Zastava LK M70 worth the money?

[mark-hunter]

Winchester type safety availble by few companies for those who want to upgrade zastava rifle.
The workshop calls them "Dakota safety".

Proizvodi – N Delta Custom

ndeltacustom.com

 

[Shootist43]

I purchased one (a 9.3 X 62) for my son several months ago. His rifle would not feed a round nosed bullet. So, it went to a gunsmith. Several months later I put some reloads together with pointed bullets. The rifle fed them with no problems. The gunsmith looked at the chamber and discovered that there was no chamfer leading into the chamber. He had to remove the barrel, chamfer the chamber and worked on the trigger to keep it from firing when "the stock was "bumped" on the floor. Now it works just fine. On the last trip to the range, it put 3 shots into a less than 3/4" group at a hundred yards. $ was around 700.00

 

[cajunchefray]

I have two Whitworth Express 375H&Hs, two Interarms Mark Xs, and a Remington 798; all of which are great shooters.

I've heard several times about people getting the actions on their Zastavas "slicked up", but I've never fully understood what all that entails. Is it mostly just polishing certain metal work, and is this something you can do at home? Thanks!

I've owned 4 Zastava made rifles (Whitworth 270, 375, two 458s),
Yes, an action can be slicked up at home.
Brownell's has made a Bolt Raceway Polishing Tool, that you wrap with fine emery cloth (600 grit, then 800, then 1000) and run it through the bolt raceways along the action, avoiding grit and shavings getting into the locking lugs. Clean thoroughly afterwards.
I use boiling hot water with a couple of drops of Dawn soap, on a hot sunny day, and douse the rifle thoroughly so that all the crud washes out. The water needs to be nearly boiling so that the steel becomes almost too hot to touch. The rifle should be bone dry in less than 5 minutes.
Then oil the rifle thoroughly (I like CLP).

Another method is using FINE valve grinding compound with a soft cotton wheel on a Dremel tool. Hit the raceways and top and bottom of the magazine feed lips, and the feed ramp. You DON'T want to change any dimensions, just remove fine machine marks. Wear eye protection, because some will fly into your face.

You can coat the bolt raceways with Flitz polishing paste and work the action several hundred times (watching African hunting shows). You must remove the firing pin mechanism from the bolt and trigger so that these tolerances are not changed. Do NOT let any abrasive compound get into the locking lug recesses.

Some skilled gunsmiths can do this for the locking lugs, using proper gauges and skill. Not at my skill level.

I have used these methods for a rough from the factory CZ 550 416 Rigby, and a mid 2010s Ruger 77 African 223.
It helped a lot.
While these methods take some time, it's not difficult, and in a way is like cooking, time, temperature and method.
My Whitworth 458 is pretty smooth as is (I owned 2 and kept the smoothest one).

I would buy another Zastava made rifle in a heartbeat, using these methods, at the right price.

 

[cash_tx]

Thank you, @cajunchefray !

 

[Bushkey]

I attended a course on elephant hunting at the SA Wildlife College near the Orpen gate of the KNP. The instructor asked me what rifle I use. I indicated that I had a Zastava. The instructor immediately replied that it was a great gun. They use them at the college to train rangers and field guides. He mentioned that they somedays put up to 400 rounds through their 375. His closing statement was that you will not buy a better hunting rifle than a Zastava, maybe more expensive, but not better. I have three. .223, 375 and 458. Love them.