There is one of these for sale in the classifieds. I read a lot about this caliber and I’m starting to get an urge to get one. My question in this case is more about the gun than the caliber. Does anyone have any experience with the full length stocked CZ? Is accuracy on par with the standard stocked CZ’s? What about the 20.5†barrel, is it considered a liability in the 9.3x62? Thanks.

P.S. the seller of said gun in classifieds is not allowed to endorse gun!!

This is not an endorsement but there was a discussion of this some time ago. You can search for it, and I will too, to see if I can find it.

I've never owned a CZ and never owned a 9.3X62, so I'm quite qualified to answer all of your questions.

The 9.3 is not a benchrest caliber. One might have to tinker with the bedding (like with any rifle), but getting hunting accuracy should not be a problem. I like mannlicher-stocked rifles and have not had any trouble getting them to shoot.

You'll loose a little velocity with a 20.5" barrel but the 9.3 has a low expansion ratio and it wouldn't bother me in the least to have such a barrel on a rifle.

I plan to have a 338/06 built one day. When I do it will be a full-stocked mauser with a 21" barrel. Not a lot of difference between what I have planned and the CZ you're thinking about.

The price is right on the CZ, but I'd put a little money aside to get rid of the hogback. Also, you might consider getting the rifle in hand before paying for it, just to be on the safe side.

I own the 23.6" American CZ and love the thing. With 286 gr Noslers it will put 3 of them inside 3/4" at 100. I have tried to jack shells thru the thing so fast it seemed like an auto....no hang-ups at all. It's a steal at the price I paid about 3 years ago. You'll lose about 150 fps (hearsay) from the 23.6" to the 20.5" barrel with the 286 grainers. Good luck.

Gary B.

I updated the listing in "Classifieds."

I figure if no one commits by Monday, I'm going to keep it, as it wouldn't break my heart .

You don't have to worry about a money/gun transfer with Bill. His word, while sometimes tongue in cheek, is good as gold!

I have a gun just like the one that is being sold. It is plenty accurate, must of the time just above an inch at 100 yards.. a rare sometimes less.

As to the velocity, I think that losing 150 fps in 4" is a little high... especially if using a faster burning powder. The A-Square book lists a load with IMR 3031 (55.5 grains) and 286 grain bullets that is well within pressure limits for a modern action. I haven't tried it, but I'll bet you'd burn up most of the stuff in the short barrel, getting quite satisfactory "umpph", or, at least, that's my theory.

wyattd,

I've never had any issue getting mannlicher's to shoot, most shot super right out of the box. The few that didn't shoot very well didn't take much tinkering with to get it right, either.

As for the short barrel, I purposely had my 9.3x62 Lothar Walter barrel installed at 20" and it is very accurate, light & handy. Overall a GREAT boomer! If I'm loosing velocity with that short barrel then the truckload of Wild Boar I've killed with it obviously didn't get the message, they just died, most expired on the spot where they were shot!

My hunting sidekick liked mine so much he bought a 20" Blaser 9.3x62 barrel. His annual Wild Boar count pales mine by comparision and they're as dead as mine!

Net, I wouldn't worry about the length of that barrel with the 9.3 hole in the end. Buy that cool, little, short, handy rifle, mount a nifty compact scope on it and go have some fun with it!

Cheers,

Gerry

20.5 barrel will still safely give you 2350 with a 286 and 2500 with a 250, which is plenty for anything I'll hunt with a 9.3x62. I prefer 23" or so barrel just for pointing and balance (and a tad less noise).

I have one of these rifles in the "Ugly American" format. Last week I was moping around at Boise Gun Company and played with a fullstock model. Very trim, light and well balanced. Best of all it had an official "Endorsed by Will" factory tag on it.
Seriously, I don't think you could go wrong with the fullstock model. This is a low expansion ratio deal, so you won't lose a huge amount of velocity. It will get the job done out to 250 yards/meters, and would be easier to carry around all day.

lawndart

I bought a used CZ 550 American in 9.3x62 last year. Due to a problem with the scope on a .338, I took it to Africa in May.

Moving 286's at 2425 fms (not very much more than the 2350 list above ... and not enough to worry about) it worked like the hammer of Thor on game ... Impala, Warthog, Blue Wildebeast, Kudu and Zebra. Did not recover a single bullet and all save the Kudu were one shot strikes.

Have since shot pig and deer with the 9.3x62 or its equivalent in 9.3x72 (well, not quite it's equivalent) ... is a super hunting caliber.

Recoil is very nice, accuracy is excellent, and the effect on game is superb. I'll not let the one I have go save to a son.

I've got a 9.3x62 CZ in the Lux model. I really like it. I've also got a 6.5x55 CZ in the FS (Mannlicher stocked) model. I love it, too. Both have been very accurate with very little work. The Mannlicher-stocked rifle shot a 10 shot group of the Winchester cheap factory stuff into less than 3/4" at 50yds with iron sights. I wasn't working very hard at accuracy, as I was doing the barrel break in with iron sights, but when I looked through the binos, I was pretty happy with the rifle's consistency.

Steve

I have a CZ 550 FS (Full Stock) in 9.3x62.

I am getting 1.5" to 2" groups at 100 yds. I think this is as good as I can shoot off the bench. I have a Vari-X II in 2-7x.

I have been shooting several bullets and loads, and have not shot that much off the bench for accuracy. (I practice off-hand, sitting, and off of shooting sticks.) The recoil is a little stiff off the bench .

I have a 9.3x62 cz in a the lux varient with a leupold 2-7 on it, it likes the speer 270 gr bullets amd yet to try anything else. But I like the gun and the chambering.

I have used the 9.3x62 a good deal, shot some buffalo with it...IMO the 9.3x62 needs a 26" barrel as it seems to perform much better in the needed velocity dept....

I would venture to say the 9.3x62 with a 26 inch tube and a 320 gr. Woodleigh equals a 22" .375 with a 300 gr. bullet, if not then pretty close and good enough for all dangerous game.

Ray also exclusively uses the speer 270 gr bullet

I've shot feral cattle and a pan-sized hog with a 550 American in 9.3x62. The barrel was cut to 22" and I got 2,350 fps from H4895. Noslers worked fine but Speers didn't. As for the FS version, if it balances right for you, buy it. You'll be amazed at how hard it hits things. Someday I'd like to try a long one like Ray talks about.

Okie John