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Shadow 2 vs Shadow 2 Orange Accuracy


Dorian7

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Hi All,

 

I have searched a lot on this topic and haven't found a lot of info yet ( I am assuming because the orange is relatively new still) but I am coming from a background of shooting 1911s in USPSA single stack. I took a few years off and now I want to get back into competition with USPSA Production. I found tons of info on the Shadow 2 Blue being highly recommended but then in the process also found the orange. I know the orange has a 1911 style bushing and the hand fit aspect but what I really want to know is, from anyone who has shot both - is there a noticeable difference in accuracy?

Right now the price difference between the two options is $540 for what I could get.

I have attached the group I was able to do at 25 yards with the 1911 I shot standing (STI Trojan) for reference.

IMG_2515.jpg

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I believe that the Orange has some trigger work already done. A basic Shadow 2 is a nice pistol. You will probably change hammer springs to get the DA pull down and perhaps the recoil spring. For USPSA type shooting I don't think that the Orange offers any accuracy advantage. If you have the money the Orange is a nice gun--I have a Shadow 2 and dry fired the Orange. The Orange trigger appeared ready-to-go out of the box.

 

P.S. Given the craziness that appears to be developing--you might want to get one of them sooner than later. I visited a local Scheels today. There were two Shadow 2s in stock for over two months. This morning over 25 people were in line to buy guns and magazines and any remaining ammo were disappearing There were over 250 100 round boxes of .223 in stock yesterday afternoon as well as .45 and .40. One box per customer. All gone at 11:30 a.m. this morning as well as the two Shadow 2s.

Edited by Steppenwolf
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I have a friend who has a Shadow 2, Shadow 2 with 10x bushing and Shadow 2 Orange. Same ammo, same group, same day, same same same they shoot descending size groups in that order. 10 rounds freestyle at 25 yards ends up being 6", 4.5", 3" across their widest points. Seen it with my own eyes, guy is just a regular competitor, not a super M or GM.

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16 hours ago, rowdyb said:

I have a friend who has a Shadow 2, Shadow 2 with 10x bushing and Shadow 2 Orange. Same ammo, same group, same day, same same same they shoot descending size groups in that order. 10 rounds freestyle at 25 yards ends up being 6", 4.5", 3" across their widest points. Seen it with my own eyes, guy is just a regular competitor, not a super M or GM.

 

Impressive, I assumed you'd need a machine rest to truly see the difference.

 

I know I'm not good enough to really see the difference between all my various S1s, 2s, Oranges, Accushadows, etc.

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A mate of mine has done some comparisons.

 

I havent shot an orange but I can't imagine getting better groups that what I did with my regular shadow 2's. Under 2 inches at 25 yards with a DPP on top was pretty typical off the bench. 

 

I would buy an orange now though. FOMO and all that. 

 

 

 

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My Orange definitely outshoots any of my other guns, including ones hand fitted and tuned at the CZ Factory for me. My only complaints about the gun are that the rear sight can't be centered or it shoots left (as was determined by the factory), I'd have preferred them solve that with a new barrel/bushing, and the fact that it is not an Arcore only frame. My two hand fitted guns are Arcore only and it is a much much nicer frame and matches the slide so much better. Polycoat blows quite honestly. I've considered sending it out for refinishing but know that I am playing a lottery with what they might find under the polycoat. But for the money they really should be picking the cosmetically perfect frames off the line and using them for Oranges and simply charging for that, the rest, spray em and sell em. 

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  • 4 months later...
On 11/7/2020 at 4:50 PM, rowdyb said:

I have a friend who has a Shadow 2, Shadow 2 with 10x bushing and Shadow 2 Orange. Same ammo, same group, same day, same same same they shoot descending size groups in that order. 10 rounds freestyle at 25 yards ends up being 6", 4.5", 3" across their widest points. Seen it with my own eyes, guy is just a regular competitor, not a super M or GM.

The best way to truly test accuracy is by using a Ransom bench, at longer distances the S2 Orange should outpace the S2 with the 10X bushing.  However, I have both platforms and the regular S2 is a bit lighter than the Orange which weighs about 2 more ounces due to the bushing and the fact that the dust cover can't be machined to remove some slide weight. Whereas the regular S2 can..  I shot them both, both perform equally well but at longer distances the Orange wins.  One thing is for sure, that 10X bushing does an amazing job comparing to the stock bushing, much, much tighter groups and the barrel locks up pretty solid too.  No play no nothing!  Save your money buy a regular S2 Blue get a competition trigger kit from Cajun, 10X bushing and be done! 

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The German magazine Caliber tested the S2 Orange in Feb. 2020. 10 shot groups at 25 meters from a Ransom rest. Groups averaged 55 mm (2.2''). Geco bulk ammo was 51 mm, just over 2''. Can't recall Shadow 2 results but the same Geco stuff gave them 60 mm (2.4'') with a Shadow 1 a few years back. The Orange does not seem that much of an improvement in mechanical accuracy.

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On 3/17/2021 at 8:20 PM, Snausages32 said:

What about a regular Shadow2, but done over by Cajun Gunworks vs a stock orange?  I've been considering both...  Thoughts there?

I doubt anyone would find a difference as far as accuracy. But then you have questions of value, usage, etc. If you have CGW put a barrel bushing in, for example, the gun become illegal for production in some cases. Where the orange is legal because the upgraded bushing is stock on the gun. And by the time you buy an S2, spend the money, time and shipping on the CGW upgrades, are you really money ahead?

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17 hours ago, jejb said:

I doubt anyone would find a difference as far as accuracy. But then you have questions of value, usage, etc. If you have CGW put a barrel bushing in, for example, the gun become illegal for production in some cases. Where the orange is legal because the upgraded bushing is stock on the gun. And by the time you buy an S2, spend the money, time and shipping on the CGW upgrades, are you really money ahead?

How did it become "illegal" in production by a CGW bushing?  No one can tell if the bushing is stock or aftermarket so??  Unless of course you tell the R/O checking your firearm 😏

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On 3/20/2021 at 12:08 AM, chgofirefighter said:

How did it become "illegal" in production by a CGW bushing?  No one can tell if the bushing is stock or aftermarket so??  Unless of course you tell the R/O checking your firearm 😏

You obviously know how it becomes illegal, given the quote above. You can probably get away with it at some level, but that does not mean it's legal. 

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1 hour ago, jejb said:

You obviously know how it becomes illegal, given the quote above. You can probably get away with it at some level, but that does not mean it's legal. 

Production rule Appendix D4 21.6:

Sights, firing pins, firing pin retainers, pins, extractors, magazine releases, slide stops, thumb safeties, triggers, hammers, bushings, and ejectors MAY be replaced with OFM or aftermarket parts. Exchange of OFM parts between different models of Production approved guns is allowed.

 

It's legal

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1 hour ago, robertwyatt said:

Production rule Appendix D4 21.6:

Sights, firing pins, firing pin retainers, pins, extractors, magazine releases, slide stops, thumb safeties, triggers, hammers, bushings, and ejectors MAY be replaced with OFM or aftermarket parts. Exchange of OFM parts between different models of Production approved guns is allowed.

 

It's legal

 

That's how you know.  You check the rulebook...  😂🤣😂

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  • 8 months later...
On 3/12/2021 at 3:23 AM, chgofirefighter said:

The best way to truly test accuracy is by using a Ransom bench, at longer distances the S2 Orange should outpace the S2 with the 10X bushing.  However, I have both platforms and the regular S2 is a bit lighter than the Orange which weighs about 2 more ounces due to the bushing and the fact that the dust cover can't be machined to remove some slide weight. Whereas the regular S2 can..  I shot them both, both perform equally well but at longer distances the Orange wins.  One thing is for sure, that 10X bushing does an amazing job comparing to the stock bushing, much, much tighter groups and the barrel locks up pretty solid too.  No play no nothing!  Save your money buy a regular S2 Blue get a competition trigger kit from Cajun, 10X bushing and be done! 

Amen.  Doing my own CGW 10x, MCarbo spring kit (in my daily driver already reduced pulls on Wheeler digital gage to 9 oz pull on my factory SAO, 10.5 ozs on SA of my CZ 97B).  Plan on polishing all trigger components when I have time, expecting to lose another few ozs on the trigger pulls.  I have a number of very nice guns (custom, Dan Wesson, S&W Performance Center) and CZ Shadow 2 was my first.  I hear my wife and son (mockingly) tell me, "you should have topped with 1" when I tell them my Shadow 2 is my best shooting gun.  That said, my wife L-O-V-E-S the 97B, which I highly recommend.  10 shot 45 under $900, eminently tuneable, reliable and pleasure to work on, you can't beat that with two sticks.  Now that I think about it I may have to listen to them and sell all the rest of my collection ;-0

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By way of interest. Most of my S2 with factory setup will shoot around 2.5" at 25yd off hand on a good day with red dot optic.

 

I have got under 2" with a barsto fitted barrel. Other than perhaps a nicer trigger factory I dont see the point going Orange. Just tweak the normal shadow. You will find parts easier and cheaper if/when you need them too.

 

That being said if you dont want to mess with anything and can afford it then go Orange :)

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On 3/12/2021 at 3:23 AM, chgofirefighter said:

The best way to truly test accuracy is by using a Ransom bench, at longer distances the S2 Orange should outpace the S2 with the 10X bushing. 

I totally agree with chgofirefighter since I've had the opportunity to use a friends Ransom Rest!  We're currently utilizing the 20 yard distance since the optional 50 yard is a bit of a challenge to easily access.

 

As for now, the Orange is my first/only CZ pistol;  and I've never had the opportunity to shoot a stock Shadow 2...........

 

I have to confirm that this S2 Orange is one of the most accurate pistols, out of the box, that I have ever owned.  It shoots my Zero and Blue reloads very accurately; and even yields high accuracy with Federal box ammo!  Would be very interested in seeing similar results with a modded S2 if anyone has info to share!

 

👍

3.5 N320 R3.png

3.3 N320+Blue 147FP.png

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/5/2021 at 9:33 PM, HOGRIDER said:

I totally agree with chgofirefighter since I've had the opportunity to use a friends Ransom Rest!  We're currently utilizing the 20 yard distance since the optional 50 yard is a bit of a challenge to easily access.

 

As for now, the Orange is my first/only CZ pistol;  and I've never had the opportunity to shoot a stock Shadow 2...........

 

I have to confirm that this S2 Orange is one of the most accurate pistols, out of the box, that I have ever owned.  It shoots my Zero and Blue reloads very accurately; and even yields high accuracy with Federal box ammo!  Would be very interested in seeing similar results with a modded S2 if anyone has info to share!

 

👍

3.5 N320 R3.png

Nice work!  

 

Would be nice to test out a modded S2 to compare :) 

On 12/5/2021 at 9:33 PM, HOGRIDER said:

3.3 N320+Blue 147FP.png

 

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On 11/7/2020 at 4:50 PM, rowdyb said:

I have a friend who has a Shadow 2, Shadow 2 with 10x bushing and Shadow 2 Orange. Same ammo, same group, same day, same same same they shoot descending size groups in that order. 10 rounds freestyle at 25 yards ends up being 6", 4.5", 3" across their widest points. Seen it with my own eyes, guy is just a regular competitor, not a super M or GM.

 

Would be best to use a Ransom bench to truly test accuracy.  At the end of the day you can't buy performance, if you don't have your shooting fundamentals down and you're proficient, the pistol won't matter... But it'll be cool to test them all out, such as the S2 Orange, S2 Modded with the bushing, etc... 

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