Folks:
I just purchased a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 in the carbine model (I think that is all that is offered). I put a Leupold 1.75x6 on it and went to the range with bunches of different handloads, all being .308 diameter. It shot well, but not spectacularily. I then shot some Winchester factory loads with 123 grain soft points. There lay the answer. Winchester loads .310 diameter bullets! The first group was less than 3/4". I stapled another target over the first and fired 5 more rounds and then repeated the process. When I cleaned up before leaving the range, I tore off the targets and noticed on the cardboard backing that all the groups were superimposed upon each other. I measured the 15 shots and found them to be .9" center to center. And that's with some sloppy work with the staple gun, too.

The gun has good metal to wood fit, the single set trigger is tough to beat, the metal work smooth with no machine marks.

Just for drill, I bought a box of Wolf bi-metal (copper coated v. jacketed) hollow points and shot them. The Russian stuff grouped less than 1.5" which ain't bad for ammo that cost me $94 per thousand. Wolf is coming out with conventional copper jacketed bullets now and I can't wait to see how well they shoot. I'd think that the upset would be better and therefore more accurate than the "dipped" garbage presently available (How about that, it shot 1.5" and I'm calling it garbage....)

All in all, I can't think of a more accurate, enjoyable and affordable centerfire to shoot. And it's a Mauser action too!

Check out www.cz-usa.com for the particulars on the rifle and I think you'll be shopping for one soon!

[ 01-03-2003, 02:48: Message edited by: judgeg ]

I wish they chambered the CZ527 American in that round, I think it would make an ideal rifle for kids (or adults).

Me thinks the judge just found him another pig shooting rig

Judge, you beat me to the punch! I just picked one up last Saturday (my birthday present), a local gun store had them on sale for $359. I picked up 500 rounds of Wolf 122 gr copper jacketed hollowpoints for $40 at a gun show the same day and went to the range. I only shot at 50 yards with the open sights. They were dead on and three shot groups were in the 1/2" - 1" range. About as many near 1/2" as at 1". I was amazed. The wood on mine is also very pretty, loaded with character. Today my Talley rings came in for it. They are much nicer than the CZ rings and set the scope .140" lower as well. I've got a Leupold Compact 2-7x that will go on it, though I haven't permanently mounted it yet. I am leaving tomorrow morning to cull a bunch of does and hogs with my 11 year old son on a friends ranch. We can't wait. What a great rifle. I am tempted to buy another to look into wildcatting. The 35 Remington case fits in the magazine like a charm...

Do you need anyone to help with the culling. We could have a double CZ day! A ticket to VA only costs me $150 and I don't have any appointments this afternoon!!!!!
Let me know about the 35 Remington. What a deer rifle that would be. 180 grain SSP bullets would be the number, I suspect.
You really got a good buy on the rifle. I paid $45 more dollars for mine, but got rings for free, come to think of it.
Let me know, too, how the Wolf's shoot when you get the scope on it.

[ 01-03-2003, 16:30: Message edited by: judgeg ]

I had the 7.62x39 chambered in a Ruger 77MkII short action. I could never get it to shoot worth a crap. It is my understanding that Ruger used .308 bbls rather than .310. Three months ago I sent it to my smith for rechambering to 6mmPPC using a Krieger stainless bbl in light varmint contour. All that's left to do is stamp the bbl and it will be on the way. I scored 10bxs of factory Sako ammo and will use that for initial set up. Judge, glad to hear you had a better experience with the '39. Cobalt

Several years ago I shot two whitetail doe with the 7.62X39. I used Hansen soft point, 122 or 123gr. One deer was around 85 yards the other a little closer. The round worked great. That CZ just might be the perfect first deer rifle for a kid. Also very cheap for him/mer to practice with. A good gun for dads to borrow too.

The CZ 527 is a nice, though somewhat frugal rifle. Its fine little action (which is far better than Zastava, though not actually ravishing) is a copy of the German Krico "old Model 400/410 small action" from the early 1960s - now that was a truly superb small action, probably the best ever made (apart from 6,5x54 and 8x51 Zivilmauser, and Hannes Kepplinger).

Regards,
Carcano

[ 01-03-2003, 21:51: Message edited by: carcano91 ]

Judge,

I have a cz 527 in a .22 hornet. I love it. I love all the cz's I own and all there bigger rifles are finished as well as the little ones and they all shoot well. This will not be you last cz, you have enetred the "CZ ZONE"

I currently have 3 cz's in;

.22 hornet
.375 H&H
.416 Rigby.

I have a 9.3x62 on order and follwing purchase of that intend to buy a cz in .458 win mag. Down the track I would also like to own one in 30/06 & 6.5x55. Also would not mind converting a 550 magnum to .338 Lapua.

I have a couple of Brno's as well a converted 602 & a model 2 Brno .22 lr. The 602 is not finished any were near as well as the 550's I own.

They are all steel mausers with square bridges that shoot great at a great price.

It will be an expensive excercise purchasing that first cz...

congratulations.

PC.

PC, you got that right - I'm infected too.

I own two and would like to get tow or three more, including the 7.62x39 carbine mentioned above. I'm a sick, sick man, but I'm not sure that I want to be cured...

PC:
If I led you to believe that this was my first CZ, I'm sorry. This is my third. I have a 527 full stock in .223 and used to have a .243 550, also with a full stock. And.... as soon as CZ reads the handwriting on the wall (I hope! I hope!), I'll buy the first .458 Lott that they make and export. I love the 9.3x62 caliber and will surely spring for one of them in the next couple of years. I have a Ernst Kerner full-stocked Mauser in that caliber built in the mid '30's, but it is such a work of art (and expensive)that I hesitate to use it for just any ol' hunting trip and the low cost/high quality of the CZ is calling.

[ 01-04-2003, 02:24: Message edited by: judgeg ]

My first and current rifle is a CZ-550 standard chambered in .308 and performance is totally satisfactory with 1-1.5 MOA groups. In the next few days I am going to receive my next CZ-550 in .270 and hopefully there is more to come. How much do you guys pay for a new CZ-550 if I may ask ?

There is a place in Georgia that you can buy them over the internet and have them shipped to an FFL for $429-$449 plus $18 shipping and handling.That is for the CZ 550 American. The 527s go for the same price range and the fullstock models go for $519. I've purchased four CZs from the same outfit and have been pleased with each purchase. Tom Purdom

Judge & Wismon,

what I worry about is that thye will either raise there prices or the bean counters will get control of cz. That is why I want to get all my cz's that I want as quickly as possible.

Judge, when do you think thye will introduce the .458 lott ?? have you heard a whisper or rumour that it's coming ?? Have cz introduced any new goodie for 2003 ??

Wismon, yes I am sick, but want no part of counselling or therapy, if I die bury me in a Euro hogs back coffin

Wismon you helped me with my .375 purchase as well over at HA I think. I was thinking of a stinking old M70, any way a few people here and over there that Know what there talking about convinced me to buy the cz, was my illness in remission there for a short while...

[ 01-05-2003, 02:25: Message edited by: PC ]

We are talking good prices here, I pay about 750 USD for my new 550 back home. To give you some comparison a new Sako 75 costs from about 1200-1600 USD in stores here in Sweden as well as back home. What do shooters/hunters in the US have to say about CZ in general since it isn�t a domestic production ? Obviously you people like it as much as I do.
Regards

Ed,yes please keep us up to date on the conversion idea,I love the old 35 Remington,in my "TC" it has accounted for a few deer. and have been toying with the idea of necking it to 9.3.
Might have to have one of the pesky "CZ's" even if it is the wrong handed bolt gun

PC, my thoughts exactly. I want to get mine before they realise that other manufacturers make money cranking out mediocre rifles, therefore, they probably can as well.

GBF, if you want to know what all the hub-bub is surrounding these rifles, let me give you some background. There is a gentleman named Jack Belk who posts on this and at least one other forumn. He is a gunsmith of the highest order, and quite possibly the world's leading authority on Mauser-based rifles. He has spent his life studying and working on rifles and he knows of which he speaks. He helped found the American Custom Gunsmithing Guild and has served as its president more than once. The Guild is a highly selective group of gunsmiths with, I believe, less than one hundred members. In short, it takes a lot to be admitted into it.

Anyway, all of that is to say when it comes to bolt action rifles, you can take J Belk's words to the bank. At some point during the past year he posted a critique of CZ rifles, and I will try to post a link to it below. Enjoy.

{Saeed, or others: if this is inappropriate please delete.}

http://www.huntamerica.com/wwwthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB8&Number=160754&Forum=UBB8&Words=tumble%20bug&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=160754&

J.Belk has changed my taste in rifles completely. And no longer do I long for those "shiny baby's which look good on the outside" give me the all steel cz's with there turkish walnut stocks. As J.Belk states there diamonds in the rough.

Thanks fo the link, it was most interesting to read.

Well the little CZ accounted for 6 deer (100#'ers)and 3 hogs (100 to 150 #'s) this past weekend with the Wolf ammo mentioned above. Shots were from around 40 to 150 yards. All one shot kills except one on a 150# hog that was really dead but I did not want to have to chase it in the brush. All of the other animals either dropped at the shot or within 20 yards or so. The deer were all shot just behind the shoulder as was one hog, another took it in the neck and the other just below the ear. No bullet passed through the hogs, three passed through the deer and the other three did not. With this Wolf ammo I doubt I will even bother buying dies for this one. All in all a fun weekend and a great little rifle. Next comes the scope and a trip to the range.

Geee I just found another reason to buy one,looking at Brokman's site he is building the action up with the 50 Beawolf round,Now there's a thumber!

What on earth is the .50 Beawolf. What are it's ballistics, this sounds like a really cool sibling for my .585 Nyati

hmmm another good one for the recoil shy is the 300 savage.

Slightly off topic, I handled a CZ 452 in 17 HMR today. It seemed really nice.

I have had one of the 527 arbines for about 2 years and it is one of my favorite shooters. I can't reload for what factory ammo costs to shoot.
One thing you might look at. When I decided to freefloat the barrel I noticed that there is a pillar in the rear action screw hole in the stock. There is not one in the front. When I looked at the parts section of the manual there is also none listed. No big deal except for one minor engineering error....the front and rear holes are bored the same diameter. The rear hole has the pillar and the front does not. Both the screws are the same diameter....when the barrel was freefloated the whole barreled action would then pivot on the rear action screw! Called CZ and they sent me a rear pillar which I cut and fit to the front hole....no more problem. When I asked the pats man about it he said that there was no pillar for the front. When I asked him if the factory understood that they were boring the front action screw hole too big for the screw passing through it he didn't realize it.
The adjustable trigger is also great...every gun should have one like this.....Bob