CZ 527 Pro's / Con's

9

9322mag

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Seriously thinking of picking up a CZ 527 for eastern Coyotes, Probably 223 caliber. I'd appreciate any feedback on it's trigger and accuracy. Preferred rings ? Thanks for any advice.
 
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Pros- Nice walnut stock,probably one of the best triggers on a factory rifle, usually pretty accurate out of the box.

Cons-Bass-ackward safety that seems to bother some people.

rings- factory rings work for me.
 
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My 527 is in a “Kevlar” Bell and Carson with the varmint barrel. She groups under an inch at 200, the set trigger breaks at 14 ounces and the regular trigger is a dream on the dot 3#. The safety is “backwards” but you get used to it. I did the scope rail adapter and just used low weaver rings. Killed a yotie at 340 yards. The wood stock would be nice though for weight.
 
Biggest con is the magazines that poke your back when the rifle is slung over your shoulder.

Some models come with the set trigger, it's pretty good.

Pro is some come with very nice walnut stocks! Several times I have seriously considered buying a 527 in a caliber I don't even want just for the nice stock. Then buy the caliber I do want and swap the stocks n sell the one I don't want.
 
I own an older 527 American in 223.
It's got the 1-12 twist. Shoots about everything I've put through it into a 1 inch group or less at 100 yards, except federal ammo.
Nice stock, accurate, is super light,and i have factory rings.
ONLY bad thing is the safety and I've gotten used to that.
 
I have a early Varmint Kevlar in .223 (Ackley now) with the 12 twist barrel. Its a neat little gun, and has piled up more coyotes than I can count. The trigger is pretty good, and the gun isnt a bugholer, buts its plenty accurate.

The integral scope bases pretty much suck, but a DIP rail fixes that. The safety is a non issue...it works exactly as designed. The set trigger is a neat concept, but real world usefulness is questionable. The magazines are one my favorite parts. Lots of folks complain about them hanging down, and many cut them for the 3rd mags. If I had my way, I would buy ten rounders to run in it. The mags give you a little more room than an AR magazine, and are very thin and easy to carry.
 
I've had four CZ 527's, still have three, all were Varmint models. I can't really think of any Cons they have except for the 17 Hornet versions could benefit from a little better feeding, but other than that, not much to not like about them.

I don't really care for using the set trigger so I change out the trigger spring with ones I bought from James Calhoon and have all mine set at 10oz now.
 
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Well I have got four. Started off with a 204 Ruger. Got it for a song, gent told me the throat was to long to touch or jam hand loads. I researched a bit and found that to be common, but didn't seem to be an issue as far as acceptable accuracy. Hand loads and factory 32 or 40 grain makes no difference MOA or a shade less.
Forward two more years and I picked up three more, 17 Remington,17 HH and a 22 Hornet.

All shot great. The rimmed cases throw me a fit at times. The 17hh not near so much as the 22 Hornet, have not figured out why yet.
The 17 Rem and 204 feed well, but not what one would call smooth.
Jeff
 
Have the older 527 varmint in .223 with the 1/12 twist in the factory laminate stock and it will put 5 shots touching at 100yards with factory 40gr hornady ammo.
Only con I have is the older versions had a bolt handle that was shaped wrong and would hit scope when mounted low.I like my optics to be as low as I can get them lol.Its an easy fix though with a late model handle or a james Calhoun modified handle.I also use a James Calhoun single shot adapter in mine most of the time when shooting paper but magizine doesnt bother me while hunting.
The .223 varmint I have will shoot circles around the .204 American I once had.The .204 American shot 1moa or just a little better but the .223 varmint will shoot 1/4 moa consistently.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogPros- Nice walnut stock,probably one of the best triggers on a factory rifle, usually pretty accurate out of the box.

Cons-Bass-ackward safety that seejavascript: void(0)ms to bother some people.

rings- factory rings work for me.

+1 what he said.

The "backward" safety is no issue for me. I never think about it. But I do think about how wonderfully accurate it is or how much I love that set trigger. After I bought my first one (a Varmint in .17 Remington) I later bought a couple of Americans in .221 Fireball and.223 Remington, and last year a .17 Hornet Varmint. And I love them all.

I could go all ground squirrel season with just two centerfire rifles if they were my CZ 527's in .221 FB and .17 Hornet. Fine accurate and most of all fun guns they are.
 
Forgot to mention the single set trigger til I read rustys post.I love the ss trigger on mine it is 8oz. in the set position and 3.5lb unset.some love it some hate it so ymmv.

I also am getting used to the backward safty on my Remingtons LOL.
 
Originally Posted By: 9322magThanks everyone for the honest reviews, How much accuracy difference between the Varmint and the standard barrel model ?

The 527s do tend to multiply in the gun cabinet. I've got 4 of them now. Have a 223 and 22 Hornet in American, and 17 Hornet and 204 Ruger in Varmint. Love the set trigger for shooting sage rats and chucks and targets. For coyotes I just use the trigger as normal. As for accuracy, all of them are sub-moa and seem to shoot pretty equally from the bench. In the field I shoot off sticks typically and I can shoot the Varmint model a bit more accurately with the longer/heavier barrel. But the Americans are lighter to carry and point quicker and would be easier to shoot offhand / standing if needed.
 
Quote:The 527s do tend to multiply in the gun cabinet.

Isn't that the truth. I've probably had over 20 and turned some into wildcat cartridges like the 17 Mach IV and 20 VarTarg. still have several CZ's in the safe now.
 
The only con I can think of is almost no industry support. It’s tough to even order a barrel blank for one, and the only decent composite type stocks are HS and B&C, and I don’t do business with HS.
 
Originally Posted By: sqrlgtr
I also am getting used to the backward safty on my Remingtons LOL.

Ain't that the truth....cock it to fire baby....cock it to fire.

To the OP....I'd get the American or Carbine if you're planning to use it for hunting.

I weighed both today....my 223 Carbine is 6.9#....the 17FB American is 8.1#....both have similar Leupold scopes and Warn rings.

PS....I doubt that anyone here can prove that the varmint is consistently "more accurate" than the American and vise versa....every rifle's different....period. All factory rifles are a crap shoot but your odds of getting a stinker from CZ are pretty low regardless with model you buy.
 
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Originally Posted By: liliysdadThe Varmint barrel profile is perfect when cut to 18"....

I like the way you think!

One of my Varmint model 17 Hornets is chopped back to about 20.5 inches and is threaded, the other is also a Varmint model but has not been cut or threaded. Wanna take a guess as to which one gets shot more.
smile.gif
 
Mine is also cut to 18”, and that little rifle with the factory barrel has shot probably 9 of the best 10 groups I’ll ever shoot. It will CONSISTENTLY shoot 3 shot groups in the .1s, bad ones in the .3s. Of course, I’ve tinkered with the load a lot over the years.
 
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