CZ bolt action carbine...7.62x39

[J-Dub]

I'm thinking this would make a sweet cheap to shoot bolt action to hunt with and keep in the truck.

Put a weaver 1-3x scope on it and call it good. Does anyone have one? Will it cycle steel cased ammo?

http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-527-carbine/

[JHC]

I've researched these and read every forum's user post I could find on them and I don't think I found a negative post. Accurate and yes on shooting the Wolf from what I've read.

Some guys convert those to the 6.5 Grendel. I wonder if the .300 Blackout would be a good match?

[mattjmcd]

I like mine a lot. It's handy and accurate. FULL DISCLOSURE: I've only shot it at 100m. I have a VXII 2-7x on it and that seems to be a good combo, but again, I've only shot it at short and medium range.

[Amicus]

I have fired a friend's at the range a few times. A very nice little carbine and accurate with the 7.62x39 S. But, the cartridge is short to medium range and the single set trigger takes some getting used to.

[Matt-man]

Some guys convert those to the 6.5 Grendel. I wonder if the .300 Blackout would be a good match?

6.5 Grendel has the same rim diameter as 7.62x39, which is why 7.62x39 bolt guns are popular choices for 6.5 Grendel conversions. 300 Blackout should be a straightforward conversion for a 527 chambered for .223 - just a barrel swap, same as an AR. Converting a 7.62x39 gun to 300 BLK would require a new bolt since the rim diameters are different.

[J-Dub]

I never thought about that, but cz does make the same carbine in .223.......Hmmmm

(now the wheels are turning..)

But why not pickup a cheap stevens 200 in .223 and rebarrel it for 300aac with a 16" barrel. But then why not just use a 30-30?

[RiflemanBobcat]

I have fired a friend's at the range a few times. A very nice little carbine and accurate with the 7.62x39 S. But, the cartridge is short to medium range and the single set trigger takes some getting used to.

I'm going to betray my ignorance of detail here, but for handloaders, what kind of BC is the reasonable ceiling for bullets in a 7.62x39 CZ 527? Loading the OAL as long as it can reasonably go, given the constraints of the firearm, that is.

Or, more bluntly, how much can the x39's range be improved from the 527 by careful handloading, as opposed to factory ammo?

Edit: Or, given that I think I remember Dr. Roberts mentioning that the .300 BLK has slightly more potential for hot-loading, would one be better off just re-barreling a .223 model to .300 BLK and tailoring loads from there?

This all assumes one is seeking a little more external ballistic performance from a 7.62x___ version of this firearm, of course.

[Matt-man]

But why not pickup a cheap stevens 200 in .223 and rebarrel it for 300aac with a 16" barrel.

That would work, and would almost certainly be cheaper than rebarreling the CZ since you can do the work yourself. However, if I had a Stevens 200 and I wanted a subsonic .30 caliber gun, I'd probably just barrel it for 308 Winchester and shoot subsonic loads. The action is sized for 308, so you might as well have the capability to shoot full-power 308 too, especially for hunting.

The CZ's action is sized for .223 and 7.62x39 length cartridges, and it's a bit smaller and lighter than a standard-length (that is, 308-length) action. In my opinion this is why you'd choose the CZ instead of something like a Stevens or a Remington 700. For a truck gun, it probably doesn't matter too much.


But then why not just use a 30-30?
Well, if .30-30 does what you need, I don't see why not. You can definitely find one for low cost, and not worry too much about it bouncing around behind the seat of the truck.


I'm going to betray my ignorance of detail here, but for handloaders, what kind of BC is the reasonable ceiling for bullets in a 7.62x39 CZ 527? Loading the OAL as long as it can reasonably go, given the constraints of the firearm, that is.

Or, more bluntly, how much can the x39's range be improved from the 527 by careful handloading, as opposed to factory ammo?

Edit: Or, given that I think I remember Dr. Roberts mentioning that the .300 BLK has slightly more potential for hot-loading, would one be better off just re-barreling a .223 model to .300 BLK and tailoring loads from there?

This all assumes one is seeking a little more external ballistic performance from a 7.62x___ version of this firearm, of course.

Well, there are some 135gr .308" bullets out there from Sierra and Berger. I don't have any experience loading 7.62x39 so I don't know what kind of velocities you'd be able to get out of these, or whether .308" is the appropriate diameter for the CZ. There are plenty of good 150gr .308" bullets, but again I don't know if you'd be able to load them short enough to fit in the magazine or whether you'd be able to push them fast enough to make it worth the effort.

If you're looking for better ballistics out of the 7.62x39 gun, I think the ideal answer is 6.5 Grendel or one of the 6mm wildcats (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=88499). A lot of these are based on the 7.62x39 case so conversion is fairly straightforward. The 6mm and 6.5mm bullets have the advantage of relatively high BCs from relatively low bullet weights (the heaviest 6mm target bullets are in the 115gr range). The combination of good BCs and decent velocities gives you better external ballistics relative to .223 or 7.62x39.

Another choice to muddy the waters: 6x45mm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6%C3%9745mm), aka 6mm-223, which is just .223 necked up to 6mm... like the 300 Blackout, conversion is just a rebarrel for .223 rifles.

[Polymerhead]

Or, more bluntly, how much can the x39's range be improved from the 527 by careful handloading, as opposed to factory ammo?

Edit: Or, given that I think I remember Dr. Roberts mentioning that the .300 BLK has slightly more potential for hot-loading, would one be better off just re-barreling a .223 model to .300 BLK and tailoring loads from there?


Problem is bullet selection. 7.62x39mm usually uses a larger bullet than 0.308", and there are not a lot of component choices out there.

I ended up doing a 300 AAC gun because I had a .223 laying around with a slow twist that was only good for light bullets. I figured the cost of a new barrel was worth it, considering I could do it at home with the right tools and I had a 30 ca can on the way. Not the most practical gun in my safe, but one of the coolest and most fun. Plus it's perfectly adequate for anything a 30-30 would handle - medium range deer, hogs, etc.

[Suwannee Tim]

.....the single set trigger takes some getting used to.

I replaced the single set trigger on my 458 with a Timney.

[Hizzie]

Very tempted to pick up a little 7.62x39 bolt gun and set it up identical to my .458 as a trainer.

[warrendee]

I'm thinking this would make a sweet cheap to shoot bolt action to hunt with and keep in the truck.

Put a weaver 1-3x scope on it and call it good. Does anyone have one? Will it cycle steel cased ammo?

http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-527-carbine/

The CZ carbine is one I've got to have, but right now, I can't decide between 223 or 7.62 X 39. I'm leaning towards 223 so as to have a flatter shooting, more accurate round that can reach out a bit. Am I wrong? Anyone? TIA

[Ditmo]

I've got two 7.62x39 bolt guns. A CZ 527 carbine and a Ruger Hawkeye compact. I bought the 527 to have a bolt gun to shoot inexpensive ammo. I couldn't leave well enough alone and bought dies, brass, and bullets. I've gotten loads under MOA.

I don't like the magazine on the 527. I put a weaver 1x3 on it and like it for the price. The irons shoot high at 100 yards and I haven't bothered to get a taller front sight yet. The action is the perfect size for 7.62x39.

If I'm feeling lazy and don't want to reload it is nice to be able to grab a couple of boxes out of the stash and just go shoot. Mine has a preference for Golden Tiger, just over MOA. Good enough for practicing. Shoots all of the steel case stuff just fine, but most of the wolf stuff is 3-4 MOA

[J-Dub]

Ok digging this thread up.

I'm still thinking about this micro bolt gun, for a different reason though.

CZ 527 in 6.5 grendel (barrel swap).....that would be the bee's knees!

If anyone has one, please post up some pics and your thoughts.

[Hizzie]

I ended up with a Ruger Hawkeye African in .223. Looks and feels like a classic express rifle but fires .223 on the cheap. 1/9 twist barrel & short action. There is a guy over on Accurate Reloading that has had several 527's rebarreled. He uses Lothar-Walther barrels which can be ordered chambered and threaded for the 527. He is a fan of 6.5 Grendel. There is currently a Group Buy for 527 actions in the works.

Good luck.