I go straight from fully cocked to half-cocked. No need to fully decock first. I’ll give up my staccato C2, which I consider the perfect carry gun, before I give up my shadow 2 compact. Sweet gun it is. Thanks for educating people.
yes, thats a good idea as well, i was showing the full mechanism's functions. thank you for pointing that out. releasing the hammer with the trigger, then releasing the trigger will allow you to go straight to half cock as mentioned above.
I'm hoping the Shadow 2 compact is a good rotation to my C-2 !
Před 9 měsíci+3
@@stevehatten209 Yeah, feeling a little guilty for carrying it over my C2 after what I spent on it. It's almost as heavy but I've been thinking on getting a P07 as a carry gun, then the Shadow 2 Compact hit the market. Good luck trying to find an optic plate. I'm on everyone's waitlist but I found a Cajun Gunworks aluminum plate from Ben Stoeger as a temporary plate for my HE 507 comp until a C&H steel plate becomes available.
Jeff Morgan We must think alike. I have a PO-7 set up for carry without an optic now.. But I'm looking forward to carrying the Shadow 2 compact. I'll probably be looking to put an optic on it for sure. Thanks Jeff for your insight on these great CZ firearms !
As someone who’s EDC is an SP-01 Shadow, I’m glad that there is at least one other Shadow owner out there who understands the “half-cock” position. The CZ manual even explains this, but I doubt many of the “iTs NoT sAFE” crowd are literate.
@@deronthomas7904 Man, I know that's supposed to be a joke. But it's not really. There's 2 maybe 3 reasons to divorce. I think we 'joke' too much about something that is destroying our society right now.
I was educated on exactly this by one of the gunsmiths at Cajun Gun Works (side note those guys are amazing...spent about 25 minutes with me on the phone just talking guns and options, educating me on some stuff along the way, and giving me tips on other companies to buy parts from, without even trying to force a sale). This is exactly the point that he educated me on, that these DA/SA or SA pistols are totally safe to carry, even without the firing pin block (unlike the Omega series, which has a firing pin block plunger). His point was that as long as you know how to operate the system correctly, these pistols are completely drop safe. You would have to essentially break the hammer or sear to get the hammer to drop on the firing pin. Which would require a tremendous amount of force, much more than can be created just by dropping the gun directly on the cocked or half cocked hammer.
@@mikerobinson8734You seem to have zero understanding of how these firearms function, and are just repeating some nonsense you've heard from some other moron. Firearms are inherently dangerous, and you can create a set of circumstances with any of them to have a freak accidental discharge occur, from drops or mishandling. The CZ Shadow 2 is as drop safe as any other pistol in it's factory form. If you're that scared of them, then maybe you shouldn't own any firearms...To date I could only find one instance of a CZ Shadow killing anyone after a drop. It was at a USPSA match in 2020. Most likely it was modified, or possibly defective. If they were not drop safe you'd have a ton more instances of ADs, considering it's one of the most popular and copied designs on the market. This is not including all the other hammer fired pistols without a firing pin block that are carried and competed with. Like most 1911's (that are built on series 70 frames), 2011's, etc.
I was incredibly impressed with the Shadow 2 Compact, and can’t wait to get my hands on one… it will probably replace my Cajun P-01 in the EDC rotation.
My current EDC is a CZ 75D PCR. I enjoy that it has a decocker lever that avoids the worry that my thumb might slip off the hammer when I'm manually putting the gun in DA mode as described in the first three minutes of this video. That said, I'll also point out that my PCR is a better pistol than I am a shooter, and I lack the ready funds to pay about twice what I paid for my PCR to buy a Shadow 2 Compact. I rented a Shadow 2 (with blue grips) at my local range recently, and it sure does shoot nice, but I just can't justify the price.
I recently posted on Reddit about a CZ 75D. I already had a CZ 75B. Being on plenty of gun pages, everyone who has a CZ is always suggesting Cajun Gun Works. I did the only sensible thing a guy could do. I looked for the crappiest CZ trigger, in my opinion, CZ 75D (Decocker, for those unaware). It’s arguably a not so great trigger. I bought it for $656. I ordered Lok grips, as my other CZ has VZ grips, as does one of my 1911 pistols. The grips were $69 and some change. They’re no different than VZ, with the exception they took longer to deliver. While I was at it, I ordered the Cajun Gun Works Standard Package (Defense Carry). That was $250. First, the Standard/Defense package does include Short Reset System and an extended firing pin, along with a new hammer. I did buy a flat trigger when I ordered and their punch and slave pin for the disassembly and reassembly. The end result was a regular CZ 75D that feels every bit as nice as the gun in this video. The trigger is a smooth pull, probably 7-7.5lbs double action. Not gritty at all. The single action feels very light. Definitely sub 4lbs, if I had to guess. The decocker is lighter to use and feels very positive when the hammer decocks. I also ordered Night Fision sights for it. I’ve been carrying and using it daily. It’s an amazing feeling CZ. They should feel like this before I bought it, for the price I originally paid. When all is said and done, this gun will be just over $1,000. If I saw this CZ in a shop, at that price, I doubt I’d really look at it to purchase. When I swap out the main spring with the lighter one, it’s stupid smooth and lighter trigger pulls. That’s with the safety plunger installed. In single action, with the Cajun parts, there’s a distinct wall before the trigger breaks in single action, which I love. Take up the slack in the trigger and it’s definitely there. Because I have the firing pin safety plunger, it’s going to always have pre travel, due to it having the firing pin plunger and double action. Single action only, you could adjust most of that travel out using the trigger screw. Again, super smooth, a lot less pull effort, and it really does feel nice. I mentioned on Reddit, that it feels like a decent revolver In double action. Was it worth spending the money to see the difference? Yes and no. I could’ve spent that money on something more useful. However, it’s a kinda cool pistol now. Sadly, just looking at it, you can’t tell how nice it actually feels. I can only image how the Cajun Pro Kit feels.😉👍 imgur.io/a/hd4yLv7
Thank you so much for calmly explaining this manual of arms. Ive seen all kinds of watch out no firing pin safety here videos ! You better keep it in double action claims ! Thank You Sir !!!
I've been carrying a standard size CZ 75 for over twenty five years and never had any problems with it being unsafe or any problems at all. Great gun. My favorite 9mm. That model looks nice BTW. Like a CZ 75 that's been to the beaty parlor. 😆 I may have to get one of those.
Here in Prague, I regularly go to the CZ shop to buy ammunition. And just like that, once I went there the day after the launch of the CZ SHAdow2 Compact and someone was looking at it. They didn't even put it under the counter, I had to take it in my hands right away It is a beauty Maybe I'll buy it one day too
I love my Shadow 2 Compact, as soon as I got it I went to the range, It made me feel great about the money spent, totally worth it. Since it's winter in Philly it's my EDC. A great gun and natural pointer and shooter, it's more accurate than I am.
If you pull and release the trigger while slowly lowering the hammer, it will stop in the 1/2 cocked position. If you continue to pin the trigger while lowering the hammer, it will fully collapse.
Yep, if it does slip, (hammer), it will fall to half cock and no further if the trigger is released while lowering the hammer. Another method is to use the cut out in the hammer by pinching the hammer between the index finger and thumb and lowering it. Much more secure than thumb on the back (spur) of the hammer as it can slip easier with such a short hammer spur. KnifeMaker/Carrying 1911's since Christ was a Corporal
@@michaell397 I know all of this but as I said in the pinned comment, I was showing the full mechanism's functions. You should be able to fully decock the hammer safely and not rely on your finger or going straight to half cock. You shouldn't be afraid of your gun or how it functions. Be as cautious as you like for your own comfort level.
For some time, here in Czechia, during the gun permit exam, it was expected, that during decocking you are using finger of the weak hand as an another obstacle in front of hammer. So in case hammer slips, you will be punished, and you will do better next time ;-)
Yeah, this is kinda what I was thinking when I heard people starting to debate the topic of safety. I understand that not having a FPB could present an issue in a very specific set of situations that are unlikely to occur, and the lack of a decocker does require the shooter to put slightly more effort into prepping the weapon for carry, but ultimately they should not be an issue. If you're going to carry the gun, you can either buy the extended safety lever and carry it in SA mode locked, or you can decock it manually (use your thumb to protect the firing pin if you're paranoid), and carry it that way. I'm just not seeing a situation where this gun is going to be unsafe.
I want one for sure! Currently have a Ts2 green and my edc is a cz p07 with decocker. I doubt it would replace my p07 but looks like nice range toy to complement the Ts2 greeny.
Thanks for the comment! Yes, a few others have mentioned that and in the competitions I've been to, I've often seen da/sa guns in half cock when not doing a course of fire. However, the shadow 2 fully decocked could potentially fire if dropped on the hammer so carry wise, half cock is preferred if not going cocked and locked imo. i mention in the video comeptitors have it in the fully decocked position and im referring to course of fire vs just carrying it.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 No argument from me on the hammer all the way down and hammer strike point. But, for USPSA a DA/SA need to be all the way down unless a de-cocking lever is used. For my end, I love my S2s for USPSA, but I'd never carry a gun that heavy all day, every day. Lots of other options out there.
@@667_beast for sure, thats why i am talking about the shadow 2 compact, its a new gun they are coming out with that is a shadow 2 with a 4" barrel, 15 round mag capacity, optics ready, and aluminum frame. could be a nice carry option if you like your shadow 2
@@667_beastThat’s why I love my Beretta 92X Compact. Decocker DA/SA is the best imo for safely carrying a handgun imo. Just lock and load, decock, holster, and you’re ready to go.
Theoretically, would layers/heavy clothing that gets caught up near the firing pin area cause accidental fire when you sit down or adjust your posture?
Are you asking if soft cloth pressing on the firing pin area will set off a round? If so no, it requires some force to set off a primer in a cartridge. If primers were that easy to set off regular ammunition would be needed to be handled with such care that it would be impractical. A sharp jolt or heavy pressure might do it, assuming it was with enough force. Thus the nomenclature "drop safe". In this context it means if dropped, and the firearm lands in such a way that it makes the hammer transfer energy into the firing pin it could go off, hence either the safety stops it or the half cock prevents the hammer from reaching the firing pin. In respect to clothing, its a much bigger risk of getting it caught in the trigger guard when holstering than it somehow affecting the firing pin in the recessed area.
I carry a P07 and P01 in rotation during in the fall thru spring. A Canik Mete MC9 in the summer under a t-shirt. I love my Shadow 2 for accurate range shooting. Can't really justify even more for an EDC right now. I would buy it for a range toy honestly. Looks beautiful, but I'm good for now. CZ's are the best in my opinion overall. Several very outstanding clones out there too. Just love the ergo's.
How's your Canik holding up? I have about 500-700 rounds through mine. The mag release had me worried at first, kind of stiff but now it's smooth as butter all around. It's my EDC.
In the decocked / half cocked position can the safety be unintentionally or intentionally swept on? If so I’d see that as a potential problem as it can be actuated without knowing (while handling the gun) and then when you go to shoot from the half cocked position you wouldn’t know to needs to be disengaged. Now if the thin safty can not be engaged when the hammer is in the half cocked position that would be great! Does anyone know the answer to that? Thanks
As far as I know the gun can only go off when the trigger is pulled. Even if you hit the firing pin, most guns that use a hammer has a pin blocking the firing pin from going forward, which is disengaged when the trigger is pulled. So even if you hit the pin directly it shouldn't go off. I have not handled the Shadow 2 compact though so if I am wrong in this instance feel free to correct me
Thank you so much for making this video. I was on the other side of the fence but a while ago I did the research and learned what technically makes no FPB pistols “unsafe”. So many CZ fans need to see this video so they don’t spread anymore misinformation
Just one comment in competition USPSA / IDPA etc you start with hammer down not half cock position. I picked up a shadow 2 compact a couple of months ago i will use it in IDPA this year as the standard shadow 2 is too heavy. It's a great gun, not as fast on follow up shots as the full size shadow 2 (less weight more recoil) but great none the less.
You are mistaken. The Shadown 2, just like a 70 Series 1911, can discharge when dropped. There is nothing preventing the firing pin from moving, except for the firing pin spring. If you drop the gun from a high enough height onto a hard surface, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the firing pin spring and the gun will discharge. Gunsmith Hilton Yam tested this and proved that 1911s can discharge when dropped from less than 5'. For 1911s, I replace the firing pin with a lightweight titanium firing pin and use an extra strength firing pin retaining spring. Just a couple years ago, a USPSA range officer was fatally shot at a match when a competitor dropped his Shadow 2. I have a Shadow 2 and it is a lovely gun. But we should not discount the risk of not having a firing pin safety. No, I'm not saying that the Shadow 2 Compact is unsafe, but it is at higher risk of a discharge when dropped compared to a gun with a firing pin safety. We need to be upfront about this so that people have enough information to make an informed decision.
I find it fkn amazin how many people drop something with a built in handle. I think the best thing to practice is to not throw things that cost a grand on the hard ground. That's what I strive for on a daily basis.
yes there is, it's called a firing pin spring that an engineer designed in conjunction with a firing pin to not show inertia to fire the gun. that's why the gun has never fired when dropped like that
@@robkam643400DA or SA doesn’t matter. The firing pin is in the same position either way. When an object is moving it has inertia and wants to keep moving. So if you drop a gun into a hard surface, the inertia of the firing pin makes the firing pin keep moving forward. The only thing resisting the firing pin movement is the firing pin spring. If dropped from a high enough height, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the spring and the gun will discharge.
@@maximusjoseppi5904clearly you didn’t read my post. 1911s also have a firing pin spring. Anytime you have a firing pin that is only prevented from moving by a firing pin spring, the gun can discharge if dropped from a high enough height. At some height of drop, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the firing pin spring and the gun will discharge. This is just simple physics. The resistance of the spring is fixed, but the inertia of the firing pin is directly proportional to the velocity of the gun when dropped. The higher the drop, the faster the gun is moving, the more the inertia of the firing pin spring. So since the resistance of the spring is fixed, that can be overcome simply by a higher drop. So, unless you can provide the details of the drop tests performed on the gun, you simply don’t know how high a drop it needs before it will discharge. Hilton Yam’s test results of his drop tests on 1911s can be found on the Internet. I’m not saying this gun is unsafe. But I am saying it is less safe than a gun with a firing pin safety and we shouldn’t dismiss these concerns - we should understand the physics and clearly discuss the risks.
The safe way to lower the hammer on any 75 platform is to place the thumb of your support hand between the hammer and the back of the slide. Pull the trigger then move your finger to the side of the slide and slowly let the hammer move to half cock.
people have their own levels of caution, I don't think that's necessary but if you are afraid of decocking normally and that makes you comfortable, it works great too
@maximusjoseppi5904 Most Cz owners do put the thumb between the hammer and slide and then roll the thumb out. The reason being is that most Czs don't have the flat topped competition hammer. They have a rounded hammer that is harder to hold by just placing your thumb on the top of the hammer especially if their is any moisture on your hands.
this is a shadow 2 as mentioned at the beginning of the video. the compact comes with silver grips on release but you will be able to change that easily or wait for different color variations
striker fired guns have made clowns of a generation of shooters. your gun doesn't have to be stupid-proof to be handled safely. YOU need to be competent in its use.
@@Rothbardy This is true. It's a cool gun but a niche gun when it comes down to it. It's really no different than all these 2011s lately. They will be selling at a discount soon enough. In the end, a PDP is still a better carry gun and fighting gun. But it's cool to have both, I carry lots of different stuff depending on my mood
I’m glad someone’s elevator reached the top floor on the s2c. And all your marbles are round. These guys that are hating prob just can’t afford one or are not confident enough to carry a real gun. And they prob arnt part of the baby boomer era and the next after that still has alittle common sense. I will be carrying mine in the half cocked position comfortably.
Thank you! I thought this gun would stay at home. I just want to make sure, is the "half cocked" position as safe as the cocked and locked ? ??? Sorry millennial here.
I would rather have the P-01 whose decocker brings the hammer down to the half cock position. If you get the Omega version it will come with the decocker installed, but you also get a safety that you can install in place of the decocker if you prefer that.
good vid, click title aside:D. someone tell me the difference between a Cajun Gun Works Pro P01 and the Shadow2.. besides firing pin block/ optics cut >? i could pay $1200 but that's about max for what you're getting.
I love my SP01 with CGW pro package but the trigger on the Shadow 2 is still better and the full dust cover on the Shadow 2 distributes weight better to reduce overall felt recoil and muzzle rise for faster shots in competition.
You missed a major feature. You can engage the safety while in half-cocked position, keeping the hammer safely away from the firing pin while also locking the slide and trigger. It’s a very safe way to carry. I should know… it’s become my EDC. - CZ Shadow 2 Compact Owner
you shouldnt engage the safety while in half cock... that defeats the purpose of putting it in half cock. either carry it cocked and locked or carry it in double action. youre only endangering yourself with no benefit by doing what you are doing.
I just got done shooting my S2 compact for a 1k review… ZERO NUN NODA.. negligent discharges!!! Those people are using improper grip techniques… incorrect trigger control on a HAMMER gun!!
I think the issue (If you think it is one) is that the Shadows don’t have firing pin blocks. So in theory not drop safe. Plenty of older guns like series 70 1911s don’t have them and people carry those. Personally having a firing pin block gives me the warm fuzzies so I’ll stick to my P-01 for now.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 Technically speaking it won't, firing pin block is to prevent a fall so hard that it could cause the firing pin to move and hit the primer just based on inertia. Though this so unlikely with a out of the box modern day hammer fire pistol when in the half cock position, that I won't worry about it. It's when folks start modifying such pistols to have such light triggers, that they now have a lighter firing pin spring or extended firing pin to have reliable primer strikes due to how light they made the hammer spring to achieve a lighter trigger pull. So IMO if you keep it bone stock no problem, but when you start replacing parts for a lighter trigger pull, be aware of a potential discharge if dropped if it's one up.
@@Jarrow13 i understand thats what people say, but a properly functioning and unmodified gun will have a spring and firing pin combination incapable of firing from impact when designed without a firing pin block. the engineers think of this stuff before we do and have been doing it successfully for a long time. people modifying guns is beyond the scope of this video and an unreasonable point to make. a gun's design cannot be held accountable for what people do to it after the fact. people pin grip safeties, disable safeties, lighten triggers, change firing pins, grind sears... when they ND or the gun breaks and malfunctions, thats on them alone.
The reason people are all uptight about thisShadow 2 compact for edc is because a couple years ago a competitor in New York State dropped his Shadow 2 while holstering I believe. The gun discharged and killed a range officer so it must not have hit barrel first unless it was a ricochet. I do not know if the firearm was modified. BTW, I just bought a Shadow 2 compact. I love it.
@maximusjoseppi5904 Wouldn't be intentional of course. This is where having the action be double for the initial pull then single thereafter and the safety double as a decocking lever like my old S&W 6906 back from the '80s comes in handy. You don't need to ride the hammer down to decock the gun so there's no potential to generate an ND by accident trying to render the loaded gun in a safe state. Just activate the safety and you're good and the firing pin is not accessible by the hammer.
@@duketogo2616 what did we do for hundreds of years without a docker.. if you aren't comfortable manipulating a gun, get a different gun. But manually decocking a gun is not dangerous, it's not difficult, and it's been done billions of times since guns were created till today without people shooting the gun accidentally
@@maximusjoseppi5904 I've never had or seen it happen but figured the possibility exists and I always try to think of ways something unintended by the end user can cause a situation to go sideways, especially with something like a gun. Obviously if you're safety minded you should have it pointed in a safe direction so even in the unlikely event your thumb did somehow slip off the knurled portion of the hammer and it hit hard enough to activate the primer the round would travel in a path that wouldn't pose a risk to anyone
I have a hard time believing that when the hammer is fully seated, even if it is dropped on it that it will strike the firing pin hard enough to cause it to fire a live round
Personally, I'm not carrying at half cock and never would. I'll purchase (Already did) or machine my own extended safety if I feel it's necessary so I can carry full cock with the safety on. I don't really have anything against half cock, but muscle memory is a thing and I'm just used to sweeping for it and feeling a positive click when it comes in and out of safe. I'm a real fan of how the Shadow 2 and Compact S2 shoot, just not a fan of their safety that's way too small and that I don't get positive verification when it comes in and out of safe like I do with my Staccatos, Buls etc. The extended safety has already been added to mine, but that positive verification hasn't. If they find a way to fix that, I'll carry it.
Thank you for this informative video. The options are well explained, but I’d add a couple thoughts. First, the method of getting to half cocked, as others have pointed out. A second item I propose is that the safety is not prominent enough to guarantee a good sweep in a stressful situation. Perhaps the wide safety, available for the S2, will fit: I’ve heard elsewhere it will. Lastly, a minor point in the context of this discussion, but in USPSA, double action pistols start from fully decocked, not half cocked. This situation is challenging. Despite careful technique, I’ve sent a round down range during fully decocking, and earned an early exit from the match. I won’t be decocking a carry gun in this manner in my home, ever. Half cocked, or wider safety lever for me. Appreciate the presentation. We’ll done.
in the few matches ive been to, ive seen people carrying DA/SA guns half cocked while not shooting but thats just my perception. thanks for sharing the experience!
@@maximusjoseppi5904 one possible explanation is that if the gun has a decocker, that is used, and does that perhaps leave the gun half cocked? Possibly, just not on a Shadow 2. I also can’t speak to the rules other than USPSA and Steel Challenge, and in those cases I’m familiar with the rules (easily verified). Cheers. I definitely will get a S2 compact. ;-)
@@CurtisBrandt i understand the course of fire is done fully decocked and i mention that in the video but carrying it around, ive seeen half cocked shadows. thanks for the comment
@@maximusjoseppi5904 I would be willing to bet that anyone walking around with a half cocked pistol there is a joker on the range pulling the hammers back.
@@maximusjoseppi5904I'm a uspsa competitor and an ro that works major matches. The rules dictate that if the gun has a decocker (like the Beretta) then that is used to go to half cock. If there is no decocker then the hammer has to be fully decocker. Stupid rule, but it is the rule
no they arent, they are referring to what i said in this video. the trigger is not light, its a DA/SA gun with a manual safety. and no, the trigger couldnt "end someone in trouble" unless you ND, then thats your just incompetence, not the gun.
Nice work. Setting aside all the noise, does anyone really want to spend the exorbitant price for the compact, use it as an EDC, unfortunately need to actually use it, and then have it sit in a police evidence locker for who knows how long??? My PCR with the CGW pro package is plenty good and all that money for the Shadow 2 compact can be spent on training, ammunition, and range time. But hey, it's your money - spend it how you wish.
All that being said, it takes the human being aware enough to ALWAYS observe the hammer in the half cock position, and we know humans are nothing if not fallible. So, in effect, if the hammer were fully forward on a chambered round, and the gun were to be inadvertently dropped, it could go off if it were to land on the hammer. Does CZ recommend this gun to be carried with a round chambered? I kind of doubt that. Might have to dig out my CZ manual and look. I'm fine with my 1911 cocked and locked, and fine with a revolver with a full cylinder because they are designed to be used that way. Also got no problem with seeing one of these cocked and ready out in public, but the half cock thing just leaves one to many variables in it in my opinion.
Its not unsafe to carry its dangerous to drop hammer on a round to put into double action mode! Anytime you have to manually decock a gun with a live round in the chamber it's very dangerous during that move! IMO these double action autos should have decocker on them if used for carry ect! Learning curve for sure and cocked and locked is save but not as safe as double action with decocker!
with the proper technique, its quite safe and normal to manually decock a firearm. calling it dangerous is quite an exaggeration.. it could be dangerous, if you are negligent and not following redundant firearms safety rules, as is almost every manipulation of a firearm. It is also not something you are doing often... i load my carry gun and then dont unload it until the next range session with it. so this action of manually decocking the hammer should likely be once every 1-6 months (if you practice with your carry gun often) and always done at the range or walk outside if you are extra worried about a negligent discharge.
Unfortunately, there's about 10 thing's safer than the way CZ designed this and while there is a 'fairly safe' technique to getting this into a safe condition, the risk is just too high. I personally think that forcing the user to decock the hammer using the trigger is not an acceptable feature on a CARRY or DUTY or HOME DEFENSE gun. In competition or at the range, fine. Tolerable. But not as a manual of arms to have to manipulate almost every day. I would not recommend this gun to new shooters, and even someone with experience can become complacent. The juice is just not worth the squeeze. Thousands of other handguns put 9mm on target without this consideration
if you handle, train with, and care for your firearm properly, you should only have to load your gun at the range. you can also simply walk outside to load it if youre that scared to decock a gun manually but its a pretty basic skill we have used for hundreds of years from the earliest single action revolvers to modern DA/SA guns. in the end, to each their own, but its not unsafe at all
you can do it either way but the hammer is serrated on the top because thats where you are supposed to put your thumb, you are wrong by design. pinching the hammer will work though.
Nothing safer than taking off the safety of a cocked and loaded pistol and pulling the trigger... with a thumb on the hammer to stop it hitting the firing pin... wait a minute!
i mean, if youre competent with guns, its not a problem and a normal manipulation, but i can see how thats scary to an inexperienced novice. just get proper training from a professional if you want to learn. weve been doing it for hundreds of years between revolvers and modern guns.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 Good point. I am sure that experienced people in a defensive situation who are mentally and/or physically exhausted, under high stress, and wet from sweat, rain or blood will never have a problem, just like they never have a problem at a sheltered gun range when they are in peak condition, unstressed, and not covered in sweat, rain or blood... wait a minute!
@@Lutz101 🤣 what? There's no reason to ever decock this firearm under stress. It's not a normal manipulation and only needs to be done at the range after you're done training and are loading your carry ammo until the next range session if you prefer to carry in half cock. Don't spread ignorance like that
@@maximusjoseppi5904 The whole point of DA pistols is to carry them hammer down so you have a long and heavy trigger pull for the first shot to prevent an accidental discharge when drawing and reholstering it or when holding someone at gunpoint. These handguns are vastly better with a decock lever if you carry them hammer down, and the SIG P226 and HK P2000 have much better decock lever designs than the one available for the CZ 75.
@@Lutz101 that's not the whole point of the shadow 2, that's why there's a safety on it. It gives you options. Manually decocking a gun has been done for hundreds of years, millions upon millions, likely billions of times and people managed to not shoot their gun by accident often. It's a very basic handling skill but if you're not comfortable with it, get training from a proper professional or buy a different kind of gun that's better for a novice or very timid user. But the gun is perfectly safe as is for a competent owner.
read the comment section, every single video i have seen has a highly thumbed up comment on it being unsafe because it doesnt have a firing pin block safety or decocker. The reviewers didnt say it themselves.
@@sportsterrider37 No, you guys just don't read comments. Just stop talking in ironic ignorance about a topic that needed to be discussed for reasons unknown to you.
@@AudioGardenSlave123I think they were alluding to the fact that in the title it says the CZ Shadow 2 Compact is unsafe to carry and then he proceeds to tell the viewer how it is safe to carry and goes into a tutorial on how to safely carry SA/DA (which you should know if you are carrying one). The clickbait worked on me for sure.
People who purchase this gun need to understand the operation. It is a safe weapon, if in doubt, then Israeli carry. The Sig P229 Legion has the same system. Practice, practice, , practice the safe and sable hammer decock.
I would carry a shadow 2 compact, verry happily, I know its extreme reliability (IPSC shooter), shot many times the old shadow 1 and sometimes the shadow 2. It only requires a slightly thicker ambi safety (original seems to thin), hard to operate, should retain position while carry and resistant to wear (thousands of click ON/OFF) like 1911s high quality. Optimized for "cock and lock", condition 1 like 1911s (that I like a lot). The absence of firing pin safety is highly positive, makes the pistol more reliable, no problems of synchrony (highly common on striker fired, also problems with heat treatment... thanks to very avid governments worldwide). Good also the absence of decockers (useless crap), for me CZ should make also a pure SAO version, I don't care about double action. Simply: an high quality SAO pistol, all metal. 🇮🇹
@@bng2679 I shot IDPA and I don't care about IDPA, I prefer way more IPSC or other "open minded" circuits... Ironically when I was a newbie I prefered IDPA, after tried: no way... serious tactical training or IPSC for speed and fun, a PRO should be able to switch between the two enviroments easily.
Any gun guys don't like or can't afford or is well engineered and taking market share is accused of being "un safe" or "fires on its own" ...yet companies like CZ and SIG have been manufacturing , engineering and testing guns for over 100 years and somehow they produce guns that "fire on their own" ....come on !
Sig P320 doesn't fire on its own. It has been proven over and over and over again, the trigger assembly needs to move for it fire. Just like any person on this planet wants their gun to operate, when the GD trigger is pulled, it sends a freedom seed.
Oh clickbait. I just came here to argue. You have to start in competition with the hammer full down, not half cock. The gun is safe with the hammer and stock firing pin (not extended) with hammer fully down.
if you dropped the the shadow 2 on the hammer, the gun could fire fully decocked. as for competition, i often have see people in half cock while not shooting so i can only speak from limited experience.
A hammer down on a stock firing pin cannot put any force into the pin since the hammer is sitting against the firing pin retaining plate and the pin doesn't protrude. An extended firing pin, however, is not safe with the hammer down on it since it is sitting against the primer and protruding into the hammer. And a shadow 2 should be completely decocked after unload and show clear, not halfcock. czcams.com/video/Euo1SFjNuJo/video.html @@maximusjoseppi5904
People who say CZ is unsafe because of the possibiity of accidental shot when the handgun drops on the hammer are pretty stupid. All CZ handguns have inertial strikers, you can hit the hammer anyhow in any position and it will never shoot
An excerpt from an NRA publication, Half-Cock Notch: Safe or Not by George Harris, Oct 17, 2018. "Contrary to popular belief, the half-cock notch on the hammer of the 1911 is not a carry location. Rather, it is a passive safety to keep the hammer from striking the firing pin should the single-action notch on the hammer or the sear-engagement surfaces fail to maintain their intended relationship." "...I discovered and proved multiple times while working as an expert witness in legal cases involving the unintentional discharge of 1911s with the hammer resting at the half-cock notch. In more than half of the test attempts, the energy of the hammer of a stock 1911 pistol was sufficient to fire the gun from the half-cock position." This, in addition to the other glaring omissions as stated in the comment section. I find this video to be irresponsible at best and outright lethal at worst. Please do not make videos on firearm safety if you are not an expert.
this isnt a 1911, a 1911 should be carried cocked and locked, like i said in the video. what you linked is irrelevant to this gun, its a different gun. you dont know enough about guns to know why you are wrong. keep reading
huh? thats the only way youre supposed to carry a gun. a non loaded gun is useless. thats like driving around without your seatbelt on intending to strap it on before an accident
@@maximusjoseppi5904 then why the cops are alwaya checking if the gun is loaded when they catch someone with a gun?? and just those who had a bullet in a chamber are fcked?? omfg America is so fcked up :D no way something like that in my country and in canada you cant even have a pistol... fucked up US with those fckin´guns
Is carrying any gun, that has no firing pin block, with round in the chamber, perfectly safe? During a car crash for example, there is no posiibilitythat firing pin would move and hit the primer with enough energy for round to go off?
Lol. "You can buy your Shadow 2 Compact with confidence. . ." If you can find one in real life. No stores here have them. Can't bring myself to buy online having never at least handled the gun.
as i said in the video, they have it fully decocked during a course of fire. not every organization has the same rules while not on a course of fire and i have often seen DA/SA guns at half cock.
in the competitions ive been to, i would see people in half cock with DA/SA guns while not shooting, is that rule at all times or during your course of fire? i understand the course of fire is started from fully decocked, as i mentioned in the video, but carrying it around ive seen half cocked hammers
In production division where the shadow 2 shine there is no situation where you will use the half cock position. First shot is always in full double action
Well-done. Less click baity title would have question marks instead of exclamation points. I love my CZs, the half cock position is at least as safe as the hammer down. And if you can't lower the hammer without having kittens, (it isn't that hard, a little awareness goes a long way), get a de-cocker.
I go straight from fully cocked to half-cocked. No need to fully decock first. I’ll give up my staccato C2, which I consider the perfect carry gun, before I give up my shadow 2 compact. Sweet gun it is. Thanks for educating people.
yes, thats a good idea as well, i was showing the full mechanism's functions. thank you for pointing that out. releasing the hammer with the trigger, then releasing the trigger will allow you to go straight to half cock as mentioned above.
If you want to learn proper battery of arms, go to full decock first, then select your position.
If you just want to learn your gun only, go do you.
I'm hoping the Shadow 2 compact is a good rotation to my C-2 !
@@stevehatten209 Yeah, feeling a little guilty for carrying it over my C2 after what I spent on it. It's almost as heavy but I've been thinking on getting a P07 as a carry gun, then the Shadow 2 Compact hit the market. Good luck trying to find an optic plate. I'm on everyone's waitlist but I found a Cajun Gunworks aluminum plate from Ben Stoeger as a temporary plate for my HE 507 comp until a C&H steel plate becomes available.
Jeff Morgan We must think alike. I have a PO-7 set up for carry without an optic now.. But I'm looking forward to carrying the Shadow 2 compact. I'll probably be looking to put an optic on it for sure. Thanks Jeff for your insight on these great CZ firearms !
As someone who’s EDC is an SP-01 Shadow, I’m glad that there is at least one other Shadow owner out there who understands the “half-cock” position. The CZ manual even explains this, but I doubt many of the “iTs NoT sAFE” crowd are literate.
Wait, you're suppose to read the manual?
If my wife wouldn't divorce me. I would totally CCW a Shadow 2 Compact.
Is the safety able to be engaged in the half cocked or fully decocked position?
@@i_kik_set safe can be engaged in the half cocked position. The gun has everything I want in a carry gun.
@@deronthomas7904 Man, I know that's supposed to be a joke. But it's not really. There's 2 maybe 3 reasons to divorce. I think we 'joke' too much about something that is destroying our society right now.
I was educated on exactly this by one of the gunsmiths at Cajun Gun Works (side note those guys are amazing...spent about 25 minutes with me on the phone just talking guns and options, educating me on some stuff along the way, and giving me tips on other companies to buy parts from, without even trying to force a sale). This is exactly the point that he educated me on, that these DA/SA or SA pistols are totally safe to carry, even without the firing pin block (unlike the Omega series, which has a firing pin block plunger). His point was that as long as you know how to operate the system correctly, these pistols are completely drop safe. You would have to essentially break the hammer or sear to get the hammer to drop on the firing pin. Which would require a tremendous amount of force, much more than can be created just by dropping the gun directly on the cocked or half cocked hammer.
@@mikerobinson8734You seem to have zero understanding of how these firearms function, and are just repeating some nonsense you've heard from some other moron. Firearms are inherently dangerous, and you can create a set of circumstances with any of them to have a freak accidental discharge occur, from drops or mishandling. The CZ Shadow 2 is as drop safe as any other pistol in it's factory form. If you're that scared of them, then maybe you shouldn't own any firearms...To date I could only find one instance of a CZ Shadow killing anyone after a drop. It was at a USPSA match in 2020. Most likely it was modified, or possibly defective. If they were not drop safe you'd have a ton more instances of ADs, considering it's one of the most popular and copied designs on the market. This is not including all the other hammer fired pistols without a firing pin block that are carried and competed with. Like most 1911's (that are built on series 70 frames), 2011's, etc.
Thank you, finally a thorough explanation of the trigger mechanism.
I was incredibly impressed with the Shadow 2 Compact, and can’t wait to get my hands on one… it will probably replace my Cajun P-01 in the EDC rotation.
My current EDC is a CZ 75D PCR. I enjoy that it has a decocker lever that avoids the worry that my thumb might slip off the hammer when I'm manually putting the gun in DA mode as described in the first three minutes of this video.
That said, I'll also point out that my PCR is a better pistol than I am a shooter, and I lack the ready funds to pay about twice what I paid for my PCR to buy a Shadow 2 Compact. I rented a Shadow 2 (with blue grips) at my local range recently, and it sure does shoot nice, but I just can't justify the price.
I recently posted on Reddit about a CZ 75D.
I already had a CZ 75B. Being on plenty of gun pages, everyone who has a CZ is always suggesting Cajun Gun Works.
I did the only sensible thing a guy could do. I looked for the crappiest CZ trigger, in my opinion, CZ 75D (Decocker, for those unaware). It’s arguably a not so great trigger.
I bought it for $656. I ordered Lok grips, as my other CZ has VZ grips, as does one of my 1911 pistols. The grips were $69 and some change. They’re no different than VZ, with the exception they took longer to deliver.
While I was at it, I ordered the Cajun Gun Works Standard Package (Defense Carry). That was $250.
First, the Standard/Defense package does include Short Reset System and an extended firing pin, along with a new hammer. I did buy a flat trigger when I ordered and their punch and slave pin for the disassembly and reassembly.
The end result was a regular CZ 75D that feels every bit as nice as the gun in this video. The trigger is a smooth pull, probably 7-7.5lbs double action. Not gritty at all. The single action feels very light. Definitely sub 4lbs, if I had to guess.
The decocker is lighter to use and feels very positive when the hammer decocks.
I also ordered Night Fision sights for it. I’ve been carrying and using it daily.
It’s an amazing feeling CZ. They should feel like this before I bought it, for the price I originally paid.
When all is said and done, this gun will be just over $1,000.
If I saw this CZ in a shop, at that price, I doubt I’d really look at it to purchase.
When I swap out the main spring with the lighter one, it’s stupid smooth and lighter trigger pulls. That’s with the safety plunger installed. In single action, with the Cajun parts, there’s a distinct wall before the trigger breaks in single action, which I love. Take up the slack in the trigger and it’s definitely there.
Because I have the firing pin safety plunger, it’s going to always have pre travel, due to it having the firing pin plunger and double action. Single action only, you could adjust most of that travel out using the trigger screw.
Again, super smooth, a lot less pull effort, and it really does feel nice. I mentioned on Reddit, that it feels like a decent revolver In double action.
Was it worth spending the money to see the difference? Yes and no. I could’ve spent that money on something more useful. However, it’s a kinda cool pistol now. Sadly, just looking at it, you can’t tell how nice it actually feels. I can only image how the Cajun Pro Kit feels.😉👍
imgur.io/a/hd4yLv7
If you squeeze and release the tigger while holding the hammer the gun will go to half cocked. You don’t have to go to decocked to get to half cocked.
yes sir, I pinned a comment about that because I forgot to mention that as I was showing the full mechanism's functions. thanks for watching
thanks for explaining double-action, single-action. learned something new. thank you.
Thank you so much for calmly explaining this manual of arms. Ive seen all kinds of watch out no firing pin safety here videos ! You better keep it in double action claims ! Thank You Sir !!!
I've been carrying a standard size CZ 75 for over twenty five years and never had any problems with it being unsafe or any problems at all. Great gun. My favorite 9mm.
That model looks nice BTW. Like a CZ 75 that's been to the beaty parlor. 😆 I may have to get one of those.
Here in Prague, I regularly go to the CZ shop to buy ammunition. And just like that, once I went there the day after the launch of the CZ SHAdow2 Compact and someone was looking at it. They didn't even put it under the counter, I had to take it in my hands right away It is a beauty Maybe I'll buy it one day too
Very good explanation on how these guns work,I just purchased a Shadow 2 single action my first hammer fire gun. They are very safe to carry.
I love my Shadow 2 Compact, as soon as I got it I went to the range, It made me feel great about the money spent, totally worth it. Since it's winter in Philly it's my EDC. A great gun and natural pointer and shooter, it's more accurate than I am.
Thanks for the Video, I'm planning to get a Shadow 2 for sports shooting and this knowledge helps a lot.
3:25 - 3:31 So, just to clarify, carrying at half-cock is allowed for Production Division in USPSA? The hammer does not have to be fully lowered?
If you pull and release the trigger while slowly lowering the hammer, it will stop in the 1/2 cocked position. If you continue to pin the trigger while lowering the hammer, it will fully collapse.
yes, i forgot to mention that as i was explaining the full function of the mechanism and i pinned a comment about this method, thanks.
Just got one of these. Good information. Thanks for the vid.
Let your finger go off the trigger as you lower the hammer. That way if you slip, it won’t go off.
yes, that is a safe way to do it as well. thanks for watching. It's in the pinned comment
Yep, if it does slip, (hammer), it will fall to half cock and no further if the trigger is released while lowering the hammer.
Another method is to use the cut out in the hammer by pinching the hammer between the index finger and thumb and lowering it. Much more secure than thumb on the back (spur) of the hammer as it can slip easier with such a short hammer spur.
KnifeMaker/Carrying 1911's since Christ was a Corporal
@@michaell397 I know all of this but as I said in the pinned comment, I was showing the full mechanism's functions. You should be able to fully decock the hammer safely and not rely on your finger or going straight to half cock.
You shouldn't be afraid of your gun or how it functions. Be as cautious as you like for your own comfort level.
For some time, here in Czechia, during the gun permit exam, it was expected, that during decocking you are using finger of the weak hand as an another obstacle in front of hammer. So in case hammer slips, you will be punished, and you will do better next time ;-)
Just the video I was looking for. Excellent explanation, thanks.
Learn something new everyday. Great video!
Do u have to fully decock before going into the half cocked position?????? Or can I set it to the half cocked before????
Thanks for the detailed information.
Yeah, this is kinda what I was thinking when I heard people starting to debate the topic of safety. I understand that not having a FPB could present an issue in a very specific set of situations that are unlikely to occur, and the lack of a decocker does require the shooter to put slightly more effort into prepping the weapon for carry, but ultimately they should not be an issue. If you're going to carry the gun, you can either buy the extended safety lever and carry it in SA mode locked, or you can decock it manually (use your thumb to protect the firing pin if you're paranoid), and carry it that way. I'm just not seeing a situation where this gun is going to be unsafe.
I carry all my CZs that way with confidence. Nice video!
Love mine, got it right after they hit the shelves and so glad I did because they have gone up in price. I carry mine all the time
I want one for sure! Currently have a Ts2 green and my edc is a cz p07 with decocker. I doubt it would replace my p07 but looks like nice range toy to complement the Ts2 greeny.
Umm… we competitors put the hammer all the way down on the Shadow 2. I assure you.
Thanks for the comment! Yes, a few others have mentioned that and in the competitions I've been to, I've often seen da/sa guns in half cock when not doing a course of fire. However, the shadow 2 fully decocked could potentially fire if dropped on the hammer so carry wise, half cock is preferred if not going cocked and locked imo. i mention in the video comeptitors have it in the fully decocked position and im referring to course of fire vs just carrying it.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 No argument from me on the hammer all the way down and hammer strike point. But, for USPSA a DA/SA need to be all the way down unless a de-cocking lever is used. For my end, I love my S2s for USPSA, but I'd never carry a gun that heavy all day, every day. Lots of other options out there.
@@667_beast for sure, thats why i am talking about the shadow 2 compact, its a new gun they are coming out with that is a shadow 2 with a 4" barrel, 15 round mag capacity, optics ready, and aluminum frame. could be a nice carry option if you like your shadow 2
@@667_beastThat’s why I love my Beretta 92X Compact. Decocker DA/SA is the best imo for safely carrying a handgun imo. Just lock and load, decock, holster, and you’re ready to go.
Theoretically, would layers/heavy clothing that gets caught up near the firing pin area cause accidental fire when you sit down or adjust your posture?
Are you asking if soft cloth pressing on the firing pin area will set off a round? If so no, it requires some force to set off a primer in a cartridge. If primers were that easy to set off regular ammunition would be needed to be handled with such care that it would be impractical. A sharp jolt or heavy pressure might do it, assuming it was with enough force. Thus the nomenclature "drop safe".
In this context it means if dropped, and the firearm lands in such a way that it makes the hammer transfer energy into the firing pin it could go off, hence either the safety stops it or the half cock prevents the hammer from reaching the firing pin.
In respect to clothing, its a much bigger risk of getting it caught in the trigger guard when holstering than it somehow affecting the firing pin in the recessed area.
I carry a P07 and P01 in rotation during in the fall thru spring. A Canik Mete MC9 in the summer under a t-shirt. I love my Shadow 2 for accurate range shooting. Can't really justify even more for an EDC right now. I would buy it for a range toy honestly. Looks beautiful, but I'm good for now. CZ's are the best in my opinion overall. Several very outstanding clones out there too. Just love the ergo's.
How's your Canik holding up? I have about 500-700 rounds through mine. The mag release had me worried at first, kind of stiff but now it's smooth as butter all around. It's my EDC.
Trust me, the shadow 2 compact at $1200 is the best bang for buck carry gun ever IMO. Pretty much as good as my staccato C2 which cost me $2500.
@@mooktemas6800 I also carry an SP-01 Phantom and it's my favorite pistol.
@mooktemas6800 I own the Staccato C-2 also-ran but I agree with you. There's something special about this Shadow 2 compact.
@@mikerobinson8734 that’s not true.
In the decocked / half cocked position can the safety be unintentionally or intentionally swept on? If so I’d see that as a potential problem as it can be actuated without knowing (while handling the gun) and then when you go to shoot from the half cocked position you wouldn’t know to needs to be disengaged. Now if the thin safty can not be engaged when the hammer is in the half cocked position that would be great! Does anyone know the answer to that? Thanks
i'm not sure, i didnt try that. ive seen conflicting information on that but with a holster, it would be very hard to accidentally push the safety on
Hadn't seen one with black grips until this video. I think I like the grey one better.
perfect perfect PERFECT explanation and education video! unreal how so much misinformation gets tossed around. Appreciate the concise point here
Thanks for the perfect explanation! 👍
I can't wait to get mine. It's going to be my first firearm.
As far as I know the gun can only go off when the trigger is pulled. Even if you hit the firing pin, most guns that use a hammer has a pin blocking the firing pin from going forward, which is disengaged when the trigger is pulled. So even if you hit the pin directly it shouldn't go off.
I have not handled the Shadow 2 compact though so if I am wrong in this instance feel free to correct me
if you watched the video, you will know the gun doesnt have a firing pin safety. which is where this discussion comes from.
Thank you so much for making this video. I was on the other side of the fence but a while ago I did the research and learned what technically makes no FPB pistols “unsafe”. So many CZ fans need to see this video so they don’t spread anymore misinformation
Man you’re one of the ONLY ppl on CZcams mentioning this.
Just one comment in competition USPSA / IDPA etc you start with hammer down not half cock position. I picked up a shadow 2 compact a couple of months ago i will use it in IDPA this year as the standard shadow 2 is too heavy. It's a great gun, not as fast on follow up shots as the full size shadow 2 (less weight more recoil) but great none the less.
Why not just add a decocker to the carry model?
There is. It is called the CZ75 P-01
Hey do you know if they make this Black Grips for the Compact ??
The problem I feel is a lot of new shooters were never trained carrying a 1911 style/ half cock or cock n lock handgun. Take the time to learn!
You are mistaken. The Shadown 2, just like a 70 Series 1911, can discharge when dropped. There is nothing preventing the firing pin from moving, except for the firing pin spring. If you drop the gun from a high enough height onto a hard surface, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the firing pin spring and the gun will discharge. Gunsmith Hilton Yam tested this and proved that 1911s can discharge when dropped from less than 5'. For 1911s, I replace the firing pin with a lightweight titanium firing pin and use an extra strength firing pin retaining spring.
Just a couple years ago, a USPSA range officer was fatally shot at a match when a competitor dropped his Shadow 2.
I have a Shadow 2 and it is a lovely gun. But we should not discount the risk of not having a firing pin safety. No, I'm not saying that the Shadow 2 Compact is unsafe, but it is at higher risk of a discharge when dropped compared to a gun with a firing pin safety. We need to be upfront about this so that people have enough information to make an informed decision.
Do you mean in SA? Or DA too? 🫢
I find it fkn amazin how many people drop something with a built in handle.
I think the best thing to practice is to not throw things that cost a grand on the hard ground.
That's what I strive for on a daily basis.
yes there is, it's called a firing pin spring that an engineer designed in conjunction with a firing pin to not show inertia to fire the gun.
that's why the gun has never fired when dropped like that
@@robkam643400DA or SA doesn’t matter. The firing pin is in the same position either way. When an object is moving it has inertia and wants to keep moving. So if you drop a gun into a hard surface, the inertia of the firing pin makes the firing pin keep moving forward. The only thing resisting the firing pin movement is the firing pin spring. If dropped from a high enough height, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the spring and the gun will discharge.
@@maximusjoseppi5904clearly you didn’t read my post. 1911s also have a firing pin spring. Anytime you have a firing pin that is only prevented from moving by a firing pin spring, the gun can discharge if dropped from a high enough height. At some height of drop, the inertia of the firing pin will overcome the resistance of the firing pin spring and the gun will discharge. This is just simple physics. The resistance of the spring is fixed, but the inertia of the firing pin is directly proportional to the velocity of the gun when dropped. The higher the drop, the faster the gun is moving, the more the inertia of the firing pin spring. So since the resistance of the spring is fixed, that can be overcome simply by a higher drop.
So, unless you can provide the details of the drop tests performed on the gun, you simply don’t know how high a drop it needs before it will discharge. Hilton Yam’s test results of his drop tests on 1911s can be found on the Internet.
I’m not saying this gun is unsafe. But I am saying it is less safe than a gun with a firing pin safety and we shouldn’t dismiss these concerns - we should understand the physics and clearly discuss the risks.
I almost wonder if CGW will offer a decocker system for it at some point
The safe way to lower the hammer on any 75 platform is to place the thumb of your support hand between the hammer and the back of the slide. Pull the trigger then move your finger to the side of the slide and slowly let the hammer move to half cock.
No, the safe way is to unload the gun.
@@m4rvinmartian an unloaded gun won't do you much good.
people have their own levels of caution, I don't think that's necessary but if you are afraid of decocking normally and that makes you comfortable, it works great too
@@m4rvinmartian what's the point of half cock with an empty chamber tho?
@maximusjoseppi5904 Most Cz owners do put the thumb between the hammer and slide and then roll the thumb out. The reason being is that most Czs don't have the flat topped competition hammer. They have a rounded hammer that is harder to hold by just placing your thumb on the top of the hammer especially if their is any moisture on your hands.
I think cocked and locked is just easier. It's literally called a SAFETY. Also, if you shoot ar15's alot then engaging safeties is just second nature.
Is the manual de-cocking maneuver that worries me. Cocked and locked seems the way to go for carry
Can I get this firearms completely blacked out from the factory? Or has this particular weapon been customized?
this is a shadow 2 as mentioned at the beginning of the video. the compact comes with silver grips on release but you will be able to change that easily or wait for different color variations
For some reason no one says it but if you’re super worried you can activate the safety while the hammer is half cocked.
I don’t know about a Shadow 2 but in all of CZ’s standard guns the safety doesn’t function in half cocked. It won’t move.
It is safe to carry. I watched somebody pound the hammer with a hammer and there wasn't even a mark on the primer. Its perfectly safe for carry
striker fired guns have made clowns of a generation of shooters. your gun doesn't have to be stupid-proof to be handled safely. YOU need to be competent in its use.
I would carry the Shadow2 Compact with a manual safety and no firing pin block over Sig P320 with NO manual safety or trigger safety AT ALL.
haha right?
Wish I could find a compact model in stock, ready to get one now.
they are online but at a 50% markup!
Just wait. They’ll sitting on shelves in a few weeks/months. Lots of hype right now
@@Rothbardy This is true. It's a cool gun but a niche gun when it comes down to it. It's really no different than all these 2011s lately. They will be selling at a discount soon enough.
In the end, a PDP is still a better carry gun and fighting gun. But it's cool to have both, I carry lots of different stuff depending on my mood
So it does have a decocker once it’s purchased
I’m glad someone’s elevator reached the top floor on the s2c. And all your marbles are round.
These guys that are hating prob just can’t afford one or are not confident enough to carry a real gun. And they prob arnt part of the baby boomer era and the next after that still has alittle common sense. I will be carrying mine in the half cocked position comfortably.
If a handgun with a manual thumb safety isn’t safe for you to carry, YOU are not safe to carry. End of story
My EDC is a CZ Rami with a decocker that is how I carry it decocked in DBL action mode, personally I don’t want a safety engaged it is not needed.
Thank you! I thought this gun would stay at home. I just want to make sure, is the "half cocked" position as safe as the cocked and locked ? ??? Sorry millennial here.
For those who think the lack of a firing pin safety isn't safe, tell us you're scared to carry a 1911 without yelling us your scared to carry a 1911.
I carry a 1911 without a block. Locked and cocked.
Nonsense on being not safe … Good video. The only thing that would make that gun not drop safe would be adding an extended firing pin…
This is what I’ve been told as well from CZ. I have ext fire pin for my comp shadow 2, but I would not for shadow 2 compact when I eventually get one.
I would rather have the P-01 whose decocker brings the hammer down to the half cock position. If you get the Omega version it will come with the decocker installed, but you also get a safety that you can install in place of the decocker if you prefer that.
good vid, click title aside:D. someone tell me the difference between a Cajun Gun Works Pro P01 and the Shadow2.. besides firing pin block/ optics cut >? i could pay $1200 but that's about max for what you're getting.
I love my SP01 with CGW pro package but the trigger on the Shadow 2 is still better and the full dust cover on the Shadow 2 distributes weight better to reduce overall felt recoil and muzzle rise for faster shots in competition.
I want one. Look at that price tag baby! OOOFAHH!
You missed a major feature. You can engage the safety while in half-cocked position, keeping the hammer safely away from the firing pin while also locking the slide and trigger. It’s a very safe way to carry. I should know… it’s become my EDC.
- CZ Shadow 2 Compact Owner
you shouldnt engage the safety while in half cock... that defeats the purpose of putting it in half cock. either carry it cocked and locked or carry it in double action. youre only endangering yourself with no benefit by doing what you are doing.
@@maximusjoseppi5904How so?
I just got done shooting my S2 compact for a 1k review… ZERO NUN NODA.. negligent discharges!!!
Those people are using improper grip techniques… incorrect trigger control on a HAMMER gun!!
I think the issue (If you think it is one) is that the Shadows don’t have firing pin blocks. So in theory not drop safe. Plenty of older guns like series 70 1911s don’t have them and people carry those. Personally having a firing pin block gives me the warm fuzzies so I’ll stick to my P-01 for now.
I concur, however the half cock position will eliminate those risks. Thanks for the comment, both great guns
@@maximusjoseppi5904 Technically speaking it won't, firing pin block is to prevent a fall so hard that it could cause the firing pin to move and hit the primer just based on inertia. Though this so unlikely with a out of the box modern day hammer fire pistol when in the half cock position, that I won't worry about it. It's when folks start modifying such pistols to have such light triggers, that they now have a lighter firing pin spring or extended firing pin to have reliable primer strikes due to how light they made the hammer spring to achieve a lighter trigger pull. So IMO if you keep it bone stock no problem, but when you start replacing parts for a lighter trigger pull, be aware of a potential discharge if dropped if it's one up.
@@Jarrow13 i understand thats what people say, but a properly functioning and unmodified gun will have a spring and firing pin combination incapable of firing from impact when designed without a firing pin block. the engineers think of this stuff before we do and have been doing it successfully for a long time.
people modifying guns is beyond the scope of this video and an unreasonable point to make. a gun's design cannot be held accountable for what people do to it after the fact. people pin grip safeties, disable safeties, lighten triggers, change firing pins, grind sears... when they ND or the gun breaks and malfunctions, thats on them alone.
@@Jarrow13 Sure.y for that to happen it would have to land barrel first
The reason people are all uptight about thisShadow 2 compact for edc is because a couple years ago a competitor in New York State dropped his Shadow 2 while holstering I believe. The gun discharged and killed a range officer so it must not have hit barrel first unless it was a ricochet. I do not know if the firearm was modified. BTW, I just bought a Shadow 2 compact. I love it.
Good video!
Now the question is can you fire off a round if your thumb slips while letting the hammer down?
of course you can... dont let your thumb "slip" off the hammer
@maximusjoseppi5904 Wouldn't be intentional of course. This is where having the action be double for the initial pull then single thereafter and the safety double as a decocking lever like my old S&W 6906 back from the '80s comes in handy. You don't need to ride the hammer down to decock the gun so there's no potential to generate an ND by accident trying to render the loaded gun in a safe state. Just activate the safety and you're good and the firing pin is not accessible by the hammer.
@@duketogo2616 what did we do for hundreds of years without a docker.. if you aren't comfortable manipulating a gun, get a different gun. But manually decocking a gun is not dangerous, it's not difficult, and it's been done billions of times since guns were created till today without people shooting the gun accidentally
@@maximusjoseppi5904 I've never had or seen it happen but figured the possibility exists and I always try to think of ways something unintended by the end user can cause a situation to go sideways, especially with something like a gun. Obviously if you're safety minded you should have it pointed in a safe direction so even in the unlikely event your thumb did somehow slip off the knurled portion of the hammer and it hit hard enough to activate the primer the round would travel in a path that wouldn't pose a risk to anyone
I have a hard time believing that when the hammer is fully seated, even if it is dropped on it that it will strike the firing pin hard enough to cause it to fire a live round
What did they due before decockers?
The cops shot themselves in the foot. Oh wait never mind they still do that.
Had testosterone. Had balls. Weren't raised by single mothers.
Personally, I'm not carrying at half cock and never would. I'll purchase (Already did) or machine my own extended safety if I feel it's necessary so I can carry full cock with the safety on. I don't really have anything against half cock, but muscle memory is a thing and I'm just used to sweeping for it and feeling a positive click when it comes in and out of safe. I'm a real fan of how the Shadow 2 and Compact S2 shoot, just not a fan of their safety that's way too small and that I don't get positive verification when it comes in and out of safe like I do with my Staccatos, Buls etc. The extended safety has already been added to mine, but that positive verification hasn't. If they find a way to fix that, I'll carry it.
Thank you for this informative video. The options are well explained, but I’d add a couple thoughts. First, the method of getting to half cocked, as others have pointed out. A second item I propose is that the safety is not prominent enough to guarantee a good sweep in a stressful situation. Perhaps the wide safety, available for the S2, will fit: I’ve heard elsewhere it will. Lastly, a minor point in the context of this discussion, but in USPSA, double action pistols start from fully decocked, not half cocked. This situation is challenging. Despite careful technique, I’ve sent a round down range during fully decocking, and earned an early exit from the match. I won’t be decocking a carry gun in this manner in my home, ever. Half cocked, or wider safety lever for me. Appreciate the presentation. We’ll done.
in the few matches ive been to, ive seen people carrying DA/SA guns half cocked while not shooting but thats just my perception. thanks for sharing the experience!
@@maximusjoseppi5904 one possible explanation is that if the gun has a decocker, that is used, and does that perhaps leave the gun half cocked? Possibly, just not on a Shadow 2. I also can’t speak to the rules other than USPSA and Steel Challenge, and in those cases I’m familiar with the rules (easily verified). Cheers. I definitely will get a S2 compact. ;-)
@@CurtisBrandt i understand the course of fire is done fully decocked and i mention that in the video but carrying it around, ive seeen half cocked shadows. thanks for the comment
@@maximusjoseppi5904 I would be willing to bet that anyone walking around with a half cocked pistol there is a joker on the range pulling the hammers back.
@@maximusjoseppi5904I'm a uspsa competitor and an ro that works major matches. The rules dictate that if the gun has a decocker (like the Beretta) then that is used to go to half cock. If there is no decocker then the hammer has to be fully decocker. Stupid rule, but it is the rule
lol. it's about this big x this big. I love it.
edit: your pistol is gorgeous.
People are referring to the light weight trigger. It could end someone in trouble in a civil and legal lawsuit.
no they arent, they are referring to what i said in this video. the trigger is not light, its a DA/SA gun with a manual safety. and no, the trigger couldnt "end someone in trouble" unless you ND, then thats your just incompetence, not the gun.
Nice work. Setting aside all the noise, does anyone really want to spend the exorbitant price for the compact, use it as an EDC, unfortunately need to actually use it, and then have it sit in a police evidence locker for who knows how long???
My PCR with the CGW pro package is plenty good and all that money for the Shadow 2 compact can be spent on training, ammunition, and range time. But hey, it's your money - spend it how you wish.
Never manually decock a firearm if you’re drunk
So half cocked is actually safer than hammer down? I didn't know that!
All that being said, it takes the human being aware enough to ALWAYS observe the hammer in the half cock position, and we know humans are nothing if not fallible. So, in effect, if the hammer were fully forward on a chambered round, and the gun were to be inadvertently dropped, it could go off if it were to land on the hammer. Does CZ recommend this gun to be carried with a round chambered? I kind of doubt that. Might have to dig out my CZ manual and look. I'm fine with my 1911 cocked and locked, and fine with a revolver with a full cylinder because they are designed to be used that way. Also got no problem with seeing one of these cocked and ready out in public, but the half cock thing just leaves one to many variables in it in my opinion.
Trigger discipline and muzzle control = perfectly safe to carry.
** That CZ your holding looks like a AccuShadow 2. Isn't that a bushing on the front ? **
Its not unsafe to carry its dangerous to drop hammer on a round to put into double action mode! Anytime you have to manually decock a gun with a live round in the chamber it's very dangerous during that move! IMO these double action autos should have decocker on them if used for carry ect! Learning curve for sure and cocked and locked is save but not as safe as double action with decocker!
with the proper technique, its quite safe and normal to manually decock a firearm. calling it dangerous is quite an exaggeration.. it could be dangerous, if you are negligent and not following redundant firearms safety rules, as is almost every manipulation of a firearm. It is also not something you are doing often... i load my carry gun and then dont unload it until the next range session with it. so this action of manually decocking the hammer should likely be once every 1-6 months (if you practice with your carry gun often) and always done at the range or walk outside if you are extra worried about a negligent discharge.
It's normal and very safe.
Unfortunately, there's about 10 thing's safer than the way CZ designed this and while there is a 'fairly safe' technique to getting this into a safe condition, the risk is just too high. I personally think that forcing the user to decock the hammer using the trigger is not an acceptable feature on a CARRY or DUTY or HOME DEFENSE gun. In competition or at the range, fine. Tolerable. But not as a manual of arms to have to manipulate almost every day. I would not recommend this gun to new shooters, and even someone with experience can become complacent. The juice is just not worth the squeeze. Thousands of other handguns put 9mm on target without this consideration
if you handle, train with, and care for your firearm properly, you should only have to load your gun at the range. you can also simply walk outside to load it if youre that scared to decock a gun manually but its a pretty basic skill we have used for hundreds of years from the earliest single action revolvers to modern DA/SA guns. in the end, to each their own, but its not unsafe at all
Had one in my hand today.... was not impressed with the price tag involved..... i would rather have the P07.......
The hammer is supposed to be be de-cocked by pinching it with the non-dominant hand, as opposed to how it is shown.
you can do it either way but the hammer is serrated on the top because thats where you are supposed to put your thumb, you are wrong by design. pinching the hammer will work though.
Nothing safer than taking off the safety of a cocked and loaded pistol and pulling the trigger... with a thumb on the hammer to stop it hitting the firing pin... wait a minute!
i mean, if youre competent with guns, its not a problem and a normal manipulation, but i can see how thats scary to an inexperienced novice. just get proper training from a professional if you want to learn. weve been doing it for hundreds of years between revolvers and modern guns.
@@maximusjoseppi5904
Good point. I am sure that experienced people in a defensive situation who are mentally and/or physically exhausted, under high stress, and wet from sweat, rain or blood will never have a problem, just like they never have a problem at a sheltered gun range when they are in peak condition, unstressed, and not covered in sweat, rain or blood... wait a minute!
@@Lutz101 🤣 what? There's no reason to ever decock this firearm under stress. It's not a normal manipulation and only needs to be done at the range after you're done training and are loading your carry ammo until the next range session if you prefer to carry in half cock.
Don't spread ignorance like that
@@maximusjoseppi5904
The whole point of DA pistols is to carry them hammer down so you have a long and heavy trigger pull for the first shot to prevent an accidental discharge when drawing and reholstering it or when holding someone at gunpoint. These handguns are vastly better with a decock lever if you carry them hammer down, and the SIG P226 and HK P2000 have much better decock lever designs than the one available for the CZ 75.
@@Lutz101 that's not the whole point of the shadow 2, that's why there's a safety on it. It gives you options. Manually decocking a gun has been done for hundreds of years, millions upon millions, likely billions of times and people managed to not shoot their gun by accident often. It's a very basic handling skill but if you're not comfortable with it, get training from a proper professional or buy a different kind of gun that's better for a novice or very timid user.
But the gun is perfectly safe as is for a competent owner.
Whoever thinks this is unsafe to carry should not buy one
Hmm I watched multiple videos on the compact and not once have I heard it wasn’t safe to carry, great vid and education nonetheless
read the comment section, every single video i have seen has a highly thumbed up comment on it being unsafe because it doesnt have a firing pin block safety or decocker. The reviewers didnt say it themselves.
Put it in the half cocked position. Problem solved.
I'm right there with you. This dude did a bullshit click bait title.
@@sportsterrider37 No, you guys just don't read comments. Just stop talking in ironic ignorance about a topic that needed to be discussed for reasons unknown to you.
@@AudioGardenSlave123I think they were alluding to the fact that in the title it says the CZ Shadow 2 Compact is unsafe to carry and then he proceeds to tell the viewer how it is safe to carry and goes into a tutorial on how to safely carry SA/DA (which you should know if you are carrying one). The clickbait worked on me for sure.
People who purchase this gun need to understand the operation. It is a safe weapon, if in doubt, then Israeli carry. The Sig P229 Legion has the same system. Practice, practice, , practice the safe and sable hammer decock.
Only the Legion 229 SA is like this. The standard Legion 229 and 226 have a decocker and no safety.
I would carry a shadow 2 compact, verry happily, I know its extreme reliability (IPSC shooter), shot many times the old shadow 1 and sometimes the shadow 2.
It only requires a slightly thicker ambi safety (original seems to thin), hard to operate, should retain position while carry and resistant to wear (thousands of click ON/OFF) like 1911s high quality.
Optimized for "cock and lock", condition 1 like 1911s (that I like a lot).
The absence of firing pin safety is highly positive, makes the pistol more reliable, no problems of synchrony (highly common on striker fired, also problems with heat treatment... thanks to very avid governments worldwide).
Good also the absence of decockers (useless crap), for me CZ should make also a pure SAO version, I don't care about double action.
Simply: an high quality SAO pistol, all metal.
🇮🇹
some jericho 941 are SAO
Shadow 2 exceeded 43oz which is IDPA weight limit.
@@bng2679 I shot IDPA and I don't care about IDPA, I prefer way more IPSC or other "open minded" circuits...
Ironically when I was a newbie I prefered IDPA, after tried: no way... serious tactical training or IPSC for speed and fun, a PRO should be able to switch between the two enviroments easily.
Any gun guys don't like or can't afford or is well engineered and taking market share is accused of being "un safe" or "fires on its own" ...yet companies like CZ and SIG have been manufacturing , engineering and testing guns for over 100 years and somehow they produce guns that "fire on their own" ....come on !
true story, thanks for watching
Sig P320 doesn't fire on its own. It has been proven over and over and over again, the trigger assembly needs to move for it fire.
Just like any person on this planet wants their gun to operate, when the GD trigger is pulled, it sends a freedom seed.
Oh clickbait. I just came here to argue.
You have to start in competition with the hammer full down, not half cock. The gun is safe with the hammer and stock firing pin (not extended) with hammer fully down.
if you dropped the the shadow 2 on the hammer, the gun could fire fully decocked. as for competition, i often have see people in half cock while not shooting so i can only speak from limited experience.
A hammer down on a stock firing pin cannot put any force into the pin since the hammer is sitting against the firing pin retaining plate and the pin doesn't protrude. An extended firing pin, however, is not safe with the hammer down on it since it is sitting against the primer and protruding into the hammer.
And a shadow 2 should be completely decocked after unload and show clear, not halfcock.
czcams.com/video/Euo1SFjNuJo/video.html
@@maximusjoseppi5904
@@maximusjoseppi5904 huh? They should be at half cock when loaded. Unloaded, doesn't matter. Not the only thing that uspsa gets backwards.
@@warrenrosen132true story
People who say CZ is unsafe because of the possibiity of accidental shot when the handgun drops on the hammer are pretty stupid. All CZ handguns have inertial strikers, you can hit the hammer anyhow in any position and it will never shoot
An excerpt from an NRA publication, Half-Cock Notch: Safe or Not by George Harris, Oct 17, 2018.
"Contrary to popular belief, the half-cock notch on the hammer of the 1911 is not a carry location. Rather, it is a passive safety to keep the hammer from striking the firing pin should the single-action notch on the hammer or the sear-engagement surfaces fail to maintain their intended relationship."
"...I discovered and proved multiple times while working as an expert witness in legal cases involving the unintentional discharge of 1911s with the hammer resting at the half-cock notch. In more than half of the test attempts, the energy of the hammer of a stock 1911 pistol was sufficient to fire the gun from the half-cock position."
This, in addition to the other glaring omissions as stated in the comment section. I find this video to be irresponsible at best and outright lethal at worst. Please do not make videos on firearm safety if you are not an expert.
this isnt a 1911, a 1911 should be carried cocked and locked, like i said in the video. what you linked is irrelevant to this gun, its a different gun. you dont know enough about guns to know why you are wrong. keep reading
I thought you cant carry loaded gun at all so why would I loaded??
huh? thats the only way youre supposed to carry a gun. a non loaded gun is useless. thats like driving around without your seatbelt on intending to strap it on before an accident
@@maximusjoseppi5904 then why the cops are alwaya checking if the gun is loaded when they catch someone with a gun?? and just those who had a bullet in a chamber are fcked?? omfg America is so fcked up :D no way something like that in my country and in canada you cant even have a pistol... fucked up US with those fckin´guns
Is carrying any gun, that has no firing pin block, with round in the chamber, perfectly safe? During a car crash for example, there is no posiibilitythat firing pin would move and hit the primer with enough energy for round to go off?
yes it's perfectly safe. they are designed with a firing pin and spring that won't allow inertia to fire the gun
the weight of the firing pin is not enough. Just like your AR will dimple the primer every time it loads a round, but doesn't fire.
Lol. "You can buy your Shadow 2 Compact with confidence. . ." If you can find one in real life. No stores here have them. Can't bring myself to buy online having never at least handled the gun.
Competition shooters don’t carry their competitive pistols “half cocked!” 🙄
as i said in the video, they have it fully decocked during a course of fire. not every organization has the same rules while not on a course of fire and i have often seen DA/SA guns at half cock.
Dry fire but i wanna see you set it off. Press it with a pen. That would tell all.
Only Glock guy say it's unsafe of course then again Glock guy say all guns are unsafe except for the Glock.
Not for USPSA if you "Half-cock" in your holster, you get "DQ" !!!!!
in the competitions ive been to, i would see people in half cock with DA/SA guns while not shooting, is that rule at all times or during your course of fire? i understand the course of fire is started from fully decocked, as i mentioned in the video, but carrying it around ive seen half cocked hammers
In production division where the shadow 2 shine there is no situation where you will use the half cock position.
First shot is always in full double action
And when carrying it around , the pistol should always be unloaded and hammer fully down
Well-done. Less click baity title would have question marks instead of exclamation points. I love my CZs, the half cock position is at least as safe as the hammer down. And if you can't lower the hammer without having kittens, (it isn't that hard, a little awareness goes a long way), get a de-cocker.