Shadow 2 Orange vs. AccuShadow 2 (Why the Huge Price Difference)?

[Misanthrope]

Greetings,

I'm hoping to hear from AccuShadow 2 (or Shadow 2 Accu) owners here . . .

I already own the Shadow 2 Orange, which has proven to be nothing short of 'fantastic', and I've been strongly considering the addition of another CZ (the AccuShadow 2 or Shadow 2 Accu), but I'm a bit unclear as to why the huge (roughly $700 !) price difference between the two?

My DA/SA Orange retailed for around $1,600, while the DA/SA AccuShadow 2 tends to retail around +/- $2,300, and yes, I fully understand that the latter includes a different (perhaps superior?) hammer and (apparently?) a superior trigger as well, but even if 'superior' as stated, are those two features truly worth $700 more money? Put somewhat differently, do hammer or trigger upgrades (ala Cajun and other reputable aftermarket outfits), truly cost that much?

[rbuzz00]

It might be a good idea to contact CZ Customs about just what specific improvements they have done to the AccuShadow 2 that make it worth so much more.

Also, I believe the AccuShadow 2 has been discontinued, which might have something to do with the price, if you can find one.

[PA USPSA]

All of the internals of the AccuShadow 2 have been polished which makes the trigger pull exceptionally smooth.  My AccuShadow 2 is the best pistol I've ever shot.

[Rmach]

The trigger on my S2O needed no improvement.  I think the Accushadow is way overpriced, just my opinion.

[Misanthrope]

My thanks to all who've responded here so far, and I greatly appreciate the recommendation to call CZ Customs, which I will positively do now that I've learned about them, but I'm definitely pleased to learn here that perhaps some added internal polishing is done on the higher-priced Accu model, because otherwise, I think I'd have to agree with others here that a simple hammer or trigger improvement wouldn't (shouldn't?) warrant a whopping $700 price increase. But then, that's just my 2-cents.

[alp3367]

 Part of it is also that one of them comes from CZ with all that done. The Accu shadow comes as a regular S2 from CZ and then CZ custom performs the work on it (the biggest part being the bushing install). So more steps involved in the creation of the Accushadow.

[Misanthrope]

Part of it is also that one of them comes from CZ with all that done. The Accu shadow comes as a regular S2 from CZ and then CZ custom performs the work on it (the biggest part being the bushing install). So more steps involved in the creation of the Accushadow.

You see, there you go! I'm just much too new to CZ firearms in-general, so that all (or much) of this is, just plain news to me. And I apologize for that. But please bear with me . . .

I was able to pickup a Shadow 2 Orange a couple of weeks ago, and although I've fired ? 50 rounds through it so far, it's nothing short of sublime. I LOVE this firearm!

However, I wanted another CZ Shadow 2 of some sort (just in case they go away), so I went ahead and purchased (and probably overpaid for), one of the few remaining AccuShadow 2's.

Having since received it, I tend to like the black grips and black-bottomed mags of the AccuShadow 2, along with it's black mag release button, but we'll just have to see how it performs side-by-side with the Shadow 2 Orange.

[alp3367]

Part of it is also that one of them comes from CZ with all that done. The Accu shadow comes as a regular S2 from CZ and then CZ custom performs the work on it (the biggest part being the bushing install). So more steps involved in the creation of the Accushadow.

True, but the Shadow 2 Orange comes with those modifications from the factory, and the factory did it very well.

 No argument there, that's what I'm saying. That's the primary reason CZ-USA dropped the Accu. No need to have two of nearly the same thing. They are nearly the same gun.

[sevt_chevelle]

CZ came out with the S2O because of CZ Custom's Accu Shadow. 
Before that CZ USA had no other option, the Accu wasn't in direct competition with any of their offerings, so why not offer it for sell.
Then CZ releases the S2O, now CZ USA has a pistol that can siphon money away from their own product line so CZ USA drops the ACCU.

CZ custom still sells the Accu shadow, you just aren't buying it from CZ usa.

[tdogg]

Another consideration is that CZUB prices have been falling over the last year.  The S2O was up over $2k not too long ago. 

CZ Custom is a private entity that performs custom work on CZ's.  They have partnered with CZUSA to have models in their catalog.  These are not CZ UB guns, they are CZ custom modified CZ UB guns.  They modify the slide to accept their barrel bushing, polish internals, and add tuned competition parts (lighter springs, ext firing pin, competition hammer, and disconnector).

The S2O is factory hand finished gun from CZ UB.  The real benefit of the Orange lineup variants is they have a hand fit (tight) barrel to slide and slide to frame.  This really does make the gun very tight and accurate.  Not sure what competition parts are on the gun from CZ UB but it definitely comes with a competition hammer and most likely a tuned disconnector.

Cheers,
Toby

[sil7z]

S2O’s are actually handfit not by CZUB, but by another company KMR Precision Arms, also located in Uhersky Brod. If you look at their socials, they have pictures of gunsmiths working with what look very much like S2 slides.

[Misanthrope]

As the OP of this thread, I can essentially close the thread out by answering my own question.

I've since purchased, inspected, disassembled/reassembled and range-fired both pistols (the AccuShadow and Shadow 2 Orange), and the former has no discernable superiority to the latter in my view. In fact, the Orange unit that I have here is just as accurate, has just as smooth a trigger, and is aesthetically superior to the AccuShadow. So in my view, and for anyone else who is curious, I just wasted roughly $600-700.

[PA USPSA]

Thanks for the comparison.  Side by side comparisons are always the best.

[Misanthrope]

Thanks for the comparison.  Side by side comparisons are always the best.

You bet! Happy to have done so. A costly and painful lesson learned, but probably the very reason why they discontinued that model.