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CZ SP01 and Shadow mag drop free issue


MP9

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Hi all.

I have a sp01 and the sp01 shadow, factory mags with + 10% springs, mc gear magz and mc gear with antifriction. thin aluminium grips in both guns.

During dry fire it doesnt happen.

Either, with mags empty or partial. At home with a empty mag or no, I push the mag release and it drop without any issue at all...

When doing reloads during a match, either slide lock or not, the mags sometimes doesnt drop free, it doesnt get stuck when pushing the mag release, but after that, some times the mag is half out or more.

I also try to do not can the gun, I have watched some videos, where I dont can the gun yet, just bring it back closer and vertical, then I have to shake it a little bit and it drop..

I have already searched the forum but seems like there is not a right fix..

Any ideas how can I fixed it?.. it is painful doing a reload and waste ~1 second during a reload..

Thanks

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Do you have the extended mag release installed? I had this problem as well, with the ext release, you can push it so far that it catches the mag on the back side. Two choices to fix it: Either relieve the backside of the mag button so it doesn't catch the mag, or bend the *opposite* leg of the mag release spring from the button to act as a stop. I did the latter, and it worked splendidly.

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Do you have the extended mag release installed? I had this problem as well, with the ext release, you can push it so far that it catches the mag on the back side. Two choices to fix it: Either relieve the backside of the mag button so it doesn't catch the mag, or bend the *opposite* leg of the mag release spring from the button to act as a stop. I did the latter, and it worked splendidly.

This and sometime you have to do both. I did.

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Experienced a similar problem with an SP01. The problem for me was the tension on the mag release. I would not get it completely pressed, and the mag release would drag on the side of the magazine preventing it from falling clear. I removed the staked screw holding the spring for the mag release (Which is a bear to break free!! Use a large screw driver with square shank so you can use a wrench, clamp receiver in vise being careful to protect finish from marring, and break the stakes free.). Squeeze legs of the mag release spring together to adjust tension. Reinstall and test.

After, this fix. Not a problem again.

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I'm having the same problem. I've ordered the drop free magazine break from CZ Custom. I explained this problem to someone at CZ Custom and it seemed like it was a mystery to them??

I was also thinking it was a magazine problem. Sounds to me like it's probably not cause I'd rather not replace my factory magazines.

Any thoughts?

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the mag brake in the the Shadow and the SP01 are already drop free ones, so installing another will not fix anything. DO NOT remove material from the mag catch, it is a waste of time and energy. DO bend one of the two legs (I do the left leg for a right handed setup mag catch), about the last 3mm of the leg, in toward the other leg at about a 45 degree angle. This stops the catch from being pressed in too far into the frame, binding the mags. The new Shadow 2 catch has two things to prevent this, 1) it has a shoe on the outside that contacts the frame, 2) instead of one big slot for both legs of the spring to go into, there are separate slots in the catch, this prevents the catch from going in too far if you remove the shoe.

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I have been of the understanding that the Bend in the factory 75 variant mag break is what makes it drop free or not. Less bend, drop free. I have only ever seen one factory mag break.

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I dealt with this issue in two SP01 Shadows. My findings revealed the mag release/catch to be the root cause. The mag brake in both of my guns were fine.

When not depressed hard enough, the right side of the catch would rub against the mag tube enough to kill the initial velocity of the mag dropping and would hang up. When depressed too hard, the left side would rub on the mag tube enough to kill the initial velocity of the mag dropping also.

Both scenarios would create the situation where the mag was stuck a little and would not drop free. The solution to my problem was to take out the mag release and tune it so that no matter how hard I pressed the mag release, the left side of the catch wouldn't touch the mag and kill the dropping velocity. I tuned the right side also but you want to be careful as your mags won't stay in if you eliminate too much of the nub that engages the slot in the mag to retain it.

OP-Try this....Put an empty mag in your gun and press the mag release very firmly and abruptly. If it hangs up, you need to clean up the left side of the mag release.

Now barely engage the release and let it out abruptly. If the mag hangs up, you may have to tune the right side of the mag release.

I tuned up both sides and haven't had any issues since.

Edited by d_striker
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it is completely unnecessary to remove material from the mag catch itself, and very often when done, you end up with taking off too much and the catch hangs up on the frame. The simplest, easiest, and cheapest method is to bend the spring leg. This prevents the catch from going in too far, which is all you need. That's how the guys at CZ Custom do it and other custom shops. It literally takes 10 seconds to do once you've got the parts out of the gun

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it is completely unnecessary to remove material from the mag catch itself, and very often when done, you end up with taking off too much and the catch hangs up on the frame. The simplest, easiest, and cheapest method is to bend the spring leg. This prevents the catch from going in too far, which is all you need. That's how the guys at CZ Custom do it and other custom shops. It literally takes 10 seconds to do once you've got the parts out of the gun

Which in turn increases the amount of force required to drop a mag. Since I have short thumbs, I actually weaken the spring so it doesn't take much to drop a mag without adjusting my grip.

When tuning anything, it's possible to mess it up which is why you go slow and check your work. If you do mess up, you've only made a $35 mistake.

Edited by d_striker
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My primary gun has more tension from the mag release spring than my backup. Both Cz 75 cts. With my primary gun I have recently gotten into the same issue as the op, only happens during a match so it appears to be all about too much force with adrenaline.

Do not have the problem with my back up, so my initial plan was just to install a new spring and make sure it seems to provide greater resistance.

Think I will copy slavex after reading this thread though. Good info! There is not a picture of a correctly bent spring anywhere is there?

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how does bending the last 3mm of the leg of the spring increase the spring tension exactly? It doesn't actually. you bend the last 3mm of the leg in towards the other leg to about 45 degrees. If you bend further than that the mag catch might not go in far enough to release the mag, to solve that, hit the catch with a dead blow hammer and it will flatten out the spring a bit at that new bend, or take it out and do it manually. If you bend more than the last 3mm you end up with a spring that doesn't engage the mag catch properly, again, easy fix, straighten and bend at the right spot. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure the bend is contained inside the catch. Removing material from the catch means you are working on the most expensive part with the worst possible consequences if you screw up. I've replaced many many catches that people have tried to fit. Have yet to need to replace a spring.

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how does bending the last 3mm of the leg of the spring increase the spring tension exactly? It doesn't actually. you bend the last 3mm of the leg in towards the other leg to about 45 degrees. If you bend further than that the mag catch might not go in far enough to release the mag, to solve that, hit the catch with a dead blow hammer and it will flatten out the spring a bit at that new bend, or take it out and do it manually. If you bend more than the last 3mm you end up with a spring that doesn't engage the mag catch properly, again, easy fix, straighten and bend at the right spot. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure the bend is contained inside the catch. Removing material from the catch means you are working on the most expensive part with the worst possible consequences if you screw up. I've replaced many many catches that people have tried to fit. Have yet to need to replace a spring.

Interesting.

So you're bending one leg at 45 degrees so that it contacts the other leg when the mag release is firmly pressed? I didn't catch that from your first post. I thought you meant you were just bending the leg and adding more tension to it.

That's a good idea.

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post-43685-0-61551400-1465846420_thumb.j

For what it is worth, purchased 3 new magazine release springs, they all look like the one on the right.

The spring on the left with less bend just came out of the gun (CZ 75) that I am having infrequent issues with the mag not dropping when I have a bit of adrenaline flowing or the mag release apparently getting bumped and the mag dropping a smidge when I need it not to (probably has to do with a missed grip on the draw). Either problem happens just often enough to be something to fret about when at a match where you would like all to go well.

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how does bending the last 3mm of the leg of the spring increase the spring tension exactly? It doesn't actually. you bend the last 3mm of the leg in towards the other leg to about 45 degrees. If you bend further than that the mag catch might not go in far enough to release the mag, to solve that, hit the catch with a dead blow hammer and it will flatten out the spring a bit at that new bend, or take it out and do it manually. If you bend more than the last 3mm you end up with a spring that doesn't engage the mag catch properly, again, easy fix, straighten and bend at the right spot. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure the bend is contained inside the catch. Removing material from the catch means you are working on the most expensive part with the worst possible consequences if you screw up. I've replaced many many catches that people have tried to fit. Have yet to need to replace a spring.

Interesting.

So you're bending one leg at 45 degrees so that it contacts the other leg when the mag release is firmly pressed? I didn't catch that from your first post. I thought you meant you were just bending the leg and adding more tension to it.

That's a good idea.

sorry, should have turned my snark down on my reply, didn't realize I hadn't explained it well (travelling a lot right now and often typing half asleep).

But yes, bending the leg in at the end is the trick. That's how they tune them at the factory for their shooters, that's what Angus and Stuart at CZ custom taught me too.

Regarding the photo posted above, new springs always look like that, but quickly set to what the single spring on the left looks like after being in the gun for awhile. It doesn't matter how much you spread the legs and then install them, you can still over press the mag catch and cause mags to bind.

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how does bending the last 3mm of the leg of the spring increase the spring tension exactly? It doesn't actually. you bend the last 3mm of the leg in towards the other leg to about 45 degrees. If you bend further than that the mag catch might not go in far enough to release the mag, to solve that, hit the catch with a dead blow hammer and it will flatten out the spring a bit at that new bend, or take it out and do it manually. If you bend more than the last 3mm you end up with a spring that doesn't engage the mag catch properly, again, easy fix, straighten and bend at the right spot. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure the bend is contained inside the catch. Removing material from the catch means you are working on the most expensive part with the worst possible consequences if you screw up. I've replaced many many catches that people have tried to fit. Have yet to need to replace a spring.

Interesting.

So you're bending one leg at 45 degrees so that it contacts the other leg when the mag release is firmly pressed? I didn't catch that from your first post. I thought you meant you were just bending the leg and adding more tension to it.

That's a good idea.

sorry, should have turned my snark down on my reply, didn't realize I hadn't explained it well (travelling a lot right now and often typing half asleep).

But yes, bending the leg in at the end is the trick. That's how they tune them at the factory for their shooters, that's what Angus and Stuart at CZ custom taught me too.

Regarding the photo posted above, new springs always look like that, but quickly set to what the single spring on the left looks like after being in the gun for awhile. It doesn't matter how much you spread the legs and then install them, you can still over press the mag catch and cause mags to bind.

Ok.

Put in the bend tweak on a brand new spring. Got a wee bit carried away with the bend, but the whap with a hammer trick fixed that.

Right now everything feels perfect (am frustrated that a $1500 ish cz custom gun didn't come with this issue already resolved, but I digress) . There is definitely more force required to get the release to move, and a more comforting "snick" sound when it catches a new mag, and I can not push the release hard enough to drag on the magazine :) :) .

One last thing, I put in a new screw and tightened it to what felt right. Is this all you folks do, or do you peen or loctite ?

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