CZ-527 7.62x39mm Accuracy?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Hello all!

I've been wanting to buy a CZ-527 in 7.62x39mm for a long time now. Before taking the plunge, I'd like to hear from others who own these rifles and their experiences with them.

I am wondering first about accuracy. Are these really as accurate as I hear? What kind of groups can I expect with off the shelf Wold (cheap) steel cased ammo? I own a ton of Golden Tiger and Yugo M67 brass cased ball ammo (I know it's corrosive) and need a rifle to use this ammo! I recently sold off my two SKSs.

I will be using the rifle for just plain 'ol recreational shooting, everything from bench shooting to backyard plinking.

That leads me to the other question, are these guns rugged? Are they of good build quality, or do they break often? I can see getting spare parts, especially in the future, as being an issue so I want to be sure these guns don't have any major problems with longevity.

Lastly, how would you rate these rifles overall? I've heard good things, but not much in general.

Thanks so much everyone!! :D
 
While I haven't shot any steel cased ammo in mine yet, with brass cased ammo and a 1-4x scope, shooting 5 shots in less than 10 seconds produced 5-shot groups of 1.2" at 100 yards.

I know it is capable of sub MOA if I were to take my time and shoot it like a target rifle. But that's not what I bought it for. It's a woods gun where quick shots and quick follow up shots may be needed. So that's how I practiced with it...
I know a couple other guys who have them and they report right at MOA accuracy with them using steel cased ammo. I have no reason not to believe that.

I've heard of people having issues with magazines, I have not had any. As for being rugged and reliable, it's a mini Mauser action, so it's definitely robust enough to handle abuse. I don't foresee any issues with this rifle or breakage of parts. But as with everything stuff happens...

Trigger is excellent!

I like mine so much, I'm thinking of getting another and converting to 6.5 Grendel...
 
Do a little searching on here and google. I read an article/post not long ago on the setup you are looking at. If I remember I was searching for accuracy of the cartridge when I found it.
Anyway the authors conclusion was that the 7.62x39 was extremely accurate and has a bad accuracy rap from guns like the AK. Power near to a 30-30 and accuracy as good with the price of the ammo at half or less. I dont think you can go wrong with it. I have also never heard anything bad about CZ
 
I have a pair or 527 one carbine and another varmint. Both are 223, so take my experience for what it is worth. I got 1" groups with 5 shots at 100 yards with the carbine using $7 box golden eagle 50 gr hp. That was all I needed and as far as I looked. I stocked up on ammo and still shooting from that stash. If I could get moa, with the first load I tried, imagine what the gun can do.

The varmint, I had higher expectations or lets say greater accuracy needed. I tried more loads. The best load (and very reasonably priced) was Fiocci 50 pt. Those would hold 1/2" for 5 shots at 100 yards. What you might find more interesting is the worst ammo, was PMC Golden and that shot 1 moa! I only shot lighter bullets because I had made effort to locate a 1/12 twist model.

My point? Unless you get a lemon, the 527s can shoot. Seems a shame to burn up the barrel with steel jacket bullets or rapid fire. These guns are capable of real precision. If you are ok with 1 to 1.5 moa, seems any appropriate or reasonable quality ammo should do that.

It is a bit illogical to state a (presumed on my part) goal of excellent accuracy and a desire to shoot up the lowest grade ammo in the world. It may well work out to meet your expectations if you are realisitic. Or more likely you will be happy if you let the gun tell you what it likes.

I firmly belive there is no reason 763x39 is any more or less accurate than 308 or 223 if loaded with quality ammo and matched up to an appropriate gun, of barrel twist with a good scope, good bench rest and a skilled shooter.
 
I'm sure Armoredman will show up with his sweet custom 527. :eek:

On a side note, Lee makes a nice 155gr bullet mold that works great in the x39.
 
My friend in Reno has one. I don't know what handload he was using, but I have seen him shoot into 3/4" at 100 yds. All I know for certain is that it was a handload.
So I know his is very accurate.

I have never heard any complaints either, so I would assume they are all very accurate.
 
Thanks, guys.

I am interested in this gun because I have a whole bunch of 7.62x39mm ammo lying around, and to be frank I think I'd enjoy shooting a nice bolt action than chunkering away with an SKS or AK. I've owned four SKSs in my time over the last 6-7 years, and never really liked them. I've fired AKs and while very fun and great defense rifles, I just see this type of gun as being more pleasurable for what I want it fore: plinking, casual target/bench rest shooting, and maybe even hunting some day, whitetails and oinkies.

More feedback would definatly be appreciated all!
 
Model 12 Win-

If what you have is European bulk, call CZ first before you think you can shoot it in the rifle. My pal bought the rifle and I gave him a few white boxes of no name ammo. They would not chamber and CZ said they never will.
 
Thank you, Chris, for the introduction. If you would all be seated? :p

I have experience with exactly one CZ 527M. Why only one is because once I found it I have never needed another one. :) Mine doesn't shoot very much surplus ammo, as I handload and cast for this rifle. I haven't had it out to the range very much recently, (spending too much time with the Scorpion,), but I will again.
This carbine has been bedded and pillared, no action job or other work was necessary, (actually, NONE of it was really necessary, shot quite well right out of the box!), and the stock is, indeed, a one of a kind LAGS Gunsmithing special with AK style pistol grip and spare magazine holder in the butt. I use nothing but iron sights, and the afore mentioned LAGS assisted me with putting a Marbles adjustable rear sight on it, because I could. I call it the 527 M/CSR, for Camp/Scout Rifle.





The steel target was 200 yards with a Berrys plated 125 gr load. That one was from the bench - I am no Audie Murphy!



Favorite photo.

 
Chris is right - the Lee 155 does work quite well in 7.62x39. LAGS wants me to experiment with a 100 grain cast bullet, haven't gotten around to it yet. The NOE 129 grain bullet works very well, but the mold is much harder to find.

Can't find factory bullets right now to save my bacon, so I just go whip up another load of cast whenever I get low. :cool:



Yes, it freaks people out to no end to see cast bullet reloads in this caliber. There is another person here who really has done wonders with cast loads in this caliber, think it's rcmodel. His ammo is better than mine. :)
 
I recently bought a new single set trigger CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62 X 39... mine wears a Vortex higher power scope, & shoots less than MOA using PRVI Partizen brass cased ammo...

I've not shot any steel cased ammo in my 527 carbine yet, but it's my understanding that the rifle was built to shoot steel cased ammo, so I'd expect the rifle to shoot as good as that particular ammo's potential...

I also I have an old $89.00 chinese SKS :D that I accurized several years ago ( fitted a composite monte carlo stock, removed the bayonette, & fittings, removed the flash hider & recrowned, added a set ot Tech Sights, etc. ) & that gun now shoots MOA 10 shot groups out to 200 yards, with 80's spam can Russian steel cased ammo, from prone position...

so I'd expect the CZ could shoot quite nicely with steel cased ammo, provided the ammo is capable...
 
wow

shooting 5 shots in less than 10 seconds produced 5-shot groups of 1.2" at 100 yards.
Click to expand...
Mighty fine shooting. I don't know that I could cycle the bolt that fast much less keep the sights on target.
Pete
 
I shot this rifle ( 2 of them) and developed loads for it. I found the accuracy of all mil surp and steel cased ammo dismal. I also found that accuracy of the Hornady .310 less than ideal. That bullet would do 2.5 at best.

The powders I isolated where H322 and H335. i went to Sierra Pro-Hunter .312 bullets in 125 grain and 150 grain.

The 125's with H322 went for about 1.2 inches on average for both rifles. Let me note that I did not own both these rifles at the same time. All this is 5 shots. Fired into water jugs the bullet expanded nicely.

The 150's and H335 would do sub MOA. Unfortunately the round does not push the bullet fast enough to perform at any kind of range. Fired into water jugs at 100 yards the bullet riveted back to not more than bullet diameter. Sierra said the bullet is not made to operate at those low velocities.

I've been told that early rifles were made with .311 bores, which is what mine had. Some have told me they reduced the diameter in newer rifles, I do not know if that is true so slug the bore.
 
Actually the correct diameter would be .311. The surplus ammo I believe was Russian and Yugoslavian.

For a bolt rifle 2.5-3 inches is dismal to me. Then again I'm a bit jaded from the type of shooting I've done.
 
Okay well... that pretty much crushes my hopes for this rifle.

Don't think I'll be getting one now... I was under the impression that they shot steel cased ammo very nicely, at least compared to an AK or SKS.

I guess that's not the case with the new rifles. :(
 
I have to ask, do you want a hunting rifle, a target rifle, or a match grade bench rest rifle? That group I posted with Berrys plated was shot at 200 yards.

The 527M is a carbine made to be light and maneuverable with its shorter than standard barrel. It comes equipped with iron sights, not a scope, though it does come with rings. If match grade accuracy is what you want like in a bench rest rifle, this isn't the one. If you want a rifle that will quickly and easily drop a deer at 800 yards...this isn't the one.

This is what mine did with Wolf ammo right after I got it, with a cheap scope



This is what it did with Hornady .310 123 gr soft points.



Same load,



I realized that trying to make it a MOA target rifle was rather ridiculous, as that wasn't what it was built to do. So I started concentrating on hitting my steel target, Thugly at 100 yards from the standing position. Some days I can do it effortlessly. other days, I look like this;

https://youtu.be/O4W2j2FBKs8

But I can still embarrass a lot of the kids that show up to the range with AR-15s with 5 pounds of gizmos mounted, shooting at steel targets at 50 yards from a bipod, with a scope, while I make Thugly dance at 100 yards standing with my iron sighted blot action carbine. If I take this little, light and handy carbine in the scrub desert, I feel it has enough accuracy at enough range with enough power to take out most 4 legged game and two and four legged predators one might run into in the desert Southwest.

It's not a high speed/low drag target rifle, or a whiz bang, snazzy crash super hunting rifle, but a fun, accurate, light and handy carbine. If that's what you want, you found exactly the right one.:cool:
 
Huh... well.

I think I'll pass on this gun.

If all I'm going to get is Mosin Nagant level accuracy when using steel cased stuff, I'd rather just shoot my M44 or M38 carbine. Same capacity, about the same length as this.
 
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