The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Advice for CZ .416 Rigby, Please??Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Dear All, I'm not a big bore shooter, so I'll have to rely on some help from you experts here.... A friend has bought a CZ550 in .416 Rigby. The rifle came with the "US" type stock - straight rear stock (no hogsback). During his hunt in Africa this April, my friend was unhappy with the setup of the rifle, primarily because the stock and high'ish scope mount precluded fast and consistent target acquisition. I looked on the CZUSA website, and it does indeed look like the CZ stock has a fair amount of drop at heel...  I think my friend otherwise likes the rifle - we put a Timney on it, and he is really pleased with that setup. But we are considering options to turn the rifle into the hunting tool it should be. I suggested some after-market options, but I need some feedback from some of you guys, who have first hand experience. 1) I suggested using a McMillan CZ Express stock. It seems to have a higher comb than the CZ stock - at least when you look at the pictures..  Have any of you used this stock, and could comment on its suitability for the .416??? How well was the inletting done, and in particular the weight of the McMillan compared to the factory wood stock?? (My friend was a bit nervous the McMillan might be a tad light, which I doubt it is, and besides, one can always ADD weight...). Does this stock hold up to the recoil of the .416 - no crossbolts and all??? We would expect to have to glass bed the action, any special issues to consider when bedding a big bore??? 2) I suggested using Talley QD mounts - they would a fair bit lower than the current EAWs, if not quite as easy to operate when removing and replacing the scope. Does anybody have experience whether they hold up under .416 recoil??? If not, what are my alternatives??? 3) I suggested using a Leupold VX-III 1.5-5x20 with a heavy Duplex. Do any of you have experience with this scope on a .416?? Does it hold up under recoil?? Can we expect to mount it on the CZ action with Talley mounts?? Are there problems with ring placement over erector (?) or lenses?? I suspect the eye-relief makes this suitable for a .416?? Thanks a lot for your help and advice in advance. - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | ||
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I can't address all of your questions, but here are some of my impressions with my CZ in 416 Rigby and the MacMillan stock:  1) My Leupold 1.5 X 5 in Talley mounts has held up to a couple of hundred rounds so far with no problems. 2) Depending on the size and shooting style of the owner, you may want to opt for a slightly longer length of pull when you order from MacMillan to get correct handling characteristics and avoid being "scoped". I'm fine with my 13.5" length of pull but just about everybody else who shoots it gets knocked. 14 and quarter or 14 and a half might suit some people better. 3) I find the stock is a good compromise between shooting with the scope mounted or with iron sights. I don't have to strain my neck with either. Then again, I don't think it is "perfect" with both either, but that is an individual physionomy question. 4) I find the factory barrel too long for proper balance with the plastic stock, and I asked for the butt to be filled to add weight and bring the balance back. Hope this helps some. _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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Thanks Wink, it does indeed help. I'm with you on the longer length of pull. Not only is my friend a big guy, US stocks also tend to be a tad shorter than we are used to here in Europe. I normally get 0.25-0.5" of LOP added to the regular 13.5" for myself, and my friend is taller than I am. Is the "filled butt" an option for the McMillan stock?? I.e. something which must be specified?? On the McMillan I own, the buttstock is not hollow, and I thought it only would be on injection molded stocks?? Have you go any idea what your .416 weighs as it is shown on the picture you posted?? (Thanks for the pic, I can show that to my friend to let him know how the rifle will look with the McMillan... Always helps to see a pic of the finished product...  ).Did McMillan send the stock to you directly in France, or did you buy via a French distributor or picked it up in the US?? - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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I can't provide any insite on the CZ since I have a Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby. It's scoped with the Leupold Vari X III 1.5x5 and has held up fine with stout loads pushing a Barnes 400 Gr. Banded solid at 2400 fps. Worked fine on an elephant in Zim. Tom Z NRA Life Member | |||
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Thanks Tom, one more vote for the Leupold! - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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I looked around for the incredibly detailed post I made a couple of years ago about buying a MacMillan stock for a CZ and of course gave up before I could find it. I ordered two stocks from MacMillan, one for me, one for a friend, to save on shipping, customs duty and VAT, which are calculated including shipping and handling. I made the order directly and had them shipped to my home address with no problems. Other recommendations, other then a longer length of pull: Ask for the Pachmayr Decelerator pad installed, Ask to have aluminum or steel pillars installed. The stock will get mushy without the pillars and you won't get nice repeatable stock to action fit without the pillars. The stock will go mushy on you over time I think. I had mine installed by a gunsmith in France but MacMillan could have done it and I think that is a better way to go. I also ordered the gray paint job, which gives a slightly rougher finish which is easier to hold. _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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Wink it sounds like you specicfied L.O.P. Was there any other things you had to spec when you ordered it? Also did you install the action yourself? I am wondering how the fit was when you did that and if it required any glass bedding? Do you glass bed a synthetic stock?  I have a Remington Sendero and it has one of those McMillan stocks. They are great stocks! One of those would be sweet on my .416RM.  | |||
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Lower rings (Warnes or Talleys) will help for sure. One of my CZ's has a lace on leather cheek piece that helps a lot. | |||
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Demonical, Putting the action into the stock is not too complicated, it's just an assembly. Yes it is also glass bedded, which can also be done by most but is also done by just about any gunsmith. I didn't ask for anything else from MacMillan, just what is mentioned above. _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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Thanks Wink! I have a ZKK-602 in .416RM that would be a perfect moose and bear rifle, cut down the barrel to 22.5"-23", install a barrel-band sling swivel and drop it into one of those McMillan stocks with aluminum pillar block and glass-bed it. I would never need another rifle for the Canadian bush, although naturally I have others that also have to be taken out of the safe at times. | |||
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If your sendero has the same stock that came with it from the factory,it will have an aluminum bedding block in it. That stock is an H-S precision not a Mcmillan.  6x NFR Qualifier NFR Champion Reserve World Champion Bareback Rider PRCA Million Dollar Club 02' Salt Lake Olympic Qualifier and an all around good guy! | |||
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mike What I wound up doing to my CZ Rigby was (the unthinkable, but you said "tool" not pretty) built up the top of the stock with moleskin and then covered it with a cartridge holder sleeve. I was after a proper check weld hold that positioned my eye correctly at the same time to look through the scope. This followed correct LOP and other determinations as to why I was shooting a boomer with different results than, say, a .280 Remington BDL stocked rifle. Details include (a) Safari Magnum "Lux" stock (not "American") (b) Leupold Vari-X 1.7 x 5 in Talley mounts -- medium is as "low" as you can go without modifying the bolt handle. BTW the drop at heel (from bore line) for the McMillan stock in your picture is the same as that of my Bruno ZKK 602 in .375, which has a hogback stock. The Lux drops away towards the heel unlike the hogback. If I used the McMillan on my .375 the hold would be the same as it now is with the wood. Cheers BNagel _______________________ | |||
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I know I'm dense but I fail to understand the seeming confusion about length of pull and comb height. The length of pull is determined by body configuration and to me is the same no matter the rifle as is the comb height. Comb height is a single component of the relation of the eye and cheek of the face in relation to the centerline of the sights involved whether they be irons or scope. It is inconcievable to me how one could expect the comb height to be the same for scope and irons when the irons are usually at least 1/2"" to 3/4" below the centerline of the scope. The length of pull to me is a component of how far ones eye has to be behind the scope to see the full field of view. All these dimensions are determined by the dimensions of ones body NOT the rifle. I personally have a very short neck and find it very difficult to get most scopes far enough to the rear with a very long stock to see comfortably. Every one of my rifles and shotguns have the same length of pull. Comb height differs as to the sights used. I have a CZ550 in 416 Rigby and a Brno 602ZKK in 3l5. The Brno is in the original stock and the CZ is in a Brockman Laminate but length of pull is the same for both. I have found it difficult to mount scopes very LOW on these rifle due to interference of the bolt handle with the eyepiece of some scopes particularly with the Swarovski I have on the 416 as it has a particularly large eyepiece diameter. A Leupold fits much better. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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I just love the Brockman on my CZ | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Advice for CZ .416 Rigby, Please??
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