rebarrel CZ-527, cartridge ideas?

Thanks for the data on the 19 cal bullets, and setting me straight on that.

20-222, now that is an idea. Once upon a time I had a 222 that I really liked. What kind of speeds are you talking about with say the 39 gr Sierra? Any idea? Is there a version that would keep the longer neck, but blow out to a 30 degree shoulder, kind of like the 6 SLR does for the 243?

What is the best 20 cal coyote bullet that is readily available?
 
Originally Posted By: JTPinTX

20-222, now that is an idea. Once upon a time I had a 222 that I really liked. What kind of speeds are you talking about with say the 39 gr Sierra? Any idea? Is there a version that would keep the longer neck, but blow out to a 30 degree shoulder, kind of like the 6 SLR does for the 243?

What is the best 20 cal coyote bullet that is readily available?


My 20-222 is built on a Rem 700 and wears a 26in Hart 11tw barrel. I'm currently shooting the Berger 40gr w/22.5gr H322 that load is 3660fps in my gun and puts them into tiny little groups.

Todd Kindler has his 20 Vartarg Turbo, which is a 20-222 w/30degree shoulder and I believe his design retains the long neck of the 222 case so that may be something you're interested in. I looked at it before I had my 20-222 built and even talked to Kevin Weaver a fair amount about it. I just couldn't see that there was any real benefit to it over the basic 20-222 so that's what I went with.

I haven't shot anything with mine yet but from what I've been told, both, the 35gr and 40gr Berger does an excellent job on coyotes. For ground squirrels/PD's I plan to work up a load with the Sierra 39gr Blitzking using the same H322. H322 and that 222 case just seems to be a magical combo so that'll probably always be my powder of choice for this particular gun.
 
Thanks for that information. The more I look at the 20-222, the more I think that some version of it is what I want. Great Lapua brass at a good price, pretty simple, and I love that old triple deuce case. Who makes good 20 cal barrels? I imagine Lilja is still in the running, and it seems I saw several over on Saubier using the Pac-Nor. Is 11tw sufficient for all the 40's, or would going to a 10tw be safer on polymer tipped bullets?

Going on this CZ sporter, I think I want to keep pretty close to factory sporter taper. Generally I run everything suppressed, but not sure I will with this one. Factory barrel length is something like 21.6", thought I might go around 22"-23" with no can.

Any info on how far out it will still drop coyotes effectively? I haven't run any numbers on energy/drop yet.
 
Are you sure your barrel is truely toast?

The 223 is pretty easy on barrel steel. What about the crown?

What about carbon build up?

Lots of people are dead set against using mild bore abrasive cleaners. I say if one gets to the point of tossing a barrel, what’s to lose? If swapping is a sure thing then my vote goes to the 204 Ruger or the 20 Practical. The 204 would give you a different head stamp.

Three44s
 
This rifle was my daughters deer/rabbit/coyote/practice gun from the time she was 5 until this last fall when she turned 11. She put a lot of rounds down it. Also it was the rifle I used an awful lot practicing field position shooting. It has at least 5K rounds down the barrel, a lot of those shot hot and fast with ball powder. Accuracy is still fairly decent but I can't get a bullet anywhere near the lands any more. For sure it is on it's last legs. My daughter has pretty much moved on to a different rifle now so it is time for me to make it into a new toy for me.

At this point instead of buying/renting a reamer I am thinking about getting a Pac Nor pre-chambered barrel and doing the fitting myself. They do list the 20-222 as a chamber they do, and also the 527 as an action they pre-fit for. That might be a little easier on me the first go round since I don't have reamer holders and that stuff yet. I do have a long stem dial indicator for indicating in the barrel, and am in the process of making my action truing jig and spider.

Unless of course someone warns me off of Pac-Nor and their pre-chambering work. Then I will go back to plan A which was do it all myself.
 
For the most part, everything I've ever heard about Pac-Nor has been good, the only thing I have ever heard some complain about is they sometimes have to wait longer to get there barrel than they'd like.
 
Originally Posted By: B23For the most part, everything I've ever heard about Pac-Nor has been good, the only thing I have ever heard some complain about is they sometimes have to wait longer to get there barrel than they'd like.

I didn't like that they advertised truing the action, but they just cleaned up the face of the receiver where the recoil lug touches. They didn't touch the bolt face, lugs, or lug abutments in the receiver, much less cleanup the threads on the receiver.
 
Originally Posted By: CoyotejunkiOriginally Posted By: B23For the most part, everything I've ever heard about Pac-Nor has been good, the only thing I have ever heard some complain about is they sometimes have to wait longer to get there barrel than they'd like.

I didn't like that they advertised truing the action, but they just cleaned up the face of the receiver where the recoil lug touches. They didn't touch the bolt face, lugs, or lug abutments in the receiver, much less cleanup the threads on the receiver.

I don't know what all Pac-Nor advertises with regard to their action truing but I do know action "truing" is a term that is sometimes used fairly loosely and the what and how much that is all done by different shops/gunsmiths can often mean a variety of different things.

I've never had any work done by Pac-Nor so I have no idea what they charge or how much they claim to do, but when I hear someone was only charged $75 to "true" their action, I generally assume the gunsmith that did their work had a different idea of what truing an action is, than the gunsmiths I use that generally charge $200 +/- to true/blueprint one of my actions.

Since action "truing" can mean a lot of different things to different people, I think it's definitely a conversation worth having, before hand, so the consumer knows exactly what kind of job they are paying for.
 
I agree on both counts. I don't see how a guy can charge much less than $200 to really true an action, unless it is some kind of a buddy deal, doing it for a friend. Real world that is becoming a job that is pretty standard priced around $250. And for sure guy needs to ask exactly what a gunsmith means by "truing it up."

I don't plan to have Pac Nor do any action work. I am working on my fixtures and tooling for that. I was just thinking that if they could chamber the barrel and leave the fitting to me, it would save me buying or renting a reamer. It would be pretty close to a wash on the money. But, do it yourself and you still have a reamer when you are done too. Or find someone else who wants the same chamber and split the cost of the reamer. Several ways to look at it.

This will be at least a 6 month project for me. I am pretty much having to buy everything as I go (at least the things I am not making). 2 weeks ago I dropped $250 for an Interapid long stem dial indicator. Getting the barrel ordered will be next step since I am sure there will be a significant lead time on it. While I am waiting I can figure out dies, get brass, run lots of practice pieces, and so forth. I am also wanting one of the B&C stocks for it too. I really prefer HS, but their stock is another 1/2 lb heavier and I am trying to watch weight on this rifle.
 
Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun and learn valuable skills while you're at it.

- DAA
 


What is wrong with the 223? I shoot 40gr pills at 3600 fps.
The CZ 527 is a fine rifle. 221 Fireball would go with my XP100 pistol.
 
Have that 223 take off barrel set back and chambered in 221 Fire Ball.

Thank me later.

ETA.....you my need to get new bottom metal and magazine but the money you save on not having to buy a new barrel will easily cover that.
 
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Originally Posted By: RePeteHave that 223 take off barrel set back and chambered in 221 Fire Ball.

Thank me later.

ETA.....you my need to get new bottom metal and magazine but the money you save on not having to buy a new barrel will easily cover that.

I would have to look at my CZ but it seems that setting back to 223 would be an even safer bet than the shorter cased fur Ball?

Good practice run for the OP also and if all is well he can still suit up and tackle a brand new barrel and have a workable set back 223 and also a new one in a 20 caliber or something else.

Just a thought

Three44s
 
If i was to want something 20 caliber for this action, i would contact Calhoon and see if he has a take off 204 barrel.
 
The 223 9tw takeoff barrel I have came from Calhoon. It has been sitting on my shelf for 2-3 years now.

The problem with reworking a factory barrel though is threads. If I true the action and clean up the threads in the action then they will be larger diameter. That means I have to get rid of all the old threads on the barrel setting back at least an inch or so to get into new meat for new (larger) threads. Otherwise it will be sloppy fit. Cutting off all the old threads will put it really close on that factory CZ taper, not sure if there is enough room for that or not. Also puts the chamber in a thinner part of the barrel.

I suppose I could just true the bolt lugs and face, and also true the abutments and face in the receiver but not threads. That seems to be going off half-cocked though. To my way of thinking there isn't much sense in setting up and truing faces if you aren't going catch the threads while you are at it. I would rather just pony the $325 for a new blank and do it all. Otherwise I would always wonder "what if?"
 
Originally Posted By: JTPinTX I would rather just pony the $325 for a new blank and do it all. Otherwise I would always wonder "what if?"


IMO, this would be your best bet and potentially would put you money and time ahead.

Factory barrels are, often, luck of the draw, sometimes you luck out and get a good one, other times, not so much. Last spring I sent a brand new CZ 527 Varmint 17 Hornet off to Kevin Weaver and had him set it back and re-chamber it with his tighter spec 17 Hornet reamer. I think he cut a little under an inch off.
 
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