Blue Bullets in a CZ Shadow2?

[HOGRIDER]

Shooting Production with the S2 Orange, and have an excellent Match load using N320 and Zero 147 JHP.

 

Would like to develop a practice load using the N320 and a lead coated bullet.  Or a plated bullet ......though I have NO experience with them.  Since The Blue Bullets is the #1 reloaded bullet in the 2020 USPSA Equipment Survey, I ordered a sample pack of the 147 FP and RN.  Not really impressed with their new RN profile plus I would have to seat it .015" shorter to clear in the CZ barrel.  And I have shot neither through the CZ; just don't want to waste time and precious components if the CZs don't like the BBs.

 

Any SATISFIED shooters here competing and/or practicing with Blue Bullets in a CZ platform?

 

Thanks for any feedback!

 

 

[Racinready300ex]

I would venture to guess with as popular as CZ's are and as popular and BB's are there a a lot that run that combo. I run the 135 TC's in my CZ's. I have not tried the new RN profile yet but they should allow you to seat longer than the older profile. The old RN's needed to be loaded really short for CZ's. 

[slowhands]

147gr RN Blue Bullets didn't work well in my Shadow 2. The OAL is just too short, and a lot of rounds fail the case gauge. 135gr TCs work great, though. I order them in .356. Not sure if it makes a difference, but some CZs don't like .355 coated bullets and it's the same price for either size.

 

If you really want 147gr bullets, I've had decent luck with SNS. But in my gun the 135gr bullets (both SNS and BB) are a bit more accurate and consistent, and I can't perceive any difference in recoil between the two weights at the same power factor anyway.

[Lightj75]

I tried the 147gr RN blue bullets my cz does ok with them but I've since switched to the summit city bullets FPs and n320 or n330 they work well and the profile let's me load them to 1.135-1.14. Also  Summit city is doing a labor day sale 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Lightj75

[twodownzero]

Send your barrel to @MemphisMechanic to get that corrected.  Mine is sitting at home in my mailbox right now.  I never fired a single round through the gun before getting the barrel reamed.  I will be loading the 147s in the 1.145-1.150" range.  In fact, I will be shooting blue bullets tomorrow morning at a USPSA match.

[Nathanb]

You’ll need to ream your barrel and load super short. I have two shadow 2s and one required even shorter loads 

[twodownzero]

Just checked my barrel, and it chambered a random 147 grain blue bullet round pulled from my box at 1.153".  I'd say we have great success.

[Sigarmsp226]

Hog - To save you a little time and a lot of money you can send it to me.  I picked up a new set of grinding, polishing, and buffing attachments for my Dremel today…I can fix it so that a 2.0” bullet will fit it…Just trying to help….…Mark

Edited September 4, 2021 by Sigarmsp226

[HOGRIDER]

4 hours ago, slowhands said:

147gr RN Blue Bullets didn't work well in my Shadow 2. The OAL is just too short, and a lot of rounds fail the case gauge. 135gr TCs work great, though. I order them in .356. Not sure if it makes a difference, but some CZs don't like .355 coated bullets and it's the same price for either size.

 

If you really want 147gr bullets, I've had decent luck with SNS. But in my gun the 135gr bullets (both SNS and BB) are a bit more accurate and consistent, and I can't perceive any difference in recoil between the two weights at the same power factor anyway.

slow:

One of my reasons for gathering some feedback here was so that I wouldn't be wasting a lot of time and consumables trying something that just may not work in the CZ!  And I have no objections to trying some 135g rounds; just going down another rabbit hole and trying a weight/brand bullet that seems to be extremely popular with the USPSA crowd.

 

As you and others have noted, the CZs require a shorter OAL; and what I found doing a thorough max OAL test was the BB 147RN maxxed out at 1.125" while the 147FP could go to 1.136".  I always reduce my COAL by .015";  so basically I would do 1.120" on the FP and 1.110" on the RN.  I just not warming up to the new RN profile............

 

Thanks for your feedback!!

[HOGRIDER]

3 hours ago, twodownzero said:

Send your barrel to @MemphisMechanic to get that corrected.  Mine is sitting at home in my mailbox right now.  I never fired a single round through the gun before getting the barrel reamed.  I will be loading the 147s in the 1.145-1.150" range.  In fact, I will be shooting blue bullets tomorrow morning at a USPSA match.

two:

While I can fully appreciate you having your barrel reamed for that standard OAL range, I can no way justify modifying the barrel in my S2 Orange when it's producing groups like this with my reloads!

 

These match reloads have an OAL of 1.125" and will work just fine in the S2O, and all my other 9mm pistols.  I can go with an OAL of 1.120" with the BB 147g FP, and definitely look forward to your feedback!

 

THANKS!

 

[HOGRIDER]

1 hour ago, Sigarmsp226 said:

Hog - To save you a little time and a lot of money you can send it to me.  I picked up a new set of grinding, polishing, and buffing attachments for my Dremel today…I can fix it so that a 2.0” bullet will fit it…Just trying to help….…Mark

Mark!

LOL!  I'm really glad to hear that you have mastered the Dremel process to that level of perfection! 

 

Now I feel confident that with your new tools and level of OCD, you'll have that Redding TC die polished to perfection!  Just don't forget to use a little One Shot on those super clean cases!

 

 

[HOGRIDER]

2 hours ago, Nathanb said:

You’ll need to ream your barrel and load super short. I have two shadow 2s and one required even shorter loads 

Nathan:

Modifying this particular barrel is just not an option.  

 

I hope to find a suitable coated lead bullet that can use a COAL I can trust and get acceptable results with.

 

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[HOGRIDER]

Everyone:

 

I forgot to mention that the BB's I have are sized .355".  Of course this sizing works perfect with the Zero 147 JHPs that makeup my match loads.  However, when using a coated lead bullet, do the CZs normally prefer a .356" sizing or will the .355' Blue Bullets produce great results?

 

Thanks again!

 

 

[twodownzero]

1 hour ago, HOGRIDER said:

two:

While I can fully appreciate you having your barrel reamed for that standard OAL range, I can no way justify modifying the barrel in my S2 Orange when it's producing groups like this with my reloads!

 

These match reloads have an OAL of 1.125" and will work just fine in the S2O, and all my other 9mm pistols.  I can go with an OAL of 1.120" with the BB 147g FP, and definitely look forward to your feedback!

 

THANKS!

 

 

Your concerns are unfounded.  Reaming your barrel to fit SAAMI spec ammo is not going to change the accuracy one bit.

[slowhands]

1 hour ago, HOGRIDER said:

As you and others have noted, the CZs require a shorter OAL; and what I found doing a thorough max OAL test was the BB 147RN maxxed out at 1.125" while the 147FP could go to 1.136".  I always reduce my COAL by .015";  so basically I would do 1.120" on the FP and 1.110" on the RN.  I just not warming up to the new RN profile............

 

I'd have stuck with the 147s if I could have loaded them that long. According to my notes, the push test results for that bullet in my S2 were in the 1.09" to 1.1" range, so I was loading them around 1.08". 

[NOSHMJ]

I had an issue with CZ shadow not liking blues, or any other longer OAL bullet.  Had the barrel reamed and it worked perfect up to 1.165.   

[SGT_Schultz]

Unless you're a top level GM that has a flawless game, all this time spent looking for the smallest groups is a complete waste.

[Bakerjd]

9 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

Unless you're a top level GM that has a flawless game, all this time spent looking for the smallest groups is a complete waste.

Exaclty. 

 

As for short loaded fpr a CZ... Ream barrel, load as normal people do. 

 

As for BB in a CZ.... probably millions of them have been shot through a cz.

[SGT_Schultz]

6 hours ago, Bakerjd said:

As for short loaded fpr a CZ... Ream barrel, load as normal people do.

 

Up until June I've never had anything but CZ handguns.  If a bullet won't pass plunk test in all my barrels I seat it deeper until it does. 

 

Period.

 

It's not that I don't understand reloading for accuracy.  I've been reloading for rifle accuracy for the last 21 years.  It just doesn't matter all that much in this game.

[Artemas]

I use the 125 TC at 1.110 without any issues for a couple years now. Back when BB started to have a long back order time i tried some BBI and found that their 125TC head required me to go even shorter at 1.080. Which fed fine in both my shadow 2 and SP01 Shadow. They also ran fine in my Glocks and Beretta.

[IHAVEGAS]

 

That popped up on my Facebook account. Just sharing. 

[HOGRIDER]

On 9/3/2021 at 11:39 PM, twodownzero said:

 

Your concerns are unfounded.  Reaming your barrel to fit SAAMI spec ammo is not going to change the accuracy one bit.

two:

Since I've never owned a pistol that needed the barrel reamed, I guess I'm a bit ignorant on the benefits of doing so. And since this is my first CZ, that I love to shoot, I thought I'd run the idea of reaming by Angus for his opinion.  He replied: 

 

Quote

 

It’s not about reaming the chamber it’s about altering the lead into the rifling............. It the ammo feeds then don’t worry. Shadow 2 barrels have a coating that destroys reamer in cutting one barrel. I suggest loading shorter until they chamber..........

 

Quote

Then check they function at that length. Or use better bullets.

 

Guess I'll leave this barrel as is for the time being; but I appreciate your opinion and feedback!

 

Thanks!

 

[HOGRIDER]

5 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

That popped up on my Facebook account. Just sharing. 

IHAVE:

I saw this also; and decided I'd contact Angus about barrel reaming. 

 

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[HOGRIDER]

On 9/3/2021 at 11:52 PM, slowhands said:

 

I'd have stuck with the 147s if I could have loaded them that long. According to my notes, the push test results for that bullet in my S2 were in the 1.09" to 1.1" range, so I was loading them around 1.08". 

slow:

 

I could go to 1.125" with the Blue FPs, but I think I'll try a small ladder with them at 1.120" and see how they shoot and function.

 

Thanks for your feedback!

[HOGRIDER]

On 9/3/2021 at 5:49 PM, slowhands said:

147gr RN Blue Bullets didn't work well in my Shadow 2. The OAL is just too short, and a lot of rounds fail the case gauge. 135gr TCs work great, though. I order them in .356. Not sure if it makes a difference, but some CZs don't like .355 coated bullets and it's the same price for either size.

 

If you really want 147gr bullets, I've had decent luck with SNS. But in my gun the 135gr bullets (both SNS and BB) are a bit more accurate and consistent, and I can't perceive any difference in recoil between the two weights at the same power factor anyway.

slow:

I forgot to ask.............what diameter bullets did your S2 prefer for consistency and accuracy?  The .355" or .356"?

 

Thanks!