CZ 527 Varmint in .204 Ruger or .223?

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Pyrofanity

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I have decided to purchase a CZ 527 Varmint rifle. I am just having trouble deciding between getting it chambered in .204 Ruger or .223. What is the better round?

I want it to target shoot out to about 400 yards and will be hunting coyotes and groundhogs with it. The hunting shots will usually be under 200 yards. Maybe longer on the ghogs. I don't reload.

Also, any advantage to getting a kevlar stock over a walnut stock? The kevlar is more expensive. Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
If you don't reload get the .223. Lots of good ammo out there in .223. CZ has two options in their heavy barreled .223's, the walnut stocked one is a standard 1-12" twist while the Kevlar stocked one has a 1-9" twist which will stabelize the heavier bullets better.
 
Sir, I don't know much about the CZ; but I offer a few suggestions- "target shooting out to 400 yards- I am not sure what kind of competition this is?" There is F-class scoped w or wo a sling/bipod but that is out to 300-600 for the medium Range (new game). If you are serious about punching paper with a scoped rifle- think hard about the 223. The match bullets and barrel will give you more advantage than a 204. If you want a critter getter- think 204. We can talk more about punching holes in paper- we can go off line. Many things to consider for what you are talking about.

Concur on kevlar.
 
Originally Posted By: DucksoupIf you don't reload get the .223. Lots of good ammo out there in .223. CZ has two options in their heavy barreled .223's, the walnut stocked one is a standard 1-12" twist while the Kevlar stocked one has a 1-9" twist which will stabelize the heavier bullets better.
I agree. I love the 204 but if I didn't reload I probably would shoot a 223. Dave
 
Will agree with the Kevlar. Will last forever, will not ever warp like wood can. Love good wood, but it does have its limitations.

And reloader or not, get the .223 for your gun. Much factory ammo in all kinds of weights, excellent accuracy, and being a NATO round, there never will be a shortage of cheap(er) practice ammo. I have both the .204 and .223 varmint rifles and I enjoy both calibers, but if I had to ever get rid of my single .204 or either of my .223 rifles it would be bye bye .204 I'm afraid.
 
Another vote for the .223 vs the .204, I have both and while the .204 has a flatter trajectory, the ability to load/shoot a heavier bullet is a plus at the longer distances, especially if a cross wind starts to be a factor...

Even though the .223 may be moving 800-1000fps slower, the heavier bullet seems to buck the wind a little better..after 300 yards..

I will predict that if you are getting into any kind of competition, friendly or otherwise, you will start reloading before long.... if only for the purpose of constructing more accurate loads...
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I vote 223 but, keep in mind with the heavy bullets your magazine is still standard length, so no seating out the long bullets. Just something to consider. ed
 
turnered makes a very good point. The magazine length on the CZ 527 is pretty short so the longer, heavier bullets may require single loading only.
 
Punching paper and shooting ground hogs are two totally different sports. So to find something optimal for both can be difficult.

I have both cartridges in the safe. I have a CZ in 204. It is a good shooting rifle.

IMO ground hogs are tough critters. So I limit my shots to about 300 yards for either cartridge. I can add 100 yards to that distance when I hunt with my AR. I can do this because I deliver a fast second shot to plant the critter.

I detest crawl offs. If you shoot ground hogs at distances past 300 yards with either cartridge--you will have crawl offs. They will probably die!! But when?? Personally I am not a cruel person, I want them to die instantly.

For ground hog hunting out to 300 yards I prefer the 204 Ruger with the 32 grain bullet. I believe the cartridge kills at this distance as effectively(close) as the 223 Remington cartridge. However the advantage the 204 has is that it is on a rope to 300 yards. No need to worry about the range, just hold on the target and shoot. You can not do that with a 223.

However if I was only punching paper I would definitely go with the 223. It is just cheaper to shoot!!

So which type of shooting is more important to you?? Tom.
 
I went through the exact same thing on the exact same gun.

I ended up going with the 223. because i don't reload. HOWEVER because of the obama scare .223 is really hard to find. It is getting better there is more ammo on the shelf but still it sucks. Sort of like 9mm is about the most common and available handgun round ever but not right now!

It shoots submoa out of the box with the first two ammo i have tried. I was shooting at a 100 yard indoor range so that helps. all i did was pull the bore snake and shoot. Like most cz's I had to sand the barrel channel out sealed it with true oil. Not a big deal you have to take it apart to adjust the trigger first thing anyways. The trigger is awesome too.

I have tried fiochi 40 gr vmax and barns 36 gr varmint greenade from black hills(I live in lead ban area). Both submoa consitently.

here she is I will never ever ever part with this gun! I love the weight, the balance with the scope on it. I love everylast thing except the backwards safety but i can live with that.

In my opinion this is the ultimate coyote getter for me. I don't hike really far when hunting and i always walk with it on a sling, never in my hands so the weight doesn't bother me. I have a sporter if i was going to hike really far but I try not to hike really far. Coyote hunting is a rest from endless miles hiking when upland hunting.short hikes sit on my butt and call. The weight makes it sooooo much more stable for an accurate shot at longer ranges.

The varmint wood stock is round and not flat. I like this cuz it cradles nice in shooting sticks. The kevlar is more flat i don't like that. The kevlar has a different twist.

527firstcoyote002.jpg

first kill

100 yards ... I have a more recent target with better groups but no pictures.This was only my second or third time shooting on a bench rest. Someone other then me i'm sure would do much better especialy with a target scope instead of my hunting scope.I haven't even done ammo testing or any handloads!
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One thing to consider is the 204 weighs less.



 
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The .223 and the .204 are both great guns. However the .204 is a great second gun while the .223 is simply a great gun.

There is nothing the .204 can do that the .223 can't do better, save for some very small niches. Get the .223, you'll never regret it, and if you do enough shooting to learn that a .204 is better for you then buy that.
 
Thanks for all the respones guys. Looks like a .223 is the way to go for my first brand new rifle. Any more advice about CZs is still welcome. Anyone have a Tikka? What is better, Tikka or CZ?
 
I have both the .204 (CZ 527 American) and .223 (Tikka Whitetail 595). Count me in for the .223 because, as others have said, the heavier bullets that are available make it a little more versatile. Tikka or CZ? I prefer my CZ. It just seems a better-balanced rifle but I sure don't have any complaints about the Tikka's accuracy -- it's a shooter, just as the CZ is a shooter. Good luck, you won't go wrong with either one of them.
 
"There is nothing the .204 can do that the .223 can't do better, save for some very small niches. Get the .223, you'll never regret it, and if you do enough shooting to learn that a .204 is better for you then buy that."

Small niches? Read a ballistics table.
 
Originally Posted By: Craigthe .204 is a great second gun while the .223 is simply a great gun.

There is nothing the .204 can do that the .223 can't do better, save for some very small niches. Get the .223, you'll never regret it, and if you do enough shooting to learn that a .204 is better for you then buy that.

That's not been my experience. Based on my real world results in the field and at the range, the .204 holds a SIGNIFICANT advantage over the .223.

Twice in my life I have happened to own the same exact rifle in both calibers at the same time (CZ 527 Varmint in both calibers and a Remington 700 VLS in both calibers.)

I still own both .204's....
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--Duck911
 
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