First CZ ever, think I have a problem. Drops to half cock in DA

[1KPerDay]

This thread needs a pitcher or two.

Here's my 85 Combat with the following parts that elevate the gun to an amazing level compared to stock.

CGW 54460 Ultra-Lite Kit using the range hammer spring (provides a noticeable improvement in DA and also SA trigger pull, and makes it easier to rack the slide (not that CZ have hard-to-rack slides, but the kit will make it quite a bit lighter)
CZ Pre-B short trigger reset (does what it says, shortens the trigger reset -- the CZ part )
CGW 6-SAO trigger (with adjustable uptake and over-travel)
CGW Race Hammer Kit (improves trigger pull and essentially eliminates the characteristic CZ hammer "camming-back" in S/A.)
CGW floating trigger pin (just a simple item you need with the SAO trigger)

With the above setup the trigger is very nice and light, crisp, and operates fore and aft within the range of the thickness of the trigger at the mid-point.


View attachment 811740

Mind if I ask you the total cost of the upgrades?

 

[viking499]

Christmas shopping for your Omega......

https://cajungunworks.com/product-category/p-01-75-omega/

 

[DJW]

tagged so I can keep up with this thread. cz has always been a favorite of mine and they have dozens of different models.

 

[Blkhrt13]

1KPerDay,

We can help you diagnose the issue, and no sir, you won't need a "big bag of money", we don't work like that. Timing issues can occur in the CZ system and we have solved many an issue in this area. My personal direct gunsmith number is 318-372-9050. David.

This right here is why I want to give y’all a call once I can get my Tristar paid off and start to work it over

 

[I6turbo]

Mind if I ask you the total cost of the upgrades?

I posted the detailed costs last night but the post seems to be gone now, apparently a victim of the migration mentioned at the top of the page...
Short answer, the cost for all of the parts for my 85 Combat was $272. ABSOLUTELY worth the money, IMO (and I'm not someone who wastes money on things of marginal utility).

 

[1KPerDay]

1KPerDay,

We can help you diagnose the issue, and no sir, you won't need a "big bag of money", we don't work like that. Timing issues can occur in the CZ system and we have solved many an issue in this area. My personal direct gunsmith number is 318-372-9050. David.

Hammer and sear are on their way to Cajun! Will update. Thanks all

 

[lysanderxiii]

Yeah it does drop before it gets to the SA sear. It just occasionally drops from the DA sear to half cock. Did you do the work on yours?

Yeah, I did the work myself as it was a 1980s CZ-75 (no B), I forget what exactly I did, though.

 

[Spats McGee]

I've read this thread and I'm hooked! Can't wait to see how this turns out.

 

[1KPerDay]

Got an email with David with a shipping notice and he said he'd done what he thought would fix it and to let him know the result. I said thanks and asked how he wanted to be paid and he said no charge this time, but next time it will be $5,000. LOL what a character! I'm a customer for life.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Got an email with David with a shipping notice and he said he'd done what he thought would fix it and to let him know the result. I said thanks and asked how he wanted to be paid and he said no charge this time, but next time it will be $5,000. LOL what a character! I'm a customer for life.

LOL! That's fantastic, and based on your experience, if I ever want a CZ worked over I know where I'm going to turn.

Drooling over s Shadow 2. I'm sure they could make it even better.

 

[Erief0g]

Totally fantastic.

I too have finally removed my drool bucket and picked up a shadow 2. Only 300 rounds through it. I'm enamored to say the least. The fact that cajun can make it better is incredible. Currently I've already decided that my sp01 tactical will need to get sent in as now that I'm shooting the shadow 2 it's made the stock sp01 seem worse.

Its great to witness the level of service cajun gun offers.

 

[1KPerDay]

Got the parts back and installed them last night. 32 DA shots all fired no issues, and 100 DA dry fires, no issues. It appears the pistol is fixed! It's apparent that David and his crew really know their stuff. Soon as I scrape together some money I'm going to throw it at them for some tasty upgrades.

Thanks again David! Truly a class act.

 

[schmeky]

1Kperday,

That's good news. Now make that $5,000.00 check payable to CGW

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I'm sure 1Kperday will say, "The check is in the mail!"

 

[1KPerDay]

NEXT time.

 

[1KPerDay]

So..... now my pistol has no half cock... even cocking slowly and manually. is that a problem?

 

[armoredman]

You have a standard safety, not decocker, right? if so, I would call David up again, and ask him. BTW, the is only ONE gunsmith I trust with my CZ pistols, and CGW is it.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yes,, standard safety. Ok thanks

 

[1KPerDay]

New weirdness: haven’t shot this pistol much but I figured I’d give it another chance, and started with hammer down to practice DA first shots.

click

retry

click

eject the round and examine the primer. Zero firing pin impact.

try the next round


Click

click


Eject, no firing pin impact.

retry

click. Thumb cock the hammer: SA trigger, bang. SA on the remaining rounds, all go bang.

Try again, same results. Also getting some weird reluctance to reset. If I release the trigger slowly it will almost hang up at the reset point.


me not get.

ideas?

 

[drband]

New weirdness: haven’t shot this pistol much but I figured I’d give it another chance, and started with hammer down to practice DA first shots.

click

retry

click

eject the round and examine the primer. Zero firing pin impact.

try the next round


Click

click


Eject, no firing pin impact.

retry

click. Thumb cock the hammer: SA trigger, bang. SA on the remaining rounds, all go bang.

Try again, same results. Also getting some weird reluctance to reset. If I release the trigger slowly it will almost hang up at the reset point.


me not get.

ideas?

Almost sounds like it has been assembled wrong for the DA to always fail. Is that a possibility?

 

[rayatphonix]

Is it possible something in the pistol has been damaged by the dry fires? I’ve always been told to minimize dry fires without a snap cap. The previous owner could have caused the problem and you’re stuck with the consequences.

 

[drband]

Is it possible something in the pistol has been damaged by the dry fires? I’ve always been told to minimize dry fires without a snap cap. The previous owner could have caused the problem and you’re stuck with the consequences.

Dry fire should not hurt a CZ, ever!

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Is it possible something in the pistol has been damaged by the dry fires? I’ve always been told to minimize dry fires without a snap cap. The previous owner could have caused the problem and you’re stuck with the consequences.

Dry fire should not hurt a CZ, ever!

In this case, it sounds as though, when starting from hammer down (DA), the hammer isn't going back far enough before it drops, and its hitting the half/cock (safety) notch. When you manually cock for the first shot, the hammer engages the sear and after the first trigger pull, slide movement with that and following shots pushes the slide back far engage the sear again. DA mode avoids the sear.

=========================
For those unfamiliar with CZs and their "B" model firing pin safety design:

Dry-firing CAN (and likely WILL) damage a CZ if that CZ is a "B" model, which has the firing pin retention roll pin rather than a firing pin stop/plate.

But any dry-firing damage done will be to the firing pin retention roll pin, and will have nothing to do with the hammer/sear/trigger interface. Most other center-fire handguns use any of several different approaches to their firing pin block/safety mechanism and dry-firing is not a problem with those guns

There have been a number of upgrades to the Firing Pin Retention Roll Pin design, from doubling the original roll pin to changing it's metallurgical content. There are several after-market versions of the roll pin now available. Even some of the newer FPRRPs will break, and nearly all will show some damage after high levels of dry-firing activity.

I used to say it was a non-issue until I broke the firing pin retention roll pin my (then NEW) CZ-40B just a few weeks after buying it. Back then, it's been years, I went to the hardware store and got a new roll pin, cut it to length and reinstalled it. I only have one CZ with a firing pen retention roll pen now, and I use a snap cap when dry-firing a lot.​

If you don't want to use snap caps, you can get a small rubber washer or grommet from a nearby hardware store, and putting it in the notch at the rear of the slide, so that the hammer hit's the washer or grommet rather than the roll pin will prevent damage. Just make sure it's large enough to stay in place. Cajun Gun Works (cajungunworks.com) offers a better-quality roll pin for various CZ models.

 

[drband]

Cajun Gun Works (cajungunworks.com) offers a better-quality roll pin for various CZ models

I did not remember about the FP retention roll pin being a wear item. Dry firing could deform it and cause the FP to bind. I installed the upgraded CGW roll pin when I last disassembled mine. I hope it lasts longer than the factory pin seems to.

 

[lysanderxiii]

View attachment 810960 View attachment 810961

I found this CZ75b Omega at Cabelas of all places. First EVER good deal there. $400. Sales dudes were really having a close look at the sales tag but I got it, 2 mags. No apparent wear anywhere.

I've shot it a few times and have had buddies shoot it and they all liked it. The DA trigger is a bit gritty and the SA trigger has no discernible wall. It just rolls through and the hammer falls. It's kinda nice but it's weird if you're used to prepping the trigger.

Anyhoo today I was doing some dry fire practice, lowering the hammer manually to its full rested position after "loading", as required by IDPA SSP rules. Trying some draws/first shots in DA dry fire, I noticed once something felt different. The hammer fell to half cock rather than full rest on a DA stroke. I dismissed it and thought maybe I'd done something weird like fail to run the slide fully or something. Then about 20 pulls later it did it again.

So obviously something ain't kosher. Should I call CZ? Should I spend more than half again the cost of the gun for a Cajun Omega kit? Really do t have the money or desire to do that. Ideas welcome. Pics are probably huge but you know what half cock vs full rest look like

Mine did that when I first got it. The double action bar was a tad short and would drop the hammer before the SA sear was completely in the disengaged position.

The problem disappeared after I stoned the sear to clean-up the gritty SA trigger.