Folks,

I was over to visit Southern California Gun in San Diego this afternoon to check on guns for our San Diego SCI fund raiser (February 21 in the San Diego Convention Center). One of the rifles that has arrived is a CZ 550 American Safari Magnum in .458 Lott.

The stock is obviously a standard grade but has acceptable wood to metal fit, and is fitted with a black Pachmayer recoil pad. The trigger is a single-set design with a hooked blade, not the straight blade of the BRNO M602. The safety is "forward to fire". The sights came to the eye on mounting, although the fore sight is a bit small for my eyes. Weight of pull of the unset trigger was good.

The barrel caliber markings were rinky dink:.458 in one line, X-ed out Win Mag on the second, and Lott stamped on the third. So evidently this rifle was converted to Lott chambering here in the USA.

jim dodd

In a year they'll be collectors items.

The more important concern is whether they feed.

George,

There are two outfits here: CZ and CZ-USA. I have corresponded with both, and been impressed by one and underwhelmed by the other.

Can you guess which?

jim

Ummm, impressed by CZ, not impressed by CZ-USA?

George

Hi Hunterjim

I understand that You are not impressed with CZ USA. But impressed with CZ checkoslovakia..
I am on the werge of buying my first Big Bore (preferably in .416xxx probably Rigby. And CZ is one of my choises.
Winchester model 70 or the Ruger 77 are other choises.
The CZ is cheap over here, the others are not.
Which is, in your opinion, the best/safest BIG bore buy for dangerous game.
I might post this question.

I have a Brno 602, the earlier version of the CZ. Is great. The only long action bolt guns I saw in Africa were Brnos and I never heard any complaints. However, my PH on my last and next trip to Mozambique has a .416 Rem built on a M98 action opened at the rear. My feeling would be that for factory rifles, you would be hard pressed to beat the value of the CZ, especially in Europe! On the other hand, if you have a good smith who could do the M98 conversion for you and make the barrel "bull" style (short and thick) you would have quick handling, smooth operation and recoil management unlike any factory rifle anywhere. Give this some thought.

The latest Guns and Ammo magazine has a picture of one of the X'd out CZ Lotts. Even the photo in the gun rag looked cheesy.

But just for a beater to hunt with, the Lott will
work great.The Xs won't affect that.Ed