Century Arms Rimfire Enigma

The shipping papers identify it as "Rifle, Zastava CZ99 Precision .22 LR, 22" BBL, Serbia." The parts list, received separately, tag it "MKP CZ99 Precizion .22 LR." The mystery began to unfold like a large onion. Now I knew the rifle had been made in the town of Zastava by Serbians. That was good news. Civilian and military firearms produced by Serb workers have a worldwide reputation for quality and have been imported into the United States for decades. A brief pause for some historical fact about Serbia.

It’s where World War I got started. In 1914, the Austro- Hungarian empire’s Arch Duke Ferdinand was assassinated in Serbia by an act-alone nationalist fanatic. Doubting the man was flying solo, the empire took great umbrage and struck back. The Serbs fought them to a standstill until Bulgaria and the Germans decided to reinforce the Austrians. The Serbians were soon overrun.

Much later, during World War II, the Serbs allied themselves with the guerilla forces of Draza Mihailovic and delivered serious hurts to their Nazi occupiers. My problem was the profile this rifle. I had done an article on the Remington Model 5 several years ago. This rifle from Century Arms looked very much the same. Comparing it to materials in my files convinced me it was not a CZ99 but a freshly manufactured Model 5. Why hadn’t Remington made a clone of their own rifle? The answer to that are import levies.

Fat ones. They make it impossible to bring complete guns to these shores and still be able to sell them at reasonable cost. That being the case, industry practice is to bring in all While it may not be in the same ball park as a collector’s treasure, I expect that failed rifle’s newest form will achieve far greater longevity. the parts required, then assemble the finished gun stateside.

When Remington decided they wanted to resurrect their Model 5 to fill an important, growing niche in their rimfire market, they turned to Zastava and the Serbian work ethic. The original Remington Number 5 rifle bears no resemblance to the Model 5. Old Number 5 was a rolling block sporting and target rifle adapted for smokeless powder use, introduced in 1898 and initially chambered for .30-30 Winchester, 7mm Mauser and .30-40 Krag with .303 British added three years later. Unfortunately, the Number 5 flopped.

Only 198 were sold before it went out of production in 1903. I don’t think the Model 5 will suffer the same fate as Number 5, which is a magazine fed .22 LR bolt action. I have few doubts that in the future it will be able to handle one or more of the .17 caliber rounds gaining popularity. Well, if the price is so right how is the quality of the Model 5?

Evidently, Century Arms discovered there were plenty of parts remaining in Zastava and cut a deal to import, assemble and offer a low cost., high quality .22 LR rimfire that faithfully duplicates the Model 5. Field Stripping When it comes to simple, the Model 5 could arguably lay claim to being simplest. First, however, make sure the gun is unloaded. Depress the magazine button and remove the magazine. Two things hold the trigger guard to the stock.

The forward one is a machine screw (59) and the rearmost a wood screw (57). You only have to back out the machine screw in order to lift out the barreled action. Unless you turn the stock upside down or completely remove the trigger guard, the parts identified as a distance bushing and wood screw will remain in place. The bolt is removed with the safety in its fire, or forward, position. Raise the bolt handle, hold back the trigger and pull the bolt from the receiver.

The rifle can be cleaned of any accumulation of fouling at this point and you can give it a close visual inspection for quality. I believe you will be, as I was, favorably impressed.

Detailed Disassembly You’ll need medium hollow ground and very small screwdrivers, a nylon bench block, an assortment of Starrett drift punches or an acceptable substitute for them, a magnifying glass and considerable patience. When you removed the bolt from the receiver you uncocked the bolt and relieved tension on the firing pin spring (14). Rotate the cover (13) to align the holes on both sides with a pin indicated but not numbered in the diagram.

Push out the pin with a suitable diameter punch, withdraw the spring carrier, firing pin spring and move the bolt handle all the way to the rear. Push the firing pin (11) back in its slot until you can tilt up its end and remove it from the bolt body (4). Take note of the lug on the bottom of the firing pin. This is the only portion of the pin that contacts the trigger (25). The Model 5 is striker fired. When the trigger is pulled it drops away from and releases the pin, under tension from its spring.

The spring expands to push the pin forward and impact with a chambered cartridge. Any work you perform to smooth up the pull would involve stoning and polishing trigger/firing pin contact points without altering their engagement angles. Additional smoothing, along with slightly faster lock time, can be achieved by polishing the inside of the bolt body, sides of the firing pin and sides of the trigger that contact the receiver.

The left and right extractors (5 & 8) are held in the bolt head by two pins, both identified as the extractor pins (6). These pins drift from the flat on the underside of the bolt to its top. Not so fast, please. There are two extractor springs (7), one for each extractor. Be careful not to lose them when they’re taken out and don’t get the extractors mixed up. It is shown here taken down one step further by including the trigger guard. Note the wood screw and spacer at the rear of the guard.

To remove the extractors once their pins have been drifted out of the way, insert a probe between the rear of the extractor and its spring. Push the spring to the rear and lift upward on the extreme front end of the extractor. Better place a finger over the bolt face when you let up on the springs to prevent a loss. You should be able to tap out the springs on your bench, except if the parts are fouled in place. If that is the case, you’ll have to go fishing.

This brings me back to the receiver and things attached to it. There is a screw (18) that secures the front of the magazine well (17) to the receiver. Choose a hollow ground screwdriver fitting that screw and back it out. A second screw (also a #18) is hidden beneath the magazine catch spring (19) and magazine catch (20). The catch is attached by a pin (21). A very small pin, it requires an equally small diameter punch to start it out left to right.

Once the pin protrudes about 1/8" from the right side of the work piece, grab it with smooth jaw pliers and pull it out. The catch and spring can then

be lifted away to reveal the second screw. Use the same screwdriver used on the front screw in removing it. The trigger and safety lever can now be pivoted upward for further study. They are held together by the safety screw (35) which is a 0.154 diameter pin reduced and threaded to 0.118 at one end. It’s in relation to the safety lever the safety washer (34) in the drawing becomes a factor. What it does is position the tab of the safety lever to slide into its cut out in the receiver without binding.

At the same time, the oblong slot in the tab of the safety must engage the nipple on the safety (30) to enable locking of the trigger. With these last elements in plain sight, I call to your attention two very small set screws in the upper body of the trigger body and the adjusting adjustment screw (31). The latter retains the safety and can be B A It can be drifted out in either direction. turned in or backed out to stiffen or ease movement of the safety.

Note: It is possible to freeze the safety solid by over tightening this screw. Don’t. Immediately under the adjustment screw is one of the small set screws. Never make a turn in any direction on the adjustment screw without first loosening the set screw. Once you’ve made an adjustment to assure smooth travel of the safety and an audible "click" into engagement with the safety detent ball (29) beneath The retaining pins which must be drifted out from this aspect are indicated (A).

Tightening the safety adjustment screw (B) excessively will prevent the safety from moving forward to block the trigger. it, turn in the set screw to hold your setting. Again, do not over tighten. Alternately, you may decide a modification to the over travel adjustment screw located under the safety in the trigger body is needed. The rearmost of the set screws must be backed off first. After the adjustment is made, secure it with the set screw as you did for the safety adjustment screw.

Be careful with those baby set screws. Don’t back them out all the A

way. So far, I haven’t located a magnetic screwdriver small enough to engage their slots.

The translation here is that getting them started 1 Receiver 2 Barrel 3 Barrel retaining pin 4 Bolt body 5 Extractor left 6 Extractor pin 7 Extractor spring 8 Extractor right 9 Ejector 10 Ejector screw 11 Firing pin 12 Bolt handle 13 Cover 14 Firing pin spring 15 Firing pin spring guide 16 Firing pin spring guide pin 17 Magazine well back in the trigger body creates significant pain, located below and to the rear of the belly button.

Reassembly is in reverse order with no 18 Magazine well screw 19 Magazine catch spring 20 Magazine catch 21 Magazine catch pin 22 Magazine release arm 23 Magazine release arm pin 24 Trigger yoke 25 Trigger 26 Trigger spring 27 Trigger spring screw 28 Sear spring 29 Sear spring ball 30 Safety 31 Adjusting adjustment screw 32 Trigger travel adjustment screw 33 Safety button 34 Safety washer 35 Safety screw 36 Rear sight base 37 Rear sight base screw (2) 38 Rear sight carrier 39 Rear sight spring 40 Rear sight blade pin 41 Rear sight 42 Rear sight blade 43 Rear sight base screw (2) 44 Front sight base 45 Front sight base escutcheon 46 Front sight screw 47 Front sight 48 Front sight guard 49 Stock 50 Stock plug 51 Front sling swivel stud problems encountered compressing springs.

This is, after all, only a .22 caliber that has been stripped of its enigma. AG Century Arms CZ99 (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 52 Front sling swivel stud nut 53 Rear sling swivel stud 54 Buttpad 55 Buttpad screw (2) 56 Triggerguard 57 Rear trigger guard screw 58 Stock spacer 59 Front trigger guard screw 60 Magazine release button 61 Magazine body 62 Magazine floor plate 63 Magazine floor plate retainer 64 Follower spring 65 Follower