Classic looks and modern internal components—the semi-auto CZ 512 is a great plinker or varmint pounder because of its low recoil and high accuracy. The 512 is also easy to clean and its tough beech stock will stand up to harsh use.

When the warm weather came, I had a hard time listening to the teacher, since I was as often gazing out the open classroom window. When it came to the last day of school, I would run home, grab my bags and my parents would take me to my uncle’s farm for a summer vacation. There I could walk over 300 acres, fish in the stream, eat green apples and get sick, and stalk woodchucks or anything else that got in the way of this proficient hunter. My rifle of choice: a single-shot Winchester Model 67 complete with a longer-than-normal 27-inch barrel. Able to shoot shorts, longs and long rifle ammunition, I roamed the fields during the day always on guard for small game.

The gun came up naturally; the scope’s reticle was centered at eye level for fast targeting.
The fond memories of my childhood are always with me, as is the fun I had with that rifle and the .22 rimfire cartridge. Over the years as an outdoor writer, I have been privileged to shoot and test many new rifles from bolt, pump and semi-automatic firearms. One that recently came is a new version from CZ USA simply called the 512.

Fit And Finish

The gun is pleasing in appearance, well finished, and accurate — all at a price point that should please the masses.

Semi-automatic in design, the gun is well proportioned to the adult frame. Out of the box, one finds a modern approach to an old theme, complete with a stylized receiver and a well-finished stock. Picking the gun up, I noticed some thought on the engineering side of the rifle and with my average frame, it felt like it was custom made for me. While many will scorn the use of beechwood in the stock, all faults aside, it is a tough material for fieldwork and should last the life of the hunter if cared for even in a modest fashion.
Starting at the forend, the stock is cut and angled inward towards the barrel. For looks, I have to take the neutral ground on this one, as the angle on this part of the stock is a sure brush collector in the woods. If this part of the gun was rounded or even cut on the opposite angle, any brush would move away from the rifle instead of gathering here in a tangle at the stock/barrel juncture.