Gunsmith Review on Cajun Gun Works (schmeky), with my CZ 75D Compact (PCR)

List of Work

Details

Trigger Job

The result is a much improved, far less gritty, smoother and cleaner trigger pull.

A New Trigger

Ghost Ring Rear Sight and Fiber Optic Front

BONUS!... SCORE!!!

There?s a new FFL/Gunsmith Shop in town? but certainly no stranger on the CZForum site.Specializing inand?s?Gunsmith:(CGW)West Monroe, LAReview by:Vinnie - Roseville, CAJune 2011Firearm: CZ 75D Compact (PCR) 9mm pistol----------------------------------------------------------------completed by Cajun Gun Works (CGW)trigger relocation (while Decocked).Machined hammer and disconnector to provide KIT4 performance,Cut trigger face, contoured, radiused, and epoxy coated,Smoothed and polished the action.- Supplied and Installed CGW SPGK1.- Replaced serrated trigger with a customized version of the standard CZ 75B trigger.- Fabricated ghost ring rear sight into the stock sight.- supplied & Installed 6.5mm high FO.----------------------------------------------------------------(ERRK) trigger relocation (while Decocked)Since the PCR has a decocker (as opposed to a manual safety), one would hope that a PCR is never holstered with the hammer cocked! So, the first shot out of a PCR from a defensive carry position will more than likely be made with a Double Action (DA) pull.On a stock PCR the trigger is set approximately mid way inside the trigger guard until the gun is cocked. Firing from this (uncocked) position means the index finger is straighter (more extended) during the initial pull, often leading to more sideways pressure on the trigger, thus compromising accuracy.Schmeky?s ERRK mod moves the trigger back for a shorter finger reach when the gun is in the Decocked (or full hammer down) position.* The SRRK - Standard reach Reduction kit - $68.* and this one that I had done, the Extreme Reach Reduction Kit (ERRK) -NOTES about ERRK:* Extreme Reach Reduction Kit (ERRK) trigger relocation, by itself, does not change the tension of the trigger pull, but rather just the distance of the pull. See ?Trigger Job? below for modification of the tension and smoothness.* When trigger is cocked it is in the same position as a stock cocked PCR.ADDITIONAL NOTE:For a comparison illustration, notice the difference on this SP-01 in its trigger position (between uncocked and fully cocked), since it does not have the reach reduction mod:----------------------------------------------------------------* Machined hammer and disconnector to provide KIT4 performance.* Cut, contoured, radiused, and epoxy coated.* Smoothed and polished the action.* Supplied and Installed CGW SPGK1 Spring Kit.The 3 springs supplied and installed (CGW SPGK1 Spring Kit - $22) include:* 13# hammer spring,* Reduced power Firing Pin spring,* Reduced power Firing Pin Block Lifter spring ? (this one makes the DA much lighter and still retains reliability)This pic shows my stock PCR hammer after CGW made fresh precision cuts on hammer hooks, half-cock shelf, and the actual half-cock notch. CGW?s trigger jobs can be done on your own hammer and action, or can be purchased as a do-it-your-self Kit to install at home (called KIT4, for decocker models).When tuning the trigger, David contacted me to discuss the level of trigger sensitivity I wished to achieve. (He is the best communicator I?ve found in the gunsmith world). We decided to err on the side of caution since this is a defensive carry pistol, and should avoid anything that could be considered a ?hair trigger?.I don?t have a trigger-pull scale, but I do have a crude substitute; a hand-held scale with a hook, used to lift a suitcase by its handle to determine the weight.Using this crude scale, I get a clean break at about:, andThe DA pull actually feels a bit lighter than 8.5Lbs, due to the fact that the DA pull begins with the trigger being set further back, as a result of the CGW Reach Reduction trigger relocation job.NOTE:For a reference comparison, using the same crude luggage scale, on my(with a manual safety, not decocker), with theand a, thepulls smooth and clean at:, andCost for parts and labor on the CGW trigger job (with springs) runs aboutThe do-it-yourself Kit4 version (for decocker models) to install at home would cost $78CGW SPGK1 Spring Kit is $22.NOTE:For CZ?s with a, CGW also offers a do-it-yourself ?Drop-in? Kit with an Adjustable sear, priced as follows:* KIT2 - Your CZ hammer recut, returned with a new adjustable sear (DA/SA only) - $88.00* KIT3 ? Top-of-the-line DA/SA kit with a CZ Shadow hammer - $125.00All CGW kits are shipped USPS for $3.50 shipping.Additional NOTE:Schmeky (CGW) is currently working on a beta of a newkit, which is proving to be successful with a# DA trigger pull.----------------------------------------------------------------Browse the CZForum and you?ll find several threads discussing the ?slap? or ?trigger sting? some have experienced from their PCR ( here?s one example ). I too, find this to be somewhat of an annoyance. I?ve wondered if it was caused by the trigger itself (new PCRs come with a serrated trigger), or if the design of the trigger mechanism was causing some sort of shock to travel down through the trigger. I?d have to say, anecdotally, that it may be a combination of both. A simple test for me (besides actual firing, of course) was rapid and repeated DA dry firing. This leads to a stinging sensation on the finger, and creates a numbness where the trigger hits the finger pad.I had Schmeky replace the stock serrated trigger with his customized version of a standard CZ 75 trigger (not the recurve one). Schmeky starts with a standard CZ 75 trigger, then machines it with a new contour, blends it, then epoxy coats it with an oven baked finish. This process turns the face of the trigger to a warm straw color, and is very durable.The feel on the finger is smooth as silk, and provides a wide comfortable angle for the finger to rest on. I knew when I took this baby out for a test fire that absolutely nothing sharp or edgy was going to be in contact with my trigger finger.I was surprised to learn that while the new trigger did get rid of most of the trigger sting, there was still a slight bit of it to be felt. For this reason, I believe there is something about the lighter aluminum frame of a PCR that may be transferring some of the energy from the hammer drop down through the trigger mechanism, and through the finger. On my all steel, heavier SP-01 there is absolutely none of this stinging sensation. This new trigger on the PCR however, is simply beautiful, is really smooth, and does a very good job of eliminating a great deal of the PCR?s finger slap.COST: I don?t actually know what CGW charges for a trigger like this. I traded Schmeky a couple other triggers for this one, but I will try to find out from him.----------------------------------------------------------------This project puts the ?custom? in Custom Gunsmithing?.I first came across the idea of a ghostring pistol sight when I stumbled onto a company?s website (now out of business) called ?One Ragged Hole?. They made ghostring sight blades for Rugers, so I bought one for my wife?s first gun, a .22 Mark III pistol. On the Ruger MKIII it became apparent that anyone who has picked it up, even those who never shot a gun before, very quickly became surprisingly accurate with the pistol. It is amazingly easy to aim, and is especially useful when engaging multiple targets, or for quick acquisition of a target.While searching to see if something like it existed for my CZ, I found this article which confirmed my own experience. After reading through it multiple times, and tracking down the author to exchange ?ghost stories?, I decided on a custom ghostring sight to be made from a piece of metal tubing cut and fitted into a standard rear sight, or into a competition rear sight. After submitting the concept to David Milam (Schmeky) he thought it would be a pretty simple task. So, with his new FFL in place, as Cajun Gun Works (CGW), I shipped him my PCR to have all of the previously described work done, plus the creation of my Custom Ghost Ring Rear Sight, with fiber optic (FO) front sight.(inside diameter) of the ring to bewith outside diameter 3/8?to be target inside center dot:Schmeky was very helpful and willing to thoroughly discuss the project, keep me in the loop, and confirm my acceptance of the design during the construction process. (he definitely went above and beyond my expectations providing exceptional service!)We decided to proceed with a build mounted into a CZ 75 Competition sight. The pics above show the precision and quality of Schmeky?s work.When things are going smoothly a person?s character often gets a free ride? but when his plans take a wrong turn, that?s when you get a peek at the real character of a person. The comp sight turned out beautifully, and as David put it. ??it is virtually flawless?.easily the trickest sight I have ever done?. Unfortunately, it was also too high for the PCR, and could not be zeroed when David test fired it.So, Plan B kicked in, and Schmeky immediately went to work on a new Ghost ring using the stock low profile rear sight from my PCR. He stayed on it till it was done and by the next day he had a finished product.Schmeky?s test fire of the lower profile ghostring zeroed perfectly using a standard 6 o'clock hold under the target, but made the point of aim about an inch high at 25 ft. when shooting with the fiber dot centered in the middle of the ring (the eye?s natural point-of-aim with a ghostring). David?s calculations determined that a front FO sight 1mm higher should zero perfectly.During our discussions, a couple things came to mind:1. I tend to pull shots a little low, especially in fast point-n-shoot situations.2. This PCR is carry piece, so I didn?t really want to add more height (that could snag) on the front end of the pistol.So, we decided to leave it alone (often a good idea) knowing that I could always install a higher front sight in the future.COST:Parts - Supply front FO and rear Competition sight - $125.00Labor - Machining and fitting rear sight, includes front sight install - $125.00As David prepared to ship me the completed PCR I asked him if he thought the other Comp Ghostring Sight might work on my SP-01. He said he?d just give it to me and I could try it and see. I offered (several times) to pay him for this other ghostring sight but he declined to accept my additional payment and insisted I just take it as a freebie.Here are the pics of the finished ghost ring sight on the PCR:Firing from a supported bench position, with the FO dot centered in the ghostring at a target distance of 21ft. hits horizontal center, about an inch high (just like he said).However, when I stood and raised the pistol two-handed, shoulder high, and engaged the target unsupported... nearly all of the shots were landing within the circle of view from the ghostring. Sweet. This means, for me? that using a fast point and shoot at center mass is going to result in holes being drilled in, or pretty darned near center mass?. and for a defensive carry piece, that is what it is all about.----------------------------------------------------------------Here are the pics of the freebie... (the one that didn't zero on my PCR)Schmeky's first attempt ghost ring sight, now installed on myThis experience was incredible.I was not expecting anything good to come from the rejected first-attempt ghost ring that had not zeroed to the PCR? but what happened at the range with it on my SP-01 was simply amazing.Firing from a supported bench position, with the FO dot centered in the ghostring at a target distance of 21ft? the first 3 shots each took out a piece of the target?s 1/2 inch bull?s-eye!Bingo, Baby. While standing unsupported, my shots dotted the inner circles of center mass.----------------------------------------------------------------~ Vinnie