Multiple Hardware/Maintenance Questions

[Smitty79]

For USPSA, I am using a CZ85B that spent a few weeks with Matt Mink a year ago. I bought the gun used and I've put about 7000 rounds, mainly USPSA Minor, through it. I don't have a match to shoot for 2 months, so I figured that it's time for something more than a field strip cleaning. I've seen lots of different posts on what to do and what not to do. I plan to shoot about 10k rounds in the next year. Here's the plan. Please tell me what you think.

I don't plan on a detailed strip. I've read too many horror stories and I'm not great with tools. I've replaced an AR trigger a few times. That wasn't painful, but it's getting to the limit of what I want to do on purpose. I am not a fan of lots of little pins, so I will minimize what I do to my CZ.

I bought a new slide stop. After testing it in practice, I shot it in a match yesterday. I am going to use the new one as a match only part and use the used one for practice until it breaks. Then I will buy a new one for matches and make the current match part the practice part. I shoot about 4 rounds in practice for every round I shoot in a match.

I am going to pull the firing pin and clean the channel. I'm going to buy a new extended firing pin and spring but keep the old parts as spares. I'm not into big enough matches that I can't live with a zero stage for a broken gun. But I want to be able to get it back running to finish the day's shooting. If I am going to travel for a match/class, I will take a spare gun.

When I have the gun apart, I'm going to flush the internals with brake cleaner and let dry. Then I'm going to hit it with a heavy dose of Ballistol, as a lubricant. Once that has had time to "soak in", I'm going to wipe off excess, blow it out with compressed air and then wipe it again.

The gun is tossing brass up to 15 feet. I'm going to pick up 12# and 14# recoil springs and see which one I like better with my loads. I may even see if I can measure the differences in Bill drill times.

I have a new extractor and fiber optic in my parts kit as well as the above mentioned slide stop and firing pin/pin spring. I'm going to add a trigger return spring, an extractor spring and a firing pin block spring to the kit.

More easier questions:

I shot a pretty wet match yesterday. On one stage it was coming down pretty bad. My Mec-Gar 17 round AFC mags wouldn't drop free with 4 rounds in them and Springer base pads on them. When dry, they worked fine, even empty. One of the guys in my squad suggested that I replace the mag brake with the CZC stainless one. What's the consensus here?

Since I'm planning a big CZC order, is a stainless guide rod worth it as an upgrade on a CZ used for USPSA?

[BeerBaron]

the stainless guiderod is a nice to have, not a must have. most cannot feel any difference from it and it's likely the factory plastic one is more reliable. do get a spare plastic one though as they are cheap and a good spare to have.

your plan sounds fine. my only other suggestion would be replace the trigger return spring with either a CZC or CGW lighter return spring AND install the floating trigger pin from CGW (I think CZC may sell one too).

for that all you need is a piece of wood, a correct size punch and a hammer.

especially if you do a lot of dry fire the TRS can break. once you have the floating pin in replacement down the track will be much easier too.