What do you guys think?

[TheQuietCorner]

I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with CZ rifles. In particular, I'm looking at this gun. I liked how it felt on me. I'm wondering particularly about the guns inherent accuracy. Can anyone tell me group sizes? Any complaints about it? Can you compare to the inherent accuracy of other similar rifles? Any advice, input, or otherwise is greatly appreciated. I'm looking at making a purchase in the next couple weeks (potentially this weekend) and would like to be fully informed. (You know the guys that work the counter are not exactly helpful.)

And not to part off the topic too much, but had to rant. I was out comparing and looking at guns. When I was looking at this and the Savage comparable model, I asked if I could dry fire it once or twice. (Every place I've been to has said no problem on centerfire guns, or provided me with a snap cap) This guys response, "please don't". "Can I get a snap cap please?" "We don't want you to dry fire the guns." OK, this place has always provided me with one of their box full of snap caps. This is the second numbnut that I've dealt with here. The other one is the same that insisted that Glocks are crap. When I politely told him thats a crock, he gave me his arguments. All training issues, not gun issues. All focused on the fact that it doesn't have the "normal" safety and people have been shot because of that. I walked out after telling him that guns go boom when you pull the trigger and he should be able to figure that out, with a couple of well placed pieces of profanity. But not too impolite.

The same guy was heard later by my friend telling some poor sucker who was sorry enough to listen and learn his crap that bullet-resistant vests don't actually keep you from being killed. All they do is keep the bullet from entering your body, but according to him, the bullet entering your body doesn't kill you... it's the impact and the bullet is still transferring it's energy to you. He then said that bullet-resistant vests are pretty much worthless. I've heard him spouting quite a bit of additional crap since then, and had to really bite my lip and hold down my fingers.

Anyway, sorry for the rant on recent crappy gun service. Now you understand why I ask you? Any advice on this one?

[Ghost 1]

While I have no experience with the CZ rifles,their pistols are good performers. If their rifles are the same then you shouldn't have a problem. Now,if I had to make a choice between a CZ and a Savage,I'd take a Savage. I was paired up with a guy in a sniper class who was shooting a Savage. (his was chambered in .308) Through all the drills from 25 yards out to 550 yards his rifle was a tackdriver. I spotted for him while he put a 100 yard group on paper that you could have covered with a quarter. Actually....four of the rounds were in the same hole. He pulled the last one a bit so it opened up the group. If he hadn't pulled that one shot,you could have covered it with a nickel. Not bad at all for a bone stock rifle.

As far as the guy behind the counter.......I'd find another gunstore if I could. It pisses me off to have these kudzu commandos try and feed me a line of sh*t when they don't know what they are talking about. I have cringed at some guy when he described the "devastating knock down power" (his exact words) of a .30 Carbine to some guy who didn't know any better. And I laughed out loud at the guy who was the former Special Forces,SEAL,Delta,Force Recon "sniper" who had Saddam in his crosshairs during the first Gulf War,but was told not to shoot him by his superiors.................but who looked at me in a stupor when I asked him some technical questions about clicks on a scope turret and ranging targets. He was supposedly this highly trained sniper.....but couldn't take the bolt out of a Remington 700. PUTZ. These idiots are usually easy to spot and easy to avoid. If they are too stupid,I ask for an owner or a manager. If the supervisor is stupid too,I take my business elsewhere and will tell them WHY.

I go into a gunstore looking to buy something.....I don't go in to have someone sell me something. There is a difference.

[Mr.H]

Yeah, I have fire two of those rifles. They are great guns.

I'm wondering particularly about the guns inherent accuracy. Can anyone tell me group sizes?

This gun is quite accurate. With quality Black Hill ammo (I think 52gr), the rifle printed groups under half an inch. With M193 5.56 Ball ammo, the groups opened up to little over half an inch. So pretty much, with decent ammo, the group sizes stayed under an inch as long as I did my part.

Any complaints about it?

My only complaint had to do with the trigger. Once you get used to Savage's accu-trigger, you are kinda spoiled.

This is so much a complaint, but a warning. You should be on the look out becasue the original CZ527 varmint rifles have a 1:12" twist, and if you plan to shoot anything over 55gr, that could be a problem. The first of these rifles that I fired was one with a 1:12" twist barrel, but all of the ammo that we had was 55gr, so ,of course, we had zero problems. Back in 2002 CZ switched to a 1:9" barrel; if it is new; that is probably the kind you are looking at. But it still wouldn't hurt to ask, cuz some of those 1:12" rifles may still be in circulation.

Can you compare to the inherent accuracy of other similar rifles?

You know, there are quite a few good varmint rifles out there today that are under 1k. I'd say this gun's accuracy is very close to some of the better ones out there, but like I said, it's trigger can't match Savage's. So, in that respect, (as with any gun) it may be a little harder to get the most out of this gun's inherent capabilities.

Any advice, input, or otherwise is greatly appreciated. I'm looking at making a purchase in the next couple weeks (potentially this weekend) and would like to be fully informed.

I don't really think you could go wrong with this rifle, but I would not rule out purchasing a rifle made by Savage instead. They are a little cheaper (they are here anyway), and they have a better/adjustable trigger (the newer ones do), and are, in my opinoin, a more capable rifle overall. I mean, if this one feels that good to you, then you should go ahead and get it. The trigger is not bad, it's just not as good. Besides, you can always get a trigger job down the road if you have problems.


Hope that helps.

[TheQuietCorner]

Thanks. Do you know if the .223 is going to perform similarly? I read a review on a Savage .223 indicating 1.2 - 1.5 MOA groups. The review I read on the CZ was almost all sub MOA groups. The CZ was, however, being reviewed by a sniper, while the Savage was being reviewed by a hunter, and I can't find any reviews by snipers on Savage .223's. Any thoughts?

Edit: In response to the second post that wasn't there when I started responding, the one thing that keeps luring me back to the Savage is the Accutrigger. It feels wonderful. I was checking the CZ's trigger(before they came to "help" me) and it did have a couple of rough points and some creep. I actually fashion trigger blocks to deal with creep myself with a Dremel tool and several hours. They are sweet, but that obviously doesn't deal with the roughness. How much would a trigger job run me approximately? Never had one done.

[Mr.H]

Thanks. Do you know if the .223 is going to perform similarly? I read a review on a Savage .223 indicating 1.2 - 1.5 MOA groups. The review I read on the CZ was almost all sub MOA groups. The CZ was, however, being reviewed by a sniper, while the Savage was being reviewed by a hunter, and I can't find any reviews by snipers on Savage .223's. Any thoughts?

I own a Savage 10FP, and I can say that it is capable of better accuacy than that reveiwer got out of it. I mean, maybe with WWB you'd get 1.5" groups, but not with quality ammo, no. With quality glass (properly mounted, of course) and quality ammo, you will get sub MOA groups every time so long as you do your part. Now, my Savage did have to be broke in a little, so maybe that was the the problem.

Note: I am sure that the both the CZ and the Savage are capable of better accuracy than I am reporting. I am by no means a world-class shooter.