CI ZASTAVA M70 RIFLE 7MM-08 - 22" Barrel, 3 Rounds, Wood, Walnut Stock

I purchased this rifle as a project gun. It is a good thing I had that mind set because that is exactly what it was. I planned to remove the open sites and replace them with a scope, get rid of the polished blue finish and replace it with matte black duracoat. The stock is described as "oiled" and it was, maybe one coat. Most of the wood grain was still open and not protected by the finish. I removed the stock to refinish it first and was amazed for find a crack just behind the trigger that had been partially repaired. That caused me to look closer and find two additional cracks in the stock that had not been touched. I was able to open the cracks enough to repair them with epoxy. I think a glass bedding job maybe the final correction to fix the cracks. Remember, this is a new rifle. The trigger pull was somewhere north of 5 pounds. I toyed with the idea of installing a Timney trigger but in the end I just adjusted the stock trigger to a more manageable three pound pull. Speaking of pull, the length of pull on this rifle a large fourteen and one-half inches. I am a fairly big guy but that is too long, even for me. The 7MM-08 is a mild recoiling cartridge so I may just remove the stock rubber recoil pad and install a thin plastic one to reduce this length. In the end, the barreled Mauser action is probably worth the price I paid for the rifle. It was a little more project than I anticipated but if it turns out to be accurate it will have been worth it. If not, I still have a Mauser action I can rebarrell and start over with the project.

First off great service as always from Buds. When I first received the rifle a bit of protective foam had semi-melted into the recoil pad and some on the buttstock furniture itself. FFL dealer was very helpful and helped me clean it out without any undue damage(some firearms could be in storage for a while). Next I did some modest cleaning(all that's required) mostly getting out the storing oils and making sure the barrel was clean. The wood to metal finish is alright, the sights are a little small for my bad eyesight but worked just fine. I was really surprised by the bluing on the rifle. I would've rated it a solid 4 stars were it not for its accuracy, forget the wood am spoiled I own CZ's this rifle shoots like a dream. With bad eyesight and outdated glasses I was getting 2-2 1/2 inch groups @100 yds with iron sights only. Might see a scope in the future but the sights are holding the fort for now. Before I forget there was a little stiffness of the bolt at first(almost worked out already, don't baby a Mauser action) and the chamber area is big(big enough I hope to hold the bigger 7mm bullets) that care most be placed when loading to push the cartridges as far back as possible to avoid feeding issues. Out of my 4 (5) shot groups I had only two fliers clearly on me. Am impressed and the recoil is not too bad either on the 7mm-08.

Incredible gun for the price; those Serbs really know how to make a quality rifle. The blueing job is terrific and I love the Mauser action. Really the only thing I didn't like was the packaging it was shipped in... the rifle was placed directly into the boxed styrofoam cutout with no plastic wrapping around it, so I had to clean off pieces of styrofoam that stuck to the stock without scratching the finish (tedious work). This is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5; I would absolutely recommend this gun.

A stout and timeless design. Don’t let the price dissuade you. This is a well-built rifle that will last 2 lifetimes. There are some rough spots on the stock but overall it is a great weapon. The bluing is very well done and the machining far exceeds what I expected at this price. Also, the adjustable trigger is fantastic. Google how to adjust it and you will not be disappointed. It breaks as clean as my Timney trigger. Take the plunge on this Serbian gem- you will be pleasantly surprised.