Remember this one?

[armoredman]

Ya know, nice light carbine, cheap scope?



Well, we made it to the long range today. First things first, warm up and sight in at 100 yards. Not bad!



No, it's not MOA, that group measures 1 and 1/16 inch, so I can't claim MOA. The others at 100 were similar, nothing spectacular. Adjust right two clicks and be happy.

So, here, we go...go for broke...200 yards...and.....

Ya know, there is this weird thing called bullet drop? I had forgotten. I had nicks in the bottom of the target, as my load showed a drop of almost 5 inches at 200 yards. Great Caeser's Ghost, that's a rainbow!
OK, start adjusting scope up, (wrote down how many clicks so I could put it back to 100), and here's what we got.

Right before last adjustment,



I can live with it, 2 3/4 inch group. Move scope up on last target,



We have room to grow in, that's for certain, 3 inches right there. Also made an important discovery - the CZ 527 does NOT like Fiocchi brass! I have a bunch of Winchester brass I worked on last night, full case prep like I don't normally do with rounds for the vz-58, and I am gonna start working some new loads up, see if I can tighten that up a skosh or two. The range was starting to fill up, so I packed up and left.
CZ-527M carbine, 7.62x39mm - I like it.

Edited to point out the taped holes in the 200 yard target are from the 100 yard sight in, recycled target.

 

[Gunther]

I know the CZ will shoot better than that. It may be the Simmons, I have seen groups shrink dramatically when a Simmons is replaced with a better quality scope. I did a test on a Win Model 70 7mm Mag and groups went from 3 inches @ 100 yds to sub MOA with a Leupold. This gun in 7.62X39 is an interesting concept. Have you tried any of the Russian AK ammo, Wolf etc.?

 

[armoredman]

Possibly, but the Simmons is all I could afford. At full mag, 9, I could see a bit of distortion around the edge of the image, but the targets were clear enough.
I only used some Wolf at 50 yards when sighting in with the irons some days previous, and they gave respectable groups. I have some other powders/bullets to try, so we'll see. This load is definately Minute-of-Felon, as a friend of mine is fond of saying.
For a 16inch barreled light carbine, a round everyone says can't hit a barn door at 75 yards, and a fat old guy who just rediscovered longer range shooting, I ain't too unhappy.

 

[SwampWolf]

I wasn't too impressed until I realized your groups were fired @ 200 yards-I was thinking 100 yards. So, with that "cheap scope" and "nice, light carbine", I'd say you are doing pretty darn good.

 

[armoredman]

Yes, sir, thank you for the compliment, it was 200 yards, this exact range,( this picture was taken when I had the vz-58 shooting at 200 yards. note B-27 target).



The first berm is a measured 200 yards, the top berm is 275 from what I am told. When I can get a solid 2 inch group at 200 with this 527 carbine, I'll walk it up/out to 275 for grins and giggles.

Edit to add, I really should invest in some sand bags/rifle rest, all groups fired seated/unsupported rifle.

 

[C-grunt]

Good shooting. I bet when you find a load that she likes, those groups will tighten up a bit.

 

[TheHighRoadDude]

is 7.62 cheap to shoot?

 

[Jeff H]

is 7.62 cheap to shoot?

Russian ammo is back down to about $.25/round or so. Reloads are cheaper if you have the brass.

 

[jobu07]

That's some great shooting armoredman. I think a lot of the folks who say x39 isn't accurate have never tried it in a rifle capable of real accurate fire.

 

[dagger dog]

Bet if you handloaded some ammo you could get even more out of that CZ!

 

[armoredman]

Absolutly dagger dog, the handloads I used this range trip, (as noted on targets), were all originally made for my vz-58, so the next series of handloads will be trying to tailor to this rifle.

 

[Col. Plink]

the fact that those groups were made unsupported and seated is impressive. With bags and the right loads I wouldn't be sureprised to see that thing turn in REALLY tight groups at 200 yds (but that first batch was first-rate for the kind of shooting being done and no adjustments to the scope).

 

[armoredman]

Every good shot I am happy to give credit to a great carbine. Every missed shot or flyer is all my fault.
Thanks for the compliments, Col Plink, I am very interested in buying some rests to see just what this little beauty is really capable of, and this from a 16" barrel in a 6 pound carbine. I'll loading some "precision" loads tomorrow, we'll see next time I can get a slot on that range. For some reason it is popular.

 

[paducahrider]

Howdy!
Nothing wrong with that shooting!
I have a little 527 in .223 and am constantly impressed with the features on it and the way it shoots, even with over the counter ammo.
The compact Mauser-type action just has a different feel than most others and the single set trigger is tre cool.
Went to the Czech. Republic a few years back, and saw that they produce some high quality stuff.
Beautiful country .
Thanks for your time.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I'm rather surprised you've gotten FMJ's to shoot this good. IME they're some of the most inaccurate bullets to be found. May I suggest a quality HP or SP as well as neck sizing the cases to be used in this CZ. Also using much more robust small primed RP cases I was able to go up to 28grs of aa1680 as per speer no12

 

[armoredman]

I have a few Remington cases, and some Winchester SR primers, but after this...



I put those few primers I have left aside, awaiting a word from Winchester. They, BTW, told me that waiting one month to call wasn't long enough, I must wait until April to call them back. I have a lot more Winchester brass and Remington 9 1/2 primers.
I do have some Hornday SPs I am going to try, as well as a few Speer 125gr SPs as well. When I get off my lazy duff I'll cast some 160grainers, size and gas check 'em to see what I can do with them.
I would like to try neck sizing, but don't have the die right now.

 

[R.W.Dale]

You can neck or partial length size simply by backing your fl die off the apropriate amount

 

[armoredman]

Well, the weatherman lied - no rain today! YAY! So, I got to try out some loads I whipped up to test in the CZ 527.
Started by sighting in again, to make sure the scope was zeroed. Good stuff.

I loaded some with Hornady 123 grain Soft Point, and one batch with 125 grain Speer Hot Core SP.
Here's how they did.

Hornady 123 grain SP over 25 grains of AA#1680. Would have been beautiful...except for that flyer...without flyer group is 3/4 inch, WITH flyer, it's 5 inches...dagnabbit.



Speer 125 grain Hot Core over 24.5 grains AA#1680, not impressed. I'll try a differant powder weight, but I don't hold a lot of hope.



Since it has been asked, Wolf Black Box, all I can say is it's Minute Of Felon.



Best group, not too surprisingly, Hornady 123 grain SP, over 24 grains AA#1680. Solid 3/4 inch, only shot three, though.



I'll be making some more test loads with this Hornady soft point bullet, that's for certain!

 

[19-3Ben]

You don't really like CZs very much, do you?

I really hope to get a 527. I feel like it would be a nice companion to my SKS. Same cartridge, but with the accuracy to give it a little more legs.

 

[bikerdoc]

Making me drool my friend. Good report, even better shooting

 

[R.W.Dale]

you know when my remington 788 in 30-30 gets here we might have to engage in a little game of small 30 cal bolt gun 1upsmanship.

At the very least it outta make for some interesting reading and pictures

 

[armoredman]

I can't one up anybody, I see a lot of shooters here on this board that are better. I am just having a blast with this little rifle - gotta start case prep for that next round of loads!....and I have to find a source of those Hornady bullets, cheap! I think I may only have about 80 left!

You don't really like CZs very much, do you?

19-3Ben, whatever gave you that idea?








Old poster, couldn't resist, sorry.

 

[C-grunt]

Good shooting man! Ive always thought those CZ rifles were really cool but wondered how they shot. Seems they do pretty good.

 

[lopezni]

I think that it a very good group for the rifle's intended purpose: a quick handling brush rifle.