7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Discussions covering the components and techniques of reloading for your long gun.
Post Reply
Jeff H
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 71
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:25
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NW Ohio
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 47 times

7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by Jeff H »

Ten years ago, I finally decided to act upon a decades-old idea of simplifying my personal battery. Of all the great cartridges out there, I needed to pare it down to a small selection of versatile, effective, efficient and truly useful cartridges. Any one of us could slice and dice the list of available cartridges and come up with a hundred combinations, but I had my list after some brutally pragmatic consideration. I've been quite content with my selection and staying on point has not been difficult.

Well, it wasn't difficult until CZ decided to discontinued the 527 Youth Carbine and allow them to go on sale for ridiculous prices. The choices were 223 and 7.62x39. I have a 223. It's a jacketed-bullet gun and is about as exciting to me as a garden hoe - eminently useful, necessary in my opinion, but not a gun I really just can't wait to shoot when I finally have time. The 7.62x39 has its own merits, not the least of which is that is a 30 caliber with a moderate case capacity and quite useful with cast bullets as something more than a "plinker," in fact, like the 30-30, it can equal its jacketed ballistics using cast without a lot of fuss.

I love the 527s and am a fan of the 7.62x39. I've worried CZ would eventually replace the little Mauser clones like they did the 550, and replaced the rimfire 452s. I couldn't bear to be without one of their Carbines forever if they discontinued the 527 as well. They discontinued the YOUTH Carbine model (not all 527s) in 2018 and they are currently on sale for a little over $400. I got mine home for $450, and that included shipping and transfer. The little beauty fits me better than any rifle I've ever owned, which is a BAD thing. Now, I want to buy four more and start doing some rebores and rebarrels.

I knew I needed a light varmint/pest bullet, and Michael fixed me up a while back with a couple LEE C309-113s, one of which I de-gas-checked and which shoots really small groups out of my 30-30 with a pinch of Unique. The other, an RDO invention, Michael's 153 grain .313" RF, was going to be a tough find. I took a chance and posted here thinking someone may have grown out of theirs but it was a long shot. Lo and behold, Michael replies shortly after I posted and has just what I wanted!

Here is a bad photo of the new Carbine alongside my 527 American in 222, through which I shoot Michael's 50 grain .225" RF into just over half an inch at fifty yards - very easily. I think it will do better - I just have to work on the load a little, which is one reason I wasn't buying any more rifles - so I could spend more time with those I already had. Well, CZ shot that idea in the butt.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
akuser47
Moderator & Supporter
Moderator & Supporter
Posts: 1397
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:16
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: ohio
Has thanked: 666 times
Been thanked: 266 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by akuser47 »

Nice I've been putting off getting a 7.62x39 bolt gun. Still unsure what I'll eventually get.
Image
Live Free,Ride Free, Or Die Fighting, For The Right, To do So!
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by Ranch Dog »

Jeff, very nice rifles! I've been a fan of the 7.62x39 as a "sporting" cartridge since hosting the Texas Youth Hunts. Every time I see a sale online, never seen a bolt gun for sale locally, I've got to hold myself back. Last back and forth was with the Howa. I sold my Zastava a couple of years ago and remain very content with the Savage Scout. It is a .308" groove rifle, and the extra bit of step to get there allows me to use the TLC310-165-RF I designed for the 300 Savage.
Michael
Image
Jeff H
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 71
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:25
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NW Ohio
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by Jeff H »

akuser47 wrote:Nice I've been putting off getting a 7.62x39 bolt gun. Still unsure what I'll eventually get.
About ten years ago, I had my mind made up to get a Zastava. Century Arms had them for what I just paid for the CZ, but Century didn't deliver, so the project changed directions, which is a long story in itself.

I've been using a couple 527s (223 and 222) and have come to think it's my all-time favorite action. As a long-time Mauser fan, these are pushing all the right buttons.

The 7.62x39 had worked its way down on my list of "homestead rifle" candidates in deference to other cartridges which made more sense for me, but when I saw the price on the Youth Carbine, I had to grab it. They have to be expensive to make, and I keep worrying the 527 will give way to a cheaper-to-make replacement. I have absolutely no evidence that this will happen, but I'm not taking a chance.
Jeff H
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 71
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:25
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NW Ohio
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by Jeff H »

Ranch Dog wrote:Jeff, very nice rifles! I've been a fan of the 7.62x39 as a "sporting" cartridge since hosting the Texas Youth Hunts. Every time I see a sale online, never seen a bolt gun for sale locally, I've got to hold myself back. Last back and forth was with the Howa. I sold my Zastava a couple of years ago and remain very content with the Savage Scout. It is a .308" groove rifle, and the extra bit of step to get there allows me to use the TLC310-165-RF I designed for the 300 Savage.
If I can trust the .315" lead balls I pushed through my barrel, I'm reading .312" on mine. There's so little area "sized" on the little balls that I could be canting them a bit, so I'll cast some C309-113s (another mould I got from you) out of pure lead and do it again. Those come out .313".

If my groove ends up being closer to .311" or .310", I may get away with my own TLC310-165-RF, which casts around .311". I am not sure which version of that bullet I have, but it suits my 30-30 extremely well, and I used it in the 300 BLK too. I remember your Zastava and you experimenting with the mould I just got from you, so I'll have at least one heavier bullet which should pan out.

If the CZ were a .308" bore, I'd be all set. My dad, best friend and I share moulds an it provides a lot of options, but the only bullet any of us have is a couple C309-113s which a lot larger than .309".
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator & Supporter
Moderator & Supporter
Posts: 2034
Joined: 26 Jan 2016 22:39
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 329 times
Been thanked: 500 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by GasGuzzler »

I use C312-155-2R for 300BLK and 7.62X39. I size it to .310 for the 300BLK but use it un-sized for 7.62X39 because my rifle is a Serbian (Zastava) AK copy with typical loose chamber and barrel.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from goin' insane.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator & Supporter
Moderator & Supporter
Posts: 2034
Joined: 26 Jan 2016 22:39
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 329 times
Been thanked: 500 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by GasGuzzler »

I cannot remember specifically but it seemed someone was looking for a CZ in 7.62X39...?

Well there's one for sale locally (to me) for $400 which seems pretty reasonable. Adam, was that you?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from goin' insane.
Jeff H
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 71
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:25
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NW Ohio
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: 7.62x39 CZ 527 Youth Carbine

Post by Jeff H »

Well, gentlemen, I put this rifle up for sale a few weeks ago at a small local show and no one gave it a second look. I decided that my 30/30 Contender Carbine does all I want, need and more for a 30 cal. Not a darned thing wrong with this rifle, in fact I've not gotten in a big hurry to move it because I love these little Mauserly beauties.

So, the bad news is that CZ has decided that the world no longer needs a hallmark of Bohemian craftsmanship at the range or on the hunt, and has not only ditched the 550, in deference to the 557 (push-feed), but have also just discontinued the 527 as well as the new 557 for a new 600 "take-down" model to supposedly cover all the bases with one gun.

These are wonderful little rifles. I still have my 527 222, which isn't going anywhere, and I'm now undecided whether this one will either. If I let it go now, there will be no replacing it.

Keeping the chronically mediocre state of the economy where I live, I put a pre-panic price of $750 on it with the intent to negotiate the dies and brass as necessary. Ended up bringing it home with no hard feelings at all. I did a search for one a few days ago and the only one I found for sale had just sold a couple days prior, and had been bid up to $1300 by the time it was over.

If you've ever wanted one of these, start looking now. Not everyone knows they've been discontinued.
Post Reply

Return to “Rifle Reloading”