I am contemplating these two rifles and would like input about experience anyone's had with each. The CZ has a wood stock, blued barrel, 1 in 12 twist and has a set trigger. The Savage is black plastic stock, stainless barrel, 1 in 9 twist, and has an "accutrigger" adjustable trigger. I'm leaning toward the CZ because I like wood stocks, but the accutrigger has gotten good reviews (Chuck Hawks) and I like stainless barrels. I plan to use the rifle for a walking varminter (coyote, woodchuck, jacks, mostly), and would like something that will have good accuracy at distance (100 to 250 yds).
CZ 527 American vs Savage 16FSS in 223 Remington?
- Thread starter Riverblue
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The CZ trigger is superb - far better than the Savage once adjusted. The set trigger can be adjusted down to about 8 oz, or disabled, and the non-set trigger can easily be set of about 20 or so ounches, adjustable to takeup, overtravel and sear engagement. The ultimate version of the CZ-527 is the Kevlar varmint, which has a 1:9 twist heavy barel (but still only weighs about 7.5 pounds).
That's good to know about the CZ set trigger: I did not know it was adjustable. I am considering the lighter version, the walnut stock, since I want to be able to walk distances with it. I leally like CZ rifles: have two others in rimfire calibers, they're very accurate and I love them.
rangerruck
Member
I have two cz's , both when they were made 100% in czechland, both with cyrillic markings, and the funny 16.7 inch length bb, and no stencilling of any kind any where, and hand rubbed hand oiled turkish walnut, and hand fitted parts. Oh yeah, both have the front and rear sites.
and they are both about this acccurate.
Now here is the problem, with mine, which has the 1/12 twist, you can see, that once i am getting up to the wolf 62 grains, they are starting to spread out, so this is as heavy a round as it will shoot. now I do like the Savage trigger, the cz set trigger can be set all the way down to thought control, and it is amazing to master this feat of mind meld, but the savage trigger aint'bad either. I shot a dudes 12fvs varminter, with a weaver scope 36power, and his handloads. but truth to tell, they were not quite as accurate, as the blackhills shots, or especailly the winny 45 grain varmints, that you see above.
then again, you can proly get the savage for 200 bucks less, but if you diff in price is 100-125 bucks or less, save your money and get the cz, or even step up, and get the cz in Varmint kevlar, and solve all your problems.
and they are both about this acccurate.
Now here is the problem, with mine, which has the 1/12 twist, you can see, that once i am getting up to the wolf 62 grains, they are starting to spread out, so this is as heavy a round as it will shoot. now I do like the Savage trigger, the cz set trigger can be set all the way down to thought control, and it is amazing to master this feat of mind meld, but the savage trigger aint'bad either. I shot a dudes 12fvs varminter, with a weaver scope 36power, and his handloads. but truth to tell, they were not quite as accurate, as the blackhills shots, or especailly the winny 45 grain varmints, that you see above.
then again, you can proly get the savage for 200 bucks less, but if you diff in price is 100-125 bucks or less, save your money and get the cz, or even step up, and get the cz in Varmint kevlar, and solve all your problems.
Hard choices, but fun to do eh? I chose the Savage 11GL( wood stock) because I am a lefty and at the time CZ didn't make their LH 223. I do own a CZ 452 LH American in 22, which I like real well.
The Savage didn't shoot well and I returned it to Savage. It came home a shooter, and shot a five shot 9/16" group first time out using mixed military brass, IMR4198, and 55 Gr. IMI FMJ bullets with no work up etc.
I think the clip/magazine on the CZ is ugly as heck, but the set trigger would be better overall, IMO than the Accutrigger of the Savage.
A guy doesn't have to use the "set trigger" in the CZ if your hunting. The "Accutriger" is nice off the bench but out in the field I am not a big fan of it. I do like the nice Walnut of the CZ and all together IF I has do decided again, I think I would try the CZ, or a Remington CDL in LH.
Decisions, Decisions, huh?
The Savage didn't shoot well and I returned it to Savage. It came home a shooter, and shot a five shot 9/16" group first time out using mixed military brass, IMR4198, and 55 Gr. IMI FMJ bullets with no work up etc.
I think the clip/magazine on the CZ is ugly as heck, but the set trigger would be better overall, IMO than the Accutrigger of the Savage.
A guy doesn't have to use the "set trigger" in the CZ if your hunting. The "Accutriger" is nice off the bench but out in the field I am not a big fan of it. I do like the nice Walnut of the CZ and all together IF I has do decided again, I think I would try the CZ, or a Remington CDL in LH.
Decisions, Decisions, huh?
It was helpful that a couple of you mentioned the set trigger can be deactivated. I might like that better. I do actually shoot on the left: not because I'm left handed but because I'm about blind in my right eye. However ever since I started shooting it's been on the left with right handed rifles and that seems to work fine for me. I think I will go with the CZ; I'm encouraged the accuracy was good for rangerruck on the CZ. THose groups look very nice.
grafsk8er
Member
all i've got to say, is that i bought a cz 527 american. i could not be happier with it. the trigger is soooo nice, crisp, clean, breaks like glass, no creep, nothing.
rangerruck
Member
oh yeah, those groups are at 100 yds, sandbag rests, front and back. also, if you look close, especially on the blackhills groups. some of those top spots arent holes, but they are penmarks, that i blackened out , because i was gonna write in windspeed, but once i shot the blackhills, and the winnies, it just didn't matter anymore!!!! the winnies were really one hole punches, as you can see.
RNB65
Member
I own a CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62x39. CZ's are just simply nice rifles. Savages may be accurate, but they're down right ugly to look at. I'll take a CZ over a Savage any day in any caliber.
rangerruck
Member
yep Zeke, I have noticed the 527's really love the winnie 45's. also the factory rmemy 55 grianers are nice, and the blackhills blue box, standard 55 grainers are great , too. The holy grail, I found out, is a russian round, milsurp type, it will come in a plain white box, with black writing, it will be from TCW, and it is 56 grain, with an orange poly tip. if you find any, buy them all, horde them, then sell me some.
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