KJWORKS SHADOW 2 ORANGE

Ceska Zbrojovka is not that easy to pronounce, maybe that's why everyone calls it just CZ. It was in this Czechoslovak factory where this gun manufactured for special units was born. Thanks to its extraordinary precision and high stability during quick firing, it gained popularity among IPSC shooters and from there stepped into the limelight of airsoft in the hands of KJWorks (manufacturer) and ASG (holder of the licenses of the model) to present its replica. This Shadow 2 ORANGE is the evolution of a model that has been nourished by the feedback and experience of many players and two major brands in our market. Do you want to see the results? Here we go.

Competitive aiming system

The aiming system is designed to offer sports shooters an efficient experience as soon as they take the pistol out of the box. The rear sight has adjustable height and laterality, and the front sight has a red optical fibre insert, permitting quicker and more intuitive alignment even in scenes with low brightness levels. 

Compatible with optics

By disassembling the rear sight of the replica, we can assemble a platform to connect a red dot and therefore improve the aiming system. This is something that we have already tried in other KJWorks models and which offered great results.

New barrel bushing

One of the main differences in this model is the inclusion of a new barrel bushing system for the barrel, in the style of the 1911s, made of stainless steel which makes the model more accurate as the barrel is better stabilized and which makes it easier for the parts of the slide to be disassembled.

Forward slide release

The size of the safety lever means that the release lever of the slide may remain in a position which is too far forward if we have small or medium-sized hands.
However, it’s not a big problem as in this case, we can reach it with the thumb of our supporting hand.

Manual  safety

The pistol has an ambidextrous manual safety which we can only activate when the pistol is cocked, in the style of the 1911s, hiding the red dot of the slide which is visible when the safety is not activated.

Picatinny for accesories

At the bottom it has a Picatinny rail with a single slot to connect a laser or a torch, making the model more versatile for players as this means it can be configured for any type of game and it can be used to compete in IAPSC.

Thinner Slide

The slide normally “eats into” the frame of the pistol, but in this case it goes inside and makes the slider smaller compared to what we are used to in other pistols. As it is smaller in size, it also has less recoil (which is ideal for achieving accuracy in competitions). But it also makes manual cocking difficult, so the extra aggressive pattern of this model comes in useful as it helps us to both locate the slide by touch, without having to take our eyes off the target(it might seem stupid, but as it is narrower, the fingers at the front can reach the frame), and to keep our hand on the cock as we will have a smaller area to grip.

Orange is the new black

“Orange is the new black” is the name of a series with a storyline which is not too relevant when talking about this model beyond the literal meaning of the title. Black pistols are in the past. In its catalogue, CZ goes for this bright orange colour to highlight its products with the best finish, coming before blue ones (well, “blue dragon” ones to be exact) and conventional models, of course.

That’s how we found this orange pistol in the new hardened aluminium alloy (6061 aluminium) grips, the oversized magazine release or the baseplates of the magazines, either the normal one of the gas magazine or the extended one of the CO2 magazine.

This aesthetic element gives our pistol a mixture of colours by combining the different parts with different colours, making our replica more unique and person, helping us to stand out from the rest. This is really typical of the sports competition where it is no longer a priority to hide, as it is more important to be able to easily identify the shooter.

Capacity of the magazines

In this replica we can carry up to 26 BBs in the magazine (unlike the real magazine which can carry 17 bullets of 9mm) which with green gas has given us 315 FPS, at 23ºC using 0.20 g BBs. However, the model is compatible with CO2 magazines (340 FPS). 

Baseplates

To differentiate between the two, CO2 magazines come with an extended baseplate which allows us to grip better (ideal for lowering reloading times in competitions) while gas magazines come with a conventional flat baseplate. Well, it’s not exactly normal because both come in the bright orange colour that gives the product its name. We will find both options in the real model, meaning the offer from KJWorks becomes even more realistic.

Single action/Double action trigger

La réplica de KJWorks, al igual que el modelo real, es una pistola de doble acción lo que se traduce de manera práctica a que cuando no la tengamos amartillada el recorrido y la fuerza que tengamos que aplicar al gatillo va a ser significativamente mayor que cuando la tengamos amartillada. Probadlo porque rápidamente notaréis cómo en el primer caso es algo especialmente duro mientras que en el segundo es muy fino y sensible.

Uncocking it without firing

We can always carry the pistol cocked either to be able to activate the safety or to reduce the resistance of the trigger, but if we want to uncock it without having to fire removing the magazine, we can simply push the hammer back with our finger and, keeping it there, press the trigger lightly to notice how we can gently leave the hammer back in the disarmament position.

Grip control

The CZ Shadow 2 ORANGE is designed to achieve a better grip. One example is the convex curve under the trigger guard which allows our shooting hand to be in a higher position. What’s more, the beavertail backstrap is in a higher position which means we can go back to placing our firing hand closer to the axis or firing line, making it easier for us to be able to control recoil and, therefore, achieve accuracy.

Magazine release

The magazine release is another element that we come across in orange. However, what stands out most for us is that it is a remodelled control so that it is easier to activate, even when stressed in combat. This is interesting as activating a small control while wearing gloves in a competition can make us lose valuable seconds. What’s more, just like in the real model, we can release this button and easily place it in any of the three different positions so that it better adapts to the natural position of our hands.

Compatibility with Japanese models

KJWorks tends towards designs compatible with Tokyo Marui. In this model, for example, the hop rubber is compatible with that of the TM HiCapa. Even though the typical design of the rotary chamber in this model is different and is activated by means of a flat screw. Even though the performance level is still the same as the other KJWorks that we have analysed.

CONCLUSIONS

Airsoft will never stop growing because we come across as many game types as players. That goes for this KJWorks model focused on IAPSC, or sports shooting with Airsoft replicas, and like everything else that we get from this Taiwanese factory, it tends towards high standards of quality to guarantee enjoyment for its users. Is IAPSC not your thing or does the colour of the grips not go with your uniform? Don’t worry, there are more options! But before saying bye, make sure you try it because it might make you change your mind.