGW return springs. That combo works with a 11.5# hammer spring.

[willie]

Thank you for the information. I did the mods suggested on the CZ forum, evidently before this tragic event. I will swap out the firing pins back to the stock length when I get a chance.

Much appreciated.


You might install the firing pin block using a lighter spring as sold by Cajun. That would eliminate risks.

[JimLob65]

I use the OEM firing pins, and light CGW return springs. That combo works with a 11.5# hammer spring.

Thank you.

[Clusterfrack]

You might install the firing pin block using a lighter spring as sold by Cajun. That would eliminate risks.

There is no FP safety plunger on a S2.

[Clusterfrack]

I use the OEM firing pins, and light CGW return springs. That combo works with a 11.5# hammer spring.

Note that with this combo you need to replace the hammer spring regularly to prevent light strikes. Maybe every 20k rounds/dryfires, or when it is 2 coils short. Don’t ask me how I know.

[awp_101]

I wish people would stop putting in the extended pins. They’re not necessary anyway.
Unless something in the mods is changing the depth of the firing pin tunnel, I don't understand why a lengthened firing pin is needed. Never having had a CZ slide apart I don't know the answer to this.


I use the OEM firing pins, and light CGW return springs. That combo works with a 11.5# hammer spring.
Again, never having been in a metal CZ, is the trigger return spring a fiddly thing to replace? I've swapped from safety to decocker on the 07 and 09 but never messed with the metal framed pistols. I hear anything dealing with the sear cage is a beating to deal with but not much on the rest of the guts.

[Clusterfrack]

Unless something in the mods is changing the depth of the firing pin tunnel, I don't understand why a lengthened firing pin is needed. Never having had a CZ slide apart I don't know the answer to this.

You can use very light hammer springs. Like 8#, and still get reliable ignition. I do not use the extended FP anymore, but it was nice.

[awp_101]

You can use very light hammer springs. Like 8#, and still get reliable ignition. I do not use the extended FP anymore, but it was nice.

Ok, I think I get it. Extend the fp to compensate for the lighter (and possibly shorter?) spring.

[JimLob65]

When I did the firing pin and springs change out I did so at the suggestion of some knowledgeable members over at the CZ forum, and didn't ask questions. It appeared these changes were standard mods on these pistols in order to lighten the trigger pull and help control the pistol during recoil, much like installing a 'D' spring on a Beretta 92. I was very happy with the results, and assumed that those more knowledgeable than me had their reasons for doing so. I am very grateful for learning what I have learned from this thread.

[Duces Tecum]

Other than grip color, what are the meaningful differences between the Shadow pistols, please?

[JimLob65]

Other than grip color, what are the meaningful differences between the Shadow pistols, please?

The blue/black is a standard Shadow 2.

The gray is an AccuShadow 2, which has a removable 1911 style barrel bushing installed which required that the slide be machined to theoretically tighten up the barrel/slide fit; trigger work done and a competition style hammer and disconnector installed by CZ Custom. It is basically stock Shadow 2 that has competition style work done by CZ Custom, so no effort is made to select fit the slide to the frame.

The Orange is a Shadow 2 that has a select, hand fit slide/barrel/frame fit from the custom shop at the CZ factory in the Czech Republic. It also has a competition style hammer and disconnector and trigger work done, as well as highly polished frame and slide rails, interior slide and barrel, with added attention to slide/frame and barrel/slide fit. Let me tell you that this thing is TIGHT! I had to be careful when reassembling it last night because it is so tight fitting. It also features a 1911 style barrel bushing, very similar but not the same as on the AccuShadow 2. The Orange line of CZ pistols are all subject to similar attention by the CZUB custom shop.

[ccmdfd]

For clarifications sake.

The extended firing pin is an aftermarket option, or does the gun come with that installed from the factory?

[JimLob65]

For clarifications sake.

The extended firing pin is an aftermarket option, or does the gun come with that installed from the factory?

To the best of my recollection, and I haven't checked in a while, both CZCustom and Cajun Gun Works offer it as a stand alone part, as part of upgrade kits, and as part of upgrade services. I don't know of any factory pistols that come with the extended firing pin installed, althouth that is nowhere near definitive.

[Clusterfrack]

Aftermarket only. It turns what should be an inertial firing pin into a direct impact system.

[YVK]

Hammer was down, pistol fell on the hammer and the hammer strike on the extended firing pin makes enough contact to fire the primer.

After the incident, people tested a similar setup with a mallet and were able to reproduce it with the extended firing pin but not with the stock pin.

I wish people would stop putting in the extended pins. They’re not necessary anyway.

I switched one of my Shadows to a standard setup two years ago. A CZC firing pin got stuck in its hole, protruding from a breach face, during a class. Had to hammer it out. Put back a regular pin / spring, with 11 lbs mainspring, and actually forgot about it until that accident in NYS. Both of my guns have been just fine with 11 lbs hammer springs; now I run 14 and 15 so it is even less of an issue.

[JimLob65]

I shot the new S2O for the first time today after work, along with the AccuShadow 2 and an H&K VP9. No surprises in that it ran 100%, very smooth and with almost no recoil. Hey…It’s a Shadow 2!!

First, the alibis. I want to try to give as fair an assessment of this pistol as I can. Therefore I need to give an assessment of the shooter. I am at best a decent shot who takes his time to line up the sights and shoots deliberately. I am 55 years old with job related aches and pains from being a mechanic for 37 years: back problems, shoulder issues and hands that are pretty beat up, and eyes that have seen better days. On top of all that I haven’t shot pistol in a few months, and it showed in my trigger discipline, which wasn’t great today. If I had to use an analogy I would say I am like a duffer golfer who spends stupid money on first class equipment because he likes nice hardware. The hardware helps somewhat, but I am still a duffer.

I shot noticeably better with the AccuShadow today, with tighter groups and fewer flyers. After shooting 15 rounds or so with the S2O to get a feel for it I traded off pistols, shooting 5 rounds at 7 yards at one target with one pistol, then 5 rounds at another target with the other. Ended up shooting 15 rounds with the AccuShadow and 20 with the S2O to finish up the box. With the AccuShadow I kept all but 3 rounds inside the 10 ring, with the worst 2 inside the 8 ring, pretty good for me. Rounds were mostly centered in a nice cluster around the bull with others spreading out to the left just a bit.

With the S2O I kept all but three inside the 9 ring as well, but the group was noticeably bigger as the outer shots were on the top and bottom of the 8 ring, with the rest not as nicely clustered and not as many Xs. Still, pretty darn good for me. Shooting over a bag with my wrists rested, except for a couple shots than ended up low but still in the 8 ring at 12 yards because the mag buttplate was actually sitting on the bag, all single action, 12 rounds were inside the 10 ring with one in the 9 ring.

A few things come to mind. Both these pistols have WAY more potential than I am capable of taking advantage of! I am not worthy :P!! A much better shooter than me is required to even begin to get close to the capabilities of these guns. Second, I am sure I shot the AccuShadow better because it had a much lighter trigger as I had traded out the stock mainspring for an 11.5 lb one (IIRC). The difference was mainly felt while shooting in double action, which I had done on the first shot of 5 while swapping out pistols at 7 yards. The difference was less noticeable in single action, but it was still there. Both triggers are very smooth, with the single action being outstanding, a bit of a rolling let off with a clean break. Reset was very short and tactile. One thing I really like about the AccuShadow trigger better than the S2O and my blue/black Shadow 2 is that the trigger breaks a bit farther from the frame on the AccuShadow which for some reason helps me shoot better. I do think the S20 demonstrated excellent potential, even with me not having a great day at the range, and not being familiar with the specifics of the trigger. To be fair I haven’t put more then 4-500 rounds through the AccuShadow either so I am not really familiar with that trigger either although I shot it much better today than the S2O.

I will swap out the mainspring on the new S2O before the next range session, and will extend the range to challenge myself a bit more. Shooting at 7 & 12 yards with these pistols is a bit of a joke as they are capable of shooting very accurately at longer ranges. Question is: is the shooter?!

[JimLob65]

Made another trip to the range a few days ago after swapping out the mainspring for what appeared to be the lightest one. Results were a noticeably lighter trigger that is a bit smoother than the AccuShadow trigger, although maybe still a bit heavier. After all was said and done shooting offhand at 12 yards and over a bag at 15 resulted in very similar results. I haven't made any efforts to fund an ammo that it may prefer, just shooting whatever I have on hand. Very happy with the new S2O!