CZ Yearbook 2019 /eng

60 | | 61 a permanent solution to the problem of fluctuating orders. From the mid-1960s, the new main manufacture of firearms for hunting and sport shooting in Czechoslovakia was tran- sitioned to the younger and more modern arms factory in Uherský Brod, known today as Česká zbrojovka a.s. Amongst the models it took over f rom Zbrojovka Brno (still bearing Brno’s famous brand name) was also the light rifle de- signed by the Koucký brothers, the ZKW 465. The Uherský Brod company manufactured this original Hornet between 1967 and 1976. Though the volumes were not large, this era lay the foundations of the tradition for the Lite rifles f rom Uher- ský Brod, which are still be- ing made today and show no signs of retiring. Produced in higher numbers, the ZKB 680 – aptly called the FOX – was a nimble light rifle ideal for varmint control. Its 222 Rem. calibre was perfect for just such a task. The Fox- es, easily recognizable by the re-modelled magazine catch on the side, had a somewhat complicated history for which there is not enough space here. So, let us mention just one snippet: later, another version in 22 Hornet calibre was produced and ultimate- ly, customers preferred this version to the more powerful 222 cal. Hitting the jackpot Today’s CZ 527 series came into being in the late 1980s. Natu- rally, it was based on the popu- lar ZKW 680 FOX RIFLE, more specifically on its modernized model 2. When developing the 527 model, the primary task was to expand the portfolio by another powerful calibre – the 223 Rem. Such a pow- erful chambering allowed the rifles to be used through- out the year, when hunting both light and medium-sized hoofed game. Still, the design team from CZ did not stop at just a new cartridge. The most noteworthy of these chang- es were the improved trigger travel, more reliable feeding and above all the improved trigger mechanism.Upon de- but, the portfolio offered two versions – one with the tra- ditional double set trigger (German set trigger) and one with a single set trigger, also known as French set trig- ger. However, the German style soon faded away, while the single set mechanism was successful, eventually being chosen for use in the CZ 550 rifles of the Medium category. The CZ 527 series hit the pro- verbial jackpot. Thanks to the sound design of the bolt, the original trio of the 22 Hornet, 222 Rem. and 223 Rem. cal- ibres could later be supple- mented by many modern car- tridges, though not all of them would stay in the lineup for an extended period of time. With so many chamberings to choose from, CZ let customer demand determine whether a particular calibre addition was one worthwhile of remain- ing in the lineup. It transpired that the domi- nant calibre was the truly out- standing 7.62×39 mm. It was first used in the Carbine mod- el, an ideal working rifle for professional hunters, which is suitable for varmint control as well as for hunting small and medium-size hoofed game (roughly up to 40-50 kg live weight). In addition, unlike the faster calibres like 222 and 223 Rem., this slower cartridge cre- ates less damage to the game. In the USA and other countries where it is still possible to en- gage in expeditionary hunting, the CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62×39 cal. is popular because it can both take game and serve as a defensive firearm, while do- ing so in a short, lightweight package . The abi l i ty to digest more af- fordable surplus ammunition makes it a popular choice for recreational shooters. Some of the other calibres the CZ 527 has been produced in include, for example, the 221 Remington Fireball, 17 Rem- ington and 204 Ruger. None of these are offered currently, though in 2013 CZ began pro- ducing a model in 17 Hornet, heartily welcomed especially by US customers. Where stocks and barrels are concerned, over the twen- ty-f ive years of its existence, the CZ 527 series has grown to offer numerous versions, continuously reviewed with regard to current trends. The series offers stocks in both European and Ame r i can style, thumbhole type stocks and more recently also a tar- get-style stock for the MTR model. Regarding materials, there is walnut, laminated wood or polymer, the latter now being offered in the us- er-f riendly soft-touch f inish. With CZ’s cold hammer forged barrel, models can be hadwith thin-walled sporter barrels or heavy varmint barrels in sev- eral lenghts and with or with- out iron sights. There is also a “mirror” version for left-hand- ed users. A premier group of models includes the high-end CZ 527 EXCLUSIVE EBONY EDITION (distinguished by its helical barrel, ebony details at the tip of the stock and on the pistol grip, and a jewelled bolt) as well as some small- scale and custom-built mod- els, such as cutting-edge sport specials for elite Czech Combined game shoot- ers (see p. 62 for an interview with the current European Champion). New possibilities Nevertheless, the activities of CZ are not limited to just adding new calibres or bring- ing new materials for stocks. The entire CZ 527 series has recently undergone a thor- ough review, resulting in ex- tensive modernizations. We can very well call it a complete upgrade. Many innovations are not immediately apparent but all have brought signif- icant improvements of user parameters. With the addition of more and more CNC turning andmilling centers at Uherský Brod, the 527’s receiver has transitioned to this manufacturing pro- cess. These actions are now turned and machined f rom solid billet, resulting in greater precision and ultimately re- flected in superior accuracy of the firearm. In simple terms, we can say that the receiver has been made both stronger and more precise. The trigger mechanism is now the same as the CZ 557 and allows the adjustment of all the crucial parameters – the trigger pull weight, reset and overtravel. The f ront and rear sights of all CZ 527 models with iron sights are the same as the CZ 557 rifle. It means these mod- els have a windage-adjustable sloped rear sight blade and an elevation-adjustable f ront sight accentuated by red fibre optics. This solution is espe- cially suitable when shooting at a moving target. The wooden stocks of the CZ 527 with mechanical sights, the Exclusive Ebony Edition and the new CZ 527 MTR are now oiled rather than lac- quered. The reason for this is not just a more elegant look and perfect impregnation but it also enables easier repairs of scratches and dents. More and more CZ 527 mod- els have muzzle threads for the attachment of a silencer and other accessories. Česká zbrojovka aims to gradually upgrade all of the CZ 527 rifles without mechanical sights. In addition, during 2018, all metal parts for the CZ 527 ri- fles began to be f inished by blasting. The result is a sat- in-matte f inish with less re- flection and a higher resist- ance to corrosion. And still quite new is the in- troduct ion of the popular modern cartridges, the 6.5 Grendel and 300 Blackout, which have opened up yet more new possibilities... Ageless heart As we have learned, the light rifle portfolio of CZ is set, regularly amended and also signif icantly upgraded as required so that customers can choose a model that fits their purpose. The CZ 527 can be a work- ing rifle, an accurate varmint control tool, a hobby gun, or a sport special. No matter what version chosen, custom- ers can rest assured that each model that they will hold in their hands will be equipped wi th an ident i cal ageless heart, inspired by the reliable and safe bolt that the ingen- ious Koucký brothers put in- side their first light rifle more than 70 years ago. Such a per- fect heart hasn’t needed any improvements..