My Latest project CZ75 Shadow SAO

[terry mc]

Hi Guys it has been a while since I have started a thread.
The last one grew quite nicely in the C100 smoothing the action thread.

So I decided I regretted selling my CZ75 SA in 9mm, and prior to that the SA in .40.

So I decided I wanted another one.

However I know that the firing pin block limits the pretravel screw so I found a barely used CZ75 shadow on Gunbroker.
I got the win on it and the rest is glorious history. And I mean BARELY USED I would be surprised if this had more than 1 box of ammo thru it. As I tore it apart,
it found ZERO scratches or tool marks anywhere from tear down. Basically a new gun Yay to me!



So this will not be a build thread like the C100 thread as in my mind the gun is almost complete the way I bought it.
I like the lines of the SA with the full length rails instead of the tapered nose. My taste and I know others will disagree.
I wanted to buy a gun that never came with a firing pin block so I can honestly say that a safety feature as designed by the manufacturer had not been removed.
Legaleze for you are screwed!

So I tore it down as soon as I got it and cleaned the gun (still had the factory Cosmolean in it), I ordered a SAO flat blade trigger, lighter trigger return spring, floating trigger pin, and polished the trigger group in my usual fashion along with removing the disconnect for SAO function.
When in doubt polish it.

I installed the new trigger reassembled, set my pretravel and overtravel, and off to the range we went.
All I can say is WOW! it is everybit as nice as my 97BE that I had Schmeky build for me, the only exception is I may put a stiffer hammer spring in as the Shadow breaks at 2lbs 8 oz. and the
97 breaks at 3 lbs even, however has more of a "glass break" feel due to the slightly greater weight before breaking.
I manage to match exactly the pretravel and overtravel and the weight of the takeup.
These are all small details that take some tweeking and lots of polishing of components to lower the resistance of that short trigger travel.
I left the stock Shadow hammer which is quite good, maybe a hair less so than the CGW or CZC hammers. MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.


How did she shoot?
Very Very nice. tiny groups with dead consistency.

What now?
I am different from most of you I am not a big fan of the aluminum grips so I ordered a set of factory grips and the 10X bushing from CGW.

Once the order came in I quickly was in the garage for more smithing work.
This is the first 10x bushing for me so that was new.
No big deal, a short time later we were ready for another range trip.

So what did I wind up with?

Well short of an adjustable rear sight (next on the to do list) I have basically converted the base Shadow 75 to a Bullseye shadow.
Doe is shoot like a BULLSEYE SHADOW?  OH YEAH IT DOES.
10 yards hand held.

Absolute consistency!

[Tok36]

   A good read indeed. It looks allot like my 75 Shadow, aside from the flat trigger. Glad to hear that the new CZ is working out. I think that increasing the Hammer Spring weight will get you closer to what you are looking for. An increased weight Tanfo Sear Spring is another option that can help with the SA trigger release feel.

   Are you sure that is a factory shadow hammer. It looks like a comp hammer but CZ may have changed the hammer head at some point.

[Earl Keese]

Why not just go back to the oem trigger return spring? It will give you a half pound increase and has more effect on an SAO trigger than the hammer spring. Either way, increasing the weight won't make it break like a Cajun hammer(that's all in the hooks).

[terry mc]

So it is not about getting to the 3 lbs.

The release at 2.5 is just a tiny bit less crisp than my 97 or my previous SAO's that I have done.

I had the factory trigger return spring in it initially and it was not as crisp as it is now, because the pretravel is heavier so the stacked weight does not feel as strong.
In fact to me at that point it was almost mushy feeling but I am very very picky about what I want a perfect trigger to feel like and willing to put the work into it.

Don't get me wrong it is a killer trigger, it has 3mm max stop to stop, and reset is s a solid click.
Other than my 97 I have always done my own trigger jobs and know the ins and outs.
Most would be amazed at this trigger, it is just I have done several SAO's and there is maybe 1% more I can get out of this as far as feel.

I am very happy with it.
I saw a new shooter at the Range I belong to getting his feet wet a couple weeks ago.
I watched and listened to what he was learning and after I finished shooting.
I listened to his coaches, and asked did he want to try a full size nine. He was shooting a compact Sig.
After some discussions about training with your EDC vs. what you can learn from other guns and use on your EDC, he tried my Shadow.

After shooting 5 rounds, he and his buddy talked about it, as well as the range officer.
He was grinning ear to ear, they asked if he liked it? YEAH!
"what did you like about it?" they asked.
"EVERYTHING!!" he replied. He looked down at the gun and picked it up again, "EVERYTHING!"
He looked at me and said, "your just trying to make me regret my purchase." and he laughed.

I think I created the next CZ fan there. Ha, ha.

TOK I had not thought about it you may be right as this one is a CZC Shadow 75, I have Erics target to show for it so it is probably a CZC hammer.
Also I have a Shadow hammer on my RAMI and it is a ring hammer. And maybe that is all the difference, it has been a few years since I have used a CZC hammer instead of a CGW hammer. I have considered this but as I said it is a very, very nice trigger, no creep, no camming
just a hair less of a light switch feel.

Terry

[Earl Keese]

I have CZC comp hammers and CGW race hammers in different guns. The difference you describe comes down to the hammer hooks. The CZC hammer with the same springs will come in slightly lighter, but doesn't have the crisp break of the Cajun hammer. This has been consistent for me over several builds and also a CZC tuned Accu Shadow. FWIW, I recently installed a CZC Ghost hammer in my 97 thinking it would have a break similar to their Comp hammer. It does not, totally different feel.
Good luck getting it the way you want it.

[terry mc]

I have CZC comp hammers and CGW race hammers in different guns. The difference you describe comes down to the hammer hooks. The CZC hammer with the same springs will come in slightly lighter, but doesn't have the crisp break of the Cajun hammer. This has been consistent for me over several builds and also a CZC tuned Accu Shadow. FWIW, I recently installed a CZC Ghost hammer in my 97 thinking it would have a break similar to their Comp hammer. It does not, totally different feel.
Good luck getting it the way you want it.

Thanks Earl,
As I said it has been a while since I have had a CZC hammer so I did not remember the difference.
So it is good to know.
I will probably change the hammer at some point then but it is not an urgent thing as the gun is so good as it sets.
With a half a dozen CZ's at my house it has to be to be this far up my list.

[Earl Keese]

For sure, the difference is miniscule. Noticeable when dry firing and comparing at the bench. When the timer goes off, I don't notice at all. 

[canthelpit]

   

   Are you sure that is a factory shadow hammer. It looks like a comp hammer but CZ may have changed the hammer head at some point.

My SP-01 Shadow, which was built in 2019, has a round hammer.  I suspect you're right about it being
aftermarket hammer.

[Pomyluy]

terry mc, that's a really cool gun - I didn't know that particular model existed, it looks pretty similar to my CZ 75B SA but without the firing pin safety. If I'd known to look for the Shadow SAO, maybe that's what I would have gone with instead of this:



But I'm pretty happy with it, the trigger is amazing and it's pretty darn accurate. I have Lok grips coming next week, then I'll be done upgrading this gun (unless I refinish it sometime down the road).

[terry mc]

Actually it is a 75 shadow which was originally a DA/SA configuration.
I added an SAO flat blade trigger.
However they mow have the shadow 75 SA  which I think is new since I have not seen it before.

The standard 75 B SA is an excellent gun as I said I have had a couple and loved them.

Be careful CZ's have a tendency to multiply.
Which would not be so bad if they did so without you ha ing to pay for them. Ha,ha