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  #1  
Old 02-25-2022, 06:22 PM
barretcreek barretcreek is offline
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Default Mini Mauser v 527

Has anyone compared a Mini receiver to a 527 receiver? Saw a CZ branded Mini in GB completed listings a while back and got to wondering if the 527 is a jazzed up Mini with a different shroud and bottom metal.
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  #2  
Old 02-25-2022, 07:17 PM
JDHasty JDHasty is offline
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I have seen the CZ 527 marketed by end sellers as a mini Mauser and believe their distributor refers to it as such, but there are substantial differences between the 527 and a true Mauser.

I have handled the Mini Mark X etc that has been offered over the years under various names (not a true mauser either IIRC) and have never found it to be satisfactory from the standpoint that the bolt would bind unless operated just so. We have a bunch of 527s and all of them operate without binding, although some could be a little smoother. The Mini Mausers I have seen all have had a hinged floorplate.

We have Sako and Mini Howas that don't bind and are quite smooth in operation. The Howa has a crappy magazine that there has been a lot of speculation regarding the why did they do this on what would otherwise be an almost perfect execution of th "Mini Mauser" theme. My theory is that they are marketing it to the younger guys who they believe will want to put it in a chassis and are not as concerned about what they see as a shrinking market segment who use conventional stocks.

The Howa will never be able to be magazine fed a rimmed cartridge w/o major modification of the bolt head. So I don't see that anywhere on the horizon.

Last edited by JDHasty; 02-25-2022 at 07:21 PM.
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Old 02-25-2022, 10:02 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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I believe CZ mentions that their 527 model is a Mauser style/type of action. Now what the small difference in looks of the parts are makes very little chance.
Overall it is a type/copy of the mauser design, mainly on the bolt face and push feed.

As to the Howa mini never being able to feed with a box magazine, that is not really so any longer. Oregon gun smithing out of Portland has a lower unit, bottom metal and follower that drops right into the Howa mina and allows very fine feeding, from the internal magazine and does away with the removable magazine, that is on the original rifle.

Last edited by Bill K; 02-25-2022 at 10:06 PM.
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Old 02-25-2022, 10:27 PM
JDHasty JDHasty is offline
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I'm saying it will never feed a rimmed cartridge. It feeds rimless cartridges great, but it is really not of very high quality. I would like to see the push feed action that will handle a rimmed cartridge successfully w/o major modification and/or a dedicated bolt head for rimmed cartridges form a single stack mag. A 788 in 30-30 or 44 mag works well, but they have a completely different bolt head than the rimless ones.
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Old 02-26-2022, 05:57 PM
JSH JSH is offline
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I am in no way a CZ hater, so don’t take this wrong.
I had almost a half dozen 527’s. I completed what I had in mind for them and moved on, but still had a wanting for a small compact action.
I purchased a Howa mini. From the get go the Howa was strides ahead of the 527(for me). Yes the down fall of the Howa is the crap magazines. As mentioned above it has been addressed by two companies, Jefferson Outdoors being the other.

Rimmed case issue, yup the one down fall if that is your cup of tea. I have numerous rimmed rifles, from 22Hornet to 45-70 and a bunch in between. The market for a bolt gun that will function with a rimmed case let alone the 22Hornet, has to be slim by the numbers.

I just found the rimless cases to be easier and better to work with myself.
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Old 02-26-2022, 06:11 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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[quote=JSH;3

I just found the rimless cases to be easier and better to work with myself.[/QUOTE]

Excellent point, If you want trouble free loading, etc with a rimmed case, go with the TC's and other single shot firearms. Unless you can get your hands on one of the few working repeater types.
If you want a basically free trouble shooting repeater stick with the rimless cases. In other words K.I.S.S.
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  #7  
Old 02-26-2022, 09:24 PM
Oso Polaris Oso Polaris is offline
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I was confused about the rimmed case comment... I thought the whole reason to shoot a rimmed case was for the excuse to buy a lovely single shot or falling block rifle?!

The CZ527 and Sako (L46 L461) are perfect size for making them great field rifle for carrying and handling in tight spaces. The difference (pre-discontinued pricing) was that CZ was 1/2 the price of Sako and didn't make you cry when you put a ding in the stock. The Howa Mini is bulkier (weight and stock width), which brings it more in line with an AR15. There is a level of convenience and measure of safety with having a removeable magazine. Once you get used to this feature, it is something you look for in all future firearms.... well at least for me. This is where the CZ clearly beats out the Howa Mini... and also the trigger.

Due to their small size, neither the CZ527 nor Howa Mini is fun to shoot for extended period from a prone position. They're just too small for an adult to get a good shoulder weld without a fully adjustable buttplate. My Howa Mini (6.5 Grendel) shoots very well for a factory barrel and with the Oregunsmith blind magazine/hinged floor plate upgrade it is now dependable. The unnecessary hassle required to set up a Howa Mini to perform the same as everyone else's factory rifle straight out of the box makes it my least favorite rifle ($1500 without optics or cerakote).
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  #8  
Old 02-26-2022, 10:56 PM
SmokinJoe SmokinJoe is offline
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As to the discussion of the mini Mauser type actions, remember that there are 2 distinct manufacturers involved. CZ makes the 527 of course (or did) and it is IMO a nicely made, reasonably tight little action and maybe the best choice for a Hornet other than Cooper which is in another orbit. The other mini Mausers like Charles Daly, Rem 799, etc are made by Zastava and look a lot the same but are more lossely fitted and not finished as well as CZ. On the Rem 799 the trigger is sort of a copy of a Rem 700 unit and it has a Sako type extractor. Correct me if I'm wrong about any of this but I do own a Rem 799 in 22 Hornet and have a couple of CZ 527's in the Hornet action also.

I also have a Howa mini which is a custom 22 Spitfire/5.7 Johnson with a Brux barrel and Jard trigger, and has the Oregunsmithing bottom metal and an adapted single shot follower in a B&C stock. It has turned out to be a great little gun but I have too much money in it with all the adds, about $1600.
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  #9  
Old 02-27-2022, 01:42 AM
barretcreek barretcreek is offline
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SmokinJoe,
You're the guy I want to talk to. Have you ever compared the bolts between the Zastava and CZ, or with the actions out of the stock compared the bottom of the receivers-distance between the action screws, magazine cutout, recoil lug location, etc? I'm trying to figure out if the 527 is based on a modified Zastava. I started wondering looking at Pac-Nor's (?) site and they have pre threaded & chambered barrels for the 527 and Zastava Mini. Who puts the money into a Mini? So I thought to ask.
Thanks.
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  #10  
Old 02-27-2022, 01:21 PM
SmokinJoe SmokinJoe is offline
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Don't have any idea which action would have been based on which but the Rem 799 (Zastava) has more modern features like the sako type extractor and Rem 700 type trigger so I would think it was the copycat. I think I put the Rem 799 back in the box and put it in storage so the comparative info may be difficult to get. If you find an action that was made by CZ I think it would likely be a 527 regardless of how the seller described it. If you get a pic of the receiver it should show you who made it and the model number IIRC. I'll look when I go to my shop next time and see what info I can get for you.
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