CZ 527 questions

[Art in Colorado]

I believe I am interested in this rifle in 223 Rem. I have never had a rifle with a two stage trigger. Can any one tell me how this trigger works and is it a good quality trigger? Also, what price should I expect to pay for this rifle. MSRP is $733.00. I have been told that I could reduce this price by 25% wich would price it at $550.00. Is this about right? I will be using 55 Gr varmint and 62 Gr Barnes Triple Shok for larger game and mabe a bit heavier rounds. I know it has 1 in 9 rifleing ao that shoud it should do well with that.

Any input wold be appreciated.

[JMax]

I have one in 7.62X39 but your price is right on. The trigger is a single set trigger. Push the trigger forward and you have a nice crisp trigger less than 2#(I use static weights that start at 2#). Very satisfied with the rifle.

[Art in Colorado]

I was thinking first of a Ruger American but on second thought started considering the CZ. Have a 452 American 22LR and am very pleased with it. Thanks for the reply.

[rking22]

I had a 223 cz, it was amazingly accurate and is far and away a better choice than the Ruger. The trigger on the cz can act as a standard single stage trigger as well as the single set already described. Wonderful rifles, my 22 hornet is a keeper, I just didn't need the 223 or I would still have it as well.

[koehlerrk]

I have a 527 Varmint in 204 Ruger. Hands down,it is the most consistently accurate rifle I own. It just plain works! The trigger is amazing, but if you want to adjust it, follow the book. Its very straightforward,but the steps mustbe done in the correct order. The only gotcha I know of is the scope rings, it uses a non standard size base. Also, clearance between the bolt handle and scope is tight,had to have mine milled down a bit. They might have fixed these over the years, just making you aware.

That said, they're great rifles, and boy do they shoot nice!

[NoAngel]

I have a 527 Varmint in 223. It is stupid how accurate it is. Heavy 9 twist barrel that has eat everything I have ever fed it, from a 40g cast bullet at 1800-1900fps up to a 75g Amax. It shoves them in neat little clusters all day.

The trigger is awesome. Stand alone, the trigger breaks clean but push forward to set and I don't pull the trigger. I gently touch it with the pad of my finger. I bet if I set the trigger then farted next to it, it would go off. It is adjustable but I have never had an issue with it so I refuse to touch it.

CZ knows how to build a bolt action. You will NOT be disappointed with it.

[Minerat]

These targets are the 3rd and 4th 5 shot groups from a CZ 527 Varmint w/ Nikon 3.5-14-40 BDC Prostaff scope with workup loads. No barrel break in before I began as I was just trying to get the scope zeroed. These are from an out of the box gun and reloads. All shot at 100 yards using Bench rest and bags. As noted it is a set trigger, push forward sets it then fires. It is adjustable too. Bar none this is the most accurate rifle out of the box that I have ever had. I would buy another one. My next go around will be with the 25 gr Dog Town Bullet
HP-FB

202980
Last 5 shot group (#4)
I got excited when the first 3 went in to one hole that I forgot to use the set trigger and pulled the last 2 shots so I got a lousy 0.44 inch 5 shot group. Powder 9.7 gr LitlGun, Dog Town Bullet 20 gr HP-FB

202981
#3 - 5 shot group.
Was still trying to get the scope set at 1" high @ 100 so was not paying much attention and was not using the set trigger. Still not to bad 0.456" Powder BCL2 - 9.4 gr Dog Town Bullet 20 gr HP-FB.

[Mr Peabody]

Buy one! I see used ones here for $450 with rings, new $700. I can't decide between the .223 and the .204. I have the 7.62x39 carbine and it's a keeper.

[NoAngel]

Buy one! I see used ones here for $450 with rings, new $700. I can't decide between the .223 and the .204. I have the 7.62x39 carbine and it's a keeper.

.223 may seem a bit boring sometimes but bullet and brass selection kills the .204 any day.

[Dan Cash]

.223 may seem a bit boring sometimes but bullet and brass selection kills the .204 any day.

All the above regarding the CZ is true and applies to the one I have. Were I not lazy about reloading and brass hunting (cheap-cheap-cheap) and having experienced a friends .204, I would choose the .204 over the .223. It is a lot more gun and behaves better in the wind. That said, I will be keeping my .223.

[Hick]

CZ 527 in 223 Rem is a great rifle. I have the full stock version with the set trigger and love it. The 0.44 inch group reported above is no fluke-- at the Nevada cast bullet shoot mine did a group of 0.45 inches with a lyman 225646 gas-checked bullet. The set trigger is very nice and very easily adjusted. I have mine set up with a scope and a peep sight (see-through scope mounts) and get great results with both (in fact, the 0.45 inch group was with the peep sight, not the scope).

[Jack Stanley]

Mine is a 527 LUX left hand version and I love it . It shoots good no matter if I'm shooting cast lead at gallery velocity or the jacketed bullets .

Jack

[Buzz64]

Agree with all the above. I have two 527 Varmints in .223, one is a 1 in 9 24 inch bbl, the other is 1 in 14 with a 26.6 bbl- both are tack drivers! Doesn't hurt to have Vortex 6x24 scopes on them - really shows you the advantage of a set trigger!

[McFred]

In general, I like them. They're handy, light weight and decent quality for the price. Hard to argue with all steel and wood assemblies.

I've tinkered with three 527s in .223rem. The first had a bulge in the bore which I noticed after initial cleanup and inspection with a patch and cleaning rod. The gun was supposed to ship with rings but didn't, so I had to go buy a set for $50+. I shot it anyway and it didn't group well with any loads. The bolt motion would bind, but got better with use. CZ replaced the rifle; even paid for shipping both ways and I ended up with with a set of rings and another magazine with the replacement.

The replacement 527 shoots about MOA or less with 50-69gr jacketed projectiles and 9 twist. The trigger feels gritty from some machine marks on the sear that I'll stone out someday. The set trigger eliminates the gritty feeling. Like the first it took a bit of effort to smooth out the action with some light oil and a few hundred cycles in front of the TV. It cycles very smoothly now.

The third is another .223 Varmint model I picked up for $332 NIB; it was just too good a deal to pass up. In fact I should have bought 3 more. The bead blasted finish makes the action even rougher but I know it'll smooth out like the previous ones. The trigger is much better than the one mentioned above. I ran a patch through it, bore sighted it and put 8 rounds through it prone with some random abused milsurp brass, blc2, russian primers and factory 2nds 69SMKs to sight in the scope and it did quite well at 100 yds. It was on paper at least. Who knows, it might be worth working up a load for it.

203511

FWIW the newer models have bolt handles that clear the scope ocular better now. I'm running a 30mm tube Vortex 6.5-20x50mm with Warne medium rings with plenty of clearance at the barrel and the bolt.

[Hickok]

I have one in .22 Hornet. Great rifle.

[filthygovmploye]

The third is another .223 Varmint model I picked up for $332 NIB; it was just too good a deal to pass up. In fact I should have bought 3 more.

203511

FWIW the newer models have bolt handles that clear the scope ocular better now. I'm running a 30mm tube Vortex 6.5-20x50mm with Warne medium rings with plenty of clearance at the barrel and the bolt.


so, where was this great deal at?!?!??!? CDNN? sounds amazing! like you said, bead blast finish will smooth

[McFred]

It was a pricing glitch at "wholesale hunter." I didn't think they'd honor the deal, but they shipped it all the same. They corrected the advertised price within 2 days of the advertisement. Current price is $668.94 + S&H.

[waco]

My 527 is in .221 Fireball. Very accurate. Super sweet trigger.

[401pm]

I also have a 527 in 221 Fireball and love the rifle . The trigger is amazing and wood is very nice. Made its first trip to S.D. dogging it did not disappoint !!

[pietro]

.

The CZ-527H-LUX (.22 Hornet) was very accurate (7/8" to 1-1/4" groups @ 100yds).

OTOH, the .223 CZ-527MS (full-length mannlicher stock) I ordered sight unseen couldn't get under 2" @ 100yds, no matter what I did.

The factory 527MS test target showed a 3-1/2" group, which CZ evidently thought acceptable enough to include it with the rifle.

(it soon went away)


.

[bpatterson84]

I'm probably the only one here unhappy with mine. It was the 223 American, thought it was a real cute gun, put a fixed 4x leupold on top, real nice handy package. The damn thing would not shoot(reloads or factory, yes I tried different grain weights also), and the bolt was rough and would rack while fully open and bind so I couldn't close it quickly at all. Drove me nuz, had to trade it of quick. That said, I'm willing to give the 527 another try if I find the right deal, as there are a lot of things I like about the package.

[McFred]

I'm not sure that any manufacturer anymore is particularly inclined to do that last 5% finish work to make a rifle perfect. Poor surface finishes, burrs, less-than-stellar fitment and cheap plastic parts today are the norm for low-cost consumer-grade firearms. If you're unwilling to perform the due-diligence on a new firearm yourself then you should be looking at the rifles that are 10 times the cost of the cut-rate mass-produced guns.

[Cheshire Dave]

I have one in .222 rem. Always wanted a triple deuce and CZ made one. Shoots great and after adjusting trigger it's great as is or set. Honest 1/2 inch rifle with 40 grain BT's.

[Ateam]

I have one in varmint .223. I have taken it to the dog towns for almost 15 years now, which makes probably more than 15k rounds through it. I also shoot a 40g varmint bullet with good results, though I have the 1-14 if i remember right. I think it may be time to set the barrel back as my groups have started to open up to bigger than 1/2in, may try seating the bullet out here a little more first. Excellent rifle, buy one, you will not regret it.

[Denver]

Art, I'm curious as to where you were able to find a 527 for the price you stated. I've had my dealer looking for the past year or so for a 527 American in .223, but no luck to date. He has access to all the wholesaler/distributors but they seem to be rare birds. I'd like the new one with the flush magazine also.

Thanks D

[wonderwolf]

I had a 527 in 7.62x39 for a while....it was "ok" but the huge downside for me was the fact the 5 round single stack magazine was also the balance point of the gun. Made it awkward to carry at times, cracked the original stock within 100 rounds and though it kicked quite a bit due to its "carbine" nature....it would make somebody a good brush gun. Mine was fairly accurate but I sent it down the road to fund other ventures...wasn't 100% my cup of tea.

[McFred]

Add a suppressor and it'll move the balance point forward off the mag... :D

[wonderwolf]

Add a suppressor and it'll move the balance point forward off the mag... :D

If the rifle I tried came can ready with a set back front sight I probably would have kept it, the mystic X would have worked well on it I believe for a can and not make it overly long.

Ruger is making the "American" in 7.62x39 now that takes mini 30 magazines.....if I were to go looking for a bolt action 7.62x39 again my hunt would start there, no iron sights though so that may be a issue...but I have a shop and have been known to make irons for otherwise naked guns.

[armoredman]

I've had my CZ 527M for some time, had a wonderful custom stock made for it my member LAGS here, and he built the one and only 10 round 527 magazine. :) My original stock was just fine after thousands of rounds, but he pillared and bedded it too, if I ever want to switch back. Mine is in 7.62x39mm, a load I already reloaded and cast for, and it seems to like the 129 gr NOE boolit, powder coated. The bolt WAS rough when I first got it, runs like silk now. The rear sight fell out, but that was OK, LAGS cobbled me up a Marbles adjustable rear that sits in that notch.
There is, or used to be an odd accessory for the 527, a Picatinny rail adapter that fit the scope mounts, so you could low mount anything you wanted. I used it with a couple of scopes, and while it worked just fine, it was weird. Now I just use irons and I'm a happy camper. Recoil is soft and pleasant with all loads used.

[LAGS]

@ Armoredman.
You forgot to mention the spare 5 round magazine that is in the buttstock.

[McFred]

For another data point, I tested a new lot of BLC2 in a CZ 527 M1 synthetic. Seven shots fired prone at 100yds using 50gr Sierra Blitzking blemished factory seconds in random milsurp brass with loose primer pockets that've been fired more times than I can count I still got the following:

205628

[AK Caster]

527's are nice rifles with a goofy magazine. They shoot and feed pretty good and the set trigger is cool. To bad they didnt go to the trouble to make an internal magazine for them.

[PB234]

If you don't care for the magazine look at this http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/cz-527-rifle-magazine-conversion.html

[Buzz64]

I use this http://originalbobsled.com/BoltGunSleds.aspx when shooting cast loaded almost to the rifling and very light neck tension.

[McFred]

This is a factory option for .223 Rem for a flush magazine too:

http://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetail/527016966415_Trigger-Guard-527-M1-3rd
http://shop.cz-usa.com/images/items/Large/13008.png

http://shop.cz-usa.com/ProductDetail/13008_Mag-Cz-527-223-Rem-3rd-Flush-M1-Only
http://shop.cz-usa.com/images/items/Large/527016966415.png

[wonderwolf]

Ouch, thats a lot of money to put down for a conversion...

Ruger American in 7.62x39 looks even more appealing after that.

[M-Tecs]

Mine has a set trigger. I did not know you could get them with a two stage. Great gun.