lojak

Euxx, that's exactly the smith I'm talking to BTW, noticed in the stats you are shooting Open now.. what are you using?

I have been asking around at various authorized dealers for CZ in Canada, and the answer has been the same: none in stock, not sure when next one will be in, availability sporadic. As for a barrel, that won't be an issue because the gunsmith I will be using has access to those and can acquire those quickly. But you're right, most spare parts are a PITA to acquire in Canada. Cheers,

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. trgt: I'm located in Canada so the cost to do the export/import would be rather excessive, unfotunately. kneelingatlas: Great thread, gave me lots of ideas.. At this point I'm thinking of converting my Shadow to Open, given the rare appearance of the Czechmate in Canada (it happens, just not often, and not predictably). SA trigger group, magwell and comp, which I can source here. The only remaining decision is whether to use a slide-mounted optic, or a side-mounted optic with the frame drilled.

Hi all, I really like my Shadow but growing bored using it in Production. After a lot of thought, I find myself preferring the ergonomics of the Shadow to a 2011 style pistol, and found myself thinking about the Shadow as the base for an Open and Limited (or Standard as we call it in Canada) gun. I've searched these forums and others, and while I've found some info, I'm curious what others may think or have done? The limited availibility of the Czechmate, and my lack of experience with handling the TS, is not convincing me that platform is the right one for me. Again, I'm concerned about ergonomics. From a caliber perspective, I want to stick with 9mm, whether major in Open or minor in Limited/Standard (gasp). I'm not that good a competitor that it will matter (health reasons) so I have no qualms there. Is there anyone here who has built and run a Shadow as a Limited and/or a Open gun? I'm willing to consider multiple uppers, and find myself thinking of an optic mounted in the rear sight dovecut (such as a Burris with an aftermarket dovecut adaptor). Otherwise, any feedback in general? Thanks!

Now that I've seen it, count me in! Just make sure you can export to Canada!

I just wanted to say thanks for all the advice. After shooting a Steelmaster and a standard length (custom) open gun, I've decided to give the Trubor a look. The 5" gun I shot felt better, and I'm lining up a chance to shoot a Trubor in the next week. If it feels right, I'll go in that direction. Many thanks for those on the board and off-line (particularly Sim and Pat H.) for their input.

Thank you very much guys! Much appreciated! I've looked at the Trubor and retail in Canada it is the same base price as the Steelmaster, though I've been hesitant based on the few comments I've found from folks who run the Trubor as 9mm minor. There seems to be more tuning required to get it to run versus the Steelmaster. I'm in total agreement regarding a trigger job. In terms of physical feedback, the trigger is probably the most important component, for me at least. Lousy trigger = lousy experience, so I'll have that done by the 'smith who I'll probably order from. Thanks for the tip about Freedom Gunworks - I'll definitely consider them when I choose a custom gun. Being in Canada though, a custom gun from the US introduces a bunch of extra costs and wait times. It typically costs about $200 - $250 extra for someone to arrange import through an exporter & importer. Getting the export and import paperwork completed usually adds 8 weeks to the delivery time. So it is only worth it when it is really worth it. As an aside, a lot of shooters here will arrange import of hard-to-get-in-Canada items like Springfield TRP's and HK45's, because those are seen as worth the cost. A Glock? Not so much. Kosh79, a lot of people say that an Aftec is required for 9mm minor. I recognize that the 9mm minor and the Steelmaster have had users with FTE problems due to the brass bouncing off the optic mount and back into the chamber, and the solution to that is either an ejector tune up or going for a side-ways/vertical optic mount. Do you think the recommendations for an Aftec on the platform is incorrectly based on that problem, or is there another reason for your recommendation? As for the spacers and stoppers, any recommendation on which to get and where? I haven't found anyone in Canada who carries those as a regular item, so I'll have to order from the US (and hopefully the components won't be covered under US export rules). Thanks, -- L

Hi all, I'm really tempted to try open, as many of my friends do, but I'm leaning toward an STI Steelmaster in 9mm minor rather than .38S/SC or 9mm major. I have a few reasons, first and foremost is ease of getting ammunition. The condo I live in does not permit reloading, and I just don't have the space for a proper set up with a progressive press. That may change in the future, but not for a few years. The other big factor is comfort - I really don't like the blast in the face from .38S/SC. I've also got some concern due to weight + recoil, since I have carpal tunnel and my dainty wrists are a wee bit sensitive to that. Finally, I do not want to invest in a custom gun, since that will raise the final cost over two thousand dollars. I would add an Aftec extractor, likely have the trigger tuned and then fire a thousand runs to work out the gun before I start competition. Beyond that I'd deal with whatever issues came up. While I want to shoot open, I'm not planning on achieving GM status. I enjoy shooting, first and foremost, but I'm not trying to make it into the record books. So, to my learned colleagues, I ask this: Is the Steelmaster a reasonably viable pistol for Open minor? If not,why and what would you suggest? I'm also curious to know what type of holster folks are using, and if STI mags are reasonably acceptable or should I invest in SVI mags (assuming I can get those in a timely fashion here in Canada). Thanks -- L