Hello everyone, I'm looking at getting a CZ527 Carbine in .223. Doing a search on several forums, I'm finding a lot of comments, mostly positive, about the little CZ Carbines in 7.62x39, but rare do I see a review of the .223. Can anyone here give me a heads up on how this rifle is functioning, and accuracy level you're seeing?
I want to go with .223 over the AK round because I plan on using it as a walk-around hunting rifle as well as a long range plinker. For that reason, I probably won't do much reloading for it, and I already have an AR, so I won't have to stock a new caliber.
I don't intend to scope it. There's something I really like about the classic feel of that little rifle with the heavy open sights that it's equipped with.
Any comments/experiences would be appreciated. Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by PA452:
Can anyone here give me a heads up on how this rifle is functioning, and accuracy level you're seeing?
I want to go with .223 over the AK round because I plan on using it as a walk-around hunting rifle as well as a long range plinker. For that reason,

I've had a CZ527 in a short barreled .222 for about a year now.No matter what load I feed it it is not a sub minute of angle shooter.It does fit the bill nicely as a great walk around plinker.The best groups I get with it are something over an inch.I doubt if it were chambered for the .223 that it would be any better. roger

I have the CZ527 Carbine in 223. It is a very handy rifle. I too use mine as a "walk around" item. I do have mine scoped with an old Bushnell scope which has worked out well. As for accuracy, I use my rifles for hunting & plinking not "match competition", and I have never had a problem with my rifle hitting what I aim at. All in all, I would give the little carbine high marks.

-Vlad

I have one in 22 Hornet. It is consistantly a 1/2 MOA rifle with my handloads.
Pete

I have said rifle, and it is one of my favorites, Its light, handy and most of all accurate, its sub MOA with everything I have tried. The stock has a little drop to it, which makes off hand shooting really fast and easy. I am really glad I bought one, it is one heck of a calling rifle, also I only loose less than 100fps over my 24" varmint CZ

quote:

Originally posted by PA452:
I'm looking at getting a CZ527 Carbine ...
I don't intend to scope it.
Any comments/experiences would be appreciated. Thanks

Nice choice for use with open sights. Everyone claims excellent accuracy with the CZ. By using open sights, you won't face any of the problems caused by the thick bolt handle root, which forces scopes to be mounted much higher than the stock comb is suitable for. Watch out for the backward safety. People say they get used to them, but for me, it would be like trying to drive on the left hand side of the road .

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I'm going to have to go with it.
I've been a CZ fan for a few years now, and have been wanting to get one of these rifles ever since I got to pick one up at a gunshow a few years ago. I already have a 452 Trainer, 452 Scout, 550 American, and 527 American. The 527 American I have needs a little work though. I'm in the military and currently deployed, and I'm thinking about getting a new CZ 452 American with a nice scope on it and then the CZ527 Carbine in .223 when I get home for mid-tour leave.
I really like carrying my CZs when I go out for hikes, there's something about the classic feel of their bolt action rifles and the good materials and machining that they use. I hope to get a lot of practice with this .223 Carbine to the point that I can fire it with extreme confidence with the open sights.
Thanks again for the replies

I know this topic has probably been wrapped up but I can't say enough good about these little rifles. I have had the chance to play with two of these carbines in .223 and both shot groups of 1 inch or less with remanufactured Ultramax and Black Hills 55 grain soft points. Both rifles had Leupold Rifleman 2x7 scopes. I liked them because the barrels seemed to be a little heavier than most sporter weight barrels and they added a solid feel that felt good in the hands. Some the full size CZ actions can feel a little rough (but I absolutely love them anyways, and they can be polishedto perfection) while cycling the bolt, but the small action 527's felt very smooth and slick. I love the integral scope mount system as well. The action with its extended magazine looks a little unconventional to some, but I think it actually looks cool and lends the rifle an element of dinstinction. I have had nothing but good experiences with CZ rifles.

I have one in .221 fireball and it is a dog. As mentioned before the scope mounts are too high. The safety is backwards. Accuracy is okay with the best group so far an inch and a half at a hundred yards. The worst part is the bolt. You cannot operate it from the shoulder. It is that rough. Buy a Remchester and forget this POS.

if you have a rough feeding CZ shoot me a PM there are many things you can do to smooth em up, with little to no effort. both mine are my smoothest rifles I own, and one certainly didn't come that way

quote:

Originally posted by M16:
The worst part is the bolt. You cannot operate it from the shoulder. It is that rough. .

I have to through in with you here; mine was the same untill a few hours of honeing. Now it is as I said a nice walk around rifle. Is that some sort of Aussi expression? roger

quote:

Originally posted by M16:
I have one in .221 fireball and it is a dog. As mentioned before the scope mounts are too high. The safety is backwards. Accuracy is okay with the best group so far an inch and a half at a hundred yards. The worst part is the bolt. You cannot operate it from the shoulder. It is that rough. Buy a Remchester and forget this POS.

You can likely smoothe the action as suggested. On another thread, one CZ owner ground down the root of the bolt handle in order to allow for more appropriate scope mounting height. Sorry, can't do anything about the (inexplicably) backward safety.

You hear a lot of raves about the CZ product, but it has too many negative features for me to get very excited about it.

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 rifleman:
I know this topic has probably been wrapped up but I can't say enough good about these little rifles. I have had the chance to play with two of these carbines in .223 and both shot groups of 1 inch or less with remanufactured Ultramax and Black Hills 55 grain soft points. Both rifles had Leupold Rifleman 2x7 scopes. I liked them because the barrels seemed to be a little heavier than most sporter weight barrels and they added a solid feel that felt good in the hands. Some the full size CZ actions can feel a little rough (but I absolutely love them anyways, and they can be polishedto perfection) while cycling the bolt, but the small action 527's felt very smooth and slick. I love the integral scope mount system as well. The action with its extended magazine looks a little unconventional to some, but I think it actually looks cool and lends the rifle an element of dinstinction. I have had nothing but good experiences with CZ rifles.

I love cz's so much that I have sold a fine shooting rem 700 vssf 22/250 and bought a cz laminate varmint 22/250. I just love the feel of there solid actions and I know rem's may not have failed yada, yada, but I love that big claw and if I ever get charged by a fox or rabbit well I know I will have a crf

I also love the set rtigger feature, the rem vssf feels scheesy in comparison to a cz IMHO

quote:

Originally posted by cummins cowboy:
if you have a rough feeding CZ shoot me a PM there are many things you can do to smooth em up, with little to no effort. both mine are my smoothest rifles I own, and one certainly didn't come that way

Cummins can you share the secret of smoothing up cz 550 bolts ??

I have never owned or shot a 550, so I am not sure on those just the little 527's

Here's some more info on the CZ527. Mine is a 223, and so far the best groups are.380 & .424. Thats right under 1/2 inch. Load was 24.8 grains of IMR3031 and a Sierra 53 Grain HPBT.

As to the guy who says his fireball won't shoot, he must have some other kind of problem,LOL. My 2 shooting buddies got 527's in 221 Fireball the same time I got the 223, and they both shoot under .700 if they do there job. Pretty darn good accuracy I would say.

Jerry

PS I also own a 550 in 375 H&H and if I do my part, it will throw them into one hole.

CC ,
Interested to hear your thoughts on smoothing up a 527 . Mine's pretty good anyway but not perfect .

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As to the guy who says his fireball won't shoot, he must have some other kind of problem,LOL. My 2 shooting buddies got 527's in 221 Fireball the same time I got the 223, and they both shoot under .700 if they do there job. Pretty darn good accuracy I would say.

I didn't say it wouldn't shoot. I said I am getting inch and a half groups. Now the problem may be that I am talking about actual groups being shot. I like you shoot much better groups on the internet. Wow! I just shot a .290 5 shot group. See how easy that works. I have never seen so many less than half inch rifles until the internet. If only people could shoot as well on the range as they can on the internet.

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I have never seen so many less than half inch rifles until the internet. If only people could shoot as well on the range as they can on the internet.

For internet purposes, you're allowed to disregard any shots that fall outside of the greatest measurement BETWEEN the two closest shots. That way, if, out of five shots with a .375 H & H that can't be covered by the open palm of your hand, you can find two shots with less than 1/2" of paper showing between them, you have a .490" group.

Understand how it works now?

quote:

For internet purposes, you're allowed to disregard any shots that fall outside of the greatest measurement BETWEEN the two closest shots. That way, if, out of five shots with a .375 H & H that can't be covered by the open palm of your hand, you can find two shots with less than 1/2" of paper showing between them, you have a .490" group.

Thanks very much. Now I get it.

You guys must have a problem getting ANY of your rifles to shoot under one inch. Thats amazing! What I will do for you is post some pictures for you doubting Thomas' to look at and ponder over. You could however say thay were shot at 10 YARDS, I guess you just have to have faith.

Jerry

Just for the sake of argument, you understand, you can view some groups I have posted on hunt 101.com. Just to show you I am not a BULLSHITTER, go look at my gallery Jerry Eden. I have posted a 375 H&H group and several 223 groups. I think they speak for themselves.

Jerry

I altered my magazine such that it is now level with the floorplate. I had to cut part of the magazine and cut away the triangular part between the floorplate and the triggergard. It took me an hour to do this and it looks much better this way. The magazine holds three cartridges now. If anyone is interested in doing this, I am glad to post some pics.

By the way, I bought my CZ 527 .223 REM in 1995, burned a few thousand hot loads through it and it still is my favourite rifle for roe- and varminthunting.

My groups aren't always sub MOA but I found out that in most cases I was to blame and not the little rifle. Besides, a crow at 200 metres presents at least a 2.5 inch target, so I have never understood this wish for zero MOA groups.

In my opinion it is much more important to develop a consistant load ( I uses Creighton Audette's Ladder Test) and to to know the trajectory of a given cartride, handload or factory. Don't believe ballistic tables and calculated trajectories. I zero in at 100 Mtrs + 4 cm. and know from field tests that I am flat at 180 mtrs and a few cm. low at 225 mtrs.

Many hunters make the mistake to spend a given amount of money on a rifle + scope+ mounts combination and spend 80% of this amount on the rifle. The remaining 20% has to be enough for a cheap scope and even cheaper mounts. WRONG WRONG WRONG!

I added a 6x42 Zeiss scope and German EAW mounts, which cost more than the rifle itself.
This combination is still going strong and 100% reliable, even after 10 years and 2000 hot loads!

A hunting friend of mine bought a fancy Steyr .222 REM the same year, which was nearly three times the price of the CZ and found that accuracy was gone after no more than 1000 loads. due to throat erosion!

In Germany the CZ 527 won the 'Rifle of the year Award' for 6 or 7 years in a row and is now only second to the Blaser R93. ( I have never understood why some people see that piece of junk as a rifle!)

I like my CZ527 carbine in .223, but would like to find a load that doesn't produce the muzzle flash that I get with Winchester white box ammo. Can anybody get me pointed in the right direction? TIA.

Hey everyone, thanks again for the replies. Just got home two days ago and picked up my new CZ527 Carbine in .223 the same day. It's even better than I hoped for. The wood looks great. Action is already working smoothly. The open sights are awesome and will work perfect for my eyes, and to top it all off, I'm actually getting decent groups at 100 yards using the open sights. I'm really looking forward to getting some use out of this rifle.
CZ does it again.

Thanks