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I have been trying to decide what I am thinking. Maybe someone can lend insight to help me. I want a rifle to take to africa after cape buffalo if/when I get to go. I had decided on a .375 H&H because I could still use it hunting here (south carolina). That I've pretty well decided on but I keep going back and forth on what rifle I want. I have narrowed it down to either a CZ 550 Safari Magnum or a custom from Sabi Rifles. Is all the talk in the gun rags about the CZ being so good true? If it is a suitable DG rifle I would probably go that route since it would cost half as much. I just don't want to sacrifice anything to save money, but all the extras that would come on the sabi like fancy checkering and wood I couldn't care less about. So long af it cycles and goes bang every time and hold decent groups. | ||
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trek, there is a great deal of info in these forums regarding the CZ 550 and comparable rifles such as the Ruger & M70. I have no first hand experience with Sabi. I own a CZ 550 .375 and have taken it to Africa and took a buffalo with it. None of the first three brands I've mentioned should be considered ready to take to Africa out of the box. My .375 is unbelievably accurate but it's not perfect. I've adjusted the trigger, bedded, smoothed the action, etc. and think it's serviceable but still not perfect. There are too many nit-picky things and pros and cons of each brand to discuss in one post. I try to shoot my .375 several times a month at Twin Ponds or Boggy Head rifle range. You are welcome to meet me there sometime if you'd like to examine and shoot my rifle. | |||
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If you go for the Sabi Rifle option you won't be disappointed. They built my .500 Jeffery for me and I'm delighted with it. The shop is only about 30 minutes drive away from my home and I'm often in the shop so let me know if I can be of any help. | |||
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I would get the CZ...fire and cycle40 or so rounds thruough it and then have it tuned up for reliability. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I agree with Mike. I bought a CZ 550 .375 in 2004. It has been on two safaris, and has taken nine plains game species and two buffalo. I had about 70.00 worth of " tuning " (trigger, bedding etc) done to it when I got it, and have been extremely happy with it since. I live in Southeast Georgia, and have wreacked havoc on the wild hog population here with it. | |||
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john, what smith here in sc would you recomend to do tune work. The only smith i know of that does that kind of work is in darlington. there is a guy that lives near me that builds excellent custom rifles but he won't even return a call unless you drive nascar, have at minumum $7,000, or are named hank parker. I'll probably pm you before my next pig hunting trip to Francis Marion. I normaly do my own tune work as far as triggers and bedding is concerned but I'll leave the DG rifles to professionals. | |||
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I bought the CZ 550 American Safari in 375 as a gift for my son recently. He has shot approx. 60 rounds thru it and loves it just as it came from the box. We mounted a 2.5x20 mm Heavy Duplex Leupold on it and the rifle is very accurate with factory loads. | |||
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I bought my CZ from Jim Brockman. His shop in in Idaho. He built the laminated stock for it, recrounded the the muzzel and reworked the trigger to a standard configuaration. It shoots super with easily managable recoil. He mounted my scope and regulated the iron sights. I later bought a different front I rear sight from Jim. I love it and by the way it holds 6 in the magazine due to his stock configuration. Best of luck. | |||
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I have a cz 550 .375 H&H and I am one of the few mentally deranged people that actually likes the feel of the hogs back stock. I just had mine bedded and added a 1-4 leupold, the rifle shoots very well and I like the mag capacity. For met it points well and swings nicely even if it is a tad heavy for a .375 H&H................but that makes recoil more bearable to !! | |||
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I have a cz 550 in .375, and my father has one in .416 rigby. They both shoot extremely well for out of the box rifles. You would not be unsatisfied with a cz. | |||
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trek, I've never used the services of a gunsmith FWIW I have contemplated a custom rifle for years and as best as I can determine nobody anywhere does better work than Mr. John Lewis, http://www.cprifles.com If I ever commit to a custom he will be my first choice rifle builder. Note: I don't know Mr. Lewis or have any connection to his firm. My opinion is based on research including inspecting and shooting a rifle that Mr. Lewis built. | |||
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