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BRNO ZKM 617

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The History of Brno

The history of the Brno company or Czechoslovak Armory (Československá zbrojovka) as it was known prior to WWI, began in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic, formerly known as Czechoslovakia. In 1918, the Brno Rifles factory was established. Before 1918, Brno Plant was an arsenal located in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Brno started producing Mauser 98 rifles in 1920 after buying excess weapons and equipment from Mauser-Oberndorf. These Brno-produced Mausers had a 98/22 designation stamped onto the receivers marking the year of production.

In the period between WWI and WWII, Brno collaborated with the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, England to develop a well-known Bren light machine gun. They produced weapons for the Czechoslovakian and German armies during World War II. After the war, the company was nationalized by the Czechoslovakian government and renamed Zbrojovka Brno. While it was under socialist control until 1989, it switched to the production of sporting weapons which quickly gained a reputation for their reliability. For some time, the company also produced light artillery and several other products such as tractors, typewriters, and early computers.

During the years they presented numerous models of weaponry such as the ZB vz. 26 light machine gun, ZB-50 heavy machine gun, the MG34, several bolt action rifles, ZKM and ZH series, ZKR 551 handgun etc.

The company was privatized in 1990, just three years before Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Zbrojovka Brno was acquired by Česká zbrojovka (CZ) in 2008. With the new ownership, they agreed to a longer lease, which allows the business to continue production in rented facilities. They still make high-end products for hunting and competition, including pistols, single-shot and double rifles, combination rifles, as well as over/under shotguns.

Brno ZKM 617 Rifle Review

Brno ZKM 617 is a semi-automatic rifle with blowback operation. It is based on a design presented by two brothers – Josef Koucký and František Koucký who worked as engineers for Zbrojovka Brno in the 60s. The rifle shares most of the features with Brno ZKM 611, chambered for .22 WMR and model 622, chambered for .22 LR. Apart from being chambered for different caliber groups, the mechanical parts and overall design of these models are the same. The production of the ZKM series was taken over by the Zbrojovka Holice after the bankruptcy of Zborjovka Brno between 2004-2006. All the parts left in the factory were bought off for production by the Zbrojovka Holice which marked the series under the KMS acronym.

The rifle comes with a spring-loaded box magazine with a capacity of six or ten rounds. On the front end of the trigger guard is a lever that releases the magazine when pulled. The front sight which is mounted at the front of the barrel is height adjustable, fixed in place with a screw and protected by the guard.

The rear sight is windage adjustable and supplied with a notch. Positioned at the front of the trigger guard is a safety which blocks the trigger. It comes in a form of a small circular push button. The takedown system allows for the rifle to be easily disassembled. This can be done by releasing the connecting screw at the left-hand side of the system. The top of the receiver is grooved for scope mounts installation.

 Brno ZKM 617

Figure 1: Brno ZKM 617, chambered for .17 HMR (Source: https://www.beareka.cz/pusky/samonabijeci/samonabijeci-malorazka-cz-551-22-lr.htm)

Brno ZKM 617 Calibers

The rifle is chambered for the following calibers:

  • .17 HMR

Brno ZKM 617 comes with milled 16.5 mm dovetail grooves at the top of the receiver which are suitable for installing scope mounts. The recoil notch is positioned on the rear end of the mounting surface.

The receiver of Brno ZKM 617

Figure 2: Brno ZKM 617, chambered for .17 HMR (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/brno-rifles/brno-model-zkm-617.cfm?gun_id=100924256)

The mounting surface of Brno ZKM 617

A: /

B: /

C: /

D: 16.5 mm

BHU: 0 mm

Ø: /

R1: Prisma 16.5/60°

R2: Prisma 16.5/60°

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno ZKM 617

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno ZKM 617

For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifles that have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Brno ZKM 617 are the following:

  • All rifles featuring 16.5 mm flat top dovetail

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Brno ZKM 617

For two-piece mounts to be interchangeable, the mounting surfaces of the rifle must match in every dimension except the action length which can vary. Rifles that have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Brno ZKM 617 are the following:

  • All rifles featuring 16.5 mm flat top dovetail

Best Scope Mounts for Brno ZKM 617

Fixed Scope Mounts for Brno ZKM 617

This one-piece mounting solution manufactured by the Czech company Kozap is made of high-quality steel and comes with a ten-year warranty. It is a suitable match for your Brno ZKM 617.

Detachable Repeatable Scope Mounts for Brno ZKM 617

If you are looking for a detachable repeatable solution to mount your scope on, we recommend this one-piece MAKuick scope mount made of high-quality aluminum. The recoil stopper on the mount must be removed prior to installation. The bottom screw can be simply unscrewed by the user, avoiding the need for a gunsmith. Due to the mild recoil of .17 HMR caliber, the mount can be used perfectly fine without recoil stopper.

Picatinny Rails for Brno ZKM 617

If you are considering converting your 16.5 mm dovetail to Picatinny, this mounting solution is the one you should be considering. The MAKuick Picatinny rail is made in Germany and comes with a thirty-year warranty. The recoil stopper on the mount must be removed prior to installation. The bottom screw can be simply unscrewed by the user, avoiding the need for a gunsmith. Due to the mild recoil of .17 HMR caliber, the mount can be used perfectly fine without recoil stopper.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu 

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