CZ SP01 vs CZ Shadow

The Shadow is basically a competition ready SP01 (USPSA/IPSC). You get better trigger, fancy grips, better sights, better finish, fancy front & backstrap checkering, things like that... And all of that adds to the cost.

They charge a pretty healthy amount for the upgrades that the Shadow offers to make it a better range/target gun. Of course it's a much lower volume gun, their costs are obviously higher, etc., but it's a healthy amount IMO. Here's a video on the topic:



I thought of getting a Shadow but am VERY glad that I instead modded my 85 Combat (no firing pin block, has adjustable sights) with some CGW parts including the Ultra-Lite Kit, 6SAO trigger, floating trigger pin, and race hammer kit with adjustable sear. If you are a 75 B fan and use your gun primarily for plinking and target shooting, I can't recommend the above mods highly enough. The total for these parts was $225 delivered but they transform a great gun into an absolutely fantastic feeling/shooting gun.

I'm about to do the same mods to my 97 B and will be interested to see the results and determine if I need to remove the firing pin block to match the 85 Combat results.

There are a lot of variations of the SP01 Shadow. I bought the basic one and it was about $829 in 2015 when I bought it which I thought making it a terrific value considering it comes with an extra magazine. It does not have a firing pin block safety, just like the original CZ75, and as such I use it as only a range gun.

I bought mine at Oak Hills Guns though they currently are out of stock but have them from time to time. They have option to send an email alert when back in stock.

http://oakhillguns.com/pistol/cz-usa/cz-75-sp-01-shadow-9mm-custom.html

CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow Black 9mm Custom - Competition Ready

This new generation CZ 75 SP-01 pistol especially adapted according to suggestions from Law Enforcement, Military and Police communities worldwide with an additional input from Team CZ shooters Angus Hobdell and Adam Tyc.

The CZ 75 SP-01 SHADOW Custom features:

• New style sights consisting of Fiber Optic front and Competition Style rear promote faster and more accurate target acquisition.
• Shadow is fitted with a newly redesigned hammer originating from the CZ 75 Champion. This hammer is slightly wider and has modified sear engagement for smoother release and more positive ignition.
• 85 Combat style slide without firing pin block helps to smooth the trigger pull and improve distance of trigger reset.
• 85 Combat Style trigger with over travel adjustment helps to remove excess rear ward trigger movement.
• Higher cuts beneath the trigger guard and beaver tail enable a higher grip on the gun, which helps to reduce felt recoil and muzzle flip.
• Lighter recoil and main springs originating from original CZ 75 Specifications help to create a smoother more consistent action.
• Safeties as found on the CZ 75 SA are fitted as standard; these provide a larger surface area for better positioning of the thumb.
• Extended Magazine release allows for ease of reach and more positive ejection of magazine under stressful situations.
• Fully beveled magazine well, substantially improves speed and ease of reloading.

Pistol is supplied with (3) 18 round 9mm magazines We will swap for 10 round magazines for appropriate states (1) set of rubber grips.

Here's the above-mentioned 6SAO trigger and race hammer on the 85 Combat (see attached). The complete stroke of the trigger (fully forward to fully rearward) is just slightly less than the thickness of the trigger. The trigger pull is much lighter and I'd estimate there's about one tenth the amount of creep/camming to the trigger pull than with the factory setup. If you compare that to a factory 75-series trigger/hammer/sear you can imagine how much difference it'd make in how the pistol operates. Imagine you cutting your off-hand groups in half.

Also, for anyone who has trouble with the trigger reach on the CZ guns, this trigger will definitely help.

Don't forget the polymer SP-01, the Phantom, finally back in the catalog.

Why is the Shadow so much more expensive than the standard SP01?

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Same reason why a Shelby GT500 is much more expensive than a standard Mustang GT: one is ready to go racing, the other is for the street.

A friend of mine has 3 or so SPO1 Shadow Blacks and they are very nice. He's used them to make Grand Master in USPSA production class, where the SPO1 Shadow and Tanfoglio Stock 2 (CZ clone from Italy) are well represented: the races.

Nature Boy said:

A few months ago I bought a CZ75 PCR (I love it) and subsequently my wife stole it from me. My LGS called and said he's just received a new SP01 and a Shadow. I was about to go get the Shadow and backed up when I learned the price difference.

It's strictly a range toy. No competitions in my near future

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Nature Boy .....If you are looking for a range toy get the Tactical Sports......It's a awesome gun .......I talked to CZ-USA and the adjustable rear sight on the tactical sports orange will fit right on it, so awesome just got better........I also have 3 SP-01 that I am building , they are nice but not Tactical Sports nice.....As I look back should have just bought 4 T/S and be done with it .
" Can't go Rollerskating with 4 or 5 people , with one pair of skates right ".........T/S most BANG for the BUCK ,and READY to go right out of the BOX ..........Just my 50 cents......

Would love a Shadow, SP-01 or a Phantom, all great platforms. Highest end CZ that I have is a duel tone 85 Combat (which is great). Funds low, want high for more CZ's.

armoredman said:

Don't forget the polymer SP-01, the Phantom, finally back in the catalog.

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Thanks for that tidbit. I've always thought that was a good idea for CZ, but it went away too soon. I was unaware it had come back, though I believe it was still available outside the US, correct? I've always envied yours, in a good way, of course.

JTQ said:

though I believe it was still available outside the US, correct?

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It was available the Czech military which was taking all of the production. They were available in limited numbers from time to time as contract over runs, but not as general order.

Very true indeed. They are back and sporting an improved polymer as well.

I bought a used Phantom last year; it was awesome in every way EXCEPT that the only mags that would drop out of it were the 18-round factory ones. I have a ton of Mec-Gar 16-rounders for my regular SP01 that I like 'cause they fit flush. They fit and functioned perfectly in the Phantom but would not drop free. This was apparently a well-known issue with the original Phantoms based on a bunch of research when I had it; sadly I decided to let it go.

I would LOVE to find out that the new production ones with the new polymer were more mag-friendly; I think I'd buy one again, if that issue were addressed. It was lightweight and a sweet shooter.

That said, I love my original SP01 (and my P01, and my P07... ) I want to put CZC or CGW trigger parts in it someday but even out of the box I have no complaints about the way it shoots.

Rittmeister said:

They fit and functioned perfectly in the Phantom but would not drop free. This was apparently a well-known issue with the original Phantoms based on a bunch of research when I had it; sadly I decided to let it go.

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Unfortunate.

That problem isn't caused by the polymer body but by the mag catch springs and can be fixed by bending the end of the spring legs.

Hmmm... Messing with my gun, (and based on a bunch of googling) I did some sanding to remove some material at the front and back of the magwell. This helped somewhat at least at room temperature, but as soon as I went out in the cold they stuck again

Without derailing the thread any more, ClickClick, could you PM me with more details on your fix? It's not something I found when searching.

I found the same issue. So I got more factory mags and gave the Mecgars away.

Both CZ and MecGars both work fine in my 1st gen Phantom.