New CZ 527 Carbine and questions

Mastrogiacomo · November 15, 2015, 08:12 PM

Hi Folks,

Just picked up this gun over the weekend and was warned by the fellas behind the counter to avoid cheap steel ammo and stick with brass. Does anyone own this gun? What ammo is safe to use and works well? Thank you.

Laura

Model12Win · November 15, 2015, 08:20 PM

I believe these are MADE to be shot with steel cased, surplus .311 diameter bullet ammo. This is right off of CZ's website for the 527 description:

Quote:

Built to CIP specifications, our 7.62×39 chambers are ideal for shooting steel-cased surplus ammo. Designed to shoot .311 bullets, some American brass ammo may not perform as well as the imported steel-cased variety because of SAAMI brass dimensions and varying bullet diameters.

Clearly, whoever told you not to shoot steel cased ammo is an idiot. In fact, just as CZ says, certain American ammo is made with the "wrong" bullet diameter, typically .308 caliber bullets. Your new CZ has a .311 bore, and the steel cased ammo typically comes with .311 bullets, which will fit your bore properly.

You will soon learn to ignore most gun salesman's advice. It's typically flat out wrong.

Mastrogiacomo · November 15, 2015, 08:40 PM

Wow...I didn't realize. Is there any particular brand I should stick with? Wolf, PMC, Hornday?

Model12Win · November 15, 2015, 10:02 PM

No.

That's the fun part. You've got many types and brand of 7.62x39mm ammo out these days, and most of it is really inexpensive. For your new rifle, buy a box of each available load and go to the range and shoot for accuracy!

My CZ-527 may not like the same ammo as yours, and vice versa. One brand that does come to mind as being accurate is is the Hornady SST steel cased stuff. I've read it groups nicely in these guns, but don't stop there.

527s are known to be accurate in general, yes, even with the cheaper ammo. It's just all in testing each load to see what your gun shoots best with.

chris in va · November 15, 2015, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Clearly, whoever told you not to shoot steel cased ammo is an idiot.

Well, wait a sec.

My 527 has always had light strike issues with Russian ammo. The primers are very hard and designed for military arms such as the AK and SKS. The 'dainty' CZ just doesn't have enough oomph to reliably light the suckers off, at least in my experience along with many others reporting the same thing. I hope the newer crop has fewer problems.

On a side note, despite it having a 'mini Mauser' action, you can still single load with it. Polish the outside face of the claw extractor and it snaps right over the rim, as designed.

Enjoy your new rifle, I certainly have the past 12 years.

TBM900 · November 16, 2015, 02:44 PM

If you are having light strikes, then you likely have the 'burr issue'.
It is a known problem on a series of earlier 527's with a very simple solution....

http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=50455.0

Ive got one each of both the older and newer 527's (look for reprofiled bolt handle) the older one was 100% on domestic and about 90% using cheap steel case. I contacted CZ and they noted it was a known issue and provided the solution, once I gingerly dressed the stops it has been 100%, the newer of the two has been 100% from day one.

For me the most accurate load in both has been surplus Yugo M67. At 100 it will produce 1moa all day long, if Im really on my game I can often cloverleaf at least a portion of a magazine. It is a peach of a rifle, CZ knocked it out of the park with the 527.

Mastrogiacomo · November 16, 2015, 05:23 PM

Thank you for the info folks, you've helped a lot.

chris in va · November 17, 2015, 12:24 AM

Quote:

If you are having light strikes, then you likely have the 'burr issue'.

I already did that, not much help. The striker just isn't strong enough to pop the hard, heavily recessed military primers reliably.

I did have more luck backing off my resizing die so it doesn't push the shoulder back on my reloads. Before it was one in twenty, now it's more like every couple hundred.

TBM900 · November 17, 2015, 01:51 PM

Quote:

I already did that, not much help. The striker just isn't strong enough to pop the hard, heavily recessed military primers reliably.

Since the vast majority have no issues igniting primers and that the rifle was specifically designed to use steel milsurp, I would assume you have another issue.
I would suggest contacting CZ is in order.

chris in va · November 17, 2015, 10:49 PM

I did years ago, all they suggested was a new firing pin spring, which they sent.

November 15, 2015, 08:12 PM	#1
Mastrogiacomo Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,297	New CZ 527 Carbine and questions Hi Folks, Just picked up this gun over the weekend and was warned by the fellas behind the counter to avoid cheap steel ammo and stick with brass. Does anyone own this gun? What ammo is safe to use and works well? Thank you. Laura __________________ "Luctor et Emergo" - Struggle and Emerge Last edited by Mastrogiacomo; November 15, 2015 at 08:39 PM.

November 15, 2015, 08:40 PM	#3
Mastrogiacomo Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,297	Wow...I didn't realize. Is there any particular brand I should stick with? Wolf, PMC, Hornday? __________________ "Luctor et Emergo" - Struggle and Emerge

November 16, 2015, 05:23 PM	#7
Mastrogiacomo Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,297	Thank you for the info folks, you've helped a lot. __________________ "Luctor et Emergo" - Struggle and Emerge

November 15, 2015, 10:02 PM	#4
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	No. That's the fun part. You've got many types and brand of 7.62x39mm ammo out these days, and most of it is really inexpensive. For your new rifle, buy a box of each available load and go to the range and shoot for accuracy! My CZ-527 may not like the same ammo as yours, and vice versa. One brand that does come to mind as being accurate is is the Hornady SST steel cased stuff. I've read it groups nicely in these guns, but don't stop there. 527s are known to be accurate in general, yes, even with the cheaper ammo. It's just all in testing each load to see what your gun shoots best with.

November 16, 2015, 02:44 PM	#6
TBM900 Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2015 Posts: 777	If you are having light strikes, then you likely have the 'burr issue'. It is a known problem on a series of earlier 527's with a very simple solution.... http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=50455.0 Ive got one each of both the older and newer 527's (look for reprofiled bolt handle) the older one was 100% on domestic and about 90% using cheap steel case. I contacted CZ and they noted it was a known issue and provided the solution, once I gingerly dressed the stops it has been 100%, the newer of the two has been 100% from day one. For me the most accurate load in both has been surplus Yugo M67. At 100 it will produce 1moa all day long, if Im really on my game I can often cloverleaf at least a portion of a magazine. It is a peach of a rifle, CZ knocked it out of the park with the 527.

November 17, 2015, 10:49 PM	#10
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	I did years ago, all they suggested was a new firing pin spring, which they sent.