CZ52 Purchase

[Burrhead]

I have been yapping about this for a while but today I brought this home to stay. I have some research to do so I can know all there is to know about these weapons but that is in the future. Here's some pictures of the new to me CZ52 I bought. I took her down stairs and she seems to feed my 30 mauser hand loads for the broom handle just fine so I will probably see if they are hot enough to operate the gun, I have three varieties to try.
Burrhead
I would like for Millman to admire the professionalism of these pictures (no shoes)

[Longcolt44]

DO NOT USE THE 30 MAUSER IN THE CZ. The cartridge is close but it is not the same and should not be used. Use only the 7.62X25 it was designed for.

[SA1911a1]

L.C. I have wanted one of these things for a while, I thought it would go good with my TTC. I hope you report back that they are garbage and not worth a damn so I can quit wanting one. I haven't seen any at any local gun shows in a while, what would I expect to pay for one now days?

[Longcolt44]

I paid 200 for mine a year ago but 250 is the going rate now.

[Burrhead]

LC I understand your concern about the ammo. If I was thinking about shooting the Tok round in my Broom Handle I would agree. But the 7.63 Mauser round is the round the Russians used to develop this cartridge from. Also the loading is similar. Heck I have read a lot of stuff on line pro and con about the CZ52 being dealer built that the C96 and the other way around. The hornady loading manual I have that list both rounds show the case length being with in a few thousandths of each other both cases can be made form the 223 (I have made 30 Mauser this way). The big concern with the brass is that Star that manufactures both cases say the 30 Mauser case will not take the 7.62X25 load pressure, they say the heads will be pulled off in extraction. I intend to use the 30 Mauser load data and try that, it is a lighter load and if anything I will have ejection problems. Anyway we will see what we will see as I have some loads with a cast bullet I case for my Broom Handle I want to try also.
I will report as I determine what is what.
Here's a quote from my Accurate Arms reloading manual. "There is no SAAMI pressure limit for the 30 Mauser. Fiocchi factory ammunition produced pressures of 27000 CUP in our test barrel. The maximum loads shown below do not exceed that pressure. )This loading data may also be sued for the 7.62 Russian Tokarev. The Tokarev is essentially identical to the 30 Mauser cartridge.)" So as far as load data goes I am comfortable with this loading. about he only thing that is a concern is the Tokarev is listed as having a 19 degree shoulder and the Mauser round is listed as 16 degrees. But if I was fire forming a case I wouldn't worry about his either. So I think I will give it a whirl.
Burrhead

[desdem12]

I have read some on the 30 mauser and it is said it will work ok. Nice 53 there, also has a refurbish mark on it. Looks like it's in excellant plus shape. Have you checked the firing pin? Oh wait i think you said it had a hardened one doesn't it. I paid $200 for my 52 and would not take 25 mosins for it now SA so you better start looking harder

[SA1911a1]

I have read some on the 30 mauser and it is said it will work ok. Nice 53 there, also has a refurbish mark on it. Looks like it's in excellant plus shape. Have you checked the firing pin? Oh wait i think you said it had a hardened one doesn't it. I paid $200 for my 52 and would not take 25 mosins for it now SA so you better start looking harder

Damn you!

[Burrhead]

Well LC got me worried about using my 30 Mauser rounds in CZ52 so the Burrhead ordered a 7.62X25 Sizer die from Lee. I got home from work last night (worked 12 hours again) and what is waiting for me but a package from Lee! So the Burrhead was all excited right up to the point that I looked at the die, it's labeled 7.62NR not 7.62X25 Tok as it should be. I shot a e-mail to Lee last night and they sent me one back today, new die is in the mail (hope it's right this time). Anyway my hopes to go BANG with my new toy is on hold for a while. The strange thing is they don't seem to want their die back? So I may have a 7.62 Nagant sizer, maybe I should buy a Nagant revolver! Wonder how the Boss would react to that idea.

[desdem12]

Free die...It would be a shame to waist the free die

[Longcolt44]

Thanks B, i was worried about the Mauser VS the tok as I compared the side by side I took both out and looked at them and though they looked very close it wasn't close enough to call them the same cigar. if I remeber right there was significant difference in the shoulder lenth.

[Burrhead]

LC I have done some comparisons and ya there are some slight differences in the two but I have a Buddy that has shot my hand load for my C96 with no ill affects in his CZ52. My concern is that the shoulder is hitting pretty hand in my gun. What I may do is compare the the two sized cases once I get my hands on my Tokarev sizer (hopefully tomorrow). So if all goes well I'll try shooting a hand load pretty quick. Anyway the weather sure looks good for this week end to go to the range, so if I want to try the CZ52 I may have to break down and buy a box (something I haven't done in over 20 years) I hand load everything I can which means I buy only rim fire ammo. Heck I even load for my Vetterli (I shoot mine JYD ).
Burrhead

[Burrhead]

I shot an e mail to Lee and they said thanks for your honesty but I could keep the 7.62 Nagant sizer die. Sooooooooo! I guess I better start looking at a Nagant Revolver. Boy was the Boss on her toes when I told her about the die. I suppose you will want a gun to go with that die, ya that's about what she said.
Next thing is I had enough bullets on hand for only 2 magazines of ammo for the first try at a hand load. Well I sure blew that the load was way too tame for the gun and I didn't even get good functioning out of it. So I guess I'll break down and buy a box of ammo to try out the gun (can't wait for the bullets to get here). I also took the C96 along and shot her while I was at it, but the only thing open was the 25 yard line and that was a little much for me and these two weapons. The other side of the range was closed for a CPL class.

[bbekalb]

CZ-52s ARE AWESOME