The eagle has landed - Flagship CZ Custom Shop CTS!!!

[MGSchindel]

It just followed me home.  I couldn't resist....

I didn't see any Tactical Sport Orange models coming my way anytime soon, so when this even more rare variant came available new, I had a moment of weakness and scooped it in....

 

The balance this gun has is amazing.  It feels and handles lighter than it actually is.  The CZ Custom Shop's frame de-horning, lightening, and highly effective grip contouring/reduction are excellent upgrades.  My first TS with grip reduction surgery AND an accu-bushing! I can't wait to shoot it tomorrow and find out what it likes to eat!!!!

[viking499]

Very nice.  What did they do on the grip reduction surgery?

[MGSchindel]

The custom shop actually modifies the entire frame, and then re-finishes it.

They start by cutting back the heavy dust cover (which was originally full-length) to give the pistol a better balance that is not as nose-heavy.  Since the gun is built on the large Tactical Sport frame rather than on a standard medium Shadow or CZ 75 frame, they also shave off all the factory checkering from the front and back of the grip frame, and also reshape the grip frame to significantly reduce its size and bulk, down almost to the shape of a regular CZ 75's grip frame.  They cut the trigger guard thinner, taking material away underneath the trigger guard at the grip frame, and increase the relief under the beavertail in the back as well, so you can get your hand further up on the grip, for a higher hold, better access to controls, and better control under rapid fire by improving where your hand grips the pistol in relation to the bore axis.  They then go over the entire frame and smooth off all the sharp edges and hard lines, making the gun much more comfortable to handle, easier to holster, and less likely to chew your hands or holster rig up. 

Even with the bigger Tactical Sport 20+ round widebody magazines, this gun now feels very close in size to my Shadows. Way less bulky in the grip than a stock Tactical Sport frame. especially front to back.

[Gducoing]

Wow, looks amazing! Big CONGRATS! AWESOME!!!!!

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[Captain Jack 805]

That looks amazing and I hope you enjoy it. Give us a range report when you can!

[rhart]

Super neat looking gun!

[DXT_Shooter]

Nice...congrats on the CTS [emoji1303]


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[Tok36]

Gratz on the CTS. I have something similar in the works but not quite as polished as as yours. Thank you for the pic.

[rich63]

She sure is pretty.

rich63

[MGSchindel]

This gun's ridiculous!  I shot it quite a bit today alongside one of my Accu Shadows and a tricked-out SP-01 tactical.  For my shooting style, and for how CRAZY light the trigger pull is, and for the fact that the front of the CTS's modded frame has been shortened and lightened, I actually had to go UP from the 11lb recoil spring CZ Custom had put in there, to a 13lb recoil spring to get my follow-up shots where I need them to be.  The beefier 13lb recoil spring, and even a 14lb spring I tried, worked out perfectly. 

I also did some bullseye work. The gun shoots like a laser.  I actually think I need to beef UP the mainspring weight!  The trigger is soooo LIGHT.  It is breaking at under 1.5 lbs!! I had to give myself a little more takeup on the adjustable trigger than I usually use, so I didn't get any surprises.  And I'm used to shooting my Custom Shadows, and some heavily modded custom 1911's and GP Comps, which all already have excellent, pretty light triggers ranging from 2 to 3 lbs.  This trigger breaks WAY lighter than that, and even lighter than or equal to the SA on some of my custom revolvers.  This gun is tuned so light and precise that while you are busy focusing on very slight adjustments  to your hold and sight alignment on the heavy gun, that if you even breath on that trigger looking for the break point, she goes off LOL!!!!!  Ham-fisted folks that think a 7 lb combat trigger is reasonable, need not apply here!  Not so much for home defense, either LOL!!!!

I'll find out from the CZ gang what mainspring rate is in here, as-delivered, and then I'll up it just a little.  Gee, who ever thought I'd have to try to figure out how to make the trigger pull "worse" LOL!!!!! 

The CZ Custom shop did a stellar job on this gun. The smoothness, accuracy, refinement and precision are top-shelf. Its extra bulk and weight over a Shadow are well-hidden by its amazing balance, only showing up under some faster transitions and during extended sessions of deliberate slow-fire paper-punching. The longer sight radius is a welcome feature out past 25 yards. With its reduced grip, trimmed-down frame and other significant mods, it is far better balanced, much more comfortable and refined, and faster, than a stock TS, for me.  It is a more precision instrument than my Shadows, in some ways.  It feels and runs like a totally different animal from any of my other CZ's...which it is.   Now I either have to retrain my brain and finger for the ri-donculously light trigger pull, or just beef up the trigger pull weight slightly, and she should be perfect for my needs.  An awesome add to the CZ collection!   

[Oldwolf]

Oooooh,,,,I want a CTS....

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[bigdave24]

A new mainspring will probably make very little difference on a single action only gun.

[MGSchindel]

Yes, very true bigdave, I might pick up a few ounces with a 20lb mainspring if I'm lucky. Maybe...Though it might just be enough.  I'll try it and report back.

If not, I can always beef up the spring arrangement in the sear cage. But that's a whole other thread LOL! 

[MGSchindel]

I just finished tweaking this CTS Custom 9mm and got it back out to the range this morning. It had such a light trigger and thin grips for racegun games, that I was having trouble adapting my style to it for slow-fire paper punching and bullseye work.  My trigger finger was going TOO far over the trigger, all the way to the first joint.  I had to fatten up the grip, and beef up the trigger pull with a few parts, for my style, for target work.   
 
To get things a little more under control, I put in a factory 20 lb hammer spring from a CZ75B, a stock Target Sports firing pin, a 14 lb recoil spring, a stock Target Sports polymer mag well and the stock TS wood grip panels....So I've dumbed her back down 30% toward the stock configuration for paper punching LOL!!! 

With the 20 lb extra-power hammer spring, I now have an excellent 2.1 lb trigger that gives me just a hint of warning. Slows the slide speed down just a bit, too. Just what I was looking for.  The gun runs GREAT, and is a really soft, flat shooter, with gobs of control!!!
 
I shot the gun this morning at the Sportsman' club and again later at the Palm Beach shooting center.  I shot it mostly at 20, 25 and 50 yards.  See pic below of one of my 20-yard slow fire targets, also showing the Custom CTS which is now wearing its new undercover "disguise" LOL!!!  I was shooting these groups while adjusting the rear sight around, to get the right point of impact with 115 grain ammo.  The gun showed a clear preference today for Fiocchi 115 gr fmj, which it also grouped into 1.4" at 25 yards, and then into 3.3" at 50 yards this morning off a sand bag rest, despite some gusty winds.  It also shot similarly well with el cheapo Winchester White box 115gr ammo.  Not bad for cheap factory plinking ammo!  The accu bushing and grip-reduction surgery really make this gun! It is incredibly consistent, and has fed and ejected flawlessly for several hundred rounds already....
 
When I go back to shooting steel and running the gun at speed again, I'll put the alloy mag funnel and aluminium grips back on.  This CTS Custom is such a great gun, that with a few tweaks back n  forth in just a few minutes, I can have my cake and eat it too.....

[MikeLW]

Nice range report and I do not tire of spring talk. I do love the look here, a lot. I loved the look before and I don't think you can mess it up.