CZ - keep it or trade it?

[Guy M]

Bought this little rifle early last year. A little CZ .204 with a pretty maple stock.



Have it setup with a 4-12x Leupold. It shoots good, but not great. Consistently under MOA with 40 grain A-Max Hornady factory ammo, or with my handloads. It's got the thin, sporter barrel. Carries easily. Nice walking rockchuck and coyote gun, but not exactly setting the world on fire with accuracy and the little barrel does heat up pretty quick.

Have some opportunities for higher volume varmint shooting this spring. Sage rats in Idaho among others...

Suggestions? Keep this cute little rifle and tune it up a bit - it hasn't been free-floated or bedded yet. Or swap it on something with a heavy varmint barrel like the Savage or Remington? I already have a dandy .25-06 that works fine while hiking for rockchucks and coyotes.

Thanks, Guy

[skipper]

I would tinker with it a little before I sold it off.

[trevort]

I would rebarrel it with a medium weight (light varmint) profile barrel. like a Lilja no 5.

[Glen]

What are your intended uses?? If it's under 400yds try the 32's. If it's under 250yds for coyotes try the 32's. Or even some 39gr SBK loads at any of those ranges.

[OldTurtle]

First, there is no guarantee that whatever you trade for will shoot better.. since you have done nothing with what you have, why not get the satisfaction, and the pride, of turning it into a real shooter since it is easy to carry and should, with the right loads, be a tack driver.

IMHO, it's a beautiful piece and just needs a little tweaking, as most do to reach their potential..

[trevort]

I recommended the barrel change since I guessed your comment on the skinny little barrel meant you didnt like it.

I have a factory CZ 223 that only took one development session to get great accuracy and have bought one for the action to build my 17mach fireball on.

If the skinny barrel doesnt upset you too much I think you will find that great accuracy lurks somewhere in a CZ. My trigger was worked and set goes off at 5.6oz and unset at 1lb 7oz very very crisply making it a joy to shoot.

[Sub-caliber]

The problem with the lack of extreme accuracy is likely a function of the light weight of 6.2 pounds for this rifle. It is extremely difficult to steady a rifle this light. I have the same rifle and cannot shoot better than 1/2 inch shot groups. It is a terrific rifle but will not work well for rapid shooting in a heavily populated PD town, barrel is too light. CZ's are inherently accurate rifles and their varmint versions will shoot with the best of them.

[Critter]

My personal opinion is that you need to do a little more work on your loads.

Try different bullets and primers.

My rifle will shoot .5 to .6 groups all day long with a load it likes, but wrong bullet and suddenly I'm looking at 1.2"

So don't give up yet. That is a really good choice in the opinion of many.

[Lee C.]

Guy M, Keep the cz and work on your loading for it. The cz I'v seen are pretty accurate guns with the right load for them. Then just fine a HB gun you like for the pd shooting.

[Bad Dad]

If you decide to sell it please send me a PM. We might be able to make a trade or possible sell it. What are you thinking for a replacement?

[Guy M]

Good thoughts guys - I think I'm going to keep it - at least for now. It's very light and easy to carry, which is nice when hiking in on snowshoes for coyotes.

Got some good advice from a real CZ nut case (aka "enthusiast' ) about free-floating the barrel & bedding the action.

Might also tweak the loads a little, as I haven't done a lot of playing around with the load yet. The 32 grainers didn't shoot nearly as well as the 40 grain A-Max bullets though - so I think I'll be sticking with the heavier bullets. Gotta laugh when I refer to a 40 grain bullet as "heavy" ...

Thanks for all the input guys - I'll try to see if I can't whittle the groups down to about 1/2 MOA... Maybe, just maybe...

Regards, Guy

[Squatting Wolf]

Guy - If you are ever looking to get rid of it, let me know! I've got my LRVP but wouldn't mind something lighter to carry.

[Buster]

Try some 39gr Sierra Blitzkings. I don't know why, but they've been known to shoot better than the 40gr Vmax's in a lot of .20 caliber rifles. My CZ 527 American TAC .20 loves 'em!