Shadow 2, got mine!

[2morechains]

Picked up a Black/Blue today from my FFL.  Gave it a quick clean then went to the range.  Looking forward to shooting it a lot more. 

I used to shoot USPSA Production division with a pair of Shadows, a SP-01 Shadow and a short dust cover 75 Shadow.  Both came from CZ Custom and were sprinkled with their magic fairy dust.  Great guns, but to be honest they never really fit my hand very well and I would get hot spots from the beavertail after extended firing/dry fire sessions.  I sold my SP-01 Shadow, but kept the 75 Shadow. 

For the last 6 months I?ve been shooting Carry Optics with a RMR?d P10C (it?s actually my carry gun), and I was thinking that a Shadow 2 would make a fine host for a new Carry Optics gun.  But for the next few months I?ll probably stick with iron sights and shoot it in Prod while the gun and I get acquainted. 

My quick New-To-Me range session was basically to check the sights and run some drills.  I started out running the gun all stock, but midway thru swapped out the stock recoil spring for an 11 lb spring since I?m shooting 130 PF minor ammo.  Initial impressions were: holy moly, this gun shoots flat, A-zone hits shooting pairs was effortless at 10 yds, front sight very easy to track during Bill Drills at 7 yds, and accuracy was minute of plate rack at 18 yds.  The S2?s frame fits my hand better, and I love the front/back strap checking. 

Back at home I changed out the stock hammer spring for a 11.5 lb spring, replaced the stock FP and FP spring for the CGW extended pin and reduced power spring, and also exchanged the stock trigger pin and TRS for the CGW floating pin and reduced TRS.  Post spring-swap the trigger pulls were 7.5 lbs DA and 2.75 lbs SA (compared to 8+ lbs DA and 3.5 lbs SA).  I didn?t do any polishing, just swapped springs.

Jury is out if I want the competition hammer and sear, for now I plan to leave it stock and just shoot it a bunch.  Holster is a Bladetech with BOSS hanger and using Ghost mag pouches. 

[ssqman]

Got to love it when a plan comes together. Congrats.

[2morechains]

I hit the range again today to function test the gun with the new springs installed.  Ran thru 200 rnds, 0 light strikes. 

DA is smooth with no stacking.  Compared to my CZC-ized 75 Shadow with their pre-B disco installed, the DA reach is about the same, SA on the S2 is slightly longer but not something that is going to be a factor when running at speed.  In fact I only noticed it during a side-by-side comparison. 

I also checked the sights, but the factory setting was spot on out to 18 yds (at least minute of upper A-zone accurate).  Front sight is .115? wide, and IIRC I had .100? wide Dawson?s on my SP-01 and 75 Shadow.  But that didn?t seem to pose a problem for me today...maybe next range session I?ll try the plate rack at 25 yds or mini poppers at 35 to see if a narrower sight is needed. 

At this time, I can?t think of anything I need to do to this gun, other than keep it wet and shoot it lots.  This gun is ready to compete!

My practice load is:  125 gr Leatherhead RN, 4.1 gr ETR7, loaded to 1.125?.  Match load (still need to test and chono) is 125 gr LH RN, 4.1 gr VVN320, loaded to 1.125?. This load made 130 PF out of my SP-01 and 75 Shadow, so guessing it?ll be 130+ PF with the slightly longer S2 barrel.   

[2morechains]

Got to love it when a plan comes together. Congrats.

Thanks!  Previous experience with CZ Shadows, plus a lot of Youtube videos to refresh my memory on how the TRS spring and pin goes back together... 

[timetofly]

Thank you for the review, it reinforces my decision to buy a shadow 2. 

Good luck.

[2morechains]

Thank you for the review, it reinforces my decision to buy a shadow 2. 

Good luck.

Thanks!  I think you?ll really like it, I am. 

The gun feels great in the hand.  I thought about getting a pair of grips from Lok but so far the checkering on the front and rear back strap is enough for me to get a really good grip.  I do have a pair of DSperman extra strength safety detent springs that I?m thinking about installing since the thumb safety flips up pretty easily, maybe too easily.  Shooting DA/SA pretty much makes the safety redundant. 

[Tok36]

A good read. Gratz on the S2. Glad to hear that it is working for you.

[2morechains]

This morning I installed the DS Perman extra strength safety detent spring that I had in my CZ parts kit.  The kit from Perman comes with 6 extra strength springs, and IIRC I needed two for each of my SP-01 Shadow and 75 Shadow.  On the Shadow 2 I just put one spring in on the leftside. 

I didn?t take a picture, but the Perman spring is approx 50% longer in length than the OEM spring, and is a little more of a PITA to install if you have big fingers. 

My previous Shadows had the wide thumb safeties on them, and especially when I first started shooting them I would inadvertently flip the safety up.  I determined that it was the heel of my support hand thumb that was making contact with the paddle safety since like a lot of you I use a high thumbs forward grip.  The Perman springs fixed that problem on my SP-01 and 75 Shadow, which is why I had them in my parts kit.

Fast forward a few years to the Shadow 2, and with the flat safety installed it hasn?t been a problem.  However taking a closer look at my grip, my support hand thumb rides alongside the safety and it only take a small amount of pressure to flip it up.  I haven?t done that yet in dry or live fire, but since I had the replacement spring I figured why take the chance. 

Full disclosure, I did have to watch a quick video to refresh my memory... turns out I was doing everything right, it?s just that being new everything was tight and I needed a small jewelers screwdriver to get the leftside thumb safey started when I was trying to remove it. 

With the extra strength safety detent spring installed, it takes a much more deliberate push of the thumb to engage the leftside thumbsafety (I?m right handed).  Dry fire safety check shows that everything functions properly, now to the range to do a live fire function test. 

Thx for reading. 

[timetofly]

Thank you for the review, it reinforces my decision to buy a shadow 2. 

Good luck.

Thanks!  I think you?ll really like it, I am. 

The gun feels great in the hand.  I thought about getting a pair of grips from Lok but so far the checkering on the front and rear back strap is enough for me to get a really good grip.  I do have a pair of DSperman extra strength safety detent springs that I?m thinking about installing since the thumb safety flips up pretty easily, maybe too easily.  Shooting DA/SA pretty much makes the safety redundant.

I don't like it I love it.  The S2 will definitely spoil me beyond belief and turn some very nice hand guns into safe queens or give CZC and CGW some work. 

[2morechains]

I?ll preface this entry by saying I?ve never run a gun with a shock buff installed.  None of my 1911?s, 2011?s, striker fired guns, or even any of my CZ?s prior to this Shadow 2.  FWIW, the one time I did put one in a 1911 I quickly found out I couldn?t sling shot the slide when it was locked back and in <500 rounds the shock buff was chewed up enough that I was afraid it was going to come apart on me.  Maybe it?s internet lore, but I?ve avoided them all this time.

So far I?ve shot the Shadow 2 in 3 range sessions, 600 rnds total, and countless dryfire sessions since I took ownership.  For some unknown reason I left the factory shock buff in there when I switched to an 11 lb recoil spring.  Last night I took a look at the shock buff and can?t see any deformation or signs of wear. 

Will this be the gun that changes my mind about shock buffs? 

[Varooom]

2morechains,

I'm glad you posted this.

I too have never used shock buffers.  Wasn't sure if I should leave it in or not.

Well, I haven't taken it out yet.  I have only 400 rounds through mine but the buff also looks like new.  I am still running all the stock springs.

Varooom

[2morechains]

I just got done reading a bunch of threads on Enos about the pros/cons of using a shock buff.  Seems the opinions are all over the place.  I did note that Schmeky (CGW) does not advise using a shock buff. 

I think for now I?ll leave it in there, but I will watch out for the following:
-ejection problems caused by short stroking
-feeding problems caused by short stroking
-pieces of the buff breaking off

I think my next range session will involve some timed drills to see if I can feel a difference in the recoil with and without the buff installed.  Let the timer decide. 

But I?m also curious how long I can go before that buff shows any signs of wear. 

[George16]

I shoot in production using my Shadow 2 with the thin bushing installed since day one. After over 7k rounds, the shok buff/bushing is still good to go. No visible tears or cuts at all. I just changed it along with the TRS and reduced firing pin spring this month since it?s the beginning of the year.

I also changed the 10# recoil I had been using with my reloads of 124 Gr JHP with 4.1-4.2 Gr Winchester 231 @ 1.102-1.104 OAL.

[2morechains]

I shoot in production using my Shadow 2 with the thin bushing installed since day one. After over 7k rounds, the shok buff/bushing is still good to go. No visible tears or cuts at all. I just changed it along with the TRS and reduced firing pin spring this month since it?s the beginning of the year.

I also changed the 10# recoil I had been using with my reloads of 124 Gr JHP with 4.1-4.2 Gr Winchester 231 @ 1.102-1.104 OAL.

7K on a shock buff is impressive! 

Sounds like you replace your TRS and FP spring once a year?  That sounds like a good idea.  How?s your slide stop holding up? 

[George16]

I shoot in production using my Shadow 2 with the thin bushing installed since day one. After over 7k rounds, the shok buff/bushing is still good to go. No visible tears or cuts at all. I just changed it along with the TRS and reduced firing pin spring this month since it?s the beginning of the year.

I also changed the 10# recoil I had been using with my reloads of 124 Gr JHP with 4.1-4.2 Gr Winchester 231 @ 1.102-1.104 OAL.

7K on a shock buff is impressive! 

Sounds like you replace your TRS and FP spring once a year?  That sounds like a good idea.  How?s your slide stop holding up?

Yes on replacing the TRS and reduced firing pin spring. I actually broke a reduced firing pin spring last November and called CGW about it. They sent a replacement free of charge. Nowadays, I install the stock firing pin and spring during my dry fire practice and reinstall the extended firing pin and reduced firing pin spring prior to matches.

As for the slide stop, so far, so good. I haven?t broken one yet (knock on wood). I think the buff is acting as a cushion to prevent additional stress on the slide stop pin when the slide moves back and forth during recoil.