First deer for CZ 527 Carbine 223

[bcraig]

Hi,I have been reading alot on how the 223 performs on deer and just had to see for myself.
I have a CZ 527 Carbine (18 inch barrel) and 4x Leupold M-8.
I was on the family farm and it had snowed and sitting on a bucket.
I noticed some movement off to my right and looking with a pair of 10x binos I saw a deer and eased up my rifle and rested on my knees and in a sling and saw the deer had taken a step and was halfway hidden and I could see just guts and quarters.Than saw another movement and pulled my Binos up again and saw what appeared to be 8-10 deer moving in and out of a small opening in the woods (OLD Logging road from 30 years ago)
I finally picked out the one that offered the best shot angle and what appeared to be a decently clear shot.
I pushed the trigger forward to set it and resting on my knees and with sling shot the doe tight behind the shoulder and a little less than halfway up the body.
At the shot the deer made a bolt to the east while the other deer ran to the west.
I sit there for about 15 minutes and noticed the other deer coming back to the area I had shot the deer and saw one of them looking at the ground and I knew from past experience that it was more than likely looking at the deer I had shot.
I worked my way through the woods slowly and of course the other deer spotted me and ran but I knew about where the deer had been standing when I shot so I stood there and looked in all directions and sure enough there was a BIG doe (150 + Pounds)laying in the snow.
She had ran less than 30 long steps or so.
I hit her a little lower than I Intended to and had hit her in the Heart.
The Ammo Was a Federal premium 60 Grain partition.
the range I later stepped it of at 140 Long steps .
The load broke the shoulder wit a 1.5 inch hole through it, 2 ribs going in ,over a half dollars sized hole in the heart and exited the offside (barely as the bullet left only about 35 caliber sized hole in the offside ribcage.
A piece of the Partition angled and followed just along the ribcage and guts  and best I could tell left a small amount of blood shot area for about 7 or 8 inches.
The deer was standing almost broadside at the shot(at least appeared to be).
Overkill ? No
Would I consider it a great overall deer round ?NO(in my oppinion a good all around deer load needs to be able to be used on a hard Quartering shot and not sure this would.Also very little blood trail(Although I have shot them with a lot of Cartridges not showing any blood till I found the deer and turned them over and THEN Plenty of blood)
Of course this is just an example of one But based on this I would say that for a hunter that would be willing to wait for a broadside or close to it that this cartridge and load are more than enough for deer.
But I was very satisfied with the Performance of the Load and the cartridge.
I will try to get a couple of pics(old cell phone )within the next day or so.
The first pic is a view taken from inside the ribcage and the second is one taaken from outside the ribcage.

This pic on the left  is of the Heart Entrance Hole
This one on the right is of the shoulder entrance Hole
Last one is of doe where she fell along with my rifle.
The last pic is of the doe where she fell along with my rifle.

[nomosendero]

Predictable performance from a guy who knew how to handle the weapon in his hand, good job!!

[bcraig]

Thanks ,I appreciate it.
I got up a couple of pics as promised.
Craig

[bcraig]

I added a few more pics.
Craig

[S.S.]

most of my younger  friends that hunt have swapped to hunting with modern hunting rifles on the AR platform.
And it is known that I do not favor these small bores for deer sized game. However, I have been really enjoying the
Venison these small bore have taken this year. I have quite a bit of meat in my freezer provided by these little,
tiny , itsy bity, bullets... My tune may be changing a bit.  One of these deer, a large Doe, was hit at a ranged 353
yards. It stumbled a few steps and dropped. High lung shot. Another at around 100 yards dropped where it stood.
Again high in the lungs. I just might have to find me a handy little bolt gun in .223 now...

[shot1]

Proven fact. It is not what you shoot them with it is where you shoot them. Bullet placement, bullet placement, bullet placement. I have killed a number of deer with a 22LR. One shot into the brain through the eye or ear and it drops in it's tracks. But that does not make it a deer rifle. I did this many years ago when times were very tough and if we did not grow, catch or shoot it we did not eat it. Companies are making bullets now that do a better job of holding together and getting into where a deer lives than in years past. The 60gr partition is one of the good ones.

[bcraig]

most of my younger  friends that hunt have swapped to hunting with modern hunting rifles on the AR platform.
And it is known that I do not favor these small bores for deer sized game. However, I have been really enjoying the
Venison these small bore have taken this year. I have quite a bit of meat in my freezer provided by these little,
tiny , itsy bity, bullets... My tune may be changing a bit.  One of these deer, a large Doe, was hit at a ranged 353
yards. It stumbled a few steps and dropped. High lung shot. Another at around 100 yards dropped where it stood.
Again high in the lungs. I just might have to find me a handy little bolt gun in .223 now...

I looked at the Zasta Mini mauser and the CZ 527 carbine and by far liked the CZ,short ,light,single set trigger,Accurate.
I could be wrong but I think if you are interested in a Handy little bolt gun in 223 you,ll love the CZ

[pastorp]

I used to own a CZ 527 Lux in 223. It favored light bullets. It's favorite load was the Winchester " white box" 45 gr varmint load. It shot the 55 gr ball ok for practice. Never tried a 60 gr bullet in it. 

I wish I could find one in the international model.

Regards,

[bcraig]

International model ? Do you mean the full stock 527 Carbine ?
Craig

[454Puma]

bcraig
I have a Savage 11 Hunter, using the 63gr Sereria drop a big Yote at 175 yards, used the same bullet  out of my former Colt Match on another large yote at 145 yards both dropped at the shot nice 22 hole in and about quarter sized out- only hitting rib in and out.  Unless your bullet is a bonded variety one should avoid major bones when shooting deer.  I'd prefer a slight quartering away broad side- my favorite shot with any caliber as I like to bust the off shoulder. With a .223 it with probably not do it  but the damage would be good enough to drop the deer.

[pastorp]

Yes bcraig, the full stock carbine model.  there around, just haven't found one when I had the disposable money.

Regards,

[bcraig]

Hi,I,ll keep an eye out for ya.
Craig