CZ 527 Varmint opinions?

Hidalgo

Hidalgo

Well-known member
I have come to the conclusion (DON'T tell the wife! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif) that I am going to possibly need one more rifle to have enough for a dependable arsenal for PDogs. ('course...that's a good excuse)

I'm looking for a RELIABLE, ACCURATE, and REA$ONABLE, varmint rifle. Lots of you guys are touting the CZ Varmint (not the pencil barrel) on here and I really haven't paying enough attention. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Give me a rundown on your CZ Varmint, likes & dislikes, and your honest comparison to other rifles that you might have owned.

I KNOW that I can get a Ruger Target Grey off the shelf for $679 and have a sub-MOA shooter without having to bed, etc. That's what I am looking for. I don't want something that I have to "fix" before it will shoot. But if I can save a little funds along the way, I would entertain this CZ. From what I can gather, they can be had for somewhere around $500-$529. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Got to say it's one of the best varmint guns I've owned in the past 40 plus years.

Mine shoots half inch groups, it's a 204, and with medium weight barrel makes a dandy walking around rifle.

Here's mine with an old Tasco 8 by 32 on it for the ground squirrel fields.

CZ527-204-2.jpg


Here's a group I shot with it when I first started loading.

CZ52720440grHorn09-09-063.jpg


My hunting partner was so impressed he just bought a new one at Sportsman's Warehouse for 529 bucks and it shoots just like mine.

I've owned a bunch of varmint rifles over the years and this is one of the nicest of the them all to shoot, to carry and to use.
 
Thanks, Bob.

You have the same rifle I was referring to. Don't want to spend the funds for the kevlar stocked model.

Does yours seem to have a bullet preference?

Is that the 24" barrel? (it looks longer) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Howdy, have the CZ 527 Varmint in .204, and as noted is a medium weight and kind of long barrel.

You don't even want to go on your planned PD hunt without one of these. Lot of guys at my club have and are equally enthusiastic about this rifle/cartridge combination.

In passing since I know you like 'em, I have two(2) Ruger MkII Target/Varmint [.223 & .308] that I would have given away a few years ago before I had the triggers worked..excellent accuracy now but remember the .308 trigger pull especially felt like you were dragging metal across a very long BRICK. I shot an old-timers MkII .308 one day and the trigger was like the proverbial glass rod..showed me what could be.

You may get some nice wood on a CZ..nice bonus when that happens.
 
They are awesome, I have one and it will shoot sub-moa groups easily near 1/2 with 40 Hornady V-Max factory loads if the shooter is disciplined enough to practice. It has the green/black web HS Precision stock and cost me $689. This model does not come with rings like some of the others. It has great balance, you will enjoy it for the money. I think it starts with a near 1" diameter barrel and tapers down to 3/4. Mine is in .223 Rem. Happy shootin'. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I have 6 CZ's if that tells you anything.
1 453 17 cal
4 527 American 204, 221, 22 Hornet and 223
1 527 varmint

I have to say that I can't tell much difference in the way the varminter shoots compared to the others. They are all tack drivers
 
going to order a 527 varmint in 2 weeks!!!! That is the sweetest rifle I have ever played with!!! The only thing that I heard that might be a little bothersome is that the safety is backwards forward is safe and back is fire. Other than that they look and from what I hear shoot beautifully!!

What you thinking of putting on it for optics? I also heard that the bolt lifts too high to put a 50mm scope unless you have high rings!


IDBOB: what do you shoot out of that cz??

kyle
 
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I have one one with the H&S Precision stock. The stock is a little clunky as if they didn't know how to make a pistol grip? So far I have tried several light bullets 30gr. Berger, 33gr Calhoon, 32gr HORNADY & SIERRA, with several types of powder, none of them performed as I thought they should have. Then I tried the 39gr Sierra, I worked up several test loads, using IMR 4064. AA 2015 & H 322, respectively the goups were .490, .330 & .310.
GOOD LUCK
 
Quote:
Thanks, Bob.

You have the same rifle I was referring to. Don't want to spend the funds for the kevlar stocked model.

Does yours seem to have a bullet preference?

Is that the 24" barrel? (it looks longer) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



The wood stocked 527 Varmint comes with the 25.5 inch tube. The barrel is very simular in size to my Ruger #1B and weighs around 8.5 pounds.

This little gun seems to like about everything I feed it. I've used both the 32 and 40 grain Hornedy's and the 39 grain Sierra. I tend to buy the Hornedy's because I can get them for less expense than any of the others and they seem to group very well.

I got my loads off of the Ruger 204 forum and am using Alliant 10X with great results.

I've owned about 15 or so varmint rifles over the past 40 plus years. The 22-250 of one varient or another was my go to the woods varmint gun for over 30 years then for the last five or so I went to the 243 in both a Ruger #1B and a Remington heavy bbl VLS. These are both nice guns, but the little 204 shoots just a flat and seems to kill just as well with the addition of tighter groups and low enough recoil impulses low enough that you can see your misses and correct for the next shot.

coyotesetup.jpg


Here's one of the places I call from. I've hunted this spot for near on to 40 years and there always seems to be coyotes and bobcats here. I do have to say I don't hunt when the yotes are pupping.

Coyoteheaven1.jpg


I've got friends whom got into the 204 a year or so ago and got to shoot theirs up at our local gravel pit range. This pretty well convinced me to get one. After I got mine two of my friends whom shoot with me have went to the 204, one a Ruger stainless laminated stock varmint model and one a CZ 527 just like mine. Both shoot half inch groups off the bench with Hornedy bullets and Allient 10X. Everyone I know that have went to the 204 seem really pleased regardless of the brand of rifle.
 
I had one and I really don't see myself buying another
Nothing functionally wrong just some personal items I didn't care for
It shot very accurate though
 
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I don't think you will find any Ruger that will shoot with a CZ out of the box. CZ just had some things most folks don't line. Mag, safety, bolt handle, or ring mounts. I don't have a problem with any of them myself.
 
I have a 527 with a green laminate stock. The rifle is very accurate, it'll put 3 under a dime and 5 under a quarter pretty consistently with hand loads, and I ain't that great a shot. If you're using this for P-doggin you will like the set trigger, just a touch and it goes.
The grip has a pretty hefty palm swell on it, when i first got the rifle it seemed kinda akward, but I've gotten accustomed to it and really kinda like it now. And yes, the safety is "bass akwards", but you get used to that too. The bolt handle is very close to the eyepiece on the scopes I've put on it, they were both 3-9x40, and I'm using a set of cz high rings on mine.
All in all, for around $500, a very good rifle IMHO.
 
The clunky bolt handle is easily cured with a file and a bit of polish if you're inclined to use lower rings or larger scopes.

CZboltandscope.jpg
 
I have two CZ 527's, one in 222 and the other a 223.
Each one shoots three shots into a 3/8" group at 100 yards.
I rest my case... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Martyn
 
I have a CZ452 Varmint in 22lr, 452 Varmint in 17HMR, and my latest a 527 American in .204 Ruger:
DSC_0067.jpg


I haven't shoot the 527 yet, but the 452's are solid deadly accurate shooters!

Martin
 
I own several different models;
527 .19 Calhoon
527 .19 Badger
527 .19-223
527 7.62X39
452 .17 HMR
550 6.5X55 Swede
550 .416 Rigby
They all shoot great. Except for the .416 every one of them will shoot MOA groups. Really hard to try and get a great group with the .416. Don't get me wrong, it will put three shots under 2" at 100 yards. The .19's are sub MOA rifles.
The CZ's are the best deals out there for the money spent.
Jeff
 
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