grimaldi

Wasn't trying to say I thought the hammer and springs were causing the problem, just that I had ordered them but didn't want to install them until I figured out what was causing the jamming issue. Should get a new magazine and stronger magazine springs any day now, so I'll be able to test that out.

Heresy! Seriously, though, there are a few top level pistols that are all very capable in the right hands, but CZ can certainly make a case for being "best" with their "winningest gun in IPSC" claim. As long as you've got a reliable, accurate, large frame pistol, individual preference, comfort and skill probably make the difference. You'd be harder pressed to do as well with a polymer sub-compact, regardless of quality!

Actually got a cajun gun works competition hammer and spring set for a used SP-01 tactical I got. It's giving me all sorts of jamming issues currently (working through a checklist of potential problems) but once I get it up and running properly, we'll see how much they improve things.

I think it would be pretty easy for your unit armorer to switch the mag release on your M9, too. I seem to recall that was an easy change to do.

My forum search wasn't bringing up a lot of hits, so I figured I'd start a thread. For production USPSA, what holsters would you recommend for a SP-01 tactical? The most common answer I've seen so far is "Blade-Tech", but they sell several different holsters, and I'm novice enough to potentially buy a holster that may not meet production requirements. Also, I've seen a few comments where people seem against kydex holsters because they can wear the finish on the pistol. High-Ready seems to have some lined kydex holsters, although it appears there's a long wait to get them and the website isn't the easiest to use. I don't recall seeing a lot of leather holsters being used.

Why? What's wrong with the decocker version?

Well, I just found a deal for a lightly used SP-01 tactical with 3 magazines for $500...seems god enough for me! I think it will be a long time before the slight difference in trigger pull between a shadow and standard (eventually with comp hammer and such) becomes an issue.

Well, I'm not really an equipment freak or anything, but it's hardly a secret that certain guns are better for certain specific events (like USPSA production). I could certainly compete with my compact sig 250 and continue to improve my skills, but at some point that gun's limitations will become a factor holding back my performance, and there's not a lot that can be done to improve that gun's issues (long trigger pull and reset). Looks like there are three routes to take: 1- save up and buy the shadow from the get go gun has best ergonomics and trigger, but will take a while to get (actually, could get now but would incur wrath of wife) 2- get CZ 85 combat can get more easily and can eventually get excellent trigger, but ergonomics may not quite match SP-01 3- get SP-01 can get more easily, has good ergonomics but will never have best trigger due to FPB of course, how big a difference the FPB makes for an otherwise tricked-out trigger, or how much faster on target/less muzzle flip an SP-01 has over an 85 may be pretty minimal. Might just have to watch gunbroker, gunsamerica and local gunshows while saving for deals that are too good to pass up!

This is some of the stuff I was hoping to see....or rather, hoping wouldn't exist but wanted to find out before making a purchase. As a novice, I'd assume a 75 from the early 90s would use the same basic parts/magazines as the newer ones, but if not, that becomes an issue for maintenance and upgrades in the future. As for the Combat 85, I'd be interested to hear more about what makes it such a good option. The CZ webpage doesn't offer much, just saying the 85 is the ambidextrous version of the 75, and the Combat has "some additional features. The CZ 85 Combat features a fully adjustable rear sight, extended magazine release, ambidextrous slide stop and safety catch, drop free magazine and over travel adjustment on the trigger". Actually, the P-07 looks neat, too, and with most engagements in USPSA at close ranges, the shorter length shouldn't affect things too much. On the other hand, there are some long range targets that a longer weapon will engage more accurately, and the light weight may make it a little slower to manage on follow up shots. Different trigger system, too, which may or may not be a good thing.

CK1 has kind of hit the major themes that I understand and am trying to synchronize. Obviously practice is the key to improving skills (and scores), but at some point your equipment can start holding back your performance. Why buy a "starter" pistol and then later buy a separate "competition" level pistol if you can slowly upgrade the original to the latter? It isn't a huge deal, but I've found you can save yourself some money and heartache by planning ahead instead of just diving in, and I'm trying to see if this is one of those situations. That's where the older model 75s I've been seeing came to mind. They were "born" without FPB, so should (I think) be legal for USPSA production purposes, and could theoretically be easier to upgrade to something like a custom shadow over time. It seems silly, as eventually pretty much every piece of the gun would be replaced aside from the frame, but that how a lot of things work over time. I could be way off, of course, but that's why I came here for more informed opinions.

I'm in central Iowa (Des Moines), and there's not a lot of CZs around. I really only started competitive shooting about a year ago through the military and did really well in rifle events, but I have quite a bit of ground to make up in pistol events. Trigger control was the thing to focus on most, I found, so I got a Sig 250 for quite a deal. Long, heavy but smooth trigger pull has given me some good practice, but it (and the long trigger reset) aren't the best for USPSA-type action shooting. I considered just getting a Beretta 92, but I don't really like the feel of it compared to most of the CZs I've handled.

I'm looking at getting into USPSA production shooting a little more seriously and I've always been a fan of the CZ line. My wife, of course, would kill me if I went all out and purchased a Shadow from the get go, but other threads in this forum have made it sound like it's tough to buy a current 75 and slowly upgrade it to "Shadow" level. Some of this, as I understand, seems to be because the newer versions have a firing pin block which somehow affects the trigger pull and might make the gun "illegal" per USPSA production rules if it were removed. Older CZ 75s were made without the firing pin block, however, so would they be easier to upgrade? I've seen some older 75s that are pretty inexpensive, although I'm not sure if there are other concerns with those older pistols. For example, there are several used 75s from Czech police stations available for around $350. Some are listed as straight up 75s, while others are listed as SP01 types (I'd link but can't due to low post count!), so I'm not sure if there's a big difference in upgradability or performance between the two. These older guns are all DA/SA with a safety, but the idea of releasing the hammer manually is a bit disconcerting. So, any thoughts would be appreciated.