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Greetings Fellow Firearms Fanciers!
Today I had the pleasure of trying two new (to me) guns that I bought via PPT. One was the CZ TS2 Orange, the top-of-the-line TS2, and an A01 by CZ Custom in Mesa, Arizona, licensed by CZ.
As some of you know, both guns were covered in some sickly-sweet cologne which at this point will trigger mild rage if I smell it elsewhere, such was the trauma of fighting these odiferous molecules. The solution? A member here recommended trying coffee beans, so I sealed each gun in an ammo case with plenty of coffee beans for a few hours. This neutralized the odor very well, though some insist that it merely covers up the odors. Same difference to me, as long as I can't smell it. I took both guns out to the range today and a little gunsmoke does wonders to cover up cologne stank as well, right?
I admit, I'm a CZ fanboy. I have been since I started researching hanguns at least a year before I bought my first in late 2024. Back then, the CZ of interest (an SP-01) was on the roster, so I bought that as my first-ever handgun and had it customized; EPS Carry optic cut by Primary Machine, Vytal grips in two colors (orange/black and red/black) and a full CGW upgrade with reach-reduction kit. Shoots beautifully, though my groups were never great with it at 16 yards.
I also bought and sold a Shadow 2 Compact and Shadow 2 Blue out of sheer curiosity. I sold these because I felt there was too much overlap with the Cajunized SP-01 and the S2C was a little snappy.
A person on this forum was selling a Shadow 2 Orange, so I was curious to try it out. He also let me try his TS2 Orange and um, it started a revolution in my brain. I had to have a TS2 Orange! We've since become friends so he knows my journey up until this point. Trying out different guns is one of the best aspects of range life, and I'm appreciative of that fact. You meet the nicest people at the range.
The TS2 Orange is a longer, larger, heavier gun and it uses its own type of mags distinct from the CZ75 mags which work in the Shadow 2 or SP-01. It's heavy, has a polished bull barrel, is hand-fit, and it's got a single-action trigger pull around a pound and change. This was my first polished bull barrel gun, and really the first SAO trigger on a gun that didn't need work to remove a stuck optic plate (that's another story). I love a heavy pistol for reduced recoil. I got pretty decent groups with the TS2 at 16 yards, better than I've ever done. I didn't lube the TS2O before going to the range and I probably should have, but no stovepipes or failure to feeds. I'll lube it for next time. I should have learned my lesson from the first time I shot a dry SP-01.
Downside? Aggressive backstrap checkering hurts my palm a bit, but I'll either let my hands toughen up (I'm a guitarist so this isn't my first rodeo) or I'll get some grip tape for the checkering to ease the pain. No other complaints. Beautiful heavy gun, iron sights, soft-shooting with Sellier & Bellot 124gr rounds.
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The A01 LD (Long Dust Cover) is a CZ clone licensed for CZ Custom (in Mesa, AZ) by CZ (Czech Republic). This gun is milled from steel so it's a heavy block, with tight clearances and a polished bull barrel. The takedown is a little weird the way one has to compress the recoil spring and use the takedown pin (this is tough if you have smaller hands like me), but I'm ordering a toolless guide rod and spring to improve that. Weirdly, CZC sells the toolless guide rod and plug but they don't sell this kit with the "Accuplug" (out of stock), even though they have the Accuplug on its own. Why not take a solo Accuplug and bundle it with the regular guide rod if someone orders one? Beats me. Seems like a simple solution.
The A01 came with a HEAVILY-scented card (due to the original owners) explaining that the A01 is designed for 115 grain ammo. I shoot 124 exclusively, but I used my FFL03 to buy my first batch of 115gr for this gun. Might be noticeably better. I also ordered the sampler pack from Super Vel, an amazing legacy ammo company that has been through the WRINGER. If you like to read and want to read a touching story of a beleaguered ammo underdog making good, read the story of Super Vel on their site. Super Vel invented the Full Metal Jacket so their story and struggle is worth a read.
The A01 uses P09 or P10 magazines, so now I have three distinct mag types for my 9mm guns; the CZ75 mags, TS2 mags, and P-09 mags. There are LOK grips for the A01 that allow one to use CZ 75 mags, but they take weeks for LOK to make and ship. The CZ 75 or Shadow 2 mag catch is required for this to work. Weirdly, CZC does not sell the grips needed for this conversion, but at least LOK does.
The A01 is fantastic. It feels like a Shadow 2 milled from a block of solid steel and with the tighter-tolerance bull barrel of the TS2. The backstrap checkering is much finer, less bothersome. It shoots a lot like the TS2, but in a smaller package. I did have the A01 jam up on me where I couldn't rack it because I didn't lube it, but lesson learned. A range manager was able to clear it and I'll have it lubed with Lucas Extreme Duty oil before I take it to the range again. I'm sure the coffee beans used to remove the cologne odor may have also acted like a dessicant of sorts. I offered the range manager a moist towelette (by *Hoppe's) for this hands but he joked that it was too dry to actually leave oil residue. LOL. Good one.
Both of these guns are heavy, just how I like 'em. Soft-shooting, tighter groups (my best yet)., with plenty of room for improvement. Any questions, just ask!
*Thankfully these don't smell like Hoppe's No. 9. It's a light, fresh, citrus scent.
Today I had the pleasure of trying two new (to me) guns that I bought via PPT. One was the CZ TS2 Orange, the top-of-the-line TS2, and an A01 by CZ Custom in Mesa, Arizona, licensed by CZ.
As some of you know, both guns were covered in some sickly-sweet cologne which at this point will trigger mild rage if I smell it elsewhere, such was the trauma of fighting these odiferous molecules. The solution? A member here recommended trying coffee beans, so I sealed each gun in an ammo case with plenty of coffee beans for a few hours. This neutralized the odor very well, though some insist that it merely covers up the odors. Same difference to me, as long as I can't smell it. I took both guns out to the range today and a little gunsmoke does wonders to cover up cologne stank as well, right?
I admit, I'm a CZ fanboy. I have been since I started researching hanguns at least a year before I bought my first in late 2024. Back then, the CZ of interest (an SP-01) was on the roster, so I bought that as my first-ever handgun and had it customized; EPS Carry optic cut by Primary Machine, Vytal grips in two colors (orange/black and red/black) and a full CGW upgrade with reach-reduction kit. Shoots beautifully, though my groups were never great with it at 16 yards.
I also bought and sold a Shadow 2 Compact and Shadow 2 Blue out of sheer curiosity. I sold these because I felt there was too much overlap with the Cajunized SP-01 and the S2C was a little snappy.
A person on this forum was selling a Shadow 2 Orange, so I was curious to try it out. He also let me try his TS2 Orange and um, it started a revolution in my brain. I had to have a TS2 Orange! We've since become friends so he knows my journey up until this point. Trying out different guns is one of the best aspects of range life, and I'm appreciative of that fact. You meet the nicest people at the range.
The TS2 Orange is a longer, larger, heavier gun and it uses its own type of mags distinct from the CZ75 mags which work in the Shadow 2 or SP-01. It's heavy, has a polished bull barrel, is hand-fit, and it's got a single-action trigger pull around a pound and change. This was my first polished bull barrel gun, and really the first SAO trigger on a gun that didn't need work to remove a stuck optic plate (that's another story). I love a heavy pistol for reduced recoil. I got pretty decent groups with the TS2 at 16 yards, better than I've ever done. I didn't lube the TS2O before going to the range and I probably should have, but no stovepipes or failure to feeds. I'll lube it for next time. I should have learned my lesson from the first time I shot a dry SP-01.
Downside? Aggressive backstrap checkering hurts my palm a bit, but I'll either let my hands toughen up (I'm a guitarist so this isn't my first rodeo) or I'll get some grip tape for the checkering to ease the pain. No other complaints. Beautiful heavy gun, iron sights, soft-shooting with Sellier & Bellot 124gr rounds.
--
The A01 LD (Long Dust Cover) is a CZ clone licensed for CZ Custom (in Mesa, AZ) by CZ (Czech Republic). This gun is milled from steel so it's a heavy block, with tight clearances and a polished bull barrel. The takedown is a little weird the way one has to compress the recoil spring and use the takedown pin (this is tough if you have smaller hands like me), but I'm ordering a toolless guide rod and spring to improve that. Weirdly, CZC sells the toolless guide rod and plug but they don't sell this kit with the "Accuplug" (out of stock), even though they have the Accuplug on its own. Why not take a solo Accuplug and bundle it with the regular guide rod if someone orders one? Beats me. Seems like a simple solution.
The A01 came with a HEAVILY-scented card (due to the original owners) explaining that the A01 is designed for 115 grain ammo. I shoot 124 exclusively, but I used my FFL03 to buy my first batch of 115gr for this gun. Might be noticeably better. I also ordered the sampler pack from Super Vel, an amazing legacy ammo company that has been through the WRINGER. If you like to read and want to read a touching story of a beleaguered ammo underdog making good, read the story of Super Vel on their site. Super Vel invented the Full Metal Jacket so their story and struggle is worth a read.
The A01 uses P09 or P10 magazines, so now I have three distinct mag types for my 9mm guns; the CZ75 mags, TS2 mags, and P-09 mags. There are LOK grips for the A01 that allow one to use CZ 75 mags, but they take weeks for LOK to make and ship. The CZ 75 or Shadow 2 mag catch is required for this to work. Weirdly, CZC does not sell the grips needed for this conversion, but at least LOK does.
The A01 is fantastic. It feels like a Shadow 2 milled from a block of solid steel and with the tighter-tolerance bull barrel of the TS2. The backstrap checkering is much finer, less bothersome. It shoots a lot like the TS2, but in a smaller package. I did have the A01 jam up on me where I couldn't rack it because I didn't lube it, but lesson learned. A range manager was able to clear it and I'll have it lubed with Lucas Extreme Duty oil before I take it to the range again. I'm sure the coffee beans used to remove the cologne odor may have also acted like a dessicant of sorts. I offered the range manager a moist towelette (by *Hoppe's) for this hands but he joked that it was too dry to actually leave oil residue. LOL. Good one.
Both of these guns are heavy, just how I like 'em. Soft-shooting, tighter groups (my best yet)., with plenty of room for improvement. Any questions, just ask!
*Thankfully these don't smell like Hoppe's No. 9. It's a light, fresh, citrus scent.
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