Whiskeywon
NES Member
Brace yourself this is a long one.
I noticed that I have seen a number of questions on the forum regarding this rifle in comparison to other AR15 alternatives and of course the AR/AK platforms. So as titled I have a CZ 805 that I picked up over a Scar-L (just doesn't have the same pull as the H) This is just a post covering a bit of thoughts, experiences that I have had, access to parts others are working on, & changes I have made or shall be making. I do plan on updating any larger changes or new products that become available. Beginning photo of mostly stock configuration:
I'll start by saying that after about a thousand rounds through Scars (really not much) and about 3000~ rounds through my Bren so far as my weekly rifle that gets brought out for actual practice. (Hoping to run it through some 2G at some point) I think both rifles are great, while they aren't exactly improvements as much as lateral options to AR-15s they are both great alternatives which has been pretty well established. I'll be drawing comparisons to both platforms naturally and maybe a few others (ACR, SL8, and such)
Getting into the rifle though the basic pros and cons are pretty simple.
Pros:
Build Quality
Durability
Reliability
Accurate
Trigger
Ease of disassembly
Modular
Weight*
Ergonomics*
Price*
Cons:
Weight*
Ergonomics*
Price*
Currently lacking in third party support
So just to delve briefly into the details specifically listed.
This rifle seems as though CZ built it with love and care. All joking aside the build quality in many ways matches or exceeds that of the Scar and comparable ARs.
In the few thousand rounds that I have put through the rifle so far I have yet to experience a single failure running p-mags, GI, and steel FN FNC magazines with ammo ranging from Wolf 55gr to 75gr HPBT Hornady. The barrel is 16.2" chrome-lined with the 1:7" twist for those wishing to shoot the heavier bullets. It uses the gas system derived from the AR-18, just like pretty much all multi-lug rotating bolt short-stroke gas systems. Being a Massachusetts resident I cannot really comment on this rifle being suppressed, but I imagine that it suppresses just like any other pistol rifle, which is pretty well. It does come with the factory muzzle brake on 1/2x28 muzzle thread. Finding that as far as brakes go it isn't the most offensive for concussive blast.
The trigger out of the box requires nothing to be done to it to satisfy most shooters. It is a smooth stage up with a clean and deliberate break with my rifle registering after a few weight tests at 4.75-5lbs Don't get me wrong it isn't Timney or Elftmann, but it is better than any pretty much any AR out of box or any other modern military rifle out of box. Accuracy really so far has ranged as much as well. I've gotten between 1 1/2 & 2 MOA out of good ammo leaning more towards 2 with higher quality 62gr and 3 to 4 out of junk ammo. I'll post some targets from my next range trip since the thought completely evaded me before thinking about making this post. It''ll vary from what you throw through it and you as the shooter naturally. So far I've run iron sights for the first couple hundred rounds, then switched over to an ACOG w/ RMR donated from another rifle (which has gone back to that rifle) and now I'm playing around with the Luepold LCO/DEVO that I picked up last second before they discontinued it so a little variation, but for the immediate future I have the LCO on it just to test some weight ideas. At the end of the day this isn't a purpose built precision rifle, it's a combat rifle with a pencil barrel and a excellent factory mil-spec 2-stage trigger.
The durability of this rifle stems from both the excessive nature of it's frame and choice of materials. This was a rifle that was clearly made for a larger caliber (much in the same vain as the Scar) seeing as there were lines setup for a 308 model and 7.62x39 available to other countries' military forces. Since all these rifles sharing the same chassis, it's no wonder it's a bit overbuilt for 5.56, but not cripplingly so. The rifle weighs in at 8.7~ lbs with a loaded GI magazine (used two different scales that averaged 8.7) which is a bit on the hefty side. This also includes the factory iron sights and no sling. It's not milled AK weight by any means, but it definitely isn't quite as light AR15 by any means either. The factory rifle is the slightest bit front heavy, but IMO is negligible and balances exactly like the Scar. The ACR, in comparison, with it's gas system and monstrous barrel, is front heavy. That being said we'll be going far more in-depth on weight and balance later.
Being a rifle that was designed to be multi-caliber it does have a modular* (we'll come back to that *) chassis. The lower receiver is two separate pieces that held together with square joints in the material and a retaining pin that has zero play in the system. So that is good. It allows you to replace the magwell and pistol grip assembly. As more caliber conversions (which are already made for other country service groups) become market available you'll be able to swap that out. Alternatively even at 5.56 you can swap the magwell out for the European style of magazine well. Which uses a rock back and seat method with a paddle release for magazine release. I do have one on order and it should be arriving sometime in the next week or two if all goes right. As for the pistol grip it does house the trigger assembly and has replaceable back straps. *Yes, unfortunately this gun does not have an immediately replaceable pistol grip apart from the back strap. The rifle takes down from two disassembly pins (Personally I replaced them with the push button pins that KNS offers)
though that allow you to break the rifle down for basic cleaning as fast as an AR, but takes an additional 2-3 minutes to completely disassemble as pictured below.
Cleaning this rifle is about as easy as you'll ever expect from a modern rifle. Which it should be.
I suppose that's one way to make sure morons don't lose their pins?
I noticed that I have seen a number of questions on the forum regarding this rifle in comparison to other AR15 alternatives and of course the AR/AK platforms. So as titled I have a CZ 805 that I picked up over a Scar-L (just doesn't have the same pull as the H) This is just a post covering a bit of thoughts, experiences that I have had, access to parts others are working on, & changes I have made or shall be making. I do plan on updating any larger changes or new products that become available. Beginning photo of mostly stock configuration:
I'll start by saying that after about a thousand rounds through Scars (really not much) and about 3000~ rounds through my Bren so far as my weekly rifle that gets brought out for actual practice. (Hoping to run it through some 2G at some point) I think both rifles are great, while they aren't exactly improvements as much as lateral options to AR-15s they are both great alternatives which has been pretty well established. I'll be drawing comparisons to both platforms naturally and maybe a few others (ACR, SL8, and such)
Getting into the rifle though the basic pros and cons are pretty simple.
Pros:
Build Quality
Durability
Reliability
Accurate
Trigger
Ease of disassembly
Modular
Weight*
Ergonomics*
Price*
Cons:
Weight*
Ergonomics*
Price*
Currently lacking in third party support
So just to delve briefly into the details specifically listed.
This rifle seems as though CZ built it with love and care. All joking aside the build quality in many ways matches or exceeds that of the Scar and comparable ARs.
In the few thousand rounds that I have put through the rifle so far I have yet to experience a single failure running p-mags, GI, and steel FN FNC magazines with ammo ranging from Wolf 55gr to 75gr HPBT Hornady. The barrel is 16.2" chrome-lined with the 1:7" twist for those wishing to shoot the heavier bullets. It uses the gas system derived from the AR-18, just like pretty much all multi-lug rotating bolt short-stroke gas systems. Being a Massachusetts resident I cannot really comment on this rifle being suppressed, but I imagine that it suppresses just like any other pistol rifle, which is pretty well. It does come with the factory muzzle brake on 1/2x28 muzzle thread. Finding that as far as brakes go it isn't the most offensive for concussive blast.
The trigger out of the box requires nothing to be done to it to satisfy most shooters. It is a smooth stage up with a clean and deliberate break with my rifle registering after a few weight tests at 4.75-5lbs Don't get me wrong it isn't Timney or Elftmann, but it is better than any pretty much any AR out of box or any other modern military rifle out of box. Accuracy really so far has ranged as much as well. I've gotten between 1 1/2 & 2 MOA out of good ammo leaning more towards 2 with higher quality 62gr and 3 to 4 out of junk ammo. I'll post some targets from my next range trip since the thought completely evaded me before thinking about making this post. It''ll vary from what you throw through it and you as the shooter naturally. So far I've run iron sights for the first couple hundred rounds, then switched over to an ACOG w/ RMR donated from another rifle (which has gone back to that rifle) and now I'm playing around with the Luepold LCO/DEVO that I picked up last second before they discontinued it so a little variation, but for the immediate future I have the LCO on it just to test some weight ideas. At the end of the day this isn't a purpose built precision rifle, it's a combat rifle with a pencil barrel and a excellent factory mil-spec 2-stage trigger.
The durability of this rifle stems from both the excessive nature of it's frame and choice of materials. This was a rifle that was clearly made for a larger caliber (much in the same vain as the Scar) seeing as there were lines setup for a 308 model and 7.62x39 available to other countries' military forces. Since all these rifles sharing the same chassis, it's no wonder it's a bit overbuilt for 5.56, but not cripplingly so. The rifle weighs in at 8.7~ lbs with a loaded GI magazine (used two different scales that averaged 8.7) which is a bit on the hefty side. This also includes the factory iron sights and no sling. It's not milled AK weight by any means, but it definitely isn't quite as light AR15 by any means either. The factory rifle is the slightest bit front heavy, but IMO is negligible and balances exactly like the Scar. The ACR, in comparison, with it's gas system and monstrous barrel, is front heavy. That being said we'll be going far more in-depth on weight and balance later.
Being a rifle that was designed to be multi-caliber it does have a modular* (we'll come back to that *) chassis. The lower receiver is two separate pieces that held together with square joints in the material and a retaining pin that has zero play in the system. So that is good. It allows you to replace the magwell and pistol grip assembly. As more caliber conversions (which are already made for other country service groups) become market available you'll be able to swap that out. Alternatively even at 5.56 you can swap the magwell out for the European style of magazine well. Which uses a rock back and seat method with a paddle release for magazine release. I do have one on order and it should be arriving sometime in the next week or two if all goes right. As for the pistol grip it does house the trigger assembly and has replaceable back straps. *Yes, unfortunately this gun does not have an immediately replaceable pistol grip apart from the back strap. The rifle takes down from two disassembly pins (Personally I replaced them with the push button pins that KNS offers)
though that allow you to break the rifle down for basic cleaning as fast as an AR, but takes an additional 2-3 minutes to completely disassemble as pictured below.
Cleaning this rifle is about as easy as you'll ever expect from a modern rifle. Which it should be.