Noobie in over my head

[Tommytwogunz]

Trying to get up to speed with my new Czeckmate.  There was a slip in the box saying when using a compensator ammo needed to meet IPSC major power factor.  I have been running synthetic stuff through my TS with no problems but also with no compensator.  There is a blurb on the CZ-USA site that says if you put in a lighter recoil spring you can run 9mm factory ammo for steel events; but not much else.  Anyone wanna weigh in on this; can I just get a lighter recoil spring (how much lighter and where would I get one).  Also wondering about removing the rear sight to install the cocking lever.  The CZ-USA site says use a gun smith to do this but I have removed rear sights before on other pistols and am wondering if I should follow that advice or if I can do it myself with proper tools.  Sorry to sound so wishy washy but this is my first real cool kids pistol and I am often described as overly cautious. 

[Steve RA]

What exactly is "synthetic stuff" that you are running in your pistol ??

[jcc7x7]

18 minutes ago, Tommytwogunz said:

Trying to get up to speed with my new Czeckmate.  There was a slip in the box saying when using a compensator ammo needed to meet IPSC major power factor.  I have been running synthetic stuff through my TS with no problems but also with no compensator.  There is a blurb on the CZ-USA site that says if you put in a lighter recoil spring you can run 9mm factory ammo for steel events; but not much else.  Anyone wanna weigh in on this; can I just get a lighter recoil spring (how much lighter and where would I get one).  Also wondering about removing the rear sight to install the cocking lever.  The CZ-USA site says use a gun smith to do this but I have removed rear sights before on other pistols and am wondering if I should follow that advice or if I can do it myself with proper tools.  Sorry to sound so wishy washy but this is my first real cool kids pistol and I am often described as overly cautious. 

It's just metal.

If you know what to do, like nike used to say , just do it!

Most manufactures put blurbs like that in their gun boxes, it's just nobody usually reads them LOL

Enjoy your new gun

[Tommytwogunz]

27 minutes ago, Steve RA said:

What exactly is "synthetic stuff" that you are running in your pistol ??

 

Not the only option but a well known synthetic stuff I run in my CZs

 

http://www.gunsandammo.com/shoot101/american-eagle-syntech-review/

 

Edited January 13, 2018 by Tommytwogunz

[Steve RA]

Ah, I see.  There is a slight difference between synthetic and Syntech though.

[Tommytwogunz]

1 minute ago, Steve RA said:

Ah, I see.  There is a slight difference between synthetic and Syntech though.

 

Not to a noobie like me.

[Steve RA]

Maybe this will help:

Syntech  -  Brand name of a product by American Eagle.

 

Synthetic  -

syn·thet·ic

sinˈTHedik/

adjective

1.

(of a substance) made by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product.

"synthetic rubber"

2.

LOGIC

(of a proposition) having truth or falsity determinable by recourse to experience.

noun

1.

a synthetic material or chemical, especially a textile fiber.

 

[muncie21]

3 hours ago, Tommytwogunz said:

 can I just get a lighter recoil spring (how much lighter and where would I get one).

Depends on the load you are using (major or Minor + powder).  10-12 lbs is common for 9mm minor.

CZ-USA, CZ Customs, Cajun and Wolf sell recoil springs, to name a few.

 

3 hours ago, Tommytwogunz said:

Also wondering about removing the rear sight to install the cocking lever. 

I used a punch and BFH to replace the rear sight on my SP01.  After that debacle, I picked up a sight pusher ($40'ish) and have used it to install/adjust several sights.  Best $40 I've spent on gun related tools yet.

Edited January 13, 2018 by muncie21

[Tommytwogunz]

2 hours ago, muncie21 said:

Depends on the load you are using (major or Minor + powder).  10-12 lbs is common for 9mm minor.

CZ-USA, CZ Customs, Cajun and Wolf sell recoil springs, to name a few.

 

I used a punch and BFH to replace the rear sight on my SP01.  After that debacle, I picked up a sight pusher ($40'ish) and have used it to install/adjust several sights.  Best $40 I've spent on gun related tools yet.

Thanks for the helpful reply. 

 

I have the same sight pusher I have used successfully with sights.  Problem I see is with the install of the cocking lever, this sight pusher will not fit over it.  I did a search on this site and found a couple of posts about peeps who have switched the cocking lever from the right to left side but no details about how to do it.  I am kinda old school and have used a punch for sight removal back in the day but not so sure how you could easily use a punch with a cocking lever.

[muncie21]

Tommy- since the cocking lever doesn't require much in the way of precision, I'd suggest using a vise to push it on/off or a punch if that doesn't work.

[Tommytwogunz]

Thanks again, using a vice seems like it would work.

[abb1]

3 hours ago, Tommytwogunz said:

Thanks again, using a vice seems like it would work.

For the czechmate, you do not need that to move the rear sight. All you need is an allen key. The czechmate is designed to be switchable to an open gun and  to a limited gun. I run mine in open only with the scope, compensator and slide racker. I would also suggest loading your own ammo. It is a lot cheaper and the ammo is a lot better as you have full control over what you are loading. For example, you can load minor ammo for steel matches, and major ammo  for matches. 

[JWBaldree]

What abb1 said, all you need is an Allen key for either the rear sight or the cocking lever. Blue locktite on either set screw will be your friend. Since you'll be applying locktite anyways, hit the 3 screws that mount the scope base to the frame. Enjoy your new pistol, I've been rocking mine for about a year now and really like both the gun and open class.


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[Pistolpete9]

I will second the idea of using a sight pusher to remove the irons.  My TS held on to the rear sight with a nearly unbeatable death grip.  Anger overcame reason and I ended up using enough force to get it off but I don't recommend trying a punch.

[Fred63]

As for minor loads in Czechmate just screw the comp on and see if it will cycle. Either it will or won't.

Once mine loosened up a bit it has been reliable with just about anything so long as I chamber check my reloads.

 

[frgood]

I am seriously curious as to your reasons for purchasing the Czechmate. I am under the impression that the gun is designed to be an out of the box USPSA/IPSC Open and/or Limited gun.

[Matt1]

I run a 10lb spring with minor loads in Open config & a 14lb spring for major loads.

The racker should slide in/out easily after you loosen the set screw. The sight should be pretty easy too.


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[Tommytwogunz]

7 hours ago, frgood said:

I am seriously curious as to your reasons for purchasing the Czechmate. I am under the impression that the gun is designed to be an out of the box USPSA/IPSC Open and/or Limited gun.

The reason I got a Czeckmate was because there were only two Parrots in stock and after I bought both of them the Czeckmate was the best toy available.  I am seriously curious about why you care why someone purchased something using their hard earned coin of the realm.  

 

[Tommytwogunz]

7 hours ago, Fred63 said:

As for minor loads in Czechmate just screw the comp on and see if it will cycle. Either it will or won't.

Once mine loosened up a bit it has been reliable with just about anything so long as I chamber check my reloads.

 

 

My experience with my TS (sad to say once I got a TS it was obvious I would be addicted to CZs) was once I put a couple of hundred rounds through it was almost a different pistol; lot easier to load and fire and trigger pull seemed smoother and reduced pull weight.  More and more it seems like the best thing you can do for a CZ it take it to the range and put rounds through it.

[Tommytwogunz]

6 hours ago, Matt1 said:

I run a 10lb spring with minor loads in Open config & a 14lb spring for major loads.

The racker should slide in/out easily after you loosen the set screw. The sight should be pretty easy too.


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I loosened the screw on the racker on one of the Parrots (wanted to change sides as I am a righty) but it would not budge easily.  Same for the Czeckmate sight and again it would not budge.  Maybe I just need to use a little more force.  On the other hand it may be that after I put a couple of hundred rounds through the weapons things will loosen up a bit and both the racker and sight will be easier to move.  

[Hi-Power Jack]

59 minutes ago, Tommytwogunz said:

 

I loosened the screw  

 

May not have loosened it enough.   Why not take it out all the way, and try that?

 

Pound it with a rubber mallet     

[frgood]

2 hours ago, Tommytwogunz said:

The reason I got a Czeckmate was because there were only two Parrots in stock and after I bought both of them the Czeckmate was the best toy available.  I am seriously curious about why you care why someone purchased something using their hard earned coin of the realm.  

 

 

As a person that is trying to learn new things. I simply am curious. I am still saving my pennies for a Czechmate for a certain reason.  I suspect you already know where I'm headed in that the Czechmate is specifically built for Open Division running a major PF 9mm. At least, that is my understanding. I've tended to think the TS is built from the ground up for Limited.

 

Hence, my curiosity. I feel that I am lacking a general perspective and wish to understand more about shooting choices so that I can make better decisions in the future.  Case i point I recently purchased a Canik tp9 sfx and in hindsight I got ripped off. Hopefully, I'll make less mistakes in the future.

[Tommytwogunz]

4 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

May not have loosened it enough.   Why not take it out all the way, and try that?

 

Pound it with a rubber mallet     

I was responding to a post that mentioned "loosen the set screw" which I took to mean loosen it till it is no longer in the slide which is what I did by taking it out and as usual dropping it on the mat.  Some how I always seem able to drop small parts.

[Tommytwogunz]

3 hours ago, frgood said:

 

As a person that is trying to learn new things. I simply am curious. I am still saving my pennies for a Czechmate for a certain reason.  I suspect you already know where I'm headed in that the Czechmate is specifically built for Open Division running a major PF 9mm. At least, that is my understanding. I've tended to think the TS is built from the ground up for Limited.

 

Hence, my curiosity. I feel that I am lacking a general perspective and wish to understand more about shooting choices so that I can make better decisions in the future.  Case i point I recently purchased a Canik tp9 sfx and in hindsight I got ripped off. Hopefully, I'll make less mistakes in the future.

Conventional wisdom is the best way to learn things is to go to local meets and watch, listen, ask questions and shoot.  I know guys who almost never shoot but love to take apart any weapon they have, clean it, polish it, lube it, and put it back in the gun safe.  Others simply shoot till malfunctions force them to do a bare minimum clean on their weapon so it will fire with no malfunction.  One thing going to local meets gets you is what I will call face to face communication with folks who can go into details related to where you are heading, not where someone on the internet may suspect where you are heading.  As for making mistakes I probably hold some records for making mistakes.  You will find many opinions about Open, Limited, Major, or Minor.  I am not sure why CZ specifically build any of its small arms.  To me the whole idea of getting CZs is to have fun and that is why I bought them.  Most of my shooting is at a local range.  There are monthly events at a local shooting club but they are not as much fun for me as going to the range and playing around.  I have no problem with others having different ideas of what fun means to them.  Without knowing just what you consider fun, or what you want to do with a new weapon it is not really easy to offer any advice.  I will say there are some big differences between a TS (which I found simple and easy to use) and a Czeckmate/Parrot (which kinda intimidate me a little and have more of a learning curve).  Hope this helps a little.