Zastava LKM70 9.3X62

[rdog]

Some time ago i built a 9.2x62 on a used Parker Hale M98 30/06 used a Lother Walther prefit bbl, the receiver was rusty & locking lug recess not good but serviceable cleaned up & bead blasted it , rust blued, it, it shot very well but i was not happy with the visable rust pits . the Australian Zastava importer had 1 9.3x62 left as the LKM70 are no longer made or exported from Serbia as the story goes. I sold the PARKER HALE & brought the Zastava as i have 2 others a 375 H&H & a 6.5x55 i
refinished the stocks & smoothed up the actions i am very impressed with them. The 9.3x62 has the smoothest action no tool marks & excellent bluing the best i have seen, but the stock is like a fence post, will see how it looks when re finished, i may have to re stock it.

 

[Arac]

How do the new Zastava actions compare, quality/finish wise to the old ones marketed by Interams?

Can you post a few before and after of the stocks?

 

[rdog]

How do the new Zastava actions compare, quality/finish wise to the old ones marketed by Interams?

Can you post a few before and after of the stocks?

Sorry no before stock pics but can do after pics . i think the mk 10 Interarms were better finished but the new 9.3 Zastava is execeptional the internal metal finish on the receiver is much better than my older 375 & 6.5 x55 but they cleaned up ok the bluing is excellent. they are an all steel rifle, made with modern steel alloys, true M98 CRF action, hammer forged Barrels, good adjustable triggers at a realistic price, the older 2 rifles had very good wood under the brown mud type finish the 9.3 is poor compered to them. there is no plastic or aluminum in their construction.

 

[Arac]

Thanks - I like them but they seemed to have a drop in quality in the 2000’s - rough finishing etc. the earlier ones that were marked as made in Yugoslavia had better workmanship IMO. Nice to know the newer stuff seems better again.

 

[sgt_zim]

I have one, the stock cracked right in front of the trigger guard, so I replaced it with a Boyd's.

They seem to have missed the center line on mine for the scope mounts, too far left by about 15 thou as nearly as I can tell by the amount I had to drift the front sight to the right to get it to shoot straight with an aperture, and I've tried 2 different ones.

@Shootist43 and @Art Lambart II bought one on my recommendation, they had a bugger of a time getting it to feed. I think they got it sorted out, but it took effort.

Mine shoots straight, the action is decent, but I also replaced the trigger with a Timney. It was good enough to put an A Frame right in the chevron from about 120 yards in my avatar, a BWB, and a cape buffalo a few days after that.

Like CZ, I think they need some TLC to turn them into shooters, but once the work is done, no complaints.

Also, I'm a lefty and didn't feel like converting a Ruger. Mine is an OEM lefty.

 

[Art Lambart II]

My Zastava wouldn't feed round-nose bullets and needed to be bedded and free floated. A little time at the gunsmiths and $600 later, and my 9.3x62 cloverleafs 3 shots at 100 yards.

 

[mauser98]

Had a few and still have a few in various cartridges. Early 2000's were abit on the rough side, the 2014 batch us Canadian's got were an improvement, they came with the monte carlo styled stock and overall minor tweaks like a bed and free float and you were off to the races. Another batch came in around 2018ish and they came with the European style hog design stock. These stocks were very dry and some of the barreled actions had some issues like base mounting holes off centered and rough feeding.

I'm very happy with the one's I do own.

 

[sgt_zim]

My Zastava wouldn't feed round-nose bullets and needed to be bedded and free floated. A little time at the gunsmiths and $600 later, and my 9.3x62 cloverleafs 3 shots at 100 yards.

Can't remember, I know your dad and I had a few phone calls about it - which bullets did you guys settle on?

I have more different bullets for my 9.3 than anything else - norma, swift, nosler x2, hornady, speer, and hammer, but no RN, though I am sorely tempted to try out some Woodleigh 320 RN when they're available and I have the time to do some LD. Haven't even been deer hunting yet this Fall, just so much going on.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Can't remember, I know your dad and I had a few phone calls about it - which bullets did you guys settle on?

I have more different bullets for my 9.3 than anything else - norma, swift, nosler x2, hornady, speer, and hammer, but no RN, though I am sorely tempted to try out some Woodleigh 320 RN when they're available and I have the time to do some LD. Haven't even been deer hunting yet this Fall, just so much going on.

My Rifle likes the 286 grain Hornady Interlock SP-RP bullet. I have tried the 250 grain hornady loads from Buffalo Bore and I consistantly get 1-1/2" groups with that load so we still have some work to do with that bullet. I have 200 A-Frames on hand but we have not loaded any of those yet.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Some time ago i built a 9.2x62 on a used Parker Hale M98 30/06 used a Lother Walther prefit bbl, the receiver was rusty & locking lug recess not good but serviceable cleaned up & bead blasted it , rust blued, it, it shot very well but i was not happy with the visable rust pits . the Australian Zastava importer had 1 9.3x62 left as the LKM70 are no longer made or exported from Serbia as the story goes. I sold the PARKER HALE & brought the Zastava as i have 2 others a 375 H&H & a 6.5x55 i
refinished the stocks & smoothed up the actions i am very impressed with them. The 9.3x62 has the smoothest action no tool marks & excellent bluing the best i have seen, but the stock is like a fence post, will see how it looks when re finished, i may have to re stock it.

@rdog
Some of those zastava stocks come up beautiful when refinished. I think they just give them a sand dunk them in a 44 of oil and call it done.
A mate had one that when redone would be the envy of a custom stock. Others I have seen a fence post would look better. It's the luck of the draw.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Can't remember, I know your dad and I had a few phone calls about it - which bullets did you guys settle on?

I have more different bullets for my 9.3 than anything else - norma, swift, nosler x2, hornady, speer, and hammer, but no RN, though I am sorely tempted to try out some Woodleigh 320 RN when they're available and I have the time to do some LD. Haven't even been deer hunting yet this Fall, just so much going on.

@sgt_zim
Speaking of round nose how did those 160 Woodleigh rnsp go in your 6.5x55.
Bob

 

[Sarg]

I have one, still in Australia (I suppose that will have to go soon) shot a Leopard & a few other animals in Namibia with it, super bluing & ultra thin light barrel, mine has the black plastic stock as I found the wood stocks a crap shoot !

I’d like a .458Win, especially in the Stainless Steel action !

 

[sgt_zim]

My Rifle likes the 286 grain Hornady Interlock SP-RP bullet. I have tried the 250 grain hornady loads from Buffalo Bore and I consistantly get 1-1/2" groups with that load so we still have some work to do with that bullet. I have 200 A-Frames on hand but we have not loaded any of those yet.

Hornady COAL is just stupid short for those Interlocks

I ended up at 3.325 - 3.33 with AF, 62 gr of 2000MR got me to 2475, started the ladder at 58, half grain increments, still mo pressure at 62, but figured 2475 was as much as I needed anyway

 

[Art Lambart II]

We used a COAL of 3.291 and CFE 223 for a MV of 2512. At that speed it may as well be a 375 H&H, I can tell the diffrence between that load and a factory 2350 FPS load.

 

[sgt_zim]

@sgt_zim
Speaking of round nose how did those 160 Woodleigh rnsp go in your 6.5x55.
Bob

My friend, this Fall has been insane. I haven't even been on the reloading bench yet, let alone to the range. I'm off until 5 january, gonna try to get on the bench tomorrow and the range monday.