Should I buy a CZ 527 7.62 (If I can find one!)

[wesley1199]

Hello everyone!  First time poster.  I have been looking very hard at the CZ 527 7.62 X .39 carbine for some time.  It looks like a superb gun, and the reviews I have read have all been very positive.  I own many handguns (including the CZ P-09 which I absolutely love), shotguns, small caliber rifles, and an AK, but I do not have a large caliber rifle or any rifle for that matter I would feel comfortable hunting deer with.  I love the idea of shooting the cheap and available 7.62 round in a bolt gun (I have a lot of it), but everyone seems to bash the 7.62 accuracy and ballistics.  I have also been looking very hard at the Ruger American rifle w/Redfield Revolution 4 Plex scope in .308.  From what I have read, the reviews are stellar and I can get this package for around $500, whereas the 527 is going to be closer to $700 without an optic (much higher quality rifle).  .308 ammo is quite a bit more expensive, so I have to take that into consideration, but the ballistics are much better.  I pretty much am a target shooter, but have been thinking about getting into hunting.  I know there is no right or wrong answer here.  I am literally 50/50 on this, so I thought I would ask the group in hopes of knocking me off one side of the fence!   Your opinions are very much appreciated!   Thank you!

[Rodolfo Fierro]

I was surprised when I first heard of people hunting with the 7.62 X 39.  After being a range officer for twenty years all I saw was shooters interested in rate of fire.  Since you state that you are a target shooter, I'm sure with a good rifle and a handload for hunting you will get good results.  My dad shot lots of deer with his .257 Roberts.  It is all about shot placement.   

[wesley1199]

Yeah that's true, for sure.  Do you have the 527?  I'm just curious as to what the effective range is with this particular rifle and caliber for deer sized game.  I'm sure it will be much more accurate than my saiga 7.62!

[8x68]

Hello.  I have a CZ 527 in 7.62 x 39.  It is a very accurate little rig. Great quick handling bush gun.  Max effective range for deer is within 150yds or so. So far Hornady 123gr SST's work best in my rifle. The best group I shot was a 100yd 3 shot .89" group (22.3gr's of H4198).  The scope I mounted on the rifle is a Vortex 1.75 - 6 x32 w/CZ ringmounts.  You could also use a fixed 4 power depending on your eyesight (mine sucks hence the variable power scope). I bought a box of PRVI 150gr RN SP cartridges due to the possibility of black bear encounters in my hunting area.  They zipped out pretty quick. 5 shots over my Beta Master Chrony averaged 2516fps!.  Accuracy was not great. 3" group at 100yds was the best I could do with the factory ammo.  I alternated between the Hornady 123gr SST's and PRVI 150gr's in the mag just in case.
The 527 does have one quirk I find highly annoying.  Unless CZ has fixed the issue you cannot single feed cartridges without loading from the detachable magazine.  What happens if you single feed?  When you pull the bolt back to extract the round from the chamber the claw extractor will detach from the extractor spring (not a good thing). You then will be unable to move the bolt because the extractor claw is no longer where it's supposed to be and is blocking the bolt from being removed.  You have to basically squeeze the spring whilst moving the extractor claw back (and jiggling the bolt forward) so it engages the grooves that hold the spring. Pain in the butt!
I was having some pressure issues also.  Hornady #9 Reloading Manual lists the trim to length as 1.518" which I think is a bit too tight for the CZ"s chamber. I found that a trim to length as 1.516 (from the Lee Second Edition of Modern Reloading) works.
My particular rifle won't fire steel jacket military ammo.  The spring isn't strong enough to cause primer ignition. It leaves a little pin mark on the primer base. I know military primers are harder and take a good thump from the firing pin. I think someone had posted that the firing pin spring, or channel can be reworked to fix the issue. I have no need to do this as I shoot reloads or commercial factory ammo.
Other than that it is a great little rifle! I would recommend it.
GunBroker has a couple of CZ 527's in 7.62x39 as of Dec 29th, 2014

[frgood]

Your question finds me torn between my love for the 30-30 lever for hunting and CZ-USA. The CZ rifles are as beautiful as they are accurate. Personally, I was considering 30-06 as, I believe, that would extend the range for other types of hunts.

Based on www.Chuckhawks.com the 7.62x39 is marginally below the 30-30.

Listed below are the longest ranges at which a selection of common rifle cartridges are considered optimum for shooting animals of five different weight classes in terms of theoretical killing power. Some of these numbers seem fairly conservative to me [ed. chuckhawks] while others seem pretty liberal, which suggests that although everyone's experience is different, in general the numbers are probably not far off. MPBR is Maximum Point blank range.
 

Cartridge (Wb@MV)	Bullet BC	100 lb. game	200 lb. game	400 lb. game	600 lb. game	1000 lb. game	MPBR (yds.)
.30-30 Win. (150 at 2390)	.268	365	205	40	n/a	n/a	225
.30-30 Win. (160 at 2400)	.330	400+	290	90	n/a	n/a	232
.30-30 Win. (170 at 2200)	.304	400+	230	40	n/a	n/a	211
.30-06 (150 at 2910)	.435	400+	400+	320	145	n/a	287
.30-06 (165 at 2800)	.410	400+	400+	380	190	n/a	273
.30-06 (180 at 2700)	.483	400+	400+	400+	225	n/a	269
7.62x39 (123 at 2365)	.292	290	110	n/a	n/a	n/a	225

(ref: http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm )
So, yes, you should be fine hunting deer out to 150. 

[8x68]

I agree the 30/06 would be an all around calibre for North America for the most part. It is vastly superior in ballistic capabilities and range of load choices.  It is more than adequate for most North American game compared to a 30/30 or the 7.62 x 39, but in my humble opinion (yes I know there are those that love the calibre. I have a hunting buddy who loves it......we have some lively discussions!  ) it's a boring calibre.
It is cheaper to reload, or shoot the 30/30 or 7.62 and felt recoil is also reduced for those who don't like shoulder "ouchies"
Everyone has their own opinions which is great but for a quick handling bush gun (where shots are withing 150yds) I would go with the 30/30  or 7.62...but then there's the 35 Rem...great calibre!
Gotta love the shooting industry....a lifetime of discussions that could never be completely covered!

[TF135Sierra2Xray]

YES, YES a MILLION times YES!  specially if your favorite defensive rifle is also chambered in x39.  I love mine, and as has been pointed out already its a WONDERFUL little brush gun.  Great for both deer and hogs here in NC, and you almost never get a shot here that is beyond the range unless you're hunting over some mega-farm field, which I don't.  The Hi-Lux CMR762 is what is going on mine when I finally get around to putting glass on it, but it has been plenty accurate with the iron sights.  I will say that the next CZ rifle will be a 550 in 30-06, but only because I also want an M1 Garland and I strongly believe in caliber interoperability with my firearms.

[Iguana1]

Howdy,
I was looking to purchase the 550 in 308 for about six months when I learned the 550 had been discontinued and been replaced with the 557. I was bumed and at first did not care for the lines of the 557.... Well I began liking the 557 more and more and decided to go ahead and purchase but only the 30-06 was available. Waited another 4 months or so but no 308. To make a long story short and after much research between the 308  and 270 calibers a I joined the Jack O'Connor 270 crowd.
Love the rifle and it drops hogs just like the my brother in laws 308 savage that I was using prior to the CZ purchase
To my knowledge CZ Kansas City has yet to receive shipment of the short action 308.

[Angryvikingman]

The 550 is still alive and kicking.

http://cz-usa.com/product-category/rifles/standard-centerfire/

[Iguana1]

Sorry... My bad as I did not make reference to the " American " 550. I also thought I was responding to a 557 carbine question when in fact it was regarding the 527. At least I did not screw up the CZ part

[DP03]

Hello.  I have a CZ 527 in 7.62 x 39.  It is a very accurate little rig. Great quick handling bush gun.  Max effective range for deer is within 150yds or so. So far Hornady 123gr SST's work best in my rifle. The best group I shot was a 100yd 3 shot .89" group (22.3gr's of H4198).  The scope I mounted on the rifle is a Vortex 1.75 - 6 x32 w/CZ ringmounts.  You could also use a fixed 4 power depending on your eyesight (mine sucks hence the variable power scope). I bought a box of PRVI 150gr RN SP cartridges due to the possibility of black bear encounters in my hunting area.  They zipped out pretty quick. 5 shots over my Beta Master Chrony averaged 2516fps!.  Accuracy was not great. 3" group at 100yds was the best I could do with the factory ammo.  I alternated between the Hornady 123gr SST's and PRVI 150gr's in the mag just in case.
The 527 does have one quirk I find highly annoying.  Unless CZ has fixed the issue you cannot single feed cartridges without loading from the detachable magazine.  What happens if you single feed?  When you pull the bolt back to extract the round from the chamber the claw extractor will detach from the extractor spring (not a good thing). You then will be unable to move the bolt because the extractor claw is no longer where it's supposed to be and is blocking the bolt from being removed.  You have to basically squeeze the spring whilst moving the extractor claw back (and jiggling the bolt forward) so it engages the grooves that hold the spring. Pain in the butt!
I was having some pressure issues also.  Hornady #9 Reloading Manual lists the trim to length as 1.518" which I think is a bit too tight for the CZ"s chamber. I found that a trim to length as 1.516 (from the Lee Second Edition of Modern Reloading) works.
My particular rifle won't fire steel jacket military ammo.  The spring isn't strong enough to cause primer ignition. It leaves a little pin mark on the primer base. I know military primers are harder and take a good thump from the firing pin. I think someone had posted that the firing pin spring, or channel can be reworked to fix the issue. I have no need to do this as I shoot reloads or commercial factory ammo.
Other than that it is a great little rifle! I would recommend it.
GunBroker has a couple of CZ 527's in 7.62x39 as of Dec 29th, 2014

Have you heard of a sled for single shot use? I bought one from here, as well as his bore guide for the 527. He's a guy doing this from his home, very nice work. He told me to mail him a check once I received the product. Can't beat that.


www.originalbobsled.com