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Sidearms & Scatterguns What mods to a CZ Shadow 2?

357Max

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  • Sep 11, 2019
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    Marylandistan
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    Just picked up a low round CZ Shadow 2
    This is a Blue grip DA/SA, but the guy put Orange grips on it. Mags are 17 with +2 Blue base plates. So it’s kind of ugly, but price was to good to pass.

    It does not have the factory Optic cut slide.

    What are the best Mods bang for the buck on these Shadows? Preferably mods that won’t disqualify it from comps. Hell I’m not even sure what class these fall under?

    This is my first CZ & I’ve never shot a pistol comp.

    I’m thinking Lok grips & a Cajun trigger kit.
    Maybe a Cajun slide bushing.

    Any in-site from CZ owners/competitors would be much appreciated.
     
    You poor, poor man. CZ's are very addictive. My wife and I started with Shadow 2s and now she has a Cajun SP-01 optics ready on order and I have been carrying a P-01 for a while now.
    You are on the right track with Cajun parts, they are witch doctors when it comes to CZ. Even from the box, Shadow 2s are awesome. There is not a lot that needs to be done. Polishing certain places and parts can make a huge difference. Youtube has some great folks showing how-to, CZFanGrrl is one of them. Also consider getting hammer and recoil springs in various weights. You can really make a difference in trigger, recoil, primer strike, and reliability. The trick is balancing all of that with whatever load you shoot.
     
    This is relevant to my interests. I just picked up an S2 OR, I threw Lok Brass Aggressive full grips on it. I picked up some mags with patriot brass pads.
    It's loud, but its growing on me.

    They recently came out with the option to cerakote the Brass grips black, which I am quite the fan of.

    Depending on what division(s) you want to play in, keep it DA/SA for USPSA Production/Carry Optics (if you mill the slide). I believe you can fairly easily swap between SAO and DA/SA setups, but I haven't looked into it.

    Henning basepads, grams guts, mec gar tubes gets you to 23+1.

    The two main shops I see most often mentioned are CZ Custom and CGW as you're already aware.
     
    This is relevant to my interests. I just picked up an S2 OR, I threw Lok Brass Aggressive full grips on it. I picked up some mags with patriot brass pads.
    It's loud, but its growing on me.

    They recently came out with the option to cerakote the Brass grips black, which I am quite the fan of.

    Depending on what division(s) you want to play in, keep it DA/SA for USPSA Production/Carry Optics (if you mill the slide). I believe you can fairly easily swap between SAO and DA/SA setups, but I haven't looked into it.

    Henning basepads, grams guts, mec gar tubes gets you to 23+1.

    The two main shops I see most often mentioned are CZ Custom and CGW as you're already aware.
    Wouldn’t brass grips put it over weight for USPSA?
    You can also chemically etch Brass to Black. Kind of gives it a cool looking Black patina finish. The stuff I’ve used is from a company called Sculpt Nouveau (Slate Black).

    What is the difference if any between the Blue grip model and the Orange?

    I just finished setting up a gun belt for rifle/pistol comps with a Staccato P duo/RMR.

    Figured the CZ makes the most sense to try my hand at pistol comps this year.
     
    What is the difference if any between the Blue grip model and the Orange?
    The blue grip and and urban grey are identical. The Orange is different in that they hand fit and polish some of the parts more than the others and there is a barrel bushing (like a 1911). The Orange also has OEM aluminum floor plates and a selection of springs. There may be other differences, but that's all I can tell between my Orange and the wife's Grey.
     
    The blue grip and and urban grey are identical. The Orange is different in that they hand fit and polish some of the parts more than the others and there is a barrel bushing (like a 1911). The Orange also has OEM aluminum floor plates and a selection of springs. There may be other differences, but that's all I can tell between my Orange and the wife's Grey.
    Thanks. Mine has the bushing visible in pic in post 1. Is your Orange gun bushing different than this? I think mine is a 2015 model assuming first 2 numbers of serial is the year.
     
    Oh, I didn't think USPSA cared about weight? 59 oz is the weight limit.

    Wouldn’t brass grips put it over weight for USPSA?
     
    Thanks. Mine has the bushing visible in pic in post 1. Is your Orange gun bushing different than this? I think mine is a 2015 model assuming first 2 numbers of serial is the year.
    The Orange bushing is similar to what the 1911's use. Mine is tight enough to require the included bushing wrench to remove. I hear they loosen up after some time and can be manipulated by hand. I just noticed the front sights are different between the S2 and the Orange. Screw from the top vs. traditional roll pin from the side.
     

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    The S2 was basically made to push the limits of USPSA Production class when it first came out. They’ve changed the rules for the class since it was introduced, so it easily fits in that category now.

    If you want to play in Carry Optics, then send the slide to CZ Customs. Their RDS plate system is fantastic and they cut it really low.
     
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    Thanks for the replies.
    I see now that’s a completely different 1911 style bushing Set up.

    Makes sense why the consensus seems to be the Orange Shadow is more accurate.

    Here’s what I’ve got in my cart from Cajun & Lok.

    Now I need to list some stuff in the PX. The wifey has taken notice of my gun expenditure’s & She’s got her 👁 👁 on me now.

    Probably also going to sell the Blue +2 base plates & look into the Henning base pads As @tfc suggested.

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    I almost bought the pro package last night, but the dlc trigger being out of stock made me pause.

    Make sure you get the Grams Engineering follower and spring kit to go along with the base pads.
     
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    Do you already have a holster? Redhill tactical are popular for USPSA, they have some holsters ready to ship, otherwise I think a 30 lead time is standard.

    GX holsters are the new(?) hotness, as they have a cam lock for additional retention. Lead time last I checked was some thing like 90+ days though. That being said, you can order parts from McMaster carr to add that functionality to an RHT holster. I have the parts, just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
     
    I recommend doing the full works: you already bought the hot rod, might as well see what it's like with the top-shelf tune ya know..?

    The most impactful part will be the race hammer, a stock S2's hammer is good (better than most anything else), a race hammer is f-ing amazing. Really, might as well go whole hog though, and that means: hammer, sear, hammer spring, trigger spring, disconnector. Then, if you want to, maybe try a different trigger profile: I like the CZ-97 trigger, it's straighter and like an 85 Combat trigger but without an overtravel screw to mess with you (most people ditch those screws anyhow).

    I actually recommend NOT having CGW or CZC do it for you, you'll learn more and be more comfortable with it after doing it yourself and none of it is too hard to do. Search the Brian Enos forum and you'll find everything you need to know and then some.

    I rarely compete anymore, but I don't think I'll ever sell mine, shooting it is just too damn nice!

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    your finger mod and ammo mod and have at it target mods . sweet looking gun congrats .
     
    I have a couple of Shadow 2’s set up for USPSA -Carry Optics division as well as Production.

    Simplest DIY trigger job is to order the following from Cajun Gunworks:
    11.5 lb hammer spring
    Extended firing pin and reduced firing pin spring (helps insure reliable primer ignition with the 11.5 lb hammer spring)
    Reduced Trigger Return Spring
    Floating trigger pin
    10, 11, and 12 lb recoil spring to match it to your load assuming you’ll be shooting 130-140-ish PF ammo

    Some additional options:
    Get a spare slide stop (whenever they come back into stock). Same as the CZ P-01.
    Starter punch to remove the OEM trigger roll pin (to be replaced with the CGW floating trigger pin)
    Extra TRS (the ones these days last longer than the ones CZ used to use, but if you dry-fire a lot you may break one sooner than later)
    Spare extractor spring (these tend to wear after a while and I replace mine once a year)

    You could go all in and get a CZ Custom or CGW Race Hammer and sear, but try the above spring/pin swaps first and see if you like it. Mine has a nice smooth linear 6 lb DA and 2 lb SA that is more of a rolling break which I’ve come to like.

    To set mine up for Carry Optics, I sent my slide to Fire 4 Effect and had them mill it for the Trij SRO. Liked it so much I sent them a second slide for my back-up gun.
     
    I have a CZ Shadow 2 Accu. Big things I can think of for you to do is the barrel bushing and trigger on the stock CZ. Get some extensions on the mags and lots of ammo. They are fun!
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    I love my Shadow 2. The only mod I’ve done to it was to swap out the rear sight for a fully adjustable one, sourced from CZ Custom. the only other mod it would ever need in to Cajunize it. Enjoy your new CZ!
     
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    You're going to love that pistol man... it's damn addicting. I sold all my glocks last fall and switched over to CZ. Just got mine back from Primary Machine who did an excellent job milling mine for an SRO; super low. They also offer different colors of cerakote for no extra charge. I put the LOK palmswell Bogey grips on and thats the biggest change there. I'm going to put a few thousand rounds through mine and then get a kit like mentioned above for it. Have fun...

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    You're going to love that pistol man... it's damn addicting. I sold all my glocks last fall and switched over to CZ. Just got mine back from Primary Machine who did an excellent job milling mine for an SRO; super low. They also offer different colors of cerakote for no extra charge. I put the LOK palmswell Bogey grips on and thats the biggest change there. I'm going to put a few thousand rounds through mine and then get a kit like mentioned above for it. Have fun...

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    That is sick.

    Not having a firing pin block means there's no firing pin retaining pin through the slide which means they can mill the fuck out of the top of the slide to get the optic that low.

    Been missing you at matches bro. We're getting close to the Delmarva sectional. Can't wait.
     
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    @357Max I know it's fun to blow cash on gucci stuff but here's the thing.......in USPSA/IPSC (what that pistol is meant for) the accuracy demands are really not that great.

    That gun, as it is, right out of the box is more than competitive enough. All I would do, at most, is a pair of real grips (LOK Bogies) and a full teardown, polish the shit out of all the parts that rub against each other, and slap in a 13 lb (blue from CGW) hammer spring.

    Also get some +5 mag extensions from Taylor Freelance, Henning, or Springer. The ones you got with the gun are too short to add enough ammo to be competitive in Carry Optics and too long to be legal in Production division.

    I'm not a single action trigger snob. When going fast I can't tell where the fuck the reset is, I can't feel how crisp it breaks, and I do not care.

    Splits get chicks and likes on the gram, but don't mean hardly dick in when you can lose seconds in a stage due to shitty target transitions, poor stage planning, crappy position entries and exits, and basically not hauling ass from point A to B as hard as you can.

    If USPSA is of any interest, these mods are a complete waste of money because they'll push it into a division (not class, class is for shooter skill) where it will be outclassed by other pistols in other calibers:
    • An add-on magwell (no matter how small)
    • Conversion to single action only
    • Leaving it DA/SA but shooting it cocked and locked
    • A compensator
    If you're a decent shooter and really want to do your best in USPSA I highly recommend that you save most of your mod money and use it to buy a case or two of 9 mm ball and a class or two with one of these people (in no particular order):
    • Matt Pranka
    • Ben Stoeger
    • Mason Lane
    • Tim Herron
    • Max Michel
    Then incorporate the skills they teach you into your dry and live fire practice.
     
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    That is sick.

    Not having a firing pin block means there's no firing pin retaining pin through the slide which means they can mill the fuck out of the top of the slide to get the optic that low.

    Been missing you at matches bro. We're getting close to the Delmarva sectional. Can't wait.

    Ya, I'm really happy with the S2 SRO combo.

    Springs been busy but I'm ready to get back at it. Will check Midwest Shooting for April, and very excited to hit Delmarva.
     
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