NEW CZ Shadow 2 Pistol

CZ (Ceska Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod) has announced they will reveal their all new Shadow 2 9mm pistol at the upcoming IWA Outdoor Classics Exhibition in Germany. An upgraded version of the CZ75 SP-01, the Shadow 2 is an upgraded model with some nice design features. The IWA Show is Europe’s version of the SHOT Show, just on a much smaller scale. However, many of the European firearm manufacturers prefer to exhibit their newest products on home soil, and the IWA Show in Germany is the perfect venue.

Despite being smaller in scale than SHOT Show, which is dominated by the strong American market, the IWA Show is Europeans opportunity to focus on European products much closer to home. Though CZ has a distribution base in Kansas City, Kansas, to feed the hungry American market, their worldwide headquarters is in the original location of Uhersky Brod, a small town in the Czech Republic.

CZ Shadow 2 Pistol

The CZ Shadow 2 is the next generation of the highly popular CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow pistol. The CZ 75 SP-01 brought many of the modern pistol design advancements to the original CZ 75 design. The new Shadow 2 has reportedly been in research and development for over 2 years, with a design focus to improve speed, accuracy, durability, and customization. These upgrades have been spurred from the highly competitive ISPC requirements and shooter feedback.

The new CZ Shadow 2 builds upon the original, while maintaining the shadow image of the iconic CZ 75 these pistols are based upon. The features improve the shooter’s grip, provide better sights, and provide control levers that are more easily manipulated.

IPSC Inspired Improvements

This new pistol was developed in collaboration with the elite CZUB IPSC shooters to significantly contribute to speed and accuracy during competitions. These advancements will also transfer to the civilian CCW and law enforcement markets as well. The improvements the Shadow 2 offers over the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow include several features designed to enhance the shooter’s grip, and function of the pistol’s controls:

• Higher grip towards the axis of the barrel
• Enhanced grip angle, design, and texture
• New shape of the safety catch
• An adjustable magazine release lever, extended for easier manipulation
• Extended trigger guard for easier access
• More aggressive slide serrations
• Enhanced magazine base plate.

The Shadow 2 comes with a smaller, adjustable rear sight than the CZ 75 SP-01, and a lower profile fiber optic front sight. According to the CZ catalogue, the new CZ Shadow 2 is registered for use in the IPSC Production Division. CZ claims they have put the Shadow 2 through “hundreds of thousands of rounds” using “real competition conditions” to test the improvements the Shadow 2 offers over the original Shadow. During this extensive testing and evaluation, CZ claims their professional shooting team was able to shave off “seconds” to their times running IPSC courses.

CZ is going to offer a wide selection of various safety mechanisms, grip panels, hammers, triggers, recoil springs, and main springs to customize the CZ Shadow 2 to the desires of the individual shooter. The original CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow had the option of a SA-only model. So far the Shadow 2 does not have that option, but I would not be surprised at all to see CZ offer a SA-only version as popularity increases.

CZ Shadow 2 Specifications

• Frame and Slide Material: Steel
• Grips: Aluminium
• Trigger Action: DA/SA
• Caliber: 9 mm (9×19)
• Overall Length: 8.54 inches
• Barrel Length: 4.72 inches
• Overall Height: 6.18 inches
• Overall Width: 1.34 inches
• Weight: 46.91 ounces (unloaded)
• Safety features: Manual external safety
• Hammer De-cocker: No
• Rear Sight: Adjustable
• Front Sight: Fiber optic
• Magazine Capacity: 18+1
• MSRP: TBA March 4th.

Speed

“The modernisation of all the principal parts of the weapon, i.e. the slide and the frame, together with the extended barrel, enables repeating single shots more rapidly and more dynamically. The shape of the frame facilitates a more comfortable higher grip towards the axis of the barrel, while the new checkering ensures an absolutely reliable contact with the weapon in any circumstances. The increased weight of the front part of the frame and the slide results in a higher level of compensation and a gentler recoil. The innovative trigger mechanism has a smooth action, a low resistance and a shortened trigger reset. The magazine catch is more easily accessible and is adjustable to three positions, which makes reloading safer and quicker even if the shooter is moving.”

Accuracy

“The extending of the barrel to 125 mm together with the new and longer height-adjustable sights also increases the overall accuracy of this weapon. The extremely precise and the fully automated technology for the production of the other major parts by utilising robotic machining centres without this involving any manual labour additionally contributes to the high quality of the weapon’s crafting. The Arcor finish that was inspired by the design of the service models ensures the weapon’s high resistance to corrosion, weathering or mechanical damage.”

Customization

“Every shooter is unique. This is why a wide variety of sports and custom accessories are available, while there is also an Internet configurator that enables the combining of individual elements and thereby constructing the CZ Shadow 2 in accordance with the customer’s individual preferences and ideas. During the testing period hundreds of thousands of rounds were fired under real competition conditions. In the same manner the CZ Shooting Team’s shooters in individual IPSC situations achieved a degree of acceleration in units of seconds as compared using the original model of the Shadow. At the beginning suggestions and ideas were provided by the best IPSC shooters on the planet. At the conclusion of more than two years of the research and development process there is now a unique new weapon, which will inevitably become the rightful successor to the original model. The CZ Shadow 2 is now really competition ready!”

Final Thoughts

The BlueSheepDog Crew have had the pleasure of shooting several CZ 75 versions, including the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow. Personally, I have found the CZ pistols to have a very good grip, and the Shadow 2 appears to even improve upon that. CZ pistols are accurate, function well, and have easily manipulated controls.

The CZ DA/SA action has a smooth trigger without any slack or drag, but we have always felt the original DA trigger pull was just a little too long. If this type of action is your choice of preference the CZ Shadow 2 could be a fine choice in pistol.