Zastava m85

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12-06-2019, 04:36 PM
Tasbay

Zastava m85

Have been looking for a 7.62x39 bolt gun for a while. Was kind of settled on waiting for a Ruger American. Now a Zastava-Serbia M85 (the old interarms mini markX) in new condition popped up on T/M and on impulse I hit buy now. Have since read few reviews on these and most reviews seem to be from around 2006 - 2012 and are not great with sticky/ rough bolts, average to below accuracy and a tendency to break extractors, that you can`t replace. I see GC still advertises them so I`m hoping they have improved. Or have I probably bought a lemon?
Input from someone who has one even in 223 would be appreciated. If I still had my semi I wouldn`t be in this predicament.
12-06-2019, 04:47 PM
Micky Duck

well let me put a different opinion out there
they are awesome rifles
I own two of them
one in .223 one in .308
both Ive rebedded,the .223 with a hot glue gun 5min job (18 years on its still doing good) the .308 got the works,a Nathan Foster bedding kit used.
both shoot better than I can..the .223 will be half inch if I do my bit,the .308 doesnt get on paper often but it was sub inch last time I sighted it in
rough bolt....set infront of telly and work the plurry thing for 15mins at a time over a week...smooths it out well...sure its never going to be sako smooth buts its better than a norinco by a country mile...and they work ok too if you dont baby them.
breaking extractors is (I believe ) common if you take a mauser action and single feed round then force bolt to override rim rather than mag feed...never been an issue for me....and sometimes I will single feed a round in.
dont over full the mag....they fit one more round than they should and dont feed it well...
I cant see me ever selling the .223,the .308 was aquired in a horse trade ,didnt need it as such ,already owning a poohseventy and a shorty bush hobbits bush rifle...BUT its sort of grown on me being long and heavy makes it soft to shoot,the couple of animals its been pointed at in anger have all fallen over quite dead so it may stay in my possession for ever too.
12-06-2019, 04:49 PM
Micky Duck

oh and my .223 has shot hundreds of wallabies,a great number of them on the run...didnt need a semi to do that,you get REALLY quick on the bolt when you dont baby it.
enjoy it.
12-06-2019, 05:38 PM
Marty Henry

Like micky duck said they are seriously underrated. The original factory was equipt with machinery from brno. Mines a 1999 marked CZ Zastava Yugoslavia high gloss blueing etc, the later ones marked Serbia lack a bit in the finish, the bolt on mine is polished and runs smooth. The extractors arent a proper control feed mauser so rim over isnt a problem in my opinion.
Unfoutunatly the distributers leave a bit to be desired.
12-06-2019, 05:55 PM
rewd

Totally agree,don't baby them when working the bolt.Very small bolt handle so use the palm rather than grasping the bolt.They smooth out with use.Push the floor plate release right home to ensure good lock up or be prepared to be picking up your rounds off the ground.Triggers are adjustable and some can be set.My older 223 has no set but my 7.62x39 has,I will at some point swap them over but to be honest the 223 is fine as it is.They are accurate when fed what they like.Both have lovely wood and look far more expensive than the $ I paid.And having a floor plate as opposed to a detachable mag are far nicer to carry.Use it and you will see.
12-06-2019, 06:15 PM
Tasbay

Quote:

Originally Posted by rewd

Totally agree,don't baby them when working the bolt.Very small bolt handle so use the palm rather than grasping the bolt.They smooth out with use.Push the floor plate release right home to ensure good lock up or be prepared to be picking up your rounds off the ground.Triggers are adjustable and some can be set.My older 223 has no set but my 7.62x39 has,I will at some point swap them over but to be honest the 223 is fine as it is.They are accurate when fed what they like.Both have lovely wood and look far more expensive than the $ I paid.And having a floor plate as opposed to a detachable mag are far nicer to carry.Use it and you will see.

How does your 7.62x39 like surplus steel cased ammo?
12-06-2019, 06:16 PM
Marty Henry

Forgot about the ajustable trigger good as a timiny any day.
12-06-2019, 06:27 PM
Micky Duck

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasbay

How does your 7.62x39 like surplus steel cased ammo?

dont do it our Deidre....... yellow box norinco yes,hornady steel case with sst projectile HELL YES but chinasport..yeah nah, we had a round with hunk of case folded back inside the neck.the pressure of that round going off and unfolding that piece out must have been horrific. case was double thickness on one side.
barnaul seems to be good stuff too,feels/sounds hot.
12-06-2019, 06:32 PM
Tasbay

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

dont do it our Deidre....... yellow box norinco yes,hornady steel case with sst projectile HELL YES but chinasport..yeah nah, we had a round with hunk of case folded back inside the neck.the pressure of that round going off and unfolding that piece out must have been horrific. case was double thickness on one side.
barnaul seems to be good stuff too,feels/sounds hot.

Well that's good ,its Norinco yellow and green box`s I have from way back in the early 1990`s maybe even late 1980`s
12-06-2019, 06:36 PM
rewd

Agree entirely.But Russians no longer supplying steel cases to Hornady.The old grey boxed norinco fmj and hornady sst run fine.BUT the green boxed norinco soft points(yeah right)every one ejection by cleaning rod
12-06-2019, 06:50 PM
Micky Duck

Ive got a funny feeling the chinasport was green boxed too. please check necks before use.
12-06-2019, 06:56 PM
Tasbay

Quote:

Originally Posted by rewd

Agree entirely.But Russians no longer supplying steel cases to Hornady.The old grey boxed norinco fmj and hornady sst run fine.BUT the green boxed norinco soft points(yeah right)every one ejection by cleaning rod

The stuff I have here are all solids. I remember the Norinco and China Sport soft point ammo. Could never get the stuff to group so flicked it off cheap.
12-06-2019, 07:09 PM
Boaraxa

Iv got one , i like it , its a nice looking rifle , its shoots ok around 1.5 inch group at 80m with Barnaul i haven't tried anything else about the only issue would be the bolt handle its really close to the scope when working the action .
12-06-2019, 10:22 PM
William

I don't know about the short action models but I had a M70 Mauser action and it was very accurate, the bolt was cluncky but very well machined. was well worth the money.
12-06-2019, 10:40 PM
gadgetman

You guys are dreaming if you think these budget rifles can shoot. I have no plans to get rid of either of my two any time at all. My 223 shoots 11-13mm three shot groups with boring repedity. Also have an M70 in 7mmRM.
13-06-2019, 03:00 PM
Tasbay

Thanks Guys makes me feel positive about getting it now. Just have to figure how to move it from South Canterbury to here.
13-06-2019, 10:42 PM
gadgetman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasbay

Thanks Guys makes me feel positive about getting it now. Just have to figure how to move it from South Canterbury to here.

I may be able to help with that @Tasbay.
13-06-2019, 10:46 PM
Russian 22.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

well let me put a different opinion out there
they are awesome rifles
I own two of them
one in .223 one in .308
both Ive rebedded,the .223 with a hot glue gun 5min job (18 years on its still doing good) the .308 got the works,a Nathan Foster bedding kit used.
both shoot better than I can..the .223 will be half inch if I do my bit,the .308 doesnt get on paper often but it was sub inch last time I sighted it in
rough bolt....set infront of telly and work the plurry thing for 15mins at a time over a week...smooths it out well...sure its never going to be sako smooth buts its better than a norinco by a country mile...and they work ok too if you dont baby them.
breaking extractors is (I believe ) common if you take a mauser action and single feed round then force bolt to override rim rather than mag feed...never been an issue for me....and sometimes I will single feed a round in.
dont over full the mag....they fit one more round than they should and dont feed it well...
I cant see me ever selling the .223,the .308 was aquired in a horse trade ,didnt need it as such ,already owning a poohseventy and a shorty bush hobbits bush rifle...BUT its sort of grown on me being long and heavy makes it soft to shoot,the couple of animals its been pointed at in anger have all fallen over quite dead so it may stay in my possession for ever too.

I've found single feeding that way just jams the round in the chamber and the extractor can't get past.

the issue is that with most scope mounts you can't drop it onto the bolt face as you would with stripper clips.
13-06-2019, 11:44 PM
Tasbay

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I may be able to help with that @Tasbay.

Thanks Gadget, Have a mate picking it up for me and will hold it. Good excuse for a wallaby trip.
13-06-2019, 11:52 PM
gadgetman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasbay

Thanks Gadget, Have a mate picking it up for me and will hold it. Good excuse for a wallaby trip.

No prob. My wagon and trailer are scheduled to wander up to Nelson next Friday.
14-06-2019, 09:43 AM
Marty Henry

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

I've found single feeding that way just jams the round in the chamber and the extractor can't get past.

the issue is that with most scope mounts you can't drop it onto the bolt face as you would with stripper clips.

Is your extractor the same as this? When the bolts open its at 11 oclock and the round rides under it on chambering from the floorplate. Ive never had problems with single feeding the only time ive had fail to extracts is with steel cases and opening the bolt slowly like you would if you decided not to shoot and went back to "half cock"
14-06-2019, 03:34 PM
Russian 22.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Is your extractor the same as this? When the bolts open its at 11 oclock and the round rides under it on chambering from the floorplate. Ive never had problems with single feeding the only time ive had fail to extracts is with steel cases and opening the bolt slowly like you would if you decided not to shoot and went back to "half cock"

No. Mine has a much larger extractor claw. That goes along the length of the bolt.

When it opens it is at 2 o clock.
14-06-2019, 03:37 PM
Micky Duck

so....the one shown above (same as my .223) works/preforms more like a post 64 winchester push fed action
and the other type is more like a pre 64 winchester/true mauser

I Think people are getting confused and its the norincos that break the extracter claw....there was a chap making them out of car spring a while back..
14-06-2019, 05:22 PM
Marty Henry

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

No. Mine has a much larger extractor claw. That goes along the length of the bolt.

When it opens it is at 2 o clock.

That's my zastavas bolt (223) and yes from the business end its 2 oclock open. Just called someone with a more recent early serbian marked one bought in 2011 and the extractors the same. Maybe theyve changed the design to controlled feed?
14-06-2019, 05:24 PM
Russian 22.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

That's my zastavas bolt (223) and yes from the business end its 2 oclock open. Just called someone with a more recent early serbian marked one bought in 2011 and the extractors the same. Maybe theyve changed the design to controlled feed?

Mine is a model 98. The original M 85 hahah