New CZ - (Very) Disappointing Test Fire

Before you shoot it, run a patch through the bore, make sure the action screws are tight and run a few thicknesses of paper down the barrel channel to see if the metal is too close to wood (if it's supposed to be free-floating).

Then, pick up several makes/weights of factory rounds to test the rifle with. Make sure you fire the rifle for groups from both front and rear rests at a bench.

Don't worry about the first couple of shots. Just shoot them at 25 yards to get a rough scope zero, then move to 100 and start getting a little more serious.
 
Just to follow up: I did drop a note to CZ to ask about the matter. They replied. Below is an excerpt from the email chain.

"Our accuracy spec is 1” at 50 yards, but most all of them are much better than that. The .204 is one that is especially accurate typically. Many times our bore specs are a bit different than other manufacturers, leading to a bit better accuracy... ... The test targets are simply fired for function testing, not accuracy. I’m not even sure that they fit a scope to rifles without sights, I’ve never seen any marks on the dovetails that would indicate they do. So don’t worry about the test target, it’s no indication of the accuracy of the rifle."

Right now, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the scope and rings, so I can get out to the range and check it out!

Thanks for all the input,
Andrew

NRA Life Member
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"There are some ideas so preposterous that only an intellectual will believe them." - Malcolm Muggeridge
 
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It was almost surely fired in a machine rest for the test, so the operator may not have even been looking down the barrel. No need for scope or sights, just clamp it in, pull the trigger and operate the bolt.

I've heard nothing but good things about CZ, so I doubt you will be disappointed. I have a couple of rifles that are very capable of half inch groups (with handloads, one is a .204 in fact) although some days I just can't shoot that well. Enjoy!
 
like others have said CZ's "test target" aren't anything to worry about. i don't have any CZ centerfire but have several CZ rimfires from .22lr,.17hm2, and .17hmr and they all shot better than the included "test target". let us know what you find out when you actually sit down behind the rifle and put a few down range. i will be very surprised if its over moa barring you are a terrible shot. remember even a .25moa rifle if inaccurate in the wrong hands.
good luck,
whitearrow
 
I have a CZ 527 Varmint with Kevlar stock in .223.
It came with a pretty nice test target.

The worst group I shot with factory ammo at 100 yards when I first got it was 1.159.
Luckly, the first group that it ever shot with factory ammo was 0.245 and averaged 0.416 so I wasn't worried when that horrendous group occurred.
Turned out the rifle didn't like the weight and speed combination.

When I switched to hand loads, the picture got much more positive and hand loads shoot much better than with factory ammo.
Its top 25 hand loads average under 0.350 with bullet weights from 40 grains to 63 grains including target and hunting bullets. The average of every hand load I ever shot (1147 measured so far) is 0.534. And that includes all the loads that were at the low end of the load tables. My .223 seems to like to be in the high middle area of velocities.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about your CZ until you shoot it with a variety of ammos.

One of my range buddies has a .204 that also shoots very accurately and has a great record in dispatching ground hogs but it seems to have very strong preferences for bullet shape and velocity.
Don't be surprised if some ammo shoots really well and some others don't.
 
Whoohoo!

Let's just say that I'm very pleased with this rifle! The best I shot was 0.161 MOA at 200 yards.

I got to the range today, mounted the scope and took a few shots. I bore sighted it the old fashioned way - looking through the bore. I'd never done it before and I have to say it was easier and (perhaps luckily) more accurate than my Laser Lyte laser bore sighter.

Setup:
CZ 527 Varmint in .204 Ruger
Hornady 32gr V-Max Factory Ammo
Vortex Viper PA 6.5-20x44
DIP Mount
Burris Signature Zee Rings

Initial:
Taken at 50 Yards (bore sighted)
Taken from an inexpensive 2 beam Caldwell Rest
Shots 1-2 = .802 MOA
Shots 3-4 = .456 MOA

First "Real" shots (100 yards):
Shots 5-7 = .307 MOA

Switched to Sandbags
Shots 8-9 = .294 MOA
Shots 10-11 = .179 MOA

Switched to Prone with Caldwell Bipod and Rear Sandbag
Shots 12-13 = .427 MOA
Shots 14-15 = .451 MOA
Shots 16-17 = .383 MOA

Moved to 200 Yards.
Used the drop compensation dots with great success.
Shots 18-19 = .161 MOA

Moved to 300 Yards
The wind kicked up and I (obvioulsy) suck at doping the wind.
Shots 20-27 = 1.372 MOA (whoops!)

Considering I'm anything but a hot-shot marksman, I am very pleased with these groups even though they opened up when I switched to the bipod. Normally I would shoot 3, 5, or 7 shot groups and I didn't do that here until the end at 300 yards. The rifle was shooting so consistent that I would just shoot 2 shots and felt comfortable using just the 2 shots to tweak the scope. Tomorrow I might overlay the groups and target centers in an image application and then use OnTarget to see what a big group MOA would have been, But just eye-balling the spreads I don't think it's going to be bad at all.

Thanks gentlemen for your reassurance and suggestions.

Regards,
Andrew

PS. Oh my! Do I love that trigger and this rifle! I'm still smiling.

CZ-527_day-one.jpg
 

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Wow! Those are some great groups-and with factory ammunition to boot. I'm happy for you and appreciate your feed-back.
 
Glad your happy now. CZ's are crazy accurate & 204 Cal. nice round to shoot . Good luck with your new friend. Be Safe chris
 
I used an image application to overlay the targets, to take my two shot groups and be able to measure them as if they were four and six shot groups.

From the bags it was still 0.58 MOA.
From the bipod it was still 0.79 MOA.

I'm still smiling a big cheezy grin :D
 
So you say it shoots a little better than the test target "A". :cool: I really like mine too. Glad you're happy whit yours. :)
 
I'd say it shoots a LOT better than the test target. The test target was a little over 1 MOA and from bags I shot just over 1/2 MOA, with factory ammo. I also know that my skills aren't all that hot. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a 1/2 MOA rifle - at the worst!

NRA Life Member
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"There are some ideas so preposterous that only an intellectual will believe them." - Malcolm Muggeridge
 
With reloads that it likes and a "loose nut" behind the trigger my .223 shoots 1/4 MOA (I'm still working up loads). I'm "sure" yours would/will to. :)
 
Glad that this all worked out for you.

Sub half moa average is awesome for an out of the box rifle, and with factory ammunition.

I have a feeling that if you start reloading and find something your rifle likes even better those .161 groups will become much more common. I would expect single hole groups out of it with the right hand load. You already know it shoots the v-max well. If you consider reloading, consider trying a heavier v-max. Hornady makes a 40 grain with a higher BC than than the 32 grain. I would expect it to be less pushed around by the wind.
 
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