Your favorite tips needed

[Scarlett Pistol]

I'm recording disassembly, reassembly, and polishing videos on an SP-01 Compact. So I'm basically covering the manual safety pistols. I've read and used the tutorials on our forum and spoken with CGW over my learning curve. BUT.... I wanted to ask for everyone's input. What tips and or procedures do you all have that have helped you in your pistol smithing on CZ's with manual safeties? I'd be happy to include anything possible that will help others. Thanks!

[delphidoc]

Here's my experience doing upgrades on my 75B SA. I've since converted a 97B to SA, making it essentially a .45 cal version of the 75B SA. I was going to do the same to a steel-framed P-01 this weekend but didn't feel like it due to being sick.

http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=79382.msg577381#msg577381

[delphidoc]

Just realized who the OP is and what gun is going to get worked on. Scarlett, I'm about to work on the same gun you are. I'm converting to SAO, polishing parts, and installing reduced power springs with extended FP and floating trigger pin. One thing I learned is I prefer a crisper, more obvious reset, so I put an OEM TRS back in the 75B SA. I also left the OEM TRS in the 97B.

Here's my order list from CGW for this project. I've been buying extra pins and springs along the way so not all of these items are necessary. Obviously I only need a single 5SAO trigger for this gun, but I'm going to put the second one in my 75BSA.

2ea     5SAO Single Action Only Aluminum Trigger (1 is extra)
1ea     TR-PIN Floating Trigger Pin
1ea     20C Hammer Spring Strut Compact
2ea     28 Grip Screw (extras)
1ea     RHK Race Hammer Kit
2ea     HPIN Hammer Pin (1 is extra for SAO)
1ea     SRS-1 Short Reset System
2ea     8 Trigger Return Spring (extras)
2ea     46 Front Sight Retaining Pin    2 (extras)


I bought a starter punch for the TRS but ended up never using it. I already had a spring-loaded center punch that works fine.

I don't shoot from reset and might carry any gun I own so I left the FPB in place.

[delphidoc]

I made pdf files of several threads on upgrades. Easier to have them loaded up on my laptop than searching for them and having the threads open while doing the work. PM me if you're interested and I'll email them to you.

[Scarlett Pistol]

I made pdf files of several threads on upgrades. Easier to have them loaded up on my laptop than searching for them and having the threads open while doing the work. PM me if you're interested and I'll email them to you.

Oh right on! Any tips and tricks you've learned that would help newbies? Stuff on disassembly, reassembly, etc? Like the best way you've learned to reinstall the FPB lifter arm and spring? Stuff like that I think would be really helpful to include.

[delphidoc]

Excuse me, I'm kinda slow. I now take it you're doing Youtube type videos, not doing this for the first time yourself. I wondered how somebody with your high post count wouldn't have more experience than a n00b like me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPRk0aeZhVg



The first time I reassembled the sear cage from the FPB lever spring side first. I found that spring on the floor after the install was complete, after a week delay to order new ones (noticed I ordered more than one). Should've ordered them from the get-go. For some reason I'm spatially-impaired on how the sear and sear spring go in so I was having to refer to photos for them while the FPB lever and spring were already in place. Too much monkeying around going from that direction first led to me launching the spring. The second gun I did I reassembled from the opposite side, so the FPB lever spring went in last. Worked a lot better for me that way.

Kinda nice to have an articulating arm magnifier light if your eyes are like my 57 y/o specimens.

The best advice I found was that if you're going to install a new hammer, order a new hammer strut and don't jack with trying to remove the disco and old hammer from the old strut.

It's far easier to press in CGW hammer pins with a bench vise than to try to hammer them in. OEM pins might not be a problem but I've never tried them.

Have extra pins and springs on hand before you start. I was held up the first time waiting for replacement safety lever springs and FPB lever springs. Same would go for front sight pins on sight installs.

Painter tape to the outside before you even think about touching your gun with a punch.

Plastic tray with dividers for holding parts in the order they were removed.

Lots of people recommend doing the work inside a large baggie. I never tried that. Maybe I should have the first time. I can see that being as much of a hinderance as a help.

[Scarlett Pistol]

Excuse me, I'm kinda slow. I now take it you're doing Youtube type videos, not doing this for the first time yourself. I wondered how somebody with your high post count wouldn't have more experience than a n00b like me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPRk0aeZhVg



The first time I reassembled the sear cage from the FPB lever spring side first. I found that spring on the floor after the install was complete, after a week delay to order new ones (noticed I ordered more than one). Should've ordered them from the get-go. For some reason I'm spatially-impaired on how the sear and sear spring go in so I was having to refer to photos for them while the FPB lever and spring were already in place. Too much monkeying around going from that direction first led to me launching the spring. The second gun I did I reassembled from the opposite side, so the FPB lever spring went in last. Worked a lot better for me that way.

Kinda nice to have an articulating arm magnifier light if your eyes are like my 57 y/o specimens.

The best advice I found was that if you're going to install a new hammer, order a new hammer strut and don't jack with trying to remove the disco and old hammer from the old strut.

It's far easier to press in CGW hammer pins with a bench vise than to try to hammer them in. OEM pins might not be a problem but I've never tried them.

Have extra pins and springs on hand before you start. I was held up the first time waiting for replacement safety lever springs and FPB lever springs. Same would go for front sight pins on sight installs.

Painter tape to the outside before you even think about touching your gun with a punch.

Plastic tray with dividers for holding parts in the order they were removed.

Lots of people recommend doing the work inside a large baggie. I never tried that. Maybe I should have the first time. I can see that being as much of a hinderance as a help.

Ha, sorry I may not of been clear. Great tips and pointers! I'll definitely incorporate them into my videos.

[jim.c]

I'm recording disassembly, reassembly, and polishing videos on an SP-01 Compact. So I'm basically covering the manual safety pistols. I've read and used the tutorials on our forum and spoken with CGW over my learning curve. BUT.... I wanted to ask for everyone's input. What tips and or procedures do you all have that have helped you in your pistol smithing on CZ's with manual safeties? I'd be happy to include anything possible that will help others. Thanks!

I think I already mentioned this to you. I saw Stuart at CZC the other day and he showed me their Bench Block SKU: 30310.  I bought one and used it to remove the staked pins that hold the strut and disconnector to the hammer on my compact.  It was super easy to get the pins out. That alone made it worth the money. The block is specifically for CZ's and has several uses. The tip Stuart told me about is to drill the two holes all the way through the block in the space that holds the hammer in place. Then the pins can fall through and don't stuck in the block. Awesome tool !!!!

[cntrydawwwg]

Best tips I was given::
   Give yourself plenty of time, it's not a race.
   Don't allow yourself to get frustrated. When you feel it come on, take a break. If you get frustrated and try to rush it, that's when bad juju happens[emoji6]
    Other little tricks I've picked up::
   When punching out the trigger pin, place a rag in front of the TRS, it can fly out quickly.
   Pull the sear apart in a gallon bag. Helps catch those tiny parts.
    Order extra L springs. They are cheap, and disappear very quickly. [emoji849]
    One of those cheap little vises that you clamp to a table work great for when you need a third hand. No so much when punching pins.
    These are just a few, I'm sure others will chime in. Good luck with your disassembly/reassembly project.
   

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks everyone. I'm trying to record as many videos as I can and I've gone back and added things from these suggestions. Keep em coming!

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks to the misery of trying to film re-assembly of the sear cage I found a little trick to easily put the FPB lifter arm spring back into place. Made life so much easier!!!! I'll get the videos edited and posted in the next few days.

[delphidoc]

I started my upgrades on my SP-01 Compact this evening. Frame today, slide tomorrow. Things I thought of while working on it tonight:

Degrease the trigger and adjustable sear while doing your polishing, for threadlocking the set screws when finished.

Bevel the ejector while the sear cage is out- much easier and no chance of metal filings ending up in the gun.

Don't install the safety detents until you have the sear cage reassembled and ready to put in the gun. Less chance for little parts flying loose.

I'm looking forward to seeing your technique on reassembling the sear cage. I went back to installing the FPB lever and spring first this time. I don't know now how I was able to do it the other way around on my 97B.

I used my bench vise again to install the hammer strut to the hammer. Man those hardened hammer pins are tight. You have to get the pin started, hange the strut on the pin as it clears the first side of the hammer, then finish pressing the pin in. This is the second time I pressed the pin in too far at first to get the strut on it. The first time I killed an hour driving the pin back out with a punch. This time I put the hammer in the vise and then put a large screwdriver into the area where the strut goes, then easily twisted the screwdriver to pry the pin back out a little. Easy peasy.



Scarlett, I found some rust patches on the upper rail ridges on both sides of the frame. I'm positive it wasn't Cosmoline. I sanded them off and lubed them. I didn't see those patches with my naked eyes, only saw them when I had the magnifier/light looking inside the gun. I hope you don't find any on your gun when you do your upgrades.

[Scarlett Pistol]

Thanks for sharing! Those are a bunch of good tips. I have my disassembly videos edited and done as of tonight. Going to work on the rest amidst actually polishing and working on the pistol. If you are assembling yours soon I can upload the sear cage one for you ahead of the rest.

I saw what looked like rust on my SP-01 and I called CZ USA. They said their coating they apply below the poly coat can be several different colors, including one that looks rust red. May or may not have been what you encountered... Had you washed all the OEM grease off? The grease they have on these ones is just my least favorite I've run into. Maybe it isn't different than before and I am just being a complainer... Haven't found rust on this one or the other 5 I have worked on, so I hope yours was the pre-coating to the polycoat...

[delphidoc]

Maybe it was their protectant. I thought I had cleaned the frame well with a Safariland spray cleaner, followed by rubbing alcohol. That stuff is so incredibly sticky on the gun and the mags. Anywho, it's gone now.

Thanks for the offer about the video about the sear cage. I already got the frame completely reassembled tonight. I pushed the sear pin half way through from the side opposite the FPB lever, hung the lever and spring on the pin, then continued to push the pin through in the same direction until there was room to insert the sear from below. Started pushing the pin back the other direction until it captured part of the sear, inserted the sear spring, the completed pushing the pin into place. Gotta have a wood block to rest it on, hemostats, bright light, and magnification.

[cntrydawwwg]

One way to find out if rust or coating:: Take a clean patch with solvent and rub on the spot. If it turns reddish it's rust. If comes out clean, it's coating.
    The coating won't color the patch at all. I have that reddish coating on the inner part of my P01 slide.