Zastava rifles? Yea or nea.
- Thread starter MilitaryCollectorMark
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
- Location
- SE corner Sk
With the way it handles my handloads using the 285gr PRVI bullets, I think I'll hang on to my 'inexpensive' Zastava. It's proven to be
good bang for the buck.
Any photos of the rifle?
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Any photos of the rifle?
Yes, but I haven't posted photos on site
since the big 'mix-up' with Photobucket in past. Sorry guy. However, if you PM me your e-mail address I could send them that way.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Took a
quick look andappreciate the heads up. However,
with my pre metric era computer skills, I'd better wait 'till the light of a new day, after I've had a nights rest before I take a run trying that. Thanks again though.UPDATE:
Took another quick look,
ya, I'd better wait.
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.350 Rem Mag Rem 798 LKM 70 action re-barreled.
And that right there is why my favorite 350 RM was built on a Mauser 98 action. Does everything the 338 Win Mag does and makes bigger holes. - dan
- Location
- SE corner Sk
Looks like there is no 6.5x55 lkm 70 in canada. Maybe on the used market. I found one in 300 win mag. What would it take to modify it to 6.5?
Maybe on the used market. I found one in 300 win mag. What would it take to modify it to 6.5?
- Location
- SE corner Sk
No I haven't.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
"what would it take ...? " At minimum a barrel chambered for 6.5x55, somehow shoulder set for your receiver - and then threaded for 98 Mauser receiver, likely need headspace gauges to set that barrel to headspace??? That assumes that you have a receiver wrench and barrel vice that can grab each without marking?? Then replacement bolt, since faces not the same size - no clue what they did to feed lips on receiver to make 300 Win Mag work - or the magazine follower? Or the magazine box?? Then if replacement barrel is smaller diameter or different taper than original, have to deal with the gaps along forearm??
- Location
- SE corner Sk
I do have a savage 110 in 270 so I'm good their. I was wanting a rifle that would be a bit less recoil. My dream gun, if you can call it, is a Lefty in 6.5x55.
- Location
- SE corner Sk
Yes, I don't want a tikka though. Rather have a gun with walnut blued steel.
I'm usually one of the most vocal detractors but I always caveat what I say with my sample size of 1, purchased late 2021 (October).
So far, I've owned this rifle for a long time, and it's fired 12 rounds. But it's been to the range a few times and never fired a shot because something was wrong with it. Considering it cost me $699, I had higher expectations.
I've got the stock off right now. I had to cut it down. At 5'10" I'm not small, but the LOP is 14 3/4" or thereabouts on mine. The recoil pad doesn't compare with other similarly priced rifles, not even close to a Savage Axis or Ruger American. The checkering appears to be pressed-in instead of cut, so in terms of surface traction it's pretty weaksauce. The rear sling swivel hole was drilled crooked, so the stud sits at a goofy angle. The wood is very light but also very dry-feeling (after repeated coats of tru-oil) and there are signs of cracking/wear near the action screw holes. There's gaps all over especially around the floorplate, but the stock contacts the barrel in 3 different locations.
As far as the receiver goes, it's quite loose and rough. Not just "Mauser" sloppy, but extra sloppy fully open, and extra gritty while closing. It came with pitting on the extractor claw. I spent a bunch of time with different scope bases and rings, finally needing to use Leupold so I could twist the dovetail and adjust the windage at the rear base to get the scope straight. It needed a shim of Pepsi can under the rear base to get it level. The bolt binds up on the ejector in the rearward position, so I would most definitely not trust my life to it. The safety only works when the assembly no longer has the action screws or floorplate in place - as soon as it's torqued in place something gets twisted and I can no longer turn the safety off.
Yeah, the trigger is adjustable. In fact, I got mine down to almost 2 pounds dead. But it's jerky and gritty, there's two valleys to the break and it's not consistent. And it deforms brass like mad, looks like the case mouths are getting hammered upon ejection. The barrel on mine is fine. Nice finish, the sights are straight and adjustable. No burrs anywhere and the rifling looks decent. The floorplate locks up nicely on mine. But there was material in the bolt from machining that prevented the rifle from firing after the third shot.
I might just get a Boyd's and make sure the barrel is floating, add a little Devcon and run it with irons. Maybe even lap the bolt body at some point to try and get things running a little smoother. Just don't want things to loosen anymore either.
At the end of the day I need to look critically at what I got for $699. The last "cheap" gun I got is a Winchester XPR. Here's a list of all the things that were wrong with it out-of-the-box: none. I mounted a scope and it's ready to go. I didn't even touch the trigger. It's about 4 pounds but a straightforward break. Considering the Savage Axis XP, some entry-level 110's, Ruger American and Predator, Winchester XPR, Browning AB3, etc are within $100 of the price I paid there is simply no comparison around value. If all you value is a blued/walnut Mauser rifle with open sights then yeah, it's good. But in every other way that a rifle could be a rifle, those "cheap" options are all better. Better stocks, better recoil pads, better quality control/standards, better fine parts, better triggers, smoother action with more solid lockup, better cut chambers, better receiver machining, etc.
If you aren't interested in a Tikka because it's not walnut/blued, you CAN get the walnut-stocked T3x Hunter Left-Hand in 6.5x55mm (ignore the picture, it's the model number you want). https://choose.tikka.fi/global/code/TF1T1936113
The above is just my reflections/experience, I would not buy or recommend one to anyone over the alternatives.
So far, I've owned this rifle for a long time, and it's fired 12 rounds. But it's been to the range a few times and never fired a shot because something was wrong with it. Considering it cost me $699, I had higher expectations.
I've got the stock off right now. I had to cut it down. At 5'10" I'm not small, but the LOP is 14 3/4" or thereabouts on mine. The recoil pad doesn't compare with other similarly priced rifles, not even close to a Savage Axis or Ruger American. The checkering appears to be pressed-in instead of cut, so in terms of surface traction it's pretty weaksauce. The rear sling swivel hole was drilled crooked, so the stud sits at a goofy angle. The wood is very light but also very dry-feeling (after repeated coats of tru-oil) and there are signs of cracking/wear near the action screw holes. There's gaps all over especially around the floorplate, but the stock contacts the barrel in 3 different locations.
As far as the receiver goes, it's quite loose and rough. Not just "Mauser" sloppy, but extra sloppy fully open, and extra gritty while closing. It came with pitting on the extractor claw. I spent a bunch of time with different scope bases and rings, finally needing to use Leupold so I could twist the dovetail and adjust the windage at the rear base to get the scope straight. It needed a shim of Pepsi can under the rear base to get it level. The bolt binds up on the ejector in the rearward position, so I would most definitely not trust my life to it. The safety only works when the assembly no longer has the action screws or floorplate in place - as soon as it's torqued in place something gets twisted and I can no longer turn the safety off.
Yeah, the trigger is adjustable. In fact, I got mine down to almost 2 pounds dead. But it's jerky and gritty, there's two valleys to the break and it's not consistent. And it deforms brass like mad, looks like the case mouths are getting hammered upon ejection. The barrel on mine is fine. Nice finish, the sights are straight and adjustable. No burrs anywhere and the rifling looks decent. The floorplate locks up nicely on mine. But there was material in the bolt from machining that prevented the rifle from firing after the third shot.
I might just get a Boyd's and make sure the barrel is floating, add a little Devcon and run it with irons. Maybe even lap the bolt body at some point to try and get things running a little smoother. Just don't want things to loosen anymore either.
At the end of the day I need to look critically at what I got for $699. The last "cheap" gun I got is a Winchester XPR. Here's a list of all the things that were wrong with it out-of-the-box: none. I mounted a scope and it's ready to go. I didn't even touch the trigger. It's about 4 pounds but a straightforward break. Considering the Savage Axis XP, some entry-level 110's, Ruger American and Predator, Winchester XPR, Browning AB3, etc are within $100 of the price I paid there is simply no comparison around value. If all you value is a blued/walnut Mauser rifle with open sights then yeah, it's good. But in every other way that a rifle could be a rifle, those "cheap" options are all better. Better stocks, better recoil pads, better quality control/standards, better fine parts, better triggers, smoother action with more solid lockup, better cut chambers, better receiver machining, etc.
If you aren't interested in a Tikka because it's not walnut/blued, you CAN get the walnut-stocked T3x Hunter Left-Hand in 6.5x55mm (ignore the picture, it's the model number you want). https://choose.tikka.fi/global/code/TF1T1936113
The above is just my reflections/experience, I would not buy or recommend one to anyone over the alternatives.
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