My Shadow 2 modifications

[JamisonMcCollister]

whats the recoil spring everyone is using. I believe I swapped to a 10 or 11 #. On occasion I'm having an issue with the gun failing to feed. As if the round is getting stuck about half way into the chamber. Any recommendations?

 

Also I went to pull out the extractor from the slide. I couldn't get the pin out of the upper slide. anyone else had this issue?

 

I'm also looking at just swapping my front sight for a dawson fiber optic. Any recommendations on a front sight height with 135 grain BBI ?

 

current mods on my S2 include, new disco, czc comp hammer, thintex grips, 10 # recoil spring. The trigger feels identical to my accushadow. I'm loving the gun so far. Just looking forward to getting it dialed in 100 percent.

[rowdyb]

i'm using fiber that shipped with other Dawson front sights I used in other pistols, so whatever size that is. hahaha.

 

i'm using a czc 11# recoil spring. no failures, but an admittedly low round count of about 500 through the gun.

 

my single action feels amazing. my double action could be a little nicer and i hope it improves with time and usage.

[JamisonMcCollister]

rowdy are you shooting coated bullets or plated bullets. I found to get the plated to feed a lot easier. I don't know if it was the longer length I could get out of them or what. I only have a problem with my coated bullets. I'll admit the are pretty short averaging about 1.085 ish OAL.

[clw42]

46 minutes ago, JamisonMcCollister said:

whats the recoil spring everyone is using. I believe I swapped to a 10 or 11 #. On occasion I'm having an issue with the gun failing to feed. As if the round is getting stuck about half way into the chamber. Any recommendations?

 

Also I went to pull out the extractor from the slide. I couldn't get the pin out of the upper slide. anyone else had this issue?

 

I'm also looking at just swapping my front sight for a dawson fiber optic. Any recommendations on a front sight height with 135 grain BBI ?

 

current mods on my S2 include, new disco, czc comp hammer, thintex grips, 10 # recoil spring. The trigger feels identical to my accushadow. I'm loving the gun so far. Just looking forward to getting it dialed in 100 percent.

 

I'm using the 11# recoil spring, Acme 124gr coated bullets loaded to 1.07 and I've had several FtFs just as you described as well.  Admittedly, my loads are for my Target 2, but they plunk fine and I had a ton already loaded so I went with them.  I've since cleaned and lubed my mags and I'm planning on working up a few Shadow 2 specific loads today to see if that solves the problem.  If not, then I also have a bunch of RMR 124gr plated bullets I can try to see if that somehow fixes it.

i'm using fiber that shipped with other Dawson front sights I used in other pistols, so whatever size that is. hahaha.

 

That's not helpful...lol

Edited April 9, 2017 by clw42

[JHicks8h]

1 hour ago, JamisonMcCollister said:

whats the recoil spring everyone is using. I believe I swapped to a 10 or 11 #. On occasion I'm having an issue with the gun failing to feed. As if the round is getting stuck about half way into the chamber. Any recommendations?

 

Also I went to pull out the extractor from the slide. I couldn't get the pin out of the upper slide. anyone else had this issue?

 

I'm also looking at just swapping my front sight for a dawson fiber optic. Any recommendations on a front sight height with 135 grain BBI ?

 

current mods on my S2 include, new disco, czc comp hammer, thintex grips, 10 # recoil spring. The trigger feels identical to my accushadow. I'm loving the gun so far. Just looking forward to getting it dialed in 100 percent.

I am running an 11# spring. I have not tried the 10# yet, but really digging the feel of the 11#. I have not had any feeding issues with my S2.

 

Front sight I swapped out for the  Dawson Front sight in.240 tall and .100 wide. I have not had to adjust might rear sight at all and had no issues with groupings at 50yds, but POI is fine 20yds and in. Granted I am not running the BBI 135 I am running the SNS Coated 135gr loaded to 1.130.

 

I have done similar mods. I fitted a disco added the LOK Palm Swell Grips, 11# recoil. I left the shockbuff in it. My trigger is excellent in SA but about 1# heavier in DA, but as smooth as my best accushadow. I noticed the improved TRS on the S2 seems like it is a lot stiffer, so that could attribute to the heavier pull over my accushadow, but have not tried the cz custom TRS I used in my accushadow. The DA weight does not really concern me or affect my shooting, so to me reliability is more important. I also added a CZ custom hammer, but could not notice any big improvements, so just dropped the stock hammer back in the gun.

[SlvrDragon50]

1 hour ago, JHicks8h said:

I am running an 11# spring. I have not tried the 10# yet, but really digging the feel of the 11#. I have not had any feeding issues with my S2.

 

Front sight I swapped out for the  Dawson Front sight in.240 tall and .100 wide. I have not had to adjust might rear sight at all and had no issues with groupings at 50yds, but POI is fine 20yds and in. Granted I am not running the BBI 135 I am running the SNS Coated 135gr loaded to 1.130.

 

I have done similar mods. I fitted a disco added the LOK Palm Swell Grips, 11# recoil. I left the shockbuff in it. My trigger is excellent in SA but about 1# heavier in DA, but as smooth as my best accushadow. I noticed the improved TRS on the S2 seems like it is a lot stiffer, so that could attribute to the heavier pull over my accushadow, but have not tried the cz custom TRS I used in my accushadow. The DA weight does not really concern me or affect my shooting, so to me reliability is more important. I also added a CZ custom hammer, but could not notice any big improvements, so just dropped the stock hammer back in the gun.

Guess you're a lucky one! My stock hammer has so much creep!

[JHicks8h]

1 minute ago, SlvrDragon50 said:

Guess you're a lucky one! My stock hammer has so much creep!

I find these hit or miss over the years. I had 2 accu-shadows set up the same way and noticeable differences between the 2. Same with 2 of my prior Shadow Targets. I guess it comes down to enough variations between what parts they use and how they pair them all together. 

 

If I see you at a match sometime I would like to check yours out once you put that CGW trigger in.

[SlvrDragon50]

7 minutes ago, JHicks8h said:

I find these hit or miss over the years. I had 2 accu-shadows set up the same way and noticeable differences between the 2. Same with 2 of my prior Shadow Targets. I guess it comes down to enough variations between what parts they use and how they pair them all together. 

 

If I see you at a match sometime I would like to check yours out once you put that CGW trigger in.

Heh, you'll have to come to Bloomington, IL at CISS since I don't do any actual matches. I have an NP3 coated CZC hammer in right now that I took from the 85C, and it shoots sooo much better.

[rhart123]

On 3/16/2017 at 8:29 PM, rowdyb said:

Yep, seems like we're following the same path. CJ and I spent some good time today looking at things and comparing what we did on other models to this one. I really should have installed the other (your) hammer today but I wanted to keep them available for customers.

 

Very interesting the trigger bar has no machining marks on it compared to the SP01 Shadow's. And the stock Shadow 2 disconnector and hammer looks like they could be used as an upgrade in some other models.

I upgraded my Shadow1 with the hammer and disco from the S2 and got some surprising results. It almost eliminated the SA pretravel. However, my DA developed a 'wall' - about 3/4 through the pull it gets real stiff. Any suggestions on what to look for?

[slavex]

they started supplying them with the premium build guns, why I don't know, but they are certainly worth it in my opinion. With my old Shadows the slidestops lasted longer and I prefer how the recoil feels in the guns, no more metal banging on metal. 

 

talking about shockbuffs above, didn't realize there was a whole other page of discussion from the question I was asked.

 

I use an 8lb recoil and have never had a feeding problem, ever. Prior to getting those from Robin I was using 11lb and also never had a feeding problem, ever, over 6 Shadows and about 600,000 rounds + that was related to the gun itself, other than documented below. If the gun failed to feed it was from a bad case (prior to me case gauging every round with the 100 round gauge), or, a mag failing (old shitty 10 round mags we get up here). 

When I read about people getting feeding issues I just don't get it. My weekly classes for the last 10 years have had a huge number of Shadows at them, Friday and Saturday nights average 20 people a night, firing 200-400 rounds, every single week. I can count the number of times I've seen guns fail to feed (all brands of guns, other than XDs, they fail all the time) on one two hands. And almost every time they fail, it's an ammo issue, bulged case, really high primer etc. So, when I see people talking about it here, I really wonder, what the hell have they done to their gun that has made it so unreliable? With the 11lb recoil, I maybe changed them out at 50,000 rounds or more. I've had one recoil spring break, and that caused it to jam, but that's it.

Edited April 10, 2017 by slavex

[rowdyb]

im shooting plated bullets

[clw42]

I have to use crappy 10 round mags where I am as well.  I had the same issue with my Target 2 when I first got that.  I cleaned the mags, light lubed them and haven't had a FtF problem since.  My guess is that was the same issue with the Shadow 2, so I cleaned and lubed those mags too (all MecGar), and I should find out tonight.  I plunk about 50% as I reload and case gauge the other 50%, so I doubt it's a brass/ammo issue.

[JHicks8h]

8 hours ago, slavex said:

 

 

I use an 8lb recoil and have never had a feeding problem, ever.

I ran the 10# offered here in the US and really liked it on my other Shadows. How does the 8# spring differ in feel compared to the 10# or 11#? How many rds are you typically running on the 8# spring?

[SlvrDragon50]

I ran the 10# offered here in the US and really liked it on my other Shadows. How does the 8# spring differ in feel compared to the 10# or 11#? How many rds are you typically running on the 8# spring?

I may switch to 10# myself. 11# I feel there is still a light dip in reacquiringn the sights.


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[huskerlrrp]

6 hours ago, SlvrDragon50 said:

I may switch to 10# myself. 11# I feel there is still a light dip in reacquiringn the sights.


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I'm running a #10 in my Shadow 2. I typically run #11 in my Shadows, but during Bill Drills with the Shadow 2, I found I needed to go lower. I think maybe even #9 would work but I'm sticking with #10 for now. I haven't weighed the slides to see if there is any science to my observation.

[slavex]

the 10 round mags that we use up here now and that I recommend are exactly the same as the 17/19 round mags, but have dimples in the side so that they can only hold 10. You can even use the +2 baseplate with no increase in capacity. What I like about those mags is they are simply a better design and are better built than any of the other options. It's the same mag as what free places get with the 2s (the 19 round setup you see in the pics). The mags are also a lot more durable due to the design improvements that they've made. 

 

[MrT_shootsAcz]

4 minutes ago, slavex said:

the 10 round mags that we use up here now and that I recommend are exactly the same as the 17/19 round mags, but have dimples in the side so that they can only hold 10. You can even use the +2 baseplate with no increase in capacity. What I like about those mags is they are simply a better design and are better built than any of the other options. It's the same mag as what free places get with the 2s (the 19 round setup you see in the pics). The mags are also a lot more durable due to the design improvements that they've made. 

 

Are they not just the mecgar mags that have been around for a while now?  I'm curious because I have worn out the feedlips on a few 1 year old mecgar mags.  Granted, I beat mine up at plenty of indoor matches and practices... but stronger mag construction would never be a bad upgrade.  Thanks!

[slavex]

there are at least two types of MecGar mags for the CZ, the newer design, which has been around for a few years, has the rounded gap at the top of the spine, between the feedlips, instead of the square cut style of the older design. As well it's a thicker metal than those old mags, so the lips take a lot longer to spread. I've cracked dozens of lips on the old style mags, but have yet to crack a set on these new ones. I have had to smack them back into tolerance once they spread, but find they last a helluva long time after I do so. And that's only because 99% of my practice is on an indoor range and the mags are hitting concrete all the time, which is hard on them. My match mags still look like new as they are usually only dropped on grass or dirt

[Vanniek71]

Plus the new Shadow 2's come with the MecGars instead of those crappy old Factory CZ mags. Bonus

[slavex]

CZ has stopped shipping those crap mags now and are hopefully sending the 10 round version, where it's allowed, later this year. They, as far as I understand from my talks at IWA, are not making or ordering anymore of those crap style ones. 

[MrT_shootsAcz]

1 minute ago, slavex said:

there are at least two types of MecGar mags for the CZ, the newer design, which has been around for a few years, has the rounded gap at the top of the spine, between the feedlips, instead of the square cut style of the older design. As well it's a thicker metal than those old mags, so the lips take a lot longer to spread. I've cracked dozens of lips on the old style mags, but have yet to crack a set on these new ones. I have had to smack them back into tolerance once they spread, but find they last a helluva long time after I do so. And that's only because 99% of my practice is on an indoor range and the mags are hitting concrete all the time, which is hard on them. My match mags still look like new as they are usually only dropped on grass or dirt

Cool!  Thanks for the reply.  All of my mecgar mags are the "rounded gap at the top of the spine".  I haven't had any crack, just plenty of spreading, so I would agree that they sound better than the others.  On this topic, what do you use to get them back to tolerances?  Hard surface???  Tools?

[slavex]

usually another loaded mag lol, or a hammer. Occasionally a concrete wall or, and I'm not kidding, a rock. Field expedient I think it's called.

I find with the CZs you can make em pretty tight and they will work just fine. I check my mags now and then and see if I can stand a round up between the lips, if I can, I just push the round down, or the follower if I empty it, and bash em until I can't stand the round up. I don't worry too much about being precise. 

[MrT_shootsAcz]

1 minute ago, slavex said:

usually another loaded mag lol, or a hammer. Occasionally a concrete wall or, and I'm not kidding, a rock. Field expedient I think it's called.

I find with the CZs you can make em pretty tight and they will work just fine. I check my mags now and then and see if I can stand a round up between the lips, if I can, I just push the round down, or the follower if I empty it, and bash em until I can't stand the round up. I don't worry too much about being precise. 

Hahaha!  Makes sense though.  Thanks!

[RMJack]

Could someone post a link to the mecgar mags we should get for the S/S2? There seem to be so many different ones

[MrT_shootsAcz]

2 minutes ago, RMJack said:

Could someone post a link to the mecgar mags we should get for the S/S2? There seem to be so many different ones

Here's one...

http://benstoegerproshop.com/gun-parts/cz/magazines/