CZ 527 .223 bolt rifle, accuracy loads? Now with results and pics!

[canoeguy]

I orderd up a CZ 527 "LUX" .223 rifle, should be here next week. Here's a link to the specs:

CZ-USA -> CZ 527 Lux

I'm gathering up all of my reloading components, dies, powder, bullets etc., it's been a long time since I've loaded .223.

I'm hoping to duplicate the accuracy of a Remington 788 rifle I once owned in the 80's, it shot well below one inch at 100 yards. I used it to hunt ground squirells in California, if I could see it, it was dead. Jackrabbits too, out in the Barstow area....

I'll probably use this rifle for club rifle matches, 100 yard High Power and Bench rest matches. I'll use the iron sights for high power matches, scope it for bench rest, put some sort of nice target scope on it. Any suggestions for a nice target scope would be appreciated as well.

So, anyone got any good accuracy loads for a CZ .223 rifle? It has a 1/12" twist, so it should favor light bullets. I remember my Remington 788 liking BLC2 powder...

Anyone notice an accuracy difference when using commercial .223 brass versus G.I. surplus 5.56 cases?

How about any accuracy difference using 55 grain G.I. 5.56 ammo and commercial 55 grain .223?

Thanks,

Canoeguy

 

[MrMajestic]

Lapua cases, CCI BR-4 or Federal 205M match primers, Berger bullets/follow their recommendation(see website) on twist. Vhitavuori N-140 or Varget powder. Redding full length bushing die and benchrest seater die. If it don't shoot it ain't the load!

 

[6thtexas]

I've been shooting TAC with a 50 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip in mine and firing it off w/ a Federal 205M primer. The little CZ likes about anything reasonable, though. I even worked up a cast bullet load for it w/5744 and the RCBS 55 gr SP. That load will hover around an 1 1/4" all day.

 

[bnewc75]

my CZ varmit 527 love's

neck sized brass with 40g vmax 25g w748 rem 7-1/2 load to sami length... try it.... you will find a load that it loves

mine has a 1-9 twist .. still working on a heavier bullet

CZ's are great shooters out of the box

 

[papajohn428]

Varget, Sierra 52 grain BTHP's, and any old primer. Mine will shoot those little Sierra's under an inch all day, with some groups in the low 3's.

 

[canoeguy]

Well, I picked up the rifle from my dealer today, cleaned it and took it to the range, shooting the iron sights. What a sweet handling, sweet shooting rifle! I love the "Mini-Mauser" action....

I bought a set of rings and bases for the rifle whenI picked it up, for now I'll put an old Redfield 3X9 on it till something better pops up in the way of optics.

I have spent a small fortune in the last week picking up powders, primers, dies, cases, etc., and will start working up some loads this weekend.

At the range today, a friend gave me about 500 empty commercial cases, Woo-Hoo!

Thanks for the recipes, I'll be trying them out.

 

[canoeguy]

First results handloading for the rifle have been good, found the rifle likes military 55 grain ball ammo, it will shoot about 1.5" with it. My best load so far is a Hornady 52 grian BTHP powered by 26 grian BLC2, which gives almost exactly 1" at 100 yards.

Going to try a variety of lighter bullets and powders, but gave my old BLC2 recipe a try first, worked good in my old Remington 788 rifle.

Here's some pics, the scope is a new "Made in the USA" by Leupold Redfield 2 x 7 compact, $155:

Best group and golf ball, both shot at 100 yards:

 

[papajohn428]

Keep at it, tinker with the loads lolng enough and you'll find one that really makes it sing. This is 26.5 grains of Varget and the Sierra 52 BTHP shot at a one-inch paster. It will do this with (almost) boring regularity.

 

[kingranch]

From your photos looks like CZ has changed a stock finish a little. My is about 12 y/o now and in 7.63x39mm (.311 bore) but, and just about like yours does, it shoots 124gr'ers 1MOA at 100 meters and I can't get her to shoot any better than that. I was thinking about fire-lapping...maybe? Scope is a Burris 1.5 to 5X.

 

[SuperMan]

Have you checked the barrel channel on these rifles... I have one of the early 7.62x39 and it shot much better after the barrel was free floated.

One word of caution, and I don't know if this has changed on the newer rifles. If you free float the barrel the whole action will pivot on the rear action screw. In looking at the problem it seems that CZ only put a rear pillar in the stock. I called them asked about it and that said "yes"...I then advised them if that was the case stop boring the front action screw hole the same size as the rear.

They sent me a pillar for the front screw hole and it was epoxied in place and then trimmed to the correct height. Went from 1.5" groups to .75" groups...

Great little guns....just wish the scopes didn't have to be mounted so high... Just put a Leupold 2.5-8 on mine and removed the rest sight...

Bob

 

[Aussie D]

I had one in .223. It never shot better than MOA, didnt have it long, but I am 100% convinced if I floated the barrel by bedding the action, plus load development it would have shot better.

I needed the money at the time, so unfortunately it went...

Cheers,

Aussie D