I was moving up in the world, and Monday proved it. I finally had a shotgun. Not just any shotgun, but a big dog mean looking take no prisoners shotgun ? a semi-automatic CZ 712 Utility from CZ-USA,
http://www.cz-usa.com/ , with Nordic 5 round magazine extension and ALS adjustable length stock.
A few heads are scratching ? a collapsible stock on an auto loading shotgun? But that?s not right?yes, it is, as the CZ 712 shotgun stows it?s recoil assembly up front, not in the butt stock. I could put a folding stock on this baby if I wanted! But, first, lets go get it!
I have not seen this shotgun how it came in the original box ? because the local gun shop guys had it out of the box drooling, er, I mean ?looking? at it. Fortunately, that doesn?t bother me in the least. So, check serial number, fill out the 4473, grab some ammo, (all they have is Federal 00Buck?!?), wait my 5 minutes for the phone call, and out the door I go with my new prize! Did I mention I live in Arizona? I like our gun laws.
I studied the manual that night, took a few pictures, and arranged to hit the fun place the following morning with my good friend LAGS, who stated he had some extra 12 gauge ammo I could have that day. Fantastic!
The 712 Utility has an almost Parkerized dull black finish which actually looks very attractive for some reason. The finish was even and smooth. Metalwork was smooth and trim, no tool marks or scratches. The black plastic furniture was smart and clean, and gives me a chance to showcase the first interesting item here.
The 712 Utility comes standard with a black plastic butt stock, but I asked for the latest shotgun accessory from CZ-USA, the ALS adjustable length stock system. The stock locks in 4 positions from full open to full close, giving a total of just under two inches adjustment length. The shortest length of pull fits my 11 year old, the third position fits my loving wife, and full open fits me to a ?T?. Changing position is very similar to the M-4 stocks, with a bar lever depressed under the stock while moving it to the next position. The recoil pad attached to the ALS is one mean thick piece of rubber, as well. The 712 series shotgun can mount the ALS stock system for one reason ? the recoil mechanism is NOT in the butt stock ? it?s up front under the barrel. Heck, I could put a folding stock on this big thunder!
The forearm is also black plastic, with an attractive embellished gripping surface. This being my first semi-auto shotgun, it was almost instinctive to try to ?rack it??as you suspect, that did not function. It does help to showcase the other add on.
The 712 Utility comes standard with a 4 round magazine, plugged for 2 rounds for hunting. I asked for the Nordic 5 round magazine extension to be added. What I didn?t know was how long that puppy is! Blunt bayonet, it is. The extension worked perfectly and without binding or clinging. The balance seems to be just fine even with it, and the shotgun shouldered easily and naturally.
The last interesting thing was ? choke tubes? For a Utility?oh, yeah, Utility, NOT ?combat? shotgun. This puppy came with a 5 choke tube set with wrench, Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Improved Cylinder and my favorite, Cylinder Bore.
But the proof is in the pudding, as it were, so it was off to the range!
I had only the Federal 00 Buckshot, not really a fair question to ask the 712 ? of course it will function well with that! A friend brought some medium dove loads of Number 6 shot, so I figured that will have to do.
Target was set up at 25 yards ? maximum distance to engange a target with a shotgun, as was drilled into me over and over for 10 years. Ok, here we are.
At 25 yards, the upper torso of the B-27 target was absolutely shredded by the 00 Buck loads, all pellets staying inside the lines. The #6 shot spread so far as to cover the entire paper. I would want to choke that one up before bird hunting with it. Functioning was perfect and flawless, but being a neophyte to auto loading shotguns, I had no idea the action cycled slow enough for me to feel it. That was interesting. Nothing burped with this incredibly limited ammo selection. The thunder was LOUD and direct. I have no doubt that it would function perfectly as a home or farm defense shotgun, and choked up would be equally at home for hunting duties. I am also happy since Arizona is on the brink of passing a law removing the magazine limit for semi-auto firearms for hunting, so the 9 round magazine doesn?t need to be plugged down to two, just in case I run into two legged predators while out hunting.
This attractive and efficient shotgun is a welcome addition to my CZ family, and a heck of a lot of fun!
