A rifle to make 7.62x39 more versatile?

**BurningBarn** · April 21st, 2011, 02:56 AM

Been looking at CZ rifles and ran into the 527 Carbine. Bolt action 7.62x39, iron sights, 18.5" Bbl, "micro-length action". As I have some 7.62x39 around, I'd love a rifle that would make the caliber more suitable to hunting and mid-distance precision shooting, and that could be scoped or used with irons. Anyone had any experience with one of these, or other bolt action 7.62x39 rifles, irons or not?
Certainly useful when you can't hunt with semi's...

**Ricochet** · April 21st, 2011, 03:53 AM

I once shot a 7.62x39mm bolt action years ago. I cant remember who made the gun, but some old timer had it at the range.

When shooting reloads or high quality American ammo out of it, it was extremely accurate.

And even when shooting cheap surplus ammo such as Wolf, it was more accurate than an AK.

I have met people who hunt deer and antelope with a SKS and an after market hunting magazine installed in their SKS's and they tell me that the 7.62x39mm round is excellent for hunting.

A few of them even told me they prefer it over 30.06 and .308.

Especially now that you can buy quality hollow points from American ammo makers like Hordany.

**Rundownfid** · April 21st, 2011, 07:20 AM

Without commenting on the ammo, I would say that CZ is a very good company that makes excellent products.

**Noah_Zark** · April 21st, 2011, 08:57 AM

I have the CZ 527 Carbine and shoot it with the open sights that came on it. I have fired only steel-cased or brass-cased surplus ammo in the 527. When shooting South African surplus or Golden Tiger I can regularly get sub MOA groups off the bench, and can hit the 440 yd gong (16") 5/5 repeatedly, off hand. Wolf steel case generally shoots about 1.5 MOA out of the CZ, and Silver Bear is about 1 MOA.

One time after firing steel cased ammo a couple days later I went to clean the 527 and saw a lot of crud in the bore. A dry patch came out orange. I cleaned the rifle on the spot with hot soapy water followed by Hoppes Benchrest and the bore was a shiny as it was when I bought the gun. I'm not sure what I fired that was corrosive, but suffice to say that I now clean the 527 with Windex or 50:50 ammonia water immediately after firing at the range while the 527 is still warm/hot, followed by Hoppes Benchrest. I've not see any corrosion since implementing that regimen.

The action is the same as that once offered 25-35 years ago by Interarms as the "Mark X Mini-Mauser" and made by CZ. Very short throw, very smooth bolt manipulation. The CZ 527 fairly screams "high quality." The Carbine came with one mag, but I bought four more over a couple year period from Vicky at Ed's tables at York or Allentown shows. IIRC, they were like $35 or $38 each.

I especially like the single set trigger. Most of the time I shoot it without setting it, but off the bench I do set the trigger (push forward until it snaps) before firing. The set pull force is about 10-12 oz using my Lyman digital gauge.

The 527 Carbine coupled with the 7.62x39 cartridge is a great "Scout Rifle" out of the box. A nice, compact package with a medium-power cartridge that can handle all North American game of medium size, and even some large game under the right conditions. IMO, if you own AK(s) and are a serious firearms enthusiast and a hunter, you should not be without a CZ 527.

Noah