Bolt action .223/5.56 opinions

[Dave DeLaurant]

i do have this bad photo with the blot back, you can see it's lower the the rear dovetail.

OK, now I really feel foolish: it happens that my 527 in .300 Blackout has the new style bolt handle. The kind of photo I originally had in mind wouldn't have shown the difference very clearly -- it is pretty subtle and I never noticed it before. I took both handles off and directly compared the new handle with one from my older .223 made ten years ago:


I got the calipers out and the difference at the root is almost exactly .1":



Things still get pretty tight on a 527 with a large eyepiece scope, but the new handle does appear to make a difference.

 

[troy fairweather]

OK, now I really feel foolish: it happens that my 527 in .300 Blackout has the new style bolt handle. The kind of photo I originally had in mind wouldn't have shown the difference very clearly -- it is pretty subtle and I never noticed it before. I took both handles off and directly compared the new handle with one from my older .223 made ten years ago:

View attachment 830983
I got the calipers out and the difference at the root is almost exactly .1":

View attachment 830984 View attachment 830985

Things still get pretty tight on a 527 with a large eyepiece scope, but the new handle does appear to make a difference.

i got my cz for the sight, but one day i may scope it. would be nice to have for working up loads, id like some qd rings but there $$$. i think i would do a scope like a leupold 1-4 even a 2-7 looks big. the necg peep will come first tho.

 

[I6turbo]

I'm a CZ fanboy because I like almost all of their guns. This thread is a good opportunity for more CZ 527 .223 pitcherz...

Here's a couple of 'em... VERY little difference in the accuracy of these two with the 6 or so different types of ammo that I've tried, but the FS has the slightest edge over the American/Classic.


A Varmint that I would recommend above the others if you are shooting from a bench or a half-decent rest, and you want the most consistent accuracy (into the .3s with factory ammo when you find one that works well with your gun).


Or a Carbine, but I prefer the others unless the task at hand is better suited to a smaller, slightly lighter gun.

 

[troy fairweather]

i hope to get a FS to go with my carbine, maybe if i am lucky i can fin a 222rem. and the way the bolts are, i think i would make a butter knife bolt handle for the FS.

 

[I6turbo]

i hope to get a FS to go with my carbine, maybe if i am lucky i can fin a 222rem. and the way the bolts are, i think i would make a butter knife bolt handle for the FS.

The 222 FS is a rare gun. There has recently been a batch of them available, built in 2010 I believe, sent to Mexico where they apparently sat for years, then recently to the US. . Looks like CZ has now discontinued all of their FS guns. There are still some NIB 527 FS .223s around, and perhaps some of the above-mentioned .222s (though the batch that was recently on GB are no longer), but once those are gone, there may not ever be any more batches, just the occasional one that pops up...

 

[troy fairweather]

The 222 FS is a rare gun. There has recently been a batch of them available, built in 2010 I believe, sent to Mexico where they apparently sat for years, then recently to the US. . Looks like CZ has now discontinued all of their FS guns. There are still some NIB 527 FS .223s around, and perhaps some of the above-mentioned .222s, but once those are gone, there may not ever be any more...

buds had 222s don't no about now.

 

[I6turbo]

The 222s now seem to be gone from from the several sellers who had them on offer recently -- Buds, Wholesale Hunter, Classic Firearms, and a few others.

 

[troy fairweather]

The 222s now seem to be gone from from the several sellers who had them on offer recently -- Buds, Wholesale Hunter, Classic Firearms, and a few others.

ya i was hope full to find a 222. i am saving up for a ruger pc, but my try to get a 223fs before they are gone. why does cz discontinue all the rifles i like. i am still in shock about the 550

 

[WestKentucky]

I've handled, and used the CZs, and I like them, but with the dm sticking out the bottom it breaks the lines up enough for me that the other, cheaper, guns edge up in the running.

Therein lies the problem. A rifle is a tool, and it is a tool that many of us use to put food in our freezers by walking miles with the rifle slung over our shoulders. If you have ever carried a rifle with a detachable box mag that extends beyond the bottom of the stock then you understand why this is a terrible idea. The rifle moves when you move, and it inevitably bumps and bangs along on your back and side in the kidney region which is one of the most tender areas of the human body. A hinged trapdoor mag is great, a flush fitting and contoured detachable mag is even better, but for a bolt action repeater the 2nd worst option for mags in my opinion is the blind magazine, and it is far and away better than a kidney puncher. If your just gonna punch paper then this may be a moot point.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Therein lies the problem. A rifle is a tool, and it is a tool that many of us use to put food in our freezers by walking miles with the rifle slung over our shoulders. If you have ever carried a rifle with a detachable box mag that extends beyond the bottom of the stock then you understand why this is a terrible idea. The rifle moves when you move, and it inevitably bumps and bangs along on your back and side in the kidney region which is one of the most tender areas of the human body. A hinged trapdoor mag is great, a flush fitting and contoured detachable mag is even better, but for a bolt action repeater the 2nd worst option for mags in my opinion is the blind magazine, and it is far and away better than a kidney puncher. If your just gonna punch paper then this may be a moot point.

Things got a bit out of hand as the action developed -- with the granddaddy of this action, the .22 Hornet Brno 465, the single stack was fairly streamlined. With the 527, especially in 7.62x39, the box sticks out quite a bit.

I wish I owned a nice example of the 465 like this one, but I've never seen a 465 or the later Brno Fox in my neck of the woods. Simpson's has one for sale right now for about $1200.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I'm a CZ fanboy because I like almost all of their guns. This thread is a good opportunity for more CZ 527 .223 pitcherz...

Here's a couple of 'em... VERY little difference in the accuracy of these two with the 6 or so different types of ammo that I've tried, but the FS has the slightest edge over the American/Classic.
View attachment 830991

A Varmint that I would recommend above the others if you are shooting from a bench or a half-decent rest, and you want the most consistent accuracy (into the .3s with factory ammo when you find one that works well with your gun).
View attachment 830992

Or a Carbine, but I prefer the others unless the task at hand is better suited to a smaller, slightly lighter gun.
View attachment 830993

Very nice arsenal!

 

[wanderinwalker]

Somehow this thread has become a serious plug for CZ...

To the bolt handle/scope clearance issue, I agree with Dave DeLaurant in that it is still a bit of an issue even with the reduced bolt handle. To whit, my 527FS is a recent production rifle (2018 I think) and the lowest rings that work are still Medium height. Mine wears Warne 16mm vertically split rings. Leupold scopes typically have smaller eye pieces and there isn't a lot of extra clearance on my setup.

Counter this with my long-action Remington 700 wearing a Leupold FX-II 2.5x in Warne low rings on a Leupold rail. I could either go lower or use a scope with a larger eyepiece and still have generous clearance.

The other note with the CZs is many people don't like the cheek weld the European style stocks provide with "normally" mounted scopes. I happen to use a head's up shooting style in offhand and sitting (leftover from spending lots of time chasing better standing scores in competition) and like the fit of this configuration. But I'll admit it isn't very amenable to sitting at a bench rest or assuming a prone position.

(Completely on a tangent: my little Browning T-Bolt .22LR suffers the opposite problem. There is barely enough drop in the buttstock for me to get my eye behind the scope. Still enjoy shooting the slick little thing though.)

 

[BWS]

Love my 12T 527L 223 but here's my built for,'19 R700 12T 223 cast bullet rig..... this was taken day before yesterday. The log seems to disappear is why the pic was taken. Heavy dose of H4198 sends 55g CB's @2800+ fps into very small,cold bore groups. Which is what makes a hunting rig,first shot.... rain or shine,no excuses 10X.

 

[fpgt72]

Somehow this thread has become a serious plug for CZ...

It is pretty easy when the silly things just work and work well.

I am a real fan of the few I have....if the wind ever stops blowing at 50mph and the ground ever becomes solid again I will grab them first to get spring started off with a bang.

 

[Legionnaire]

Most here know I'm a Remington fan. My bolt action .223s are a 700 XCR Compact Tactical and a Model 7, both bought second hand. I received the Model 7 in a youth stock that I replaced with a factory laminate, and I replaced the J-lock firing pin assembly with one from PTG. It's amazingly accurate with Fiocchi 50 grain V-max ammo.

I had a CZ and it shot fine. I just didn't like the backwards safety.

 

[Legionnaire]

So y'all motivated me to take a few new pictures.

700 XCR Compact Tactical


Model 7. It doesn't usually wear the bipod; only there for the picture.