by Wapiti » 07 Dec 2019, 11:48 am
I picked up a near new Mod 2 from the late '50s at the local little gunshop, it came off an old bloke who got too old. Apparently. I'm a big 77/22 fan, so I thought I'd succumb to the hype everywhere about these rifles.
Sure enough, it's a nice piece of kit with old world charm. Compared to the newer CZs, the workmanship is from back when things didn't have machining marks and the newer, single bolt handle locking lug is really cheap.
But I have to admit, it's certainly not a target rifle, it's quite ordinary with any hunting ammo I've tried. Probably 10 of the most popular types, including subsonic HP hunting stuff. I'm not going to try target ammo, because I don't shoot targets. 35mm @ 50m would be it., off a benchrest. Now, in the field, that's going to be much larger because most people don't carry benchrests, or bipods, because grass makes them impractical when walkabout.
That screw up under the front sight, tried taking it out, tight, half tight, whatever, it's just not on par with my other 77's, even the cheaper Ruger American stainless we have outshoots it.
Very rewarding to shoot a gun way older than I am (and in better condition too) but I think now, that people tend to overdo some reputations oft repeated.
There was a good article about the Brno Mod 2 in the last edition of Guns Australia mag, outlining the tolerance issues these so called "best" quality rifles have and the trouble old mate went to, to get one to shoot reasonably.