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CZ PISTOL CLUBS => CLUB CZ97 => Topic started by: TNman on March 22, 2020, 05:36:49 AM

Title: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 22, 2020, 05:36:49 AM
I update some springs and things to my CZ 97 BD. The sear cage is all reassembled and ready to be inserted into the frame.

For some reason, I cannot get the sear cage holes to line up with the frame holes. They are just a micro-millimeater off. It seems like it won't seat far enough to the rear of the frame.

Looking for possible things I am overlooking. Just curious, but is the retaining pin for the hammer pin supposed to fit flush inside the frame? I don't think it does but thought I would ask. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200322/c99a9ea7aaa5f21068e857f629c9c539.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200322/85fcf1c2cdcc6debc1bdac51fa971ac9.jpg)

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Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: SEAKPhotog on March 22, 2020, 11:20:22 AM
I always find the sear cage a bit fiddly to get to seat right. Is the slave pin or whatever you're using to keep the guts of the cage together entirely within the cage and not causing a binding issue? Also, to seat the cage it's sort of push down and back motion that can take a bit more encouragement than you might expect (at least mine does). And it might help to also push down on the guts of the cage while trying to maneuver it in. Wiggle while pushing too.  Sorry if those are glaringly obvious suggestions but you never know.  Your hammer pin retained post looks good to me. Good luck!
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 22, 2020, 04:42:00 PM
The slave pin seems to be flush with the cage. I'll just try to be more forceful with push the cage into place. - Thanks
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: SEAKPhotog on March 22, 2020, 04:47:04 PM
The slave pin seems to be flush with the cage. I'll just try to be more forceful with push the cage into place. - Thanks

It's easy to tell once it's properly seated. It just clicks into position. Be careful tho - there's spring pressure trying to push it back out and if you ease up on it the  cage will pop out of its proper seating. You've gotta hold it in there while pushing the pin in. Hope it works out for you.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: Tok36 on March 22, 2020, 07:18:08 PM
    It looks like you have the hammer spring out. I have found this to be an advantage while tinkering with sear cages. Reveling the spring pressure on the trigger bar is also an option. Each leg of the spring can be lifted out of position and set agents the inside of the trigger bar.

I believe that the Hammer Pin Retaining Pin dose sit flush to the frame, if not it is really close to flush because the Sear Cage covers half of it once in place.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 23, 2020, 05:17:09 PM
    It looks like you have the hammer spring out. I have found this to be an advantage while tinkering with sear cages. Reveling the spring pressure on the trigger bar is also an option. Each leg of the spring can be lifted out of position and set agents the inside of the trigger bar.

I believe that the Hammer Pin Retaining Pin dose sit flush to the frame, if not it is really close to flush because the Sear Cage covers half of it once in place.
The hammer spring pin is almost flush but sticks up just a hair. I tried to tap it to push it closer to flush but it will not go down any further.

I will keep trying. Sounds like I just need to push harder on the sear cage to align the holes. Thanks all.

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Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: Tok36 on March 23, 2020, 06:15:00 PM
    It looks like you have the hammer spring out. I have found this to be an advantage while tinkering with sear cages. Reveling the spring pressure on the trigger bar is also an option. Each leg of the spring can be lifted out of position and set agents the inside of the trigger bar.

I believe that the Hammer Pin Retaining Pin dose sit flush to the frame, if not it is really close to flush because the Sear Cage covers half of it once in place.
The hammer spring pin is almost flush but sticks up just a hair. I tried to tap it to push it closer to flush but it will not go down any further.

I will keep trying. Sounds like I just need to push harder on the sear cage to align the holes. Thanks all.

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Have you tried temporarily removing the HPRP to see if you can get the sear cage into place without it installed. This would allow you to eliminate the HPRP as a cause to your conundrum.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: tdogg on March 23, 2020, 07:59:48 PM
Are you sure its the hammer retaining pin and not the small trigger pin?  I seem to recall they are similar but different lengths.  Did you replace the trigger return spring?

Cheers,
Toby
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: Tok36 on March 23, 2020, 08:16:17 PM
Are you sure its the hammer retaining pin and not the small trigger pin?  I seem to recall they are similar but different lengths.  Did you replace the trigger return spring?

Cheers,
Toby

Good call Toby. This crossed my mind earlier but i could not remember clearly so i did not mention it. I believe that i encountered this in the past when i mistakenly swapped these pins.

Good reason to pull a CZ apart and check the dimensions of these two pins. I will report back shortly.

Edit:
Trigger Bar to Trigger Pin dimensions: Length - (0.307) Diameter - (0.086)
Hammer Pin Retaining Pin dimensions: Length - (0.265) Diameter - (0.086)

I believe that Toby nailed it, If you swap these two pins it can block the sear cage from being fully installed. With the correct pin installed the pins sits 100% flush with the inside of the frame.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: midaltantic44 on March 24, 2020, 09:40:01 AM
I had similar trouble and found I had to press down more than expected while also pushing back. Took some fiddling.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 29, 2020, 06:29:13 PM
Are you sure its the hammer retaining pin and not the small trigger pin?  I seem to recall they are similar but different lengths.  Did you replace the trigger return spring?

Cheers,
Toby
No, I did not replace the trigger. But if I had I might have mixed them up. I have now order all new springs and a sear, in case any were damaged. I plan to have a gunsmith install the new items and wrap the project up.

Just disappointed since I was able to reassemble the sear cage but not able to get the holes to line up with the frame. Great pistol but my frustrations my cause me to let this one go.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

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Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: DJK11 on March 29, 2020, 07:13:32 PM
My hammer retaining pin sits below the top of the hole.  If proud of the hole the cage will sit high.  The fix for a loose cage is a longer pin but relieved for fitment of the cage.  The pin in the picture shows more wear marks than mine and mine has been remove and installed more than a few times.  So is that the correct pin?  And yes push down and back on the cage.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: midaltantic44 on March 30, 2020, 08:56:08 AM
Which reminds me that I did have to shorten the hammer retaining pin. A few passes over 80 grit sand paper, holding it firmly, did it.

It had not been sitting flush in the frame and was preventing the sear cage from fitting. Sorry I did not recall that earlier.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 30, 2020, 09:57:35 AM
Lesson to those of us who are a novice CZ owner. If you want to fully upgrade your CZ decocker pistol, and are not familiar with the decocker mechanism, don't do what I did. Just send it to Cajun Gun Works in the beginning. I bought the 97 BD for $675 and figured I could spend $300 to buy CGW parts to upgrade the pistol.

After losing springs, damaging a few pins, having to enlist a local gunsmith to correct an installation error, and on, and on, and on, I have invested $1,592.32. If I would have bought one already decked out from CGW I would have spent about a $100 less and had zero aggravation. Oh well, at least it has given me something to do in the days of my retirement. (LOL)

Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on March 30, 2020, 12:14:12 PM
Are you sure its the hammer retaining pin and not the small trigger pin?  I seem to recall they are similar but different lengths.  Did you replace the trigger return spring?

Cheers,
Toby

Good call Toby. This crossed my mind earlier but i could not remember clearly so i did not mention it. I believe that i encountered this in the past when i mistakenly swapped these pins.

Good reason to pull a CZ apart and check the dimensions of these two pins. I will report back shortly.

Edit:
Trigger Bar to Trigger Pin dimensions: Length - (0.307) Diameter - (0.086)
Hammer Pin Retaining Pin dimensions: Length - (0.265) Diameter - (0.086)

I believe that Toby nailed it, If you swap these two pins it can block the sear cage from being fully installed. With the correct pin installed the pins sits 100% flush with the inside of the frame.
That's it. I have the wrong pin as the hammer retaining pin. THANK YOU

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Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM on March 30, 2020, 06:15:01 PM
Lesson to those of us who are a novice CZ owner. If you want to fully upgrade your CZ decocker pistol, and are not familiar with the decocker mechanism, don't do what I did. Just send it to Cajun Gun Works in the beginning. I bought the 97 BD for $675 and figured I could spend $300 to buy CGW parts to upgrade the pistol.

After losing springs, damaging a few pins, having to enlist a local gunsmith to correct an installation error, and on, and on, and on, I have invested $1,592.32. If I would have bought one already decked out from CGW I would have spent about a $100 less and had zero aggravation. Oh well, at least it has given me something to do in the days of my retirement. (LOL)
This is the learning curve you run into. Something I learned years ago rebuilding carburetors especially the foreign stuff was to lay parts out on a large white piece of paper and write under each part what it was and where I removed it from. Saves alot of time and confusion in reassembly.
Title: Re: Sear Cage Frame Alignment
Post by: TNman on April 08, 2020, 04:32:44 AM
Just a final update. Cajun Gun Works let me mail the sear cage and parts to them to install. I can't say enough about the superb service offered by the folks at CGW. Life is good.

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