I'm a regular "lurker" here, but have a question. I've got my eyes on a CZ Varmint 223 with the Kevlar stock. Only problem is that the test target is about 1 1/2 inches. I'm really looking for a gun that will group around 1/2". Should I let somebody elso have this one or can I expect it to shoot better? Thanks.

G-2:
I ordered a cz 550 in 9.3x62. The target that came with it showed about 1.3-1.5". I whipped up some handloads that cut it WAY down. I had a 5 shot group of 286gr Partitions that touched each other. Just took delivery of a new 550 in 6.5 Swede. I'll find out about it later this week. Go ahead....you'll shoot that sweet thing much better than the factory. Good luck.

Gary

I own six CZ guns and I believe they are one of the best values on the market. I would not worry about the test target as the testing is more a function test than an accuracy test. I have the rifle you are looking at as well as the LUX 527 in 223 and both of these rifles regularly beat the test target that came with the rifles. Both are shooting about .55-.7" on a very regular basis. This past spring I was shooting some left over reloads from an old project and was suprised to be hitting Prairie Dogs at 250 yards with some bulk buy 55 grain Winchester sp bullets that have a cannalure. I have a four inch swinging disk and this past week end I was hitting it very regularly at 400 yards with my CZ Varminter with a load of 69 g SMK in Win cases, Remington 7 1/2 primers and 24.1 grains of Varget.

Thanks for the advice! I think I'm going to give it a try.

The test target that came with my CZ 527 American showed a group of about a half inch. I would pass on that particular rifle and look for another one. Everyone turns out a "lemon" now and then, and I would not spend my hard-earned dollars on one with a poor test target.

My CZ 527 Varmint laminate had a target that looks like a pattern, a little tweaking and it's consistantly under a half and it's favorite load( Benchmark-205M Fed-40 grain BlitzKing[oddly enough with a 1 in 9 twist]is in the 3's and 4's. Buy the rifle, wipe with the target.---Shoot Safe---montdoug

Well, I bought it for better or worse. I'll give a report after I shoot it.

I wonder how it shot?

Sorry, just shot it (had to wait on scope mounts!) here are the results:
gun, caliber,powder, powder weight, bullet, bullet weight, group, shots, comments
cz 223 ballistic tip 0.716 3 winch factory silvertip
cz 223 blue dot 12.1 ballistic tip 40 n/a 3 couldn't find 3rd shot!
cz 223 H335 24.5 nosler par 60 3.589 3
cz 223 soft point 55 1.186 3 winch factory
cz 223 H335 22.5 speer sp 70 0.686 3
cz 223 H335 22.5 speer sp 70 1.173 3
cz 223 vmax 0.809 3 remington factory
cz 223 vmax 0.874 3 remington factory
cz 223 vmax 50 1.107 3 remington factory
cz 223 vmax 1.112 3 remington factory
this isn't formatting too good from my excel spreadsheet, but the number with 3 decimal places is the group. Will post more later!

Do yourself a favor and try 28 Grains of W748 under a 40 Grain VMAX. you won't be sorry!
Pete

I'm a little disappointed in the groups. However, the gun handles great, I love the stock and the set trigger is really nice (never had one before). Hopefully the groups will get better, if not, I may get it rebarrelled. Nice thing about it is that even if I have to get another barrel, I still won't have as much money tied up in it as my Sako.

27 gr of H-335 under a 40 gr Ballistic Tip or V-Max works well in mine, as does 26 gr of H-335 under a 50 gr Speer TNT. About a grain more of W-748 also is hard to beat. You seem to be using some heavy bullets. My CZ has a 1 in 12 twist, I believe.

Mine has a 1 in 9" twist. That's why I was trying "heavy" bullets.

gahunter, mines a laminate varmint, your right about the bedding, they hardly have any. Also some of their crowns are a little suspect. I did both and they are both cheap fix's probably made a quater inch difference in the groups. My suggestion is to try Benchmark it's the first powder I've found that out shoots WW748 in my .223 class rifles. Another thing and this one makes no sense with a 1 in 9, but my CZ's favorite bullet bar none (and I've tried a bunch) is the 40 grain V Max. I've got a 24 inch barrel, and it chrono's close to 3,800 and 5 shot 100 yard groups are in the .3's and .4's consistantly. It's a real rat smacker!! I'm using Lake City brass weight segregated in lots of 50, flash holes reamed and primer pockets uniformed. A little extra time spent on the brass pays big dividends. I use Fed 205 M primers. Mine also likes Sierras 50 grain SP. My rifle does not like boat tail bullets!!!---Shoot Safe---montdoug

I have had the best results with 50gr. vmax and 23.5 grains of h322 win. primer and win. brass in mine. With this load it will consistantly group .5 and under at 100 with no fliers. I have tried heavier bullets with mixed results.

I think I'm making some progress. I've got one load with 50 grain ballistic tips at around 1/2 inch and another load with 50 grain Barnes X's under an inch. I've shot several groups with 2 shots going in the same hole and then the 3rd opening it up to 1/2" or so. Not sure what's going on.

Update! Got 40 grain ballistic tips and 12 grains of blue dot shooting .19, .21

gahunter2,
It sounds like you've got this dialed in with the 40 grain BT's. When you are so inclined, give 50 grain Nosler ballistic tips a try with Remington once fired brass behind 27.0 grains of Varget, and CCI BR-2 primers. It works great in both of my .223's. This load was publiched in Shooting Times several years back.
"As always, work up carefully, and refer to published loading manuals for cross referencing this load."
Good luck!
zim698

Wierd ain't it? A 1 in 9 twist and it's favorite bullet is a 40 grain. After several trips to the range my rifles also showed a real fondness for 50 grain Sierra flat bases. I've had this rifle about 4 or 5 months and if I had to quit load development right now it'd be: 40 grain V-Max, 50 grain Sierra flat base(it's the cheapest),55grain V-Max in that order. This rifle was purchased to replace a Varmint Synthetic Remington that got turned into a Tactical .20, the CZ was cheaper, and out shoots it big time! Heck of a rifle , especially for the money. Try the Benchmark, I've been shooting .223's for more years than I care to admit and in this rifle at least it is the first powder I've found that out shoots WW748, and H335. It meters like crazy, shoots the smallest groups(with all three bullets), and is also considerably faster than the 8 pounder of 748 I'm currently working on. My new favorite, my .17 Mach IV and Tact .20 both love it too.---Shoot Safe---montdoug

Gentlemen
How is the barrel made? Cut rifling, broach, hammer forged?
Is the CZ Varmit barrel fairly large in diameter?
I've always wanted to find a Mark X 223 Mini Mauser to convert to 25 caliber on the 223 case, for cast bullets.
I could take this rifle and have the barrel re cut to 25 caliber, leaving the chamber the same. Or it may be more reasonable to have it rebarreled.
From the looks of these little rifles, they look like a bargain.
Jim

I was told the barrel is "hammer-forged". As to the contour, it looks to be between a traditional sporter barrel and a varmint barrel. I don't have a scale, but it doesn't appear to be any heavier than my sako .223 sporter, definately not as heavy as my Remington LTR also in 223. One thing that helps in the accuracy department is the set trigger. Sure beats the heck out of a Remington trigger.

I have been seriously considering buying one of the CZ 527 varmints with the HS precision stock and having it rebarreled into a tactical 20. It think it would make an awsome predator calling rifle. DO any of you know where I can just come up with the HS precision stock for it, I didn't see it in thier catalog. thanks