CZ 527 Varmint Laminate in .223

Jeff H · October 21, 2011

So, I have wanted to buy a CZ 527 for years.
I have to sell my current .223 to be able to afford one and my current .223 shoots like nobody's business.
I have heard a lot of good things about the CZ 527, but am still apprehensive about letting go a rifle that I know certainly will shoot extremely well for one that probably should shoot extrememly well.

Any of you guys have any experience with the the CZ 527, particularly the Varmint configuration?

Thanks.

Jeff

forrest r · October 21, 2011

Sounds like the CZ bug to me!!!

I used to think that way also & found that life is passing me by. The only reason I wouldn’t do it is if the CZ had a rate of twist that wouldn’t meet my bullet needs (heavy). Most 223’s are killer on accuracy & I’ve read nothing but good things about the 527.

I did the same thing a couple of years ago, had a Savage all dialed in with a sweet load. It had killer accuracy & I liked the accru-trigger on it. I ran across one heck of a deal on an AR and the savage went down the road.

Life’s too short, get the CZ & enjoy.

whitewolf68 · October 21, 2011

I think I just might have to agree with Forrest R here even though you know I am not one to get rid of a gun. My next question is how much for the .223, style, brand all the good stuff.

Jeff H · October 22, 2011

forrest r said:

Oh, man! And it doesn't help that the first group I shot out of my new CZ .22 LR today knocked my socks off. The factory iron sights are very nice and at 43 yards, I had three clustered under a half inch and one hangin' way out there, making the group 1 1/8". That was with the yet un-corrected loooong trigger creep and cheap Federal bulk ammo. They are doing something right in the Czech Repulic.

whitewolf68 said:

It's an odd duck, but no ugly duckling. One of my favorites to just look at.

Ruger Number 3, 1:10 twist. Looks like it's new. I'd have to get $600 to cover the complete CZ deal after the Gov'ner, Fed-Ex and my FFL are all done scraping my hide. It's a marvelous shooter but the stock does not suit me and I don't want to alter it, don't have time to alter it, don't have money to buy No 1 wood, etc. I love the falling block action, but a bolt will do me just fine. I have Weaver bases on it and they would stay with it. If I could afford to have some around to admire when I opened the safe to get something, it would be the one "looker" to stay. Some folks don't think they look as good as a No 1, but I love the lines ofthe No 3. I feel it is much more nostalgic looking even if it is a practical arm.

I have been thinking about it for six or so years and procrastinate because I like it. I will say this - I have damned near dropped it a number of times because of the slick fore end. I about crap my pants every time. Only happens going into or out of the safe when holding it vertically with one hand. Got it out a few weeks ago to help out a skunk who wasn't feeling so good and when I went to put it back I nearly dropped it again. Could just be me but I will definitely pass along the warning to whoever gets it.

whitewolf68 · October 22, 2011

Jeff H said:

Yeah The Czech Rep. does produce some nice products. Take the CZ-75 for example, how many times has that been copied. I have a TZ-75 (Itialian copy) I just love.

.

Sounds like a nice piece. I was thinking about getting one today but then I saw the money situation and the lack of job gave me a harsh reminder.

I have a couple of rifle like that too and every time i pick them up the slide. LOL I don't have a safe as of yet but surely need one.

A skunk that was not feeling so good?? Was that before or after the rifle shot to the head? LOL Poor mister skunk. Perhaps you need to visit some local gun shows to try and sell it to sponsor your new rifle purchase. I know here in Toledo there are always people walking about selling guns at the shows. I know that for a fact as the last show I was at some guy hit me 3 time in the face with a rifle he had on his shoulder. He was not paying attention at all and hit me 3 different times. I still swear and attest to this day he was stalking me.

Jeff H · October 23, 2011

Yeah, "poor mister skunk...."
They get into a habit of becoming way too familiar, and because no one bothers them, then they take over. Hard to let the dogs out when you don't know for sure one will be outside. We have had both a dog and a child get sprayed by one who moved in and you never knew when you would run into him. Of course, his first reaction is to get all trigger happy with the scent glands. That one met his fate 300 yards downwind one day. The last one would walk a few steps and flop over on its side, get up walk a few steps and flop over. I had to make a decision quickly as he was near the edge of several hundred acres of corn. Stinking is one thing, spreading disease to pets is another. He wasn't going to las long in the state he as in. I avoid them as much as possible, but when they come to me and won't go away, I'm "spraying" first.

I could see me carrying that around a show. I would drop it, I am sure. Setting up a table isn't bad but I hate dragging them around and having everyone behind a table wanting to lowball and making disparaging remarks about the price. I'm not sure I could have been whacked by the muzzle three times without showing the fella a new way to hold that thing.

I may try to hit Lima. I have a few things I have "grown out of" and need to move. I may drag it and a few others along. I have sold a number from the aisles to another show-goer and have bought that way too. Always an amicable affair.

The CZ75 is nice. The ergonomics are about the best I have experienced with an auto pistol, they are made very well and work. Two thumbs up for the CZ75.

whitewolf68 · October 23, 2011

Jeff H said:

I use to sell live traps by the dozen during skunk season. People were always asking how to just move them and not kill them. I was always telling them how to NOT get sprayed during the process. I can fully understand if he was ill that he had to be put down rather then relocated. Some of them can get very chummy with the home owners as well. I used to have a wild skunk at the TSC store I worked at that would almost take food out of my hand.

That guys at the show that kept hitting me had no clue what so ever and I was just being nice keeping to my self and decided to just leave without saying anything. I figured it was a better way then slapping him with his own rifle like I wanted to. I must say the shows are usually the best place to sell guns at. People are always looking to buy form private owners and eliminate the paperwork hassle. Someday I hope to get to the Lima show, I've heard good things about it.

Jeff H · October 28, 2011

whitewolf68 said:

Man, my butt is getting sore sitting here on this fence!

I would have to put the CZ on my CC until I moved the No. 3 and with the way the gun show schedules look, there's nothing any too close to me in the near future. Don't even see Lima on here and even that's almost a two hour drive.

http://www.gunshows-usa.com/ohio_gun_shows.htm

I may try to hit the one in Norwalk on November 19-20. It's only about 45 minutes. I have the No.3, a "vintage" 10-22 and an SP101 to move. I have even thought about digging my "spare" Lipsey's .44 Special out of the safe now that I see Bud's has a limited run 4 5/8" Vaquero in the .44 Special.

whitewolf68 · October 28, 2011

Jeff H said:

I've thought about putting a rifle on my CC but if I parents and wife found out I would have 3 kinds of hell to pay and then some. Not heard about the Norwalk show at all, perhaps I will have to go to that one as well. I am looking for an AK-47 as well, another rifle I've always wanted to add to the collection.

My dad had a Vaquero in 44/40 but ended up selling it because of the cost of ammo but he did get a good chunk for it as well, he only had 10 rounds through it. It was a nice piece that I wish I had.

Jeff H · October 28, 2011

whitewolf68 said:

I wouldn't get in any trouble. I keep a card to use to order things and keep the balance paid to annoy the bank. I wouldn't like having it on there without knowing when I was going to pay it anyway. I know that No. 3 would move quickly if I put it on one of the online deals, but I would prefer to sell it to someone I could hand it to.

Then, there's this little problem with going to shows................ I always find stuff I didn't know I needed until I've seen it.

whitewolf68 · October 29, 2011

Jeff H said:

Sounds like you have a good plan in place. I just found out I have a car with no balance as well, a dangerous thing indeed. I completely understand about using the online auctions, it's so much easier to do a face to face transaction plus you have the bonus of things you thought you did not need. LOL

Jeff H · November 11, 2011

Made a Ruger collector happy last weekend and have a CZ 527 on the way.

forrest r · November 12, 2011

Sweet!!! That's what I like to do, when I sell/trade a firearm. Reinvest in another one to keep the collection growing/improving/interesting.

What's the rate of twist on the CZ's? And what kind of glass are you going to put on the CZ?

Jeff H · November 13, 2011

forrest r said:

Yes, that was OLD "gun money." That No. 3 came along as a result of having bought/sold/traded over many years and I managed to move up each time I made a move. Who knows what I started out with, but before '08, I was able to stay ahead of inflation by a decent margin. The No.3 doubled in value in ten years and I was lucky that it was a collector. A new CZ was about $300 when I bought the No.3. The one I got is $700 to $900 wherever I looked. Woodbury Outfitters in Coshocton has a price that was so good that I beat all the other prices even though I had to pay sales tax.

1:9 Twist in the CZ 527 Varmint. The No. 3 was 1:10 and shot the 60 through 63 grain bullets amazingly with no tweaks. Supposedly, they are not supposed to do that.

All but the Varmint are 1:12 and that was way too slow for what I like to shoot. Had the other models been available in 1:9 I would have had a terrible time deciding which one. The Carbine looks like a real winner but I may have been in the same handling/feel boat as with the No. 3. I wanted Kevlar but it was way too expensive. Walnut looked really nice but I found a laminate for $540 taxed/shipped and I couldn't beat that with a stick - walnut stick, Kevlar stic or otherwise. I have used laminates and you just can't beat it in my opinion. Very stable, beds like a walnut stock and you can remove bulk and weight as desired (they are usually chunky and have an excessive LOP (for me).

When I took the scope off the No.3 I almost kept the rifle. I feels like a six pound rifle and handles well like that. With a scope, it feels like nine pounds and does not handle well. I won't have a .223 without a scope. I use the .223 on small stuff at long range and a scope is the only way to not waste its potential. I am still on the fence about scoping that CZ 452. It shoots SO well with the factory irons.

Glass, hmmmmmmm,.......

I can JUST afford rings so I have to use existing glass.

"Free" glass (unmounted):
Vintage Bushnell fixed 6X Command Post that came off the No. 3
"Older" Redfield 2-7X, which may end up on the CZ 452 Trainer (.22 LR)
Burris Fullfield 1.75 - 5X with a 22mm objective, like new too
"Newer" (LNIB) Japanese Weaver fixed 6X

Mounted on other rifles but maybe up for a swap:
"Older" Leupold 3-9X Vari-XII, which is on my 'Roberts, which puts 75s into under .5" every time and very frequently under .375"; cloverleafs when I am having a good day....
Vintage B&L Balvar 1.5 - 6X, which is my very favorite scope and is on my 6.5x55 which shoots 160s into one hole groups at a hundred. Not sure I want to mess with that.

I toyed with the idea of getting a fancy, high-powered variable with AO like the guys on the CZ forum use on their .22 LRs for $130, but I have never shot as well with higher than 6X anyway. I have had two Ruger Ranch Rifles which shot under an inch (every time), which is something they are not supposed to do according to some gun writers, but, for example, with a fixed 3X Leupold, I could do that every time. With a 3 - 9X, I could do it "sometimes."

Jeff H · December 20, 2011

OK, I have been cleaning this rifle five minutes at a time over the past several weeks and it still has "stuff" coming out on the patches even though the bore appears to be bright and shiny. This is common for CZs from what I hear, but I have not had time or glass so it's not like I am in a hurry.

I have settled on my glass - a vintage Bushnell fixed-six with the command post feature. Since it has the fine cross-hairs, holdover will be easier than with the Weaver fixed-six and I just don't think the Reddfiel 2x-7x is worthy of this rifle. I've had it on my 10-22 for a few years and had begun to doubt my ability to shoot because of it. Probably a parallax thing, which I can correct, but I may just put it back on the 10-22.

My first loads will be cast. Seems my Dad is excited abouit this one too and he went hoem and loaded some up in a Lyman cast 50-some grain GC with a pointy point over a small charge of 4198. He used to shoot it in a .222, if I remember correctly. I have an RDO 55 grain RNFP that I hope to try in it soon but I forgot to order GCs and a case mouth expander when I rodered my rings.

The rings I settled on are Warne mediums - hoping they will clear,.... fingers crossed. The choices in rings for the CZs is a little narrow. I had originally intended to get BUrris Signature Zee-Rings but could not find them for the 527. I wanted to be able to gain some MOA in the eccentric inserts because some shots here on the edge of the former Great Black Swamp are waaaaaay out there.

forrest r · December 20, 2011

Ya, CZ uses a ton of cosmoline in their bores. Rubbing alchol or dawn dishwashing liquid will make short work of it. Take a look at pyramidair.com for 11mm rings, they have a ton of different ones to choose from, just make sure that the rings you get have a rounded countour on the bottom of them to match the CZ receiver.

Let us know how it shoots, if it's like most CZ's it'll be a tack driver.

Jeff H · December 23, 2011

I wasn't ignoring you,......
I posted a response and it's gone. Too much to retype right now........

whitewolf68 · December 23, 2011

I am so sorry for that. I am looking into that issue but I am at my parents right now.

Will let you know if I find out whatis causing the issue.

diesel · February 3, 2012

Wolf, is TSC Tracktor Supply? I bought a 700 Lb. Cannon safe there a few years ago on sale for $799.00. It's a great safe and the price was right. You should look into the Cannon.

Jeff H · February 11, 2012

whitewolf68 said:

Left you a message. Have been trying to post and get a message that I don't have permission, must refresh and log in again, lose my post.....

The 527 is doing great! So far only cast bullets but it's been fun.