Shadow 2 Main Spring weight?

[darthdively]

New S2 OR owner, not new to CZ.  So I'm having trouble finding much more information out there so I thought I would go ahead and ask with this post. Which mainspring weight are you using to lighten up the DA and still set off all primers reliably without getting extended firing pin spring? I bought a CZC calibration kit and have a good range to test. But in an effort to save time and money where I can, I thought I would check here for a starting point to see what your results are? I understand I may not get the same results as you but any info will sure help me out and potentially others in the future searching for the same info.

[jpm2953]

11.5 from Cajun 

[Johnny_Chimpo]

14 hours ago, darthdively said:

New S2 OR owner, not new to CZ.  So I'm having trouble finding much more information out there so I thought I would go ahead and ask with this post. Which mainspring weight are you using to lighten up the DA and still set off all primers reliably without getting extended firing pin spring? I bought a CZC calibration kit and have a good range to test. But in an effort to save time and money where I can, I thought I would check here for a starting point to see what your results are? I understand I may not get the same results as you but any info will sure help me out and potentially others in the future searching for the same info.

 

My new Shadow 2 Optics Ready, which is completely stock except for a 13 lb (blue) CGW hammer spring pulls at 8.5 lbs DA and 3.5 lbs SA and lights off Ginex primers with ease.  I'm not one of those who needs a 5 lb DA to make difficult shots at speed so I'm good with it as it is.

 

I haven't tried a 11 - 12 lb spring, but it's on my list.

 

If you want to save ammo, start with the lightest spring and work your way up until the failures to fire stop.

[fcernese]

Somewhat related - Does the DA trigger pull weight get reduced 1-to-1 for the main spring weight reduction?

[Friedrich_der_Grosse]

If you want to use the lightest mainspring possible while still having reliable ignition for primers of most or all brands, supposedly according to literature I've read, the 13# hammer spring from CGW + the extended firing pin (including the REQUIRED reduced power firing pin spring) will ignite everything. The 11.5# hammer spring supposedly will work with most or all primers except maybe 9mm that has rifle primers in them for some stupid reason. 

This next segment however is gonna be much more speculative so bear that in mind. Supposedly a 12# hammer spring from CZ Custom will fee just as light as the 11.5# hammer spring from CGW, but I never stuck with my Shadow 2 enough to confirm it. I'd just recommend getting a 13# hammer spring, extended firing pin + CZ 2075 firing pin spring, and doing a LOT of polishing work to the internals like the sear cage underside, the entire trigger bar, and if you have an aftermarket disconnector then maybe even polish the disconnector itself. 

[2MoreChains]

13 lb mainspring should lite off any primers with stock firing pin and FP spring.  If you want to go with the 11.5 lb then a lot of people recommend the extended firing pin and reduced FP spring but quite a few people also report that the 11.5 lb spring works well with the stock firing pin on most primers such as CCI, Federal, etc.  Not sure about some of the eastern European or South American inputs.  

 

The lowest mainspring is the 8.5 lb.  If you go that low, definitely recommend the extended FP and reduced FP spring AND using Federal primers.  

[slavex]

I run a 10lb mainspring in all my Shadow 2s. If I was only using Federal primers I'd be running a 9lb

[Slow250]

You didn't mention what kind of ammo you're using. My experience from the last couple months of shooting Shadow 2s has been that CGW 13# set off every type of factory ammo I've tried. In the last two weeks I went down to a CZC 12# main spring to get a (slightly) lighter DA pull. So far no light strikes, again with varied factory loaded ammo. Mostly CCI primers I believe. If things continue to go this way I'll probably go down to an 11# and see if that's 100%.

 

I'm not a complete trigger snob, but obviously lighter is better. But 100% ignition is a must.

[darthdively]

7 hours ago, Slow250 said:

You didn't mention what kind of ammo you're using. My experience from the last couple months of shooting Shadow 2s has been that CGW 13# set off every type of factory ammo I've tried. In the last two weeks I went down to a CZC 12# main spring to get a (slightly) lighter DA pull. So far no light strikes, again with varied factory loaded ammo. Mostly CCI primers I believe. If things continue to go this way I'll probably go down to an 11# and see if that's 100%.

 

I'm not a complete trigger snob, but obviously lighter is better. But 100% ignition is a must.

I'm primarily using reloads. I have various primers that are in use. Federals for the most part. I'm with you when it comes to reliability. I'm not a total trigger snob, there is a point that is too light for me.

[darthdively]

Update:

 

So I decided to take about 30 9mm casings and put some small rifle primers in them. I figured if I can get it to set off rifle primers it should set off most of anything else. I loaded Murom brand and worked my way down from the 13# to see if they would just set them off. The 13# set them off really well. I had a couple light strikes with the 12#, and then much more with the 11#. Worked my way back up to a 12# and still had the same light strike rate and then back up to 13#. Again, 13# with 100% success. So I went to an indoor range shortly after and had a "practice" session and set off about 200 rounds with 100% success on the 13# with two different types of primers, I think the practice rounds I was using had rifle primers in them.

 

So I'm going to still with the CZC 13# for a while until I decide to spend the money on extended firing pin and spring. Hopefully I will have just as good results at my match this coming weekend!

 

Thank you all for your help and the starting point!

 

-I hope this helps other people in the future who are looking for this info!

 

[Johnny_Chimpo]

9 hours ago, darthdively said:

Update:

 

So I decided to take about 30 9mm casings and put some small rifle primers in them. I figured if I can get it to set off rifle primers it should set off most of anything else. I loaded Murom brand and worked my way down from the 13# to see if they would just set them off. The 13# set them off really well. I had a couple light strikes with the 12#, and then much more with the 11#. Worked my way back up to a 12# and still had the same light strike rate and then back up to 13#. Again, 13# with 100% success. So I went to an indoor range shortly after and had a "practice" session and set off about 200 rounds with 100% success on the 13# with two different types of primers, I think the practice rounds I was using had rifle primers in them.

 

So I'm going to still with the CZC 13# for a while until I decide to spend the money on extended firing pin and spring. Hopefully I will have just as good results at my match this coming weekend!

 

Thank you all for your help and the starting point!

 

-I hope this helps other people in the future who are looking for this info!

 

 

Actual first hand experience is ALWAYS extremely helpful.  I just ordered a CGW 11.5 lb hammer spring and lighter firing pin spring.  I'll pop both in my Shadow 2 and test the combo with Ginex pistol primers to see how it goes.  If it doesn't work 100%, I'll add an extended firing pin and see how that goes.  If still not 100%, then it's back to the baseline: OEM firing pin and firing pin spring, 13 lb hammer spring.

[3guns]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:10 PM, jpm2953 said:

11.5 from Cajun 

Agreed.  You can ignite all primers with this hammer spring. 

[Covfefe]

This thread begs the question. What is an acceptable light strike rate (if > zero)? 

My new full Cajun shadow 2 is running 1% light strikes with CCI primers. Granted, I’m doing “practice” ammo QC putting it into a Hundo and tilting for a quick look….I’m not measuring primer depth or yanking ammo that is just flush. 
 

I figure I could probably be at 1/150 if I pulled more of the borderline primer seating jobs. 

[Tunachaser]

In several CZ's I get zero light strikes with an 11# main spring, extended FP and reduced power FP spring.  I seat my primers below flush.

 

So the question is what weight mainspring are you using?

Edited February 27, 2023 by Tunachaser
additional information

[Foxj66]

With Well seated primers I get 100% on an 11.5 with Rami firing pin spring

 

If I was shooting much factory ammo/not seating primers below flush I would use a 13 and rami firing pin spring

[McTrigger]

With one shadow 2 I had a cgw 13 pound main and ext. Firing pin. It was 100% reliable for Ginex and CCI primers. 
 

picked up a new shadow and put the Eemanntech ultimate spring kit in it. With their ultimate trigger. And she sets off Ginex no problem. The main spring is 9 pounds. 
 

I was surprised how great its worked. 

[darthdively]

How do you like that Eamann Tech spring kit? have you noticed better performance?

[MuayThaiJJ]

13# for me, but like others have said if you're loading with Fed you can go lighter

[DeepFried]

On 1/16/2023 at 7:19 PM, Johnny_Chimpo said:

 

Actual first hand experience is ALWAYS extremely helpful.  I just ordered a CGW 11.5 lb hammer spring and lighter firing pin spring.  I'll pop both in my Shadow 2 and test the combo with Ginex pistol primers to see how it goes.  If it doesn't work 100%, I'll add an extended firing pin and see how that goes.  If still not 100%, then it's back to the baseline: OEM firing pin and firing pin spring, 13 lb hammer spring.

reviving from the dead. What did you end up running?

[darthdively]

1 hour ago, Seoderus said:

reviving from the dead. What did you end up running?

I personally stuck with the CZC 13 lb hammer spring. I haven't had to worry about popping primers. Paired with a cgw lightened trigger return spring, I get a good light trigger with reliable function.

[DeepFried]

8 minutes ago, darthdively said:

I personally stuck with the CZC 13 lb hammer spring. I haven't had to worry about popping primers. Paired with a cgw lightened trigger return spring, I get a good light trigger with reliable function.

Factory firing pin and FP spring?

 

have you measured the pull weight?(also did you measure stock for comparison)

[tt350z]

CGW Pro package with an Eemantech trigger and return spring. I run the #11.5 hammer spring. Sets off Blazer, Federal, Prvi with no issues. I was getting light strikes with Armscor on the DA pull. My Prodigy with #19 hammer spring was failing to set off the Armscor twice as often as my S2 for comparison.

All 5 pull average

 

Stock hammer spring DA

Stock hammer spring SA

 

CGW #13 spring DA

 

CGW #11.5 hammer spring DA

 

CGW #11.5 hammer spring SA

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by tt350z

[nkresho]

Ran a similar test with mine too.  DA pulls were the only ones I recorded, SA was all pretty close to 2.25#

Full CGW pro package installed

 

10 pull averages using a wheeler digital gauge

CZC gray (11#) spring:  5 # 13.5oz

CZC blue (12#) spring:  6# 5.4oz

CGW gray (11.5#) spring:  5# 11.8oz

CGW blue (13#) spring:  8# 5.8oz

 

I settled on the CGW 11.5 as my daily-driver and it sets off all federal SPP with zero failures to do so in over 15k this year.  Did have some issues setting off CCI SPP that were not seated deep enough (flush with base of brass) with this setup, maybe 1/100 in DA did not want to go off, but did in SA.

 

Worth mentioning, as with automotive suspension springs, you need to make sure they're spun as far down as they can on the strut, you can get inconsistent or heavier pulls if it's not.  I'll drop a pic in to explain.

 

First is not fully rotated down on the perch, second is.

Edited September 1, 2023 by nkresho

[SV650Squid]

I had a few light strikes with Fiocchi small RIFLE primers with the 12# lb CZC spring and a cajun extended firing pin.  I think they were seated a little high though.

[hlsccsfa]

All of my 3 S2s have CGW extended FP and reduced power FP spring and CGW reach reduction kit. #10 hammer spring would pop Federal and Genix SPP (provide that your press has adjustable primer seating depth to seat it deep enough) 100%. For any other primers, I would switch to 11.5# hammer spring.