fla3006,

Would you have any idea how much their regular and high grade models cost? It has been extremely difficult getting any response from the company as several members here have said.

Personally, I think that the rifles look really nice and that some US company would buy them out or tie up with them to market their products here.

Good hunting!

Mehul, I never got a firm price on a 9.3x62 Mauser, but my impression was it was not going to be particularly inexpensive, not as competitive as the CZs are. Communication is somewhat of a problem, with language and cultural barriers, and the place seems to be in a state of flux. My contact was Pavel Gruner, gruner@zbrojovkabrno.com, telephone 01142054515, but he may have left, I think a woman took over his duties.

4 or 5 years ago I imported the Brno 98 in full stock 9.3x62 configuration. The retail price was about $700. It had the same quality as the CZ, and you would swear the workers were pulling shifts in both plants.

I changed the bolt handle and the sights, and added a pad. I'm guessing that Brno is sitting on a few thousand new VZ-24 actions that they sporterize whenever it seems profitable.

The only answer I can give to you about the popularity of CZ is that, for the most part, they are super rifles here in the US. They have as good as, and most of the time better quality than the big three, Winchester, Remington and Browning. I am one of the few who believe that Ruger is making some fantastic shooting rifles, and I would rate CZ right there with them in accuracy. Some of the features of the CZ, do not make them as popular as some of the American brands. CZ's don't come in stainless/synthetic for instance. The CZ's tend to, at least, feel heavier than the American brands, although I haven't weighed one. The specs show them to be pretty close, but they sure don't feel that way. I just wound up deer season for me here in WV, and I think I hunted one day that it didn't rain all day long. Me, my guns and my deer all got soaked over and over. I just can't bear to take a blued/walnut gun out in that kind of weather. I know it's crazy, and I've done it before, many times, but stainless/synthetic are much easier to care for and I don't have to douse them in stinking oil after a day in the rain. It's me I know, but that's they way I am. The CZ's I've shot and owned have all been real, real good shooters. It is impressive to take a new 527 heavy barrel out of the box, adjust the triggers to your liking and shoot 5 shot groups of one ragged hole with whatever ammo I had loaded for the last .223 I owned! They're hard not to like when they shoot like that. I sighted in a .270 for my neighbor a while back. I visually bore sighted it by looking through the barrel, and fired three shots at 50 yards to see where I was. I was disappointed to find only one of the shots hit the paper a little high and left. That was until I realized that all three shots were in that same hole, barely bigger than a .270 round. Moving out to 100 yards the rifle routinely shot 1/2" with handloads for my Ruger.
Now I'm not the type to obsess over where something is made and out of what. I am concerned about their longevity, and I can't see anything on a CZ that looks like it will fail anytime soon. Take a look at a Browning Abolt, there's a rifle who's material inspires confidence????(LOL!), but then again, they work pretty well, so the CZ doesn't concern me at all. I'm more impressed with what any gun can do on target, and sometimes how they look, such as a fine shotgun, but from where I stand CZ's will continue to gain in popularity as long as they perform. There main problem in the US is name recognition, but Remington, Winchester and Browning are doing all they can to ruin their names, so CZ will continue to rise in the shooter's awareness. It constantly amazes me how many people have not heard of CZ around here, even though they're readily available in the shops. It'll change though. People are getting tired of the prices of the big three, and the quality dropping considerably.
Look at the bright side, you could be looking over a new Sako Finnlight and wondering if it's a $1200 hand grenade!

Kurt, my plan was similar to what you have. I wanted a 9.3, uncheckered fancy grade full stock (so I could shape & checker myself), Oberndorf style bolt handle (not turned down and swept back), no sights (so I could add my own) and receiver not drilled & tapped. I suppose it's still possible, at least it was a couple months ago.

fla3006,

Thanks for the contact details. I'll call them and try to talk to someone tomorrow. Let's see what happens.

Good hunting!

Kurt C,

Superb rifle.

Bascially with a CZ you get out of the box savage accuracy in a rifle that is actually pretty good to look at. Cz usually has better wood. My little 527 is by far my favorite rifle at the moment. I Don't think there is ever a 5 shot group that I have fired from it that wasn't less than MOA. That is with my handloads and about 4 different factory ammos. pretty much everything I feed it shoots great and white box winchester shoots .5 or less all day long. this rifle usually averages about .5 for 5 shots on a range outing. It doesn't just through and occasional good group it does it at will. When you comapre CZ to the others the difference is clear you just simply get more rifle for the money.

It seems to me that comparing the Remmys, Savages, CZ's etc is largley a game of trade offs. I like the similarities that the CZ has with Mauser actions but the overall finish leaves a bit to be desired. I guess it just depends on what your looking for in a gun.

About Cr-Mo steel, I belive this is not always the same steel and it is I was talking about.

About Zbrojovka Brno, in 1989, there was about 10 000 people in company, now, it is stolen out with about 10 people guarding the rest of company. It was a prime example of post communist privatization. I am not sure they make rifles any more . . . That is all I know.

Jiri