Does anyone hunt deer or hogs with a bolt action 7.62x39?

Anyone using a CZ or Ruger compact? Opinions? Reviews?

I have shot a CZ in 7.62 x 39 and found it to be almost as accurate as my two 527's in Hornet and Fireball.

I have not hunted with it but imagine it would make a nice little hunting rig if distances were kept to about 200 yards or so.

Is the CZ a Mauser type action

I wish Remington would make a model seven in that caliber.

a friend built one in a savage, its a tac driver

It is a true CRF action.

LGS recently had a new Zavasta mod. 70 (Win. clone) in 7.62x39 and while I can't speak to it's accuracy, the fit and finish of it and the balance and feel overall were quite good. Price was $450 if I remember correctly.

much as I hate ruger a buddy has an SS boat paddle thing that shoots great with the round.

Just for nothing but I think I'd run a 300 Blackout.

I have an old Interarms MkX mini-Mauser. It's stunningly lethal on deer. Eight to it's credit this far, all one shot kills, and 6 of them heart shots. None have gone more than 40 yards and several have been DRT.

It weighs 6.25#, all up with a scope, sling, and full magazine. Recoil is non-existent. With factory R-P or Federal 123 SPs, it's a 1" 5-shot group at 100. With an aggregate group of 3 R-P and 3 Fed, it's less than 1.5" at 100. Superb little rifle.

I wish Winchester would make a short action M70 again. I ended up going Ruger on the 223. I would be the first to stand in line for an M70 in 30 Russian and/or 223.

Yep...

I got 2 AAC HANDI rifles, one red dot, one Burris FFII, one PR of warns qrw, one set of RCBS dies, 130 pieces of brass, one box of nosler 125 BT and a custom para cord along for less than 700 OTD.

Hate to disagree but the Zastavas 70 is not a Winchester clone but a Mauser 98 clone minus the thumb cut and the normal Mauser safety.

Are you sure they didn't have that 7.62x39 in their model 85, their mini Mauser action? That's their standard offering for that cartridge.

J&G sales has the Zavasta mod. 85 in mini mausers on sale right now for 369.00. Here is the link

http://www.jgsales.com/advanced_sea...d/209/inc_subcat/1/sort/3a/stID/0/page/3

Never had one, but always wanted one. Seems like a great deer cartridge.

It is.

So now let's add the Zastava M85 mini Mauser to the CZ and ruger. Which one is the best?

Any feedback on the m85?

I've got the M85 in that caliber and like it alot. IMO, In stock form the CZ527 is a little nicer rifle but is a few hundred dollars more and by design doesn't lend itself to customizing.

For me if I wanted to buy the rifle and use it bone stock the CZ527 would be the way to go. If I wanted to do a little custom work down the road, i.e. trigger, stock etc. I would probably pick the M85.

Terry

I have the CZ 527 carbine and The Remington 799, both in 7.62x39.

I like the Cz more, much smoother action and a true Mauser action.

For anyone that goes the CZ route, I highly recommend calling Roy Bertalotto of RVB Precision (508-994-3644) and have him convert the exposed, rather ugly, drop down magazine to a more flush modern looking unit.

CZ-527 Rifle Magazine Conversion

The true Mauser action part is highly debatable.

Wow. Outstanding.

I own one CZ527 and have blown the bolt face off twice, requiring new bolts.
I have 98 Mausers and they don't seem to have that problem.

-------------------------------------

Roy Bertalotto gave me help 15 years ago on the Yahoo gunsmith forum when I started rebarreling rifles. He is a stand up guy.

Imagine that

What!!!!

Me thinks Clarkm loads'm a little hotter than you ever will. You should be ok with either.

I'm VERY interested in the CZ. What's the ticket for handloads?

Thanks,


Okie John

The deal with handloads is that brass case heads have webs.
If the web is not supported by the chamber, there is unsupported thin case walls. When the chamber opening on the breech face is chamfered or radiused for feeding, this cuts into chamber support. 30-06 type brass has a case web ~ 0.215", 223 and 7.62x39 are ~ 0.180" and 30 carbine ~ 0.170".
My CZ527 is chambered in a 30 carbine based wildcat, and there are no pressure signs in a work up. There is, in what the log book for one gun design US army funded testing called "unscheduled disassembly."

I don't particularly care for any of the offerings currently available. If it were me, I'd just build to ensure I got exactly what I wanted.

Never a bad idea.

Clarkm - called "unscheduled disassembly." Now there is a nice turn of a phrase. Ranks right up there with "traumatic amputation". I purchased a Ruger M77 HE Compact in 762X39MM several years ago, along with a Mini Thirty. Added a Redfield 2-7X scope and it works just fine as a bolt action .30/30. Won't win any accuracy trophies for best group but I like it. Best of all...seems 762X39mm SP ammo is readily available. Just wish .22LR would show up too. Homesteader.

TC1 is definitely right. Controlled round feeding yes on the CZ, but the external box magazine would make Peter Paul Mauser belch loudly. If you want to compare, a Model 70 CRF action is closer to a Mauser action than is a CZ 527, but most people don't call a Model 70 a Mauser.

More like a Springfield.

Mart, You're right, sorry for the error. I'm sure now that the 7.62x39 was a M85. The store had 2 Zavastas at the time- a .308 which is the one I was primarily checking out that WAS labeled a m70, and an identical looking 7.63x39 right next to it that I guess I ASSumed was a M70 also.
Thanks, John

The 7.62X39 M85 at about 90% complete. It still needs bluing and checkering. I think these little actions makes a wonderful base for a nice little custom.







Terry

I have had a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 for several years. I love it! 3"groups with junk surplus ammo but minute of angle with good stuff or reloads. It is a great product IMHO.

I prefer a blind magazine. That mag sticking out the bottom is ugly.

I thought the same thing until I got accustomed to it. It doesn't bother me at all now.

The mag, I could work around. The backward safety is too much.

TC1 very nice rifle.What does it weigh,can you mount a scope low enough so using the irons or scope gives you a good cheek weld.I love the sleek slim lines.

That is a beauty TC1!! I love "little" rifles and that action and a 7.62X39, 6.8 SPC, 6X45, etc.....is just about perfect IMHO. Great work - would love to see it ready to hunt!!

I have both a Ruger 77 compact in 7.62X39 and a CZ527. Both guns are amazingly accurate (both shoot Federal factory ammo in less than a 1/2" for 3 shots at 100yds on a regular basis).

PennDog

It works very well with both irons and optics. I don't remember the weight but I'll be back in town Wed. and weigh it then.

It almost became a 6.5 Grendel but I decided against it. The 7.62 is just as fun to shoot and it's cheap.

The 6.5 Grendel would also have been "perfect" in that nice little sporter but in this day and age "cheap to shoot" works

PennDog

I've no experience with either. Curious why you'd 300 BO over the x39?

I have the CZ. It has a low power variable and is super compact, light, handy and accurate. Very accurate with cheap PPU 123 SP. More accurate with handloads. Would be a very good deer or hog gun. In my neck of the woods in East Texas, you can't see 100 yards at my farm. They are far from cheap though and took me a while to find . Had one if the Rugers long ago. It weren't too hot.

I have a CZ 527 7.62x39 Carbine. It is accurate, functionally sound, inexpensive to shoot and a fun gun to own. As an oh by the way, the CZ has a .311" bore while many, if not all, Rugers are .308" bore. I am running in my CZ .310" 123gr SSTs over H4198 and it will shoot 5 shot groups around an inch all day long. CP.

Just for s&g, I had some left over 150 gr. Hornady FMJBT bullets left over and loaded them in the 7.62x39. I loaded them up with a max load of IMR 4198. It is tough to get it all in the little case! I think the Sierra manual says these do about 2,150 FPS from a 24" barrel. I don't know what these clock in the CZ 18" barrel, probably more like 1,900 FPS but they will put them all in the same hole. This is the most accurate load I have found from cheap steel cased ammo. to premium rounds.

If you want a CZ, here is where I bought my 527. I have no connection with them, but they are very good folks to do business with.

http://www.damascusgunshop.com/shop/rifles/cz-527.html

Had a CZ527 for about 10 years and last year traded it to Mackay Sagebrush for his Tikka .223 as I didn't have any .223 bolt guns but have a bunch of 7.62s. It was a great shooter with decent ammo.

Was at the range yesterday with a Savage Scout Rifle in 7.62x39. It has proved to be a very accurate rifle. This was the first three shots at 100 yards...



It is sighted in for 200 yards...the next three rounds were at 200 and they centered around the patch in a 1.75" group...

Also have three Ruger 77 MKIIs, two standard and one light. They will all run better than MOA.

A friend has one of the Mini Mauser Mark-X rifles and he loves it.

As to hunting with the 7.72x39...just have not made the time to...just love to hunt with the .35s. Ken (firearms44) has killed a couple dozen deer with his Mini30... Another friend bought a Ruger many years ago and after his 7th deer all one shot drops he sold hid .270...

If you can kill it with a 30-30 you can kill it with a 7.62...

Bob

Does CZ make both a youth & adult model of the 527?

g

I believe they have a youth carbine out this year in addition to the carbine.

Zastava shows a full stock m85 in 7.62x39. Who do I go they to order one? Looks like
These are only available in Europe.

J&G sales

http://www.jgsales.com/zastava-m85-...rifle,-cai-yugo-import.-new.-p-6939.html

No . FULL STOCK. Mannicler

I just got confirmation from J&G that mine shipped yesterday.

Hopefully fit/finish is better than some reports.

Update next week.

Dave

I picked up the Zastava on Thursday. Overall, I'm impressed.

Fit and finish are pretty good. Checkering is a little shallow as mentioned.

The stock is a little thicker than I would prefer on a light trim rifle.

Scope mounts arrived yesterday, hopefully I'll get to shoot it this weekend.

Dave

Keep us posted, that looks like an interesting package for the 7.62x39.

I think a Ruger scout setup in 7.62x39 would sell quick!

In the early to mid-90's, Ruger did a special run of a few thousand stainless bolt-action 7.62x39s for Davidson's, the wholesaler. I bought two of these and shot them a great deal with jacketed and cast bullets. Both were quite accurate. I still have one of the rifles, but seldom shoot it anymore.

As for deer and hog hunting, the cartridge is severely handicapped in terms of both power and trajectory should a long shot (over about 125-150 yds.) present itself. There are better cartridges available for such hunting.

..... or even a M700 SPS in stainless.

Id buy one, blued not stainless.

I bought one of those Davidson's Rugers with the wood stock inserts for my Wife on 09/22/92. Bet that it hasn't had 200 rounds through it in 22+ years.

Wow Sir, That is a beautiful gun. Are you doing the work on it yourself?

Russell

While on the subject, has anyone hot-rodded the 7.62x39 in a bolt gun, to bolt gun pressures? ie Something in the 55-60k PSI range.

[/quote]
I bought one of those Davidson's Rugers with the wood stock inserts for my Wife on 09/22/92. Bet that it hasn't had 200 rounds through it in 22+ years. [/quote]

I would be glad to give this rifle a new home where it would get some range time