CZ TS 2 vs CZ Shadow 2

[SwampWolf]

Other than the TS 2 being SAO and the Shadow 2 being DA/SA, what are the chief differences between these two pistols? Also, how does the TacSport stack up when compared to the TS 2 and the Shadow 2?
Thanks.

 

[Otto]

...what are the chief differences between these two pistols?

Shadow 2 is legal for Production division.The TS 2 isn't. Other than that, you can compare the specs between both at https://cz-usa.com.

 

[Zerodefect]

Ts2 is for limited, 3gun, steel challenge.

Frames look the same, but they aren't. I believe the Shadow is thinner. TS2 takes different 20 round mags.

 

[SwampWolf]

Thanks, Otto and Zerodefect. I have things to think about before making any decision.

 

[Mauser lover]

TS is a larger frame, and single action.

The SA only trigger is so much better than the SA side of the DA/SA trigger that I don’t even seriously consider any DA/SA trigger for competition. I’m always shooting Limited or Open anyway. If you want to shoot Production or carry it (???) this won’t be your priority.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I prefer the smaller frame size. Your option for that is to convert to a SA only trigger. Check out Cajun Gun Works and the CZ Custom websites for project ideas, if you are the project type.

 

[Frankl03]

I converted my Shadow 2 to SA and the trigger is amazing. No extra springs, polished the internals, deleted the disco and added a flat trigger. The trigger pull is under 2 lbs with short reset.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

TS is a larger frame, and single action.

The SA only trigger is so much better than the SA side of the DA/SA trigger that I don’t even seriously consider any DA/SA trigger for competition. I’m always shooting Limited or Open anyway. If you want to shoot Production or carry it (???) this won’t be your priority.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I prefer the smaller frame size. Your option for that is to convert to a SA only trigger. Check out Cajun Gun Works and the CZ Custom websites for project ideas, if you are the project type.

This.

I bought a Shadow 2 and a CZC A01-LD. They are similar but different in enough subtle ways I plan to keep them both. MY Shadow 2 is one of my home defense guns.

The TS2 is larger than the Shadow 2 and the trigger is flat out amazing. At least it was on the example I handled. I really want one, but have had other priorities for my money.

 

[Zerodefect]

Well, I was in 2011 land. So the Ts2 has saved me money. I actually like it's ergo's better than a 2011.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I actually like it's ergo's better than a 2011

same here

 

[Mauser lover]

I like getting my weak hand and my strong thumb up higher on the gun than I can with 1911/2011s. I wish CZ and Tanfoglio safeties were ... snappier ... than they are, but I’d rather have that little problem and be able to get my thumbs high.

 

[SwampWolf]

Any opinions as to how well Tanfoglio pistols compare? I've heard that they are way less expensive than their CZ "equivalents".

 

[Zerodefect]

I like getting my weak hand and my strong thumb up higher on the gun than I can with 1911/2011s. I wish CZ and Tanfoglio safeties were ... snappier ... than they are, but I’d rather have that little problem and be able to get my thumbs high.

There's got to be a detent or something in there that can be dimpled more or something. Mine snaps down really well, mushy on the way up. Not a problem or anything though.

What I love is how solid it is when I ride it. My 1911 TS has some give to it.

 

[Mauser lover]

Any opinions as to how well Tanfoglio pistols compare? I've heard that they are way less expensive than their CZ "equivalents".

I don't know who told you they were cheaper, but a (new) CZ TS (Tactical Sport) Orange or Czechmate was cheaper than a (new) Tanfo Witness Elite Gold Team (I'm sorry, I didn't name the Tanfo models. I know they are complex) last I checked. I consider these models to be approximate equivalents. Czechmate/TS frame is smaller than the Tanfo large frame. There are two sizes of (metal) Tanfoglio frame, large and small. There are more frame sizes of (metal) CZ frame. I'm only going to deal with the CZ-75 type, metal frame pistols. It seems like Tanfoglio started out by copying the small CZ frame (CZ75). The small frame CZ and small frame Tanfo seem to be very close to the same size. The CZ 97 is pretty close to the large frame Tanfoglios. The Czechmate and TS (and maybe some others?) are in between the CZ 75 and 97 frame sizes. I do not believe that Tanfo makes any small frame race guns. I think they actually quit making any small frame guns for a while.

Other than the various frame sizes, I believe there is one significant difference between the two makers' designs. The firing pin safety. They both disengage as the trigger is pulled. Pulling the trigger on the CZ forces the safety against spring pressure to rise in the slide. Pulling the trigger in a Tanfo allows the safety to drop. The spring in the Tanfo safety is not working against the trigger. I don't know how big of a deal this is, but it must be a known issue because (last I checked) Czechmates and even the more amateur limited division CZ race guns do not have the firing pin safety. My Tanfo Witness Elite Gold Team and Witness Elite Limited uppers (I have two uppers for one frame) both have firing pin safeties.

For the race guns, I think both are good quality, I think Tanfo has a better design (just the safety), and I like the smaller frame of the CZ better.

For the lower tier pistols, I think the build quality of especially older (like, '80s and '90s old) Tanfoglios were a little spottier than CZ. I think the design of the firing pin safety is better in the Tanfos. I think the current Tanfos have equivalent build quality with current CZs, but again, I like the smaller frame of the CZs. Tanfo made 9mm handguns in both large and small frame sizes at certain points, but I do not believe that to be the case throughout their entire history.

Clear as mud?

The previous message has been in accordance with my memory and does not necessarily reflect the views of this channel. If someone else has other information, or would like to correct something in my post, feel free. I'm not really an expert.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

This.

I bought a Shadow 2 and a CZC A01-LD. They are similar but different in enough subtle ways I plan to keep them both. MY Shadow 2 is one of my home defense guns.
.

The A01 is how Angus at CZ Custom believed the Shadow should have evolved into.
The frames are very similar, the big difference is the bull barrel.

I have an optics ready Shadow 2, it's a fantastic gun, with a few CGW parts it's simply majestic.

The tac sports also have longer barrels.

me personally I like the feel of the TSO over the TS2.

 

[Otto]

Any opinions as to how well Tanfoglio pistols compare? I've heard that they are way less expensive than their CZ "equivalents".

The Shadow 2 was the most used gun at the 2020 USPSA Production Nationals 39%. The Tanfoglio Stock II was a distant second at 12%. Prices between the two are comparable. S2's have better triggers and run straight out-of-the-box. Stock II's usually require tuning but have a nicer finish.

 

[SwampWolf]

Clear as mud?

Thanks for the helpful insights but I'm still struggling to keep up. Too, the same poster (on another site) who argued that "equivalent" Tafos are much cheaper than their CZ counterparts also claims that CZ pistols are much more likely to break slide stops than other "tactical competition" pistols are. Any truth to this claim?

 

[Zerodefect]

Yes. They eat slide stops, and sometimes a TS. It's no big deal. This is only in comp pistols though. 10,000+ rounds. I've never met a non competition shooter that's broken one.

It's a cheap part, and has no fitting IIRC. Treat it as a regular replace part like the take down lever on a Glock.

Tso's often included a spare.

I think the Ts2 and Shadow2 have stronger slide stops now.

 

[Mauser lover]

Thanks for the helpful insights but I'm still struggling to keep up. Too, the same poster (on another site) who argued that "equivalent" Tafos are much cheaper than their CZ counterparts also claims that CZ pistols are much more likely to break slide stops than other "tactical competition" pistols are. Any truth to this claim?

I’ve not broken slide stops on either one. I also haven’t shot millions of rounds (and nowhere close to even 10,000 with any of my CZs). Take that for whatever it’s worth. If you shoot enough, any gun is going to break parts. That’s a good part to have break. The Czechmate did have a known problem with the lug under the barrel (the kidney-shaped hole that the slide stop goes through) cracking. Maybe that is what he was talking about. They have since fixed it. It used to ship with three barrels for this reason, now it ships with one, and there aren’t any fresh reports of this failing (that I have heard). The duty guns from Tanfoglio do seem to be cheaper. Also, I do believe that the Tanfoglio race guns used to be cheaper, but I think it has been a while since that was the case. They also have 10mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and I think even .38 Super options. CZ is a bit more limited in this respect. I trust the CZ .22 adapter, and don’t trust the .22 Tanfoglio adapter enough to buy one.

 

[SwampWolf]

Thanks for the information, zero defect and Mauser lover. I'm not sure if this means anything at all but I find it interesting that the CZ TS 2 pistol comes with three spare slide stops (along with an extra extractor). I used to compete in a lot of Bullseye matches and tossed a few hundred rounds downrange for agency qualification courses of fire, along with shooting in a trap league and some "tactical" shooting events over the years but, after retiring from my job 23 years ago and at my age, I'm not a "high-volume" shooter anymore.

Like lots of guns I have gotten over the years, I'm not even sure why I'm looking at these pistols to buy, except for maybe the "cool" factor. On occasion, I'm fly fishing in bear country like the Bob Marshall Wilderness and am giving thought to maybe getting a Tafo pistol chambered in 10 mm. Don't want to get into a "what's best for bear" debate nor trying to defend my reasons for getting another gun. I have no hope of ever visiting Africa on a safari hunt but I'd love getting something like a .404 Jeffrey to stop my dream Cape Buffalo in its tracks...

 

[Mauser lover]

Like lots of guns I have gotten over the years, I'm not even sure why I'm looking at these pistols to buy, except for maybe the "cool" factor. On occasion, I'm fly fishing in bear country like the Bob Marshall Wilderness and am giving thought to maybe getting a Tafo pistol chambered in 10 mm.

Hey! I’ve been there! Pretty good fishing. You definitely need a race gun chambered for bear. I’ll never have the time to compete enough to get anywhere close to the top of the heap, but a couple of years ago I realized I had enough money to buy a gun I always had wanted. Because it is cool! And that’s really the only reason you need. Right?

 

[SwampWolf]

Yep!

 

[Mauser lover]

Oh, one more thing. I’m pretty sure 9mm Major is pretty close to equivalent to .357 Magnum, and plenty of people trust .357 in bear country. I’m not saying they are right, I just didn’t want to be accused of saying you had to have a Tanfoglio over a CZ

 

[Nuclear]

I’d rather shoot 10mm than 9 Major, unless there are guns designed from the ground up to shoot 9 Major.

 

[Zerodefect]

For some reason 9mm is the only competitive choice in open. I would have thought that 40 would have been better and safer. 10mm isn't even in the equation.

They're overloading 9mm with slow burning powder, so that theres plenty of gas to jet through the compensator. But it burns slow enough that the case never sees excessive pressure. ( like using a big cam on a gas v8 engine to allow insane 14:1 compression ratios)

If it works well, and is done right, a tough pistol should handle it fine. Since the comp removes the extra force that normally send the slide back too fast. In fact, some open pistols use soft recoil springs.

Do it wrong, and you'll be grafting flesh back onto your hands.

I'd think that 10 or 40 would be better/safer for that, but nobody does it.

 

[Zerodefect]

Thanks for the information, zero defect and Mauser lover. I'm not sure if this means anything at all but I find it interesting that the CZ TS 2 pistol comes with three spare slide stops (along with an extra extractor). I used to compete in a lot of Bullseye matches and tossed a few hundred rounds downrange for agency qualification courses of fire, along with shooting in a trap league and some "tactical" shooting events over the years but, after retiring from my job 23 years ago and at my age, I'm not a "high-volume" shooter anymore.

Like lots of guns I have gotten over the years, I'm not even sure why I'm looking at these pistols to buy, except for maybe the "cool" factor. On occasion, I'm fly fishing in bear country like the Bob Marshall Wilderness and am giving thought to maybe getting a Tafo pistol chambered in 10 mm. Don't want to get into a "what's best for bear" debate nor trying to defend my reasons for getting another gun. I have no hope of ever visiting Africa on a safari hunt but I'd love getting something like a .404 Jeffrey to stop my dream Cape Buffalo in its tracks...

Ts2 doesn't come with spare slide stops. That's the old style TSO.

Ill double check later, but my TS2 might have came with an extra pin, that could be used instead of the slide stop. IPSC shooters often use no slide stop. And a spare extractor.