CZ 612 trap gun

Polaris · Feb 22, 2017

Picked one of these up scratch and dent at a LGS in December. Kind of an impulse buy, I've been looking for some well used but serviceable M1100s for a couple local youth trap teams, and the price on this was comparable to well used Rems.

It's a pump gun, very reminiscent of the Rem 870 trap models from the 70's and 80's. Nice features, good heft and balance similar to my 1100. Ramped barrel purpose built for trap targets. Haven't tried it yet, but very promising based on "feel". Only issue I see, is this gun is obviously marketed as an entry level trap gun to take advantage of the youth movement in this sport, but the LOP is nearly too long for me. Either this one or my 1100 will be my trap gun this year. If I farm this out to the youth team, it will have to have some stock adjustment done.

Anybody have any experience with these?

salmonchaser · Feb 22, 2017

I've only seen a couple of CZ shotguns in the field. The guys who owned them were happy.

Side note, had a fella last weekend show up with a new Beretta Silver pigeon. Grade 111 I believe he said. Beautiful $4,000.00 gun. Partway through the morning hunt he is messing with his gun, pretty quick he is hunkered down in the sorghum, the gun in three pieces. I had wondered why he hadn't fired a second shot. We couldn't diagnose the problem. He had A very expensive single shot, declined my offer to use a Benelli.
Took it back to Cabelas who shipped it off to be repaired. He was pissed he had traded off his 1100.

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Polaris · Feb 22, 2017

Yeah, the Turkish made shotguns seem to be pretty good in general. I have a Stoeger automatic that is lights out reliable and shoots as well as any Benelli. Wife had a Tri Star O/U that was a fine gun. Nothing fancy, but it dropped birds and clays and worked well with her left-handedness until I found her an Ithaca M37 featherweight that she loved more.

Have high hopes for the CZ. Kept hoping to stumble on an 1100 trap model, but hen's teeth are hard to find, and expensive when you come across them. Shoot pretty darn well with my field 1100, but feel I may still be dropping a bird here and there with the standard comb, 26" barrel and non-ramped barrel. Tried out a ramped barrel trap gun last year and it was an epiphany. Trying to take my game to the next level this year, we'll see.

I will give a report after I get a chance to run a couple of rounds with it. Great affordable gun for trap shooters if it does the job. Was under 400 out the door with a nice Turkish walnut monte carlo stock and real cut checkering.

tjen · Mar 3, 2017

With shot guns you get what you pay for in design quality and up grades as far as wood and finishes go. I grew up on 870 wing masters in 12 and 20 gauge. Was in my late thirty's before I could afford my first O/U a Beretta Black Hawk 20 gauge discounted at $800 from $1200. I never looked back, still have my wing masters and a 870 camo turkey gun. But have SP3's in 20 and baby framed 28 gauge. A SP1-410 and a CZ ring neck 410 SxS. The most I paid 15 mouths ago for the SP3-20 was $2800 which I had to order. Stole the SP3-28 at $2300 new in box a 2 years before. But it was nice to buy the gun I wish I had as a kid the CZ 410 SxS for $700 about five years ago.

I have put more than 7,000 rounds through all the Beretta's, only issue was the safety adjustment came lose on a fairly new gun rendering it a single shot. Sent it to Coles a factor repair shop they fixed it cleaned it and replace the firing pin springs all free even all the shipping. I Love Beretta.

Quality O/U and doubles are where it is at. For function a grade 1 works the same as a grade 5 in the same model gun.

Polaris · May 1, 2017

Finally got a chance to run a few rounds with this gun last week. I have to say I am impressed beyond all expectations. This thing really outshoots it's price range. Broke a 25 and two 24s. Two misses were on straightaways, held too high for the ramped barrel. Balance, handling and hold were flawless. Recoil was mild. Porting is very well done, angling the blast forward and up. No unpleasant crack like some ported trap guns.

Did have two malfunctions, light strikes. Disassembly revealed a piece of foreign matter worked it's way into the firing pin channel. Looked like a piece of random plastic from somewhere in the manufacturing or shipping process. Removal and cleaning cured problem.

Although a bit rough around the edges, IMHO this is a serious tool for grinding clays. Swings and balances like a much more expensive piece. If you're a shooter on a budget, buy with confidence.

Polaris · Dec 13, 2017

Well, trap season is over for me. Captured top gun with a 24.3 average in the summer league, including a 175 straight string (dropped the 178th, busted my 200). Fall league we mix it up and shoot some handicap, doubles, report doubles and whatever the group decides would be fun for the night. Nobody really keeps score, but the CZ held it's own.

Highly recommend this gun. Little rough around the edges, but Points and swings like the high-end single barrel trap guns. It comes with Radar!