Fjold
.275 member
Reged: 28/06/11
Posts: 60
Loc: Bakersfield, CA, USA
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I finally received my left handed Zastava in 458 Win Mag.
The gun weighs in at less than 9 Lbs with a very muzzle light feel. It has a 25" barrel but the muzzle diameter is only .660" (My Winchester 375 H&H has a muzzle diameter of .750").
The feel of the action is not bad for a new gun, the bolt cycles with barely a hint of roughness that will probably smooth out with use. I don't have any rounds loaded up yet so I haven't checked the feeding and extraction. The trigger is surprisingly nice, smooth with minimal creep and a let off of less than 4 Lbs. The metal exterior appearance isn't bad, no obvious glitches and an even black/bluing.
The stock has a horrible finish, with maybe one thin coat of linseed oil applied, patchy and almost bare wood in places. This should make it easier to strip off as the muddy, blotchy stain that was applied has to come off, there may be some actual grain fighting to show through. The inletting around the barrel and action isn't bad but around the tang there is too much wood and the cut out for the bolt to slide is crooked with a chip out of it. I haven't pulled the barreled action from the stock yet but I know that it will have to be bedded. There are no plugs over the crossbolt. The checkering wasn't done by hand, it looks like it was done by foot.
Over all the gun has potential, it just needs a lot of stock work done before it goes out in the field.
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Frank
Edited by CptCurl (02/12/12 01:33 AM)
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darwinmauser
.300 member
Reged: 07/05/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Darwin NT
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Under 9 pounds in a 458 winni....better you than me Frank 
Chers
Pete
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John303
.300 member
Reged: 16/11/06
Posts: 243
Loc: Canada
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I must agree with both Frank & Pete, Frank as far as comments on the gun, the stock IMHO is a good candidate for some real TLC / modification / re-doing etc & Pete, just add me to his comment. --- John303.
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40649
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Quote:
The checkering wasn't done by hand, it looks like it was done by foot.
Ha ha, "by foot". 
If the plastic stocked rifles had open sights they might be a good or better alternative.
Be interesting to see what you make of this rifle when you have finished modifying it.
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John aka NitroX
 ...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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farshot
.300 member
Reged: 25/01/06
Posts: 106
Loc: Alberta Canada
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I just finished working on a new left handed 9.3 x 62 for a friend.
Just as described above, the bolt was a bit rougher I suspect than the op, but some football games on TV and working and polishing on a buffing wheel helped that.
The trigger can be adjusted to a very good (3 lb) pull, and crisp, but when you get it perfect, the safety will not engage. So you need to compromise a bit.
I put a hidden crossbolt under the flat (it had no cross bolts) and bedded the lug and rear. I also made sure the bbl was free floated. It was close anyway, so I took a bit out of the channel. I should have bedded the entire action, because there is a slight gap between the wood and rails of the action that does not look good. Maybe next time I mix a batch, I will clean that up.
Another funny issue was that the ejector spring kept "coming apart" and causing the ejector to act up - never seen such a thing. I alcohol cleaned it up and used some Loctite on it and it has stayed since.
Put a low vaiable scope on steel Millet bases with Burris Signature Zee rings (needed a shim of the rings tho with the old Weaver variable to get it to adjust high enough)
285 gr Privi RN over RL15 at 2360 ft/sec gave nice cloverleaves at 50 yds. As it is left handed, and I cant stand to shoot it with the cheek piece, I left it alone for my friend to fine tune.
Nice rifle.
Very trim bbl, I must admit. Balances nice. Wood is plain but straight grained. Finish is as mentioned - thin.
My friend was happy to find a left handed 9.3 x 62 that was afforable.
Edited by farshot (27/09/12 07:20 AM)
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kamilaroi
.400 member
Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...
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CZ/BRNO used beech for many of their stocks. They may have reverted to type for the lower end of the market.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27698
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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The NIB Zastavas that tradeexcanada is selling come with either plastic or walnut stocks, not beech - at least advertized as walnut.
They do look better than the one in Fjold's post.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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blacks
.275 member
Reged: 17/03/11
Posts: 83
Loc: South-East South Australia
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My Mk. X .458 (same basic action) wears a Bell & Carlson Medallist alloy/fibreglass stock which was a good fit. It vertainly weighs less than 9 Ib scoped, but then it is carried more than fired. They are good shooters and nice and trim as you say. My trigger is awesome.
blacks
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You won't shoot anything at home on the couch...
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farshot
.300 member
Reged: 25/01/06
Posts: 106
Loc: Alberta Canada
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Daryl - I do think it is walnut, but a Euro, light walnut. It has grain, and I wondered about a dark oil refinish and how it may absorb and look, but as I said, its my friend's rifle...
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abosely
.275 member
Reged: 23/03/07
Posts: 57
Loc: Big Island Hawaii US
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Heck, but at least there is a left hand Mauser action available at a
reasonable price now!
In not a lefty but the options for lefties, in Mauser actions at least
has been not so good.
It's nice to see this choice available!
I look forward to seeing what someone builds up out of one these LH
actions as a nice custom rifle!
Cheers, Allen
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