Specifically the CZ 527 carbine in 7.62X39? Is it a quality rifle providing good accuracy (better than 2 MOA)? What do you think of the open sights? Does it have a 0.308" or 0.310" bore?
I have need for a small light rifle capable of dispatching whitetail. The rifle needs to be light, iron sighted, reasonably accurate, and a right handed bolt. If anyone has other suggestion than the CZ, I am all ears. By the way, I would like to keep costs to below $600.
Thanks, ASS_CLOWN
Posts: 1673 | Location: MANY DIFFERENT PLACES | Registered: 14 May 2004
Nice rifle functionally, not the prettiest I've owned. But, it's a real shooter. On it's maiden outting at the range I was averaging 1" groups with UMC ammo and a crappy old bushnell scope that has since been replaced with a nice Burris Compact 2-7. Several other shooters tried it and all were very impressed with it overall, well, except for the scope, lol.
The open sights work well enough and are easy to regulate. I like the replacable front inserts.
They have a .311" bore according to CZ USA. I haven't verified this yet but have no reason to doubt it.
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
Yeah, I've picked up three CZ's in the last few months. They are quite addictive. A 452 .22 lr, 527 7.62x39, and 550 .416 Rigby. I really would like another in .22 Hornet.
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
The 527 Carbine looks like a slick little rifle. I've been aching to get one just for the fact that plinking ammo is super cheap. It looks like it'd be a fun little gun.
Posts: 852 | Location: Austin | Registered: 24 October 2003
I bought two 527s a couple of years ago. Had one rebbled to 6 mm PPC and the other to 6.5 PPC. About three weeks after I received the 6.5 Alexander Arms standardized the 6.5 PPC and called it the 6.5 Grendel. Wouldn't you know the Grendel had the shoulder moved a little forward so I sent the rifle to their man and it's being rereamed to the Grendel now. It shot well as the 6.5 PPC and the 6 mm is a joy. I love CZs.
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
Keep us posted on the 6.5. I have a feeling mine will end up as one at some point. Seems it would me just a tad more versatile. What are the balistics like?
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
z1r, I'm out of the country at present and my oldest son was working up loads. About the best he got was 2650 fps with the 120 gr. The guy at Alexander Arms claims 2850 with the 120 gr. Of course that was with a 24" bbl and mine is 20". It is very handy, 40" long and weighs five pounds and 14 oz with a Leopold compact 3 X 9. One of the fellows that helped develope the Grendel posts here some, maybe he will add some to this. Here's something to consider. If I had known the 6.8 Remington was coming I would have gone that route. I may do it anyway, can't have too many CZ carbines.
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
Man, that is light. Last time I weighed mine it was 6.33 lbs with only the Burris rings. Did you have a slim barrel mounted or did I just get a heavy piece of wood??? It carries great but everone keeps telling me theirs barely weighs 6lbs scoped, mine is that nekkid.
2650 is still impressive. Way better than the 123 grain .311's and better bc too. May have to keep an eye open for a used one to rebarrel. Kinda like my heavy 7.62x39, lol.
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
z1r, I got the lightest contour Douglas for both, don't remember the number. I also used Controel (sp?) rings and their DapTar bases which I think are relatively light. I have ordered a bunch of 110 gr .264 bullets from GS Custom. I think they will be ideal for Texas whitails. (I know, sometimes slow delivery but where else can you get 110 .264 hunting bullets?) Should do better with the Grendel increased case capacity and the 110 gr bullets.
Posts: 915 | Location: Breckenridge, TX, USA | Registered: 24 November 2001
Quote: Specifically the CZ 527 carbine in 7.62X39? Is it a quality rifle providing good accuracy (better than 2 MOA)? What do you think of the open sights? Does it have a 0.308" or 0.310" bore?
I have need for a small light rifle capable of dispatching whitetail. The rifle needs to be light, iron sighted, reasonably accurate, and a right handed bolt. If anyone has other suggestion than the CZ, I am all ears. By the way, I would like to keep costs to below $600.
Thanks, ASS_CLOWN
Actually my CZ slugs almost .313" groove diameter.
As for acuracy, see the atached 100 yard target. It loves this load, and averages from 3/8" to 1/2" at 100. This load should be pretty much max according to the manuals, but shows absolutely no signs of high pressure in my rifle (maybe due to the slightly larger bore).I have done nothing to it except adjust the trigger. Receiver screws need to be very snug to get best accuracy in my rifle (the factory bedding actually seems a bit loose, but no way I will rebed it as long as it shoots like this).
I have not had good luck with milsurp ammo accuracy wise (2 to 3"), but I only tried a couple of types. I will not use any more milsurp in this rifle and take the chance of doing anything that might hurt this level of accuracy with it's favorite load. So much for my intention of using it as a bolt action plinker for cheap milsurp ammo .
Jim
Posts: 1206 | Location: Georgia | Registered: 21 July 2000
My CZ 7.62 shoots about 3/4" with the Lapua SP factory load and about an inch with cheap ass military stuff. I can't ask for much more than that. I killed a big doe with it on its first trip to the woods last season. These are super neat little rifles and if they do them in 6.8 Rem. I guess I'll just have to have one.
Only thing I want to do in the near future is buy another magazine and modify it to hold three rounds. The magazine on the 7.62 extends below the trigger guard while on the smaller calibers it is flush or below. If I try to grasp the fore end the magazine rubs my wrist. I try to hold by resting my thumb on the trigger guard and fingers on the mag. This keeps my elbow firmly planted agaist my body and makes for a great off hand hold. But, I have to REMEMBER to hold this way. Maybe more time behind the trigger will make this a more natural hold. In the meantime I'm gonna try to shorten a mag.
I hear that the Barnaul ammo screams in these at about 2500 fps.
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
Has anyone tried something along the lines of a Sierra 125 gr. HP/FN Pro-Hunter or some other lightweight bullet that's designed to expand at 30/30 velocities in one of the carbines? I know that the bullet is a little undersized but it should still work and it seems like it would be a good choice for thin skinned game.
Thoughts?
Posts: 852 | Location: Austin | Registered: 24 October 2003
Sierra specifically recommended that bullet to me and tried very hard to steer me away from any of their 150's. I've just started loading for this cartridge so I have very little real info to offer. I've read of lots of folks getting 2300 fps with 150's which is what the .30-30 is doing.
I was also thinking that the .312 bullets made for the .32 H&R and .32-20 would be real good small game bullets. 10 grains of Unique and a 100 grainer would get about 1800 fps or so. Would be a dandy smal game getter.
I recently bought some Corbon ammo that advertised 2350 fps with a 150.
I was thinking that any of the single shot handgun bullets in the 130 to 135 range would likely be ideal.
I picked up some AA1680 as it seemed to be highly recommended for this caliber. The load books are all over the place on this cartridge though. I've seen max loads range from 22 grains to 26 for AA1680 and a 123 grainer. That's quite a spread.
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
Mbogo, have you chronoed that 150-grain load? if so, what's the MV? I have used the 150-grain .308 Sierra in my CZ 527 with good results, but not as good as yours (about 1.5 MOA w/31.5 gr. of H335).
Ha sanyone gone through the excercise of bedding theirs?
Mine shot some real nice groups but they open up as it gets hot. I checked and there is some pressure in the fore end. I'll need to relieve some wood. When/if I get time I'll pull the stock again and glass bed it. Oddly enough, there is a pillar in the rear between tang & guard just like a Mauser but no metal to metal contact up front. I wonder if anothr pillar up front would be worth exploring??
Posts: 4865 | Location: Lakewood, CO | Registered: 07 February 2002
Quote: Mbogo, have you chronoed that 150-grain load? if so, what's the MV? I have used the 150-grain .308 Sierra in my CZ 527 with good results, but not as good as yours (about 1.5 MOA w/31.5 gr. of H335).
eldeguello, Sorry to be so long in getting back to you, but I just got back from a trip.
I don't have my chrono results handy, but this load was doing approximately 2235 fps. There were no pressure signs, but I stopped there due to the great accuracy that I was getting (plus the fact that I was 1/2 grain over the Hornady manual max ). The velocity was surprising considering the short barrel, and I have no good explanation for it other than the fact that I was using an older lot of 2015BR powder, which could have been a bit faster than the lot that Hornady used (of course, it could just be a faster barrel than their test barrel). The brass was Winchester, and the primers were CCI 200.
Incidentally, the other powder that I worked with a bit was H335. I did not chronograph it, but I was getting about 1 inch at 100 yards with 29.5 grains and the 150 Hornady, not bad at all, but not nearly as good as the 2015BR load. Had I never tried 2015BR I would have been quite happy using H335.
Jim
Posts: 1206 | Location: Georgia | Registered: 21 July 2000
Essentially what you would have there is a .30 PPC...not quite, as the PPC is an "Improved" cartridge, but similar.
The .30 PPC right now holds a LOT of cast bullet benchrest records.
If you get one and decide to shoot 200-210 gr. lead bullets from it at about 1,950 to 2,050 fps, give me a jingle and I'll look up some .30 PPC loads from my files for you. You would have to reduce them slightly as your case would not be the "Improved" version, but it should shoot just fine.
AC
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
I got out to the range with my CZ 527 7.62X39 carbine on Wed. along with my chronograph. I chronographed the Winchester factory FMJ load, my 150-grain Sierra .308" spitzer flatbase load with 31.5 gr-H335, and my 180 Speer .311"RN load with 28.5 of H335. CCI #200 primers. The WW 123-grain FMJ ammo averaged 2420 fps, the 150 Sierra .308" averaged 2300 fps, and the 180 Speer .311 RN averaged 2102 fps. All velocities were taken at 10".
These velocities are about 100 fps HIGHER in the 18.5" barrel of the CZ 527 than I used to get with the same loads in a Mini-30 and an SKS!
The WW factory ammo gave me several 3-shot groups that averaged 1.25". The 150 and 180-grain stuff averaged 1.5" and 1" respectively. MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN either the old Mini-30 or the SKS!!
As much as I hate to admit it, being a confirmed Ruger No.1 fan, I may have to break down and try some additional CZ products!!
My CZ in 7.62x39 is as accurate as I can shoot it with Hornady .311 bullets at 150 grains. Velocity is about 2250. I've shot more than one 3/8th", 3 shot group with it at 100 yds... and that's with a 6x scope.
Posts: 7756 | Location: GA | Registered: 27 February 2001
I played with one a bit, belonged to a friend and decided I didn't need a bolt action 30-30, prefer the lever action Marlin or Winchester with those kinds of balistics...
If I wanted a good whitetail rifle in a bolt gun, I'd opt for a Ruger International manlicher in .308...You could even load it down to those balistics if you wished, and have a lot of stuff in reserve...
Posts: 42210 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
I am only getting around 1.25" - 1.5" groups with my 150 grain loads, but I am using .308" bullets and an old Redfield 2.75X scope with post & crosshair reticle. Plus which, I sure don't see as well as I did about 40 years ago.....
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). The velocity was surprising considering the short barrel, and I have no good explanation for it other than the fact that I was using an older lot of 2015BR powder, which could have been a bit faster than the lot that Hornady used (of course, it could just be a faster barrel than their test barrel). The brass was Winchester, and the primers were CCI 200.
