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CGW 8.5# in along with other parts


YamaLink

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Everything showed up today. My week-old SP01 Shadow now has an 11# recoil spring, a CGW 8.5# hammer spring, extended firing pin and reduced power FP spring. Maybe it's just getting used to it after 1 range session (today) after shooting it stock for a week, but I had some questions & observations.

First: the DA is so smooth and light, and I get 100% ignition with Federal primers. It makes the 18# factory main spring feel like I'm pulling a cat backwards through a doggie door.

Second: I thought the brass would hardly shoot out like my 9mm 1911 with its 10# RS which sets them in a neat little pile about 3 feet to the right.

The CZ with the oem recoil spring and 11# aftermarket felt similar, flinging them about 8 feet or so with the 135g moly atop 4.0 WST at 1.145 OAL, and about 6 feet away with the 147 moly FP at 3.5 WST 1.150. I was surprised how far they ejected and that the 11# wasn't significantly less in felt recoil.

Thirdly: I think my CZ is more accurate with 147 FP moly. The 135g RN reload that is pure magic in my Spartan 9mm works great in the Shadow, but my 147 reloads were a little tighter. Slide is not sluggish and front sight is pretty quick back to settling down.

Other than the magical DA I was surprised the gun did not shoot flatter and have less felt recoil. Maybe it was the falling temps - about 42d F - and I know WST is reverse temp sensitive. Do you think it's just a case of getting used to new springs and the Shadow's new timing?

PS: The CGW trigger pin should be mandatory! Watching the oem pin fight through 2 layers of gorilla tape was like watching a movie where an alien baby gnaws its way out of a host womb.

Edited by YamaLink
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I have the cgw pin in. The tape was to keep the oem pin from falling out while dry firing and waiting for cgw part. No live fire.

are yo uretaining hte oem pin with tape? i wouldn't try that at a major match with a chrono stage, they might frown on it. i have a pin punch that has a point on it that spreads/flares the ends of the pin so it doesn't move.

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Yamalink-

By reducing the the mainspring this much, you have also changed the resistance the slide has to overcome. The mainspring and recoil spring work together to slow the slide and changing either effects cycling. Like you, I'm running the 8.5 mainspring, but I had to go to a 14lb recoil spring to get the cycling of the slide to match my preferred slide recovery for the next shot. You might try a heavier recoil spring and see if it works for you. YMMV.

Edited by Shadow
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Aaaah, I get it.

I put in a 147 moly atop 3.3g of WST with 1.145 OAL and that felt like a 22LR and the felt recoil was perfect. But my accuracy wasn't great like the other 3 trial reloads.

I'll try a heavier recoil spring tomorrow with a few reloads. Thanks.

Yamalink-

By reducing the the mainspring this much, you have also changed the resistance the slide has to overcome. The mainspring and recoil spring work together to slow the slide and changing either effects cycling. Like you, I'm running the 8.5 mainspring, but I had to go to a 14lb recoil spring to get the cycling of the slide to match my preferred slide recovery for the next shot. You might try a heavier recoil spring and see if it works for you. YMMV.

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Not that this is rocket science and I'm sure it's so very obvious to many others, but here is the latest round of testing.

Keeping the 11# recoil spring but putting back in the Shadow's obnoxiously heavy factory hammer spring (again, 18#?) made the gun shoot a bit flatter and more accurate on follow up shots with my 135gr reloads (4.0 WST @ 1.140 Bear Creek rn) and the WalMart Federal 115g even though it felt like a 146 pf was supremely quick in the front sight return. Now I'm thinking a 124gr would be nice...

Keeping the 11# recoil spring with the 8.5# told me that while my DA trigger was 10000 times better and my SA was significantly better, the lightweight HS was allowing the #11 RS to get some serious velocity. But I got used to it with my Bear Creek reload. Alas, now I know a heavier recoil spring is in order or a switch to 124gr reloads.

I'd like to keep the 135 4.0 1.145-ish Bear Creek because it's my 1911 "secret weapon", ha, and I know it's very accurate in the SP01 Shadow. Convenience in reloads goes a long way.

Maybe I ended up with a useless 11# recoil spring, but it's part of the fun in shooting, testing and getting to know your Production gun.

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I do, but it's a heavy recoil spring! The SP01 Shadow has an 18# I believe. With the 147 at 3.6g WST 1.145 OAL it was just okay....but the time back on target was not as quick as the 135. A 147 with 3.3 WST 1.145 OAL was butter soft but I did not test/time the back on target and accuracy today since it was mainly a 115 & 135 testing.

With the 135 I tried the factory rs back to back with the 11# RS (and the 8.5# HS) and the 11# was the lesser of two evils.

Posted in the CZ home gunsmithing section, asked if I could cut a coil or two off the 11# RS. It's long, about 3/4" longer than the factory RS.

And obviously the easiest option is to buy a few recoil springs to test or try that 147 at 3.3 WST with the stock RS.

I'm tempted to try 124, also.

The shipping charge from CZ is so high (almost 10 bucks) for 1 or 2 springs but I need a holster anyway so it wouldn't be such a s/h beating.

Do you still have the factory recoil spring? It should work well with your 8.5 mainspring and 135gr load.

Edited by YamaLink
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My local gunsmith orders from Brownell's and shipping is on him. Saw http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=26259/Product/TZ-75-CZ-75-RECOIL-SPRING and had my hopes up but it reads "fits older CZ without fpb." Um, my Shadow is new but sans fpb.

Now I've spent more time on the topic of shipping than actually just getting it over with.

Reloading 147 with 3.3 WST and will try oem RS tomorrow.

What a great way to learn about my new CZ! Super impressed with the reliability of the pistol and the friendly and helpful members on BE.

Edited by YamaLink
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