Stefano

Eerw, your right ! A gun chambered with such a tight tolerance has to be feeded with more attention ... I'll suggest to my friend to spend a little of time sorting those brasses ...

No, all the bulged brasses we have found was fired by other guns (probably Glock or open guns in 9mm. major ...). Having the chamber reamed is the last chance I would suggest to my friend (Wardog, mostly because I don't know WHO would be a competent pistolsmith for this job: perhaps Dallera ?), but the "U" sizing die that we have bought (just to solve this problem) unfortunatey isn't 100% useful (it works better than the normal resizing dies, but still we have 1-2 bulged brasses every 16 we are firing ... I would also try to grind off 1-2 millimeters fron an original Dillon sizing, just to see if the die can work better at the base of the case: guys, do you think that grinding off 2 millimeter is too much ?? Why not dump the bad brass. Thats what I do. By the time it developes a skirt it has been used quite a few times. My friends say I am too fussy but I gauge every single round I make, usually a few are a bit tight in the gauge so I put them aside. I then put them through the Lee FCD and either shoot them in practice and dump the brass or use them in a lost brass match. I don't mind being called fussy I have practically no ammo related malfunctions in either my Edge or the Eastern European 9mm (with poor after sales service) that I use. al Al, my friend isn't so serius (like me and you) about shooting: I'm trying to find a solution (for him) only because - knowing his personal attitude - I'm sure the without finding any solution to his problem, most probably he could decide to sell his new Shadow .... And in this case PROBABLY I can think to buy it (... if the price is related to the malfunction of the gun)

Thanks so much Luca: this is a very simple, efficient and inexpensive solution !! I've read on the last number of Frontsight Magazine about a dedicated full-sizing die that works just in the same manner ...

No, all the bulged brasses we have found was fired by other guns (probably Glock or open guns in 9mm. major ...). Having the chamber reamed is the last chance I would suggest to my friend (Wardog, mostly because I don't know WHO would be a competent pistolsmith for this job: perhaps Dallera ?), but the "U" sizing die that we have bought (just to solve this problem) unfortunatey isn't 100% useful (it works better than the normal resizing dies, but still we have 1-2 bulged brasses every 16 we are firing ... I would also try to grind off 1-2 millimeters fron an original Dillon sizing, just to see if the die can work better at the base of the case: guys, do you think that grinding off 2 millimeter is too much ??

Folks, first of all, thanks to you all for the great assistance: I appreciate a lot ! Today I was to the range with my friend, and we experimented a little more with different kind of ammo. The test I performed was simple but effective: I reloaded 3 different kind of bullets (115, 125, 155 grs RN and TC profile) with different OAL (in the range of 28,40 - 29,20 mm.) but ALL of them were reloaded using factory new cases ... Well, the gun was feeding (and firing) PERFECTLY with all the above mentioned ammos. On the other side, using the "normal" training ammos that I reload with used-cases collected from the groud .... we found several feeding-problems, all of them caused by bulged-cases .... As I've stated before, the "U" sizing die works better than the "normal" sizing die, but not for ALL the cases. In several cases (fired most probably with Open or Glock gun ...) the bulge at the base of the case is too large for the Shadow's chamber that is too tight (Wardog, thanks for your post: I think you're right ...). Here I post some photos of the bulged rounds that caused the feeding-problems: As you can see, I believe the only problem are those bulged cases that in my Tanfoglio aren't giving any feeding-problem but in my friend's Shadow .... So, in my opinion there are only two solutions: 1 - have the chamber reamed as suggested by Wardog 2 - to found a solution for a full-resizing of the used cases that we want to shot with that Shadow .... Do you agree ?? Thanks again to you all for your 1st.class support to me !

Thanks to you Shay ... We have tryed different bullet profile (TC and RN) with different OAL lenght, but the problem is always the same: in ANY case the jam consist in round fully inside the chamber but not all the way in. Every time, when we extract the round, we found it with a little bulge near the rim of the brass ... As sayed before, with the "U" dies the situation it's a little better (the number of bulged cases is lower ...) but still we have many problems: it's quite impossible to fire an entire mag without jam ! I think that THIS Shadow was born with a veeeery tight chamber ... This evening (when I'll be back at home) I'll post some picture of the "rejected rounds" ...

Hi folks, again "on topic" about the feeding problem with my friend's Shadow, due to the very tight chamber ... We have ordered the Lee "U" sizing-die from EGW, and today we have tested 1 hundred rounds reloaded with it ... Well, the test went NOT so good .... We had 2 or 3 feeding problem in ANY mags of 16 rounds, and always due to bulged rounds ... The "U" sizing dies works better than the Dillon one, and the bulged cases are quite better re-sized than in the past, but .... that damned chamber on his Shadow is SO TIGHT that every "less-than-perfect" round is rejected and don't want to feed ..... It's VERY frustrating because every 5/6 rounds you have to stop shooting and resolve the jam .... It's the very first time that I found an issue like this: with my Tanfoglio Stock II I've never suffered something similar .... I don't want to say that this is a better gun than the Shadow: on the contrary I've always seen A LOT of Shadows working perfectly during matches and practice, and I can't believe that my friend's one could be different !!! On the other side isn't possible to use it only with new brasses, or have to gauging EVERY round before any practice session of 500 rounds .... Any more solution we can try ?

Totally agree !! For sure this is also my opinion.

Thanks Eerw, I'll play a little with the sear (serching BEFORE to grab another backup-spare sear, just to be sure of having an "insurance" in case of problems ...

Sorry Shay: it's my fault for not having well-explained what I want to do. We would like only to have a shorter trigger-reset on my frind's Shadow ... Eerw has understood what I mean ... The gun comes whitout the FPB and (as far I can see) whiout over-travel adjustment ...

Well, just a brief update to our story ... After a little fitting of the disconnector ears, now my friend's Shadow works PERFECTLY ! Even that little problem of double-action timing I've previously declared is totally vanished ! For what I've learned, when you change the stock hammer with the competition one, MOST PROBABLY you have also to review the double action timing, fitting a little bit also the disconnector. Ehehehe ... thanks to you guys I've learned a pretty good lessons !! The result is so good that now me and my club-mate are looking at another challenge: "how to reduce the reset-excursion of the trigger" .... ... and of course we haven't idea of "how-to-do" it

EG, this is a common problem that sometimes happens, due to the CNC machine setup between one program for one particular slide and another ... If you look at the slide, behind the extractor spring, you'll notice a little hole that fits the extractor spring: sometimes it is deeper than the standard lenght (just a 0,XX ..) and the result is the issue you've noticed. The solution is very simple: add a micro-spacer at the bottom of the hole (a little piece of paper, plastic, metal ...) or change the original extractor spring with a Wolff extra-power one (that one for the CZ 75B it's perfect) that is a little bit longer than the standard spring. If you have problems finding those Wolff springs, send to me a PM with your address: I'll ask to he factory to send to you a few "special" springs for your gun ... Last thing: for best results I strongly raccomand to use a light recoil spring (not heavier than 11/12 Lbs). Hope this help, enjoy your gun ! Stefano

Thank you so much Shay: the forecasting for this WE are stormy, so we'll have the time to make "experiments", thanks to yours + Eerv's tips. Guys, it's incredible how much useful is this forum !! You can found a solution for ANY kind of problem ... Thanks again to you all !! Stefano

Eerv, just to confirm: 0,11 inch is the total lengh of the resized disconnector ears ? Is this a raccomanded lenght or the minimum ? What happens if something goes wrong and we bring down the ears a little bit more ?? Sorry, but due to the fact that this isn't my gun I would prefer to forward all the infos directly to the owner, just to avoid any responsability, in case of mistakes ...

Eerv, Shay, thanks a lot for the extra-infos ! I have no experience about pistolsmithing because (being a Production IPSC shooter) as a rule I know that on my pistols I can't do NOTHING ! That's why I love to shoot production: quite simple living (and shooting) and no gunsmithing troubles ... Again, thanks a lot !

Stefano, you'd better warn our mutual friend that this is an illegal modification under IPSC Production rules ... NO problem Luca, the owner of this "customized" SP-01 doesn't shoot IPSC. He's only a "sunday-shooter" who wants a smoother trigger on his pistol ...

Shay, thanks to your exceptional tips & photos, last night the "wizard apprentice" has worked on his friend's gun and now the new hammer works GREAT !! I would like to ask you some more infos about how to fit also the disconnector, to adjust the double action: plase, can you better describe how it works and what's the result of removing material from the under side of it ? We would like to reduce a bit the trigger-travel of the double-action, and I ask myself if removing material from the under side is the right way to obtain this ... Apart from this I have noticed a little problem related to the trigger-pull: if the traction of the finger-tip on the trigger-shoe is straight rearward, perfectly parallel to the gun's frame-central-axis it's all right; if you "milk" a little the trigger from one side of the frame to the other (easy to happen when you are shooting with your weak hand...) .... the trigger doesn't work perfectly and sometimes the sear does'n dis-engage the hammer: but when you re-adjust your finger (and the trigger-pull) all works correctly. Sorry, it's not easy for me to describe more clearly the issue due to my bad english: I hope you have understood ...

Shay, thank you so much for your tips !!! You're right: the result is worth the effort you have to spend .... .... AND THANKS AGAIN FROM THE DEEPEST OF MY HEART FOR THOSE PHOTOS !!! (sometime a picture is better than 1 hundred words ! ). Stefano

My friend has bought the CZ-USA competition hammer for his SP-01 Shadow, and after we have mounted the new hammer we have noticed that the savefy lever doesn't work. I know that this is a common problem and we have just to fit the safety lever with the new hammer. The problem is that it's the very first time we have to deal with this issue and we don't want to damage the parts ... Can anybody suggest the correct "how-to-do" procedure ? Photos will be extremely appreciated ...

Thanks guys, about me, I defenetely prefer to trade a little less accuracy with a much more "soft" recoil (we haven't to shoot "bench-rest" with handgun ...) and my favourite load is now with N310: but I think that also N320 is a very-good compromise (and it seems to me that the groups are more tight ...).

I shoot Production minor: 147 grs. RN bullets with Tanfoglio Stock 2, and sometimes 125 grs. TC with CZ Shadow ... After several "test-groups" I've experienced some flyers with Vihtavuori N310: is it only my personal feeling or somebody else has experienced the same ?

I know, it's quite difficult to give an answer, but I would like to know from you American guys what are the "pro & cons" between an Hi Cap STI & SVI 2011 for IPSC Standard Division .... Here in Italy the main issues conditioning the choice are the price (STI it's a little bit more affortable) and the lack of gunsmithing avaiability (guys who can affort the price sometimes prefer SVI guns because they offer a wide choice of pre-fitted custom parts, solving the "problem" of finding a good pistosmith; note: in Italy we have only 2/3 guys who are well-working ...).

Stefano, If my calculation is correct, that is 1.161 in 147, which is way long. I would guess its the bullet stuck in the rifling and not the case. Try loading it to 1.125 or 28.57 mm. I am glad to hear the SPO1 has a more precise chamber than "others" Also, in my opinion, 124's and 115's work a lot better in the CZ. I, personally, shoot 115's. They are snappier but the front sight barely moves. The gun is not that picky, we are shooting Remington cheap ammo in 115 and PMC. It will eat Winchester white box 115's all day as well. Shay, thanks for your tip: I have a box of 115 grs. FMJ bullets and we'll try it defenitely, with your suggested OAL. Despite of the 1.161 OAL we tryed yesterday, his ammo feeded OK, with only a 10% of feeding problems due to bulges cases. For explaining this non-issue, does it matter that my friend's Shadow is chambered in 9x21 (here in Italy we can't use 9x19) ?? Perhaps with 9x21 we can load a little bit longer than in 9x19 ... Guys, thanks to you all for your help ! The SP-01 is indeed a very-good gun, with a "very-very-cool" look !! I begin to love it and probably I'll bought me too when we'll found the right ammo !

Hi folks, today 2nd live fire session with my friend and his new "jam-o-matic" Shadow ... The situation it's a little bit better: today he's used MY rounds (FMJ RN-bullet, 147 grs, OAL=29,50 mm.) and he suffered only a 10% of feeding problems, due to small amount of bulged-near-the-base cases .... I reload with a Super 1050, and probably my Dillon sizing die is better fitted than my friend's one on his XL 650. Anyway it's evident that the Shadow's chamber in VEEERY precise: all the rounds rejected were successfully fired by my Tanfoglio Stock 2 At this point we really would like to try the famous "undersize sizing die" from EGW: does anyone have any experience with it ?

Thanks Pedro, as I've previously sayed, my feeling is that - as usual - the longer OAL is the best (regards feeding ...). Surely the trick of making a dummy-round for cheking chamber-lenght is a very-good solution ! But, as I've seen sunday, the main issue are the bumped-brasses that it's quite impossible to resize perfectly (near the base) with a "common" resizing die. I think that my friend needs urgently an "U-sizing die" from EGW .... Right ?