I found the Czech web site for CZ and noticed that they seem to offer the CZ 550 Magnum in both "Standard and Lux" stocks. The choice of stocks is not mentioned on the US site. I have not been to crazy about the looks of that Lux stock and that is probably the only thing that keeps me from buying one. I wonder if this means that CZ will start importing the 550 Magnums in "Standard" stock version to the USA.

Here's the link to the specific page on CZ's Czech web site.

http://www.czub.cz/KULOVA.HTM

David I see the model you mention in the instruction manuals for the CZ's I own. But I reckon it actually looks like it has more drop in the stock than the safari models in the "magnumS" this is. The CZ 550 medium actions are offered in an American version with an awsome shaped stock.

Hope I have helped. The CZ's are the best buy on the market at the moment, all steel mauser actions and they shoot.

David,

Last month I emailed CZ and asked them if they had any plans to release the cz550 Safari Magnum with an *American* styled stock. The response in quotes below.

"We hope to have some next year with the Black American Walnut."

Regards,
Dave

[ 12-24-2002, 17:51: Message edited by: DavidC ]

Well, it's about damned time! We've been bugging the company for years about this and they've always made dumb noises about, "Gee, no one has ever complained before" even when talking to the same character we harranged six months before. Sheesh!

The standard stock has a low pad like the Bavarian style, to reduce felt recoil. However, the Bavarian style has a higher comb for those who prefer it for scope use. In European catalogs the standard model is less expensive because it does not have a cheekpiece.
The American style has not been offered on the Safari rifles because it will increase felt recoil with the big-bores. If CZ-USA orders them special, it may take awhile. If they order the stock seperately and replace them in the US, the price for the rifle may go up as well.

Bring it on I say !!,

and I would be preapred to pay the extra if they offered them standard with a McMillan stock (set up right) They have one of there 527 .223's in a HS-stock. Do not care for the stainless any more after reading what J.Belk had to say about stainless actions !! It is just blued synthetic I want. In fact the ultimate combo would be the blued action, stainless barrel & McMillan synthetic.

Even so CZ 550's are a bargain and one day those who do not have any will be lamenting not buying them. They will be sought after in this environement of highre costs and less quality.

PC,
I like your thinking. Just add a matte black finish to the stainless barrel, to match the same finish on the chrome-moly action, pillar bed it in a McMillan stock, and now you are crapping in high cotton!

However I am more tolerant of the Lux "urostock" if the wood is decent. I think they handle recoil very well, and are a decent compromise for scope and iron sight use, at least as good as it gets.

Dagga,

Happy Xmas mate.

I just picked up my CZ .375 yesterday and I actually scored a pretty nice bit of wood, it comes to the shoulder real nice and the 2-7 leupold Vari X11 sits real nice on top. Today I will shoot some 235 gr speers at about 2900 fps there abouts and I expect recoil to be pleasant. This Eoro hogs back will do me quite nicely until I can afford a McMillan.

I think you and I do think along the same lines as far as practical hunting arms go. I used to be pro stainless but after J.Belks criticisms I will not buy another. Your correct oin that a stainless barrel in matte black mated to a regular blued or matte steel reciever in a McMillan is practical defined.

J.Belk states he is seeing stainless actions with wear before the first barrel has been shot out while many mausers have gone through more than one barrel without any sign of wear. No More stainless actions for me, only stainless barrels

HI,

PC, what you stated is just what I am in the process of doing with my cz550. I have ordered a Mcmillan stock and will get a Pac-Nor ss super match barrel.I jsut need some advice on the sights as I really like the cz express sights and want an after market sight simular to them. I just want something a little better. Thanks,Kev

HI,

One more thing maybe PC or DAGGARON can answer this. When I replace the wood stock with the fiberglass mcmillan how much weight will I save ?. The rifle weighted in I think around 91/4 pounds, do you think the mcmillan will save 1 pound or is that to much?. Thanks,Kev

Kev,

I can not answer that question as I do not own a McMillan composite yet. The composite I have on my .416 CZ is a custom composite fiberglass kevlar stock made by a bloke in QLD. He makes good stocks and I have one on my .416 & .585.

If it's any help my CZ .375 with scope & mounts on the scales weighed in at about 10.5 pounds.

I imagine with the Mcmillan you may be able to shave a pound off that. Dagga may know better than I.

Kev are you interested in off loading your CZ sights off your take off barrel ??

Honestly Mingo I am to technically retarded to answer your question with any kind of quality at all my friend I am just stating what I read in J.Belks posts either here or over at H.A. I do undertsand that the stainless actions tend to gall due to softer metals and I read else were that this may be enhanced in a CRF action.

I know I would probably never wear out a stainless action, but I like my things to be over engineered

as far as I know stainkless barrels have proiperties that resist the heat an abrasion of powder buring better than chrome moly (correct me if I am wrong)

After reading this stuff my opinion now is that a blued action (like those on the CZ's) and a stainless barrel is porbably a good combination.

he also said that one actions was only 90% as dense as the cz forged actions (I forget which brand). All in all he has changed my taste in rifles. I will always howvever have on stainless synthetic rifle on hand for really foul weather and at the moment it is a Ruger MK 11 in 30/06.

Take Care Mingo, PC.

[ 12-29-2002, 00:46: Message edited by: PC ]

The McMillan stocks are not lightweights, and that is good for these rifles. The weight of the wood varies a lot in these CZ rifles, so there is no way of saying for sure.

I don't think there would be more than a half pound lighter difference in the rifles with a wood to McMillan switch, maybe none, as it depends.

The rear express sight on the CZ has an integral base, so you can't remove it, and the front band is very thin and fits a muzzle diameter of only 0.666" and is soldered on if it is not integral too.

Yes, integral rear express sights are standard on the CZ barrel. Amazing for the money. You either use the barrel as a whole or trash it. There is not enough metal to cut off the threads and rechamber/rethread with a CZ 416 Rigby. They are minimum weight 416 Rigby barrels for sure.

Of course you could bob the barrel to 22" from the original 25" and replace the front sight with a banded one of proper height. That is an interesting proposition.

If a stainless barrel is desired, then the NECG/PME-Wisner/or Winchester type sights are alternatives. Add the barrel band sling stud while you are at it. See Brownells or the NECG web site.

[ 12-29-2002, 00:59: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

PC,

I did not mean to be critical about this subject matter but I thought that I should point out there is always two sides of the story and you should not come to a quick conclusion based on one man's opinion. There are a lot of people in the firearm industry who do not like stainless regardless. I am not a gunsmith but I work in the manufacturing industry where I deal with different steels everyday so I know a thing or two about this subject.

As for the galling effect, it is a phenomenon that happens when two similar metals (chromoly steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) come in contact tightly with each other for a long period of time. Aluminum is probably the worst of all. Under the right conditions, chromoly steel would do the same. Try to take off the barrel of your CZ 550 and see what would happen. I almost destroyed a barrel trying to take it off, not to mention that I had to beat the hell out of the action. This would probably be one good example of galling with chromoly steel. Anyway, you get the point. Good luck.

Mingo,

point taken mate, what problems do you have taking off the cz barrels ??.

I am still learning every day on this forum.

Dagga, what do you mean by there is not enough meat left on the barrel to rechamber/rethread for the rigby, if you buy a .416 you already have a rigby Also I realise the rear sight base is integral so if you want to make use of the cz sights can you make up another base to slide the rear sight into ??.

Really as cz allready have an integral rear sight base it would not be that much more difficult to make it a full quarter rib. There is a lot there for the money in theses safrai mags.

Regards PC.

[ 12-29-2002, 09:07: Message edited by: PC ]

PC,
The contour of the 416 Rigby on a CZ is as sporty and light as one should go, it is perfect as is.

It should not be used as a take-off to cut off the threads and re-thread to fit on another type of action with different threads than a CZ. This would eat into the minimum shank portion. It could not be used for anything else than what it is, and for this it is perfect as is.

Use it as is on the rifle or put it back on another CZ 550 Magnum action, that is all I mean.

One can blow $2000 US trying to recreate a $600 CZ 550 in 416 Rigby. All for naught, unless it is to get a weather beater rifle of synthetic and stainless, as Kev is planning.

You could make another rear sight insert to stick in the integral rear express sight base. But why bother, as it doesn't get any better than the one that is there?

[ 12-29-2002, 10:06: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

What I was thinking about Dagga was to get hold of a set of express sights of a cz barrel and then put them on my .585 and PO the crappy rem irons I have on that. I would have to get a base made up any way to fit better sights and I like the cz express sights so I thought I might save some money by purchasing them of someone who is scrapping a cz barrel.

I have a spare cz .375 barrel that has been docked to 22" and re-crowned with a counter sunk type crowning but it does not have the sights on it It was off my 602 donor action. I also have a 602 style express stock here not hogs back and a eoro hogs back of my .416. I am getting quite a collection of CZ spares