The definitive 8.5# hammer spring thread

[TJART]

Have a 8.5#'er in your CZ? Post up what ammo has worked for you, and any other mods you're working with.

[eerw]

8.5# mainspring. FED primer only 100%. WIN running about 80-90%

DA 4.0-4.5#, SA 1.75#

didnt really like it.

[TJART]

8.5# mainspring. FED primer only 100%. WIN running about 80-90%

DA 4.0-4.5#, SA 1.75#

didnt really like it.

FED off shelf? Aluminum g2g or only brass?

[shooterDrew]

8.5# mainspring. FED primer only 100%. WIN running about 80-90%

DA 4.0-4.5#, SA 1.75#

didnt really like it.

The weights here are what I experienced, and I absolutely love it. Best trigger I've ever felt on a handgun. Wish there was some way to get this and be reliable with all primers. Mine was also only reliable with Federal. But the trigger is so great I'll just try and buy federal from now on so I can take advantage of it.

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[Quack]

Accu Shadow with 8.5# spring.

I've only used Federal primers, no issues.

[Justinmac13]

Stock sp01 shadow number 91154, 8.5# hammer spring, 11lb recoil spring, extended fp, light fp spring, reduced power trigger return spring, floating trigger pin, 100% with federals, I've also only tried federals. Love the trigger but I wish it had a more defiant break, next upgrade may be the comp hammer to see if that helps.

[TJART]

Stock sp01 shadow number 91154, 8.5# hammer spring, 11lb recoil spring, extended fp, light fp spring, reduced power trigger return spring, floating trigger pin, 100% with federals, I've also only tried federals. Love the trigger but I wish it had a more defiant break, next upgrade may be the comp hammer to see if that helps.

I have all the same mods plus a polish job and the comp hammer. Once I get the 8.5 in, I'll report back; should be here on Friday.

[TJART]

Accu Shadow with 8.5# spring.

I've only used Federal primers, no issues.

Alum or brass? Have you tried alum Fed?

8.5# mainspring. FED primer only 100%. WIN running about 80-90%

DA 4.0-4.5#, SA 1.75#

didnt really like it.

The weights here are what I experienced, and I absolutely love it. Best trigger I've ever felt on a handgun. Wish there was some way to get this and be reliable with all primers. Mine was also only reliable with Federal. But the trigger is so great I'll just try and buy federal from now on so I can take advantage of it.

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My thoughts exactly about only buying Fed from now on, haha!

[Quack]

I load my own, and haven't used factory Federal ammo

[Jayohee]

I tried it on my Accu and it didn't light Winchesters. DA 5.25# and SA 2.25#

I'm now using 11.5# HS with a 6# DA and 2.5ish# SA

[GeneBray]

@shooterDrew. Practice with anything but Tula or Wolf primers. Matches use Federal if none of the other are 100% reliable. Saves money and you will find out alot about you trigger pull when the pistol does not go bang on first pull.

You could use Tula or Wolf but I've found those primers to be the most problematic. Federal are 100% (or so close it doesn't matter to me), CCI and Winchester are 98%+ using an extended FP and reduced power FPS. Never used Remington or S&B SP primers.

Edited November 26, 2015 by GeneBray

[GeneBray]

Like eerw I use an 8.5# main spring. Add an extended length FP and reduced power FPS and all the primers I've used except Tula and Wolf primers work in the 98-99% range or better. DA is a tad over 4 lbs. and SA in 2 lbs. 2-3 oz. Will continue with this setup until I find something better.

I would not be surprised that with the right hands and eyes doing the trigger work, you can get approximately the same weights or better with an 11 lb main spring which would solve most if not all primer ignition issues.

Based on my experience. an 11 lbs MS would be 100% with all primers except Tula and Wolf. (I had problems with Tula and Wolf using 13 lb main spring and the issue just get worse as I moved to 11lb and 8.5 lb MS. Will finish using those primers in practice and not purchase more. Not trashing Wolf or Tula, just letting you know my experience with their SP primers. I have used their SR and LP primers in other pistols/rifles and not experienced problems. As a sidie observation, I have had more problems with Wolf and Tula primers with set ups that should work, than US manufactured primers. And, I found I needed to see them deeper in my SP01 than Federal, CCI, or Win primers to get at least somewhat better ignition. YMMV

P.S. Shooting in a pretty much stock SP01. Trigger job, 8.5# MS, 11# RS, extended length FP, reduced power FPS, fixed, low profile combat sight and comp hammer. Good poslishing in all the right places on the insides. Around 62k rnds through it and it just runs and runs and runs.

Thank you, Matt, for a great pistol!! And, thanks to Stuart for all your help and tips early on with the pistol. One of these days I will relegate the SP01 to back up status and replace with another CZ. When I do it may well feel like the passing of an old friend.

[shooterDrew]

@shooterDrew. Practice with anything but Tula or Wolf primers. Matches use Federal if none of the other are 100% reliable. Saves money and you will find out alot about you trigger pull when the pistol does not go bang on first pull.

You could use Tula or Wolf but I've found those primers to be the most problematic. Federal are 100% (or so close it doesn't matter to me), CCI and Winchester are 98%+ using an extended FP and reduced power FPS. Never used Remington or S&B SP primers.

Ya prior to going with a CZ I had stocked up on a few S&B primers so my current situation is dropping in a 11.5lbs spring for practice and shooting the S&Bs up and then going with 8.5 and Feds for matches. In all truth I can't say I can really notice a huge difference after the buzzer between the 8.5 and 11.5, but as long as I can find federal primers I'll keep using 8.5 when I can. That DA is SOOOOOO light and smooth. I spent 10 years shooting a stock SigP229 for work so the CZ trigger is like a newfound miracle to me!

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[TJART]

@shooterDrew. Practice with anything but Tula or Wolf primers. Matches use Federal if none of the other are 100% reliable. Saves money and you will find out alot about you trigger pull when the pistol does not go bang on first pull.

You could use Tula or Wolf but I've found those primers to be the most problematic. Federal are 100% (or so close it doesn't matter to me), CCI and Winchester are 98%+ using an extended FP and reduced power FPS. Never used Remington or S&B SP primers.

Ya prior to going with a CZ I had stocked up on a few S&B primers so my current situation is dropping in a 11.5lbs spring for practice and shooting the S&Bs up and then going with 8.5 and Feds for matches. In all truth I can't say I can really notice a huge difference after the buzzer between the 8.5 and 11.5, but as long as I can find federal primers I'll keep using 8.5 when I can. That DA is SOOOOOO light and smooth. I spent 10 years shooting a stock SigP229 for work so the CZ trigger is like a newfound miracle to me!

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I was laying in bed thinking the other night, after a session, where I swapped 11/13# and I SWEAR I couldn't tell the difference once the stage started.

Edited November 26, 2015 by TJART

[thompsoncustom]

I was thinking my shadow runs 100% with the Dan Wesson 7.5lb hammer spring and feds. But anything under the 11.5 makes the SA to mushy for my liking with the comp hammer.

[IHAVEGAS]

Both of my guns started out perfect with the 8.5# and Federals, and they both started having failure to fire issues after a while.

On one gun the issues went away when I pulled the firing pin and cleaned the area very well, may just be something I need to remember to do after every 1500 (guessing) rounds or so, no big deal. Have not got the other gun figured out yet.

I am thinking my best plan for the long run may be just to get used to the d.a. trigger with an 11# main spring. Still fiddling.

[TJART]

Finally took the 8.5 out for a test drive with American Eagles... ~50% FTF rate.

Edit: Are AE not Federal primers?

Edited November 29, 2015 by TJART

[GeneBray]

Your comments made a light bulb glow dimly in my head..... Only shot 11 lb. MS in practice. Did notice a major change between 13 & 11 lbs. Even more going to 8. But only in DA. SA there almost no change. However, never shot the 11 in matches. It may well be like the FPB when I had to reinstall to be compliant with the Product rule changes a few years ago. Noticed the FPB in dry fire but never in matches. What if found with the 13 lb. MS is I had to pause, albeit briefly, to ensure sights were stable prior to breaking the DA shot. Ditto 11 lb. but the sights were disturbed less. With 8 lb. it was just slow the pull slightly before the break - not really a pause. Will have to try the 11 in matches and see if there is a difference there or none discernible.

[Severian]

Accu-shadow with 8.5 lb with Federal primers = 100% with Win primers = approx 90%

[TJART]

Your comments made a light bulb glow dimly in my head..... Only shot 11 lb. MS in practice. Did notice a major change between 13 & 11 lbs. Even more going to 8. But only in DA. SA there almost no change. However, never shot the 11 in matches. It may well be like the FPB when I had to reinstall to be compliant with the Product rule changes a few years ago. Noticed the FPB in dry fire but never in matches. What if found with the 13 lb. MS is I had to pause, albeit briefly, to ensure sights were stable prior to breaking the DA shot. Ditto 11 lb. but the sights were disturbed less. With 8 lb. it was just slow the pull slightly before the break - not really a pause. Will have to try the 11 in matches and see if there is a difference there or none discernible.

100% agree about the single action; I couldn't tell once the buzzer went off. I think I just need to trust the gun and the first DA pull, and ride the wave.

Accu-shadow with 8.5 lb with Federal primers = 100% with Win primers = approx 90%

I don't know how you guys are getting 100% with federal primers, unless american eagle doesn't use federal primers. I had, easily, 50% ftf rate.

Edited November 30, 2015 by TJART

[BeerBaron]

Dude they are all talking about hand loads using federal small pistol primers. You'll not find many here shooting factory and certainly not much in competition.

They may use different primers in their factory or it may simply be they are not seated as deep.

If you want reliability with a gun tuned for super light teigger hand loading is really the only way to go.

Otherwise the 11.5 or 13 should light off most factory.

[cnote]

Extended firing pin and reduced FP Spring

Edited November 30, 2015 by cnote

[TJART]

Dude they are all talking about hand loads using federal small pistol primers. You'll not find many here shooting factory and certainly not much in competition.

They may use different primers in their factory or it may simply be they are not seated as deep.

If you want reliability with a gun tuned for super light teigger hand loading is really the only way to go.

Otherwise the 11.5 or 13 should light off most factory.

Relax.

Extended firing pin and reduced FP Spring

Have and polished.

Edited November 30, 2015 by TJART

[biglou13]

SP-01 tactical

i tried the 8.5# tonight with federal match primers....... horrible results..... approx 30% failure ??????

poished, extended firing pin, firing pin spring

im going back to 13# once the buzzer goes. cant tell the difference..............

[rowdyb]

have used cgw 8.5 and 11.5 and czc 13 and the 13 with coils cut off of it to mimic the others. (which is what I do currently, cut a czc 13 down to what I like)

with the 8.5 only federals were reliable enough to shoot at a match. would light off 90-95% of winchester or cci.

with 11.5 would light off anything. tula, any store bought ammo, any primer i used, no worries about depth or anything.

with 13 i wouldn't even think about it. total non issue.