The C-clip is that little circular wire thingy on the firing pin just in front of that one checkered nut stuff... or something...

I don't have it on mines.

And teh follower is that thing in the magazine that pushes the cartridges up to be chambered.

????????

I'm still a little confused on what the c-clip is. I'm also interested in how to identify if I have a c-clip and as PC said, "Can the swapped part just be replaced with no gunsmithing?"

The two options I'm looking at are I can get the hogsback stock and try it out. If I don't like it, then I'll get a stock from AHR. My other option is to get the American and have it glass bedded and tinkered with. I like the second option better as I get a straight stock for about the same price of a hogsback and if I dont like it then I can always replace it with the AHR stock. I'm trying to keep this as cheap as possible. I think the glass bedding should hold the stock together and fix any bedding problems. I'm not too worried about the recoil lugs as one, I don't know what they are and two, the 375 H&H is not as hard kicking as the 458 Lott. I'm looking for function first, an angry buff won't care how my rifle looks, just if it can stop him. Thanks for your input.
Sevens

Does anyone know where I can get one of these? Have any been distributed yet? I'd like it in field grade chambered for the 375 H&H, but I have not heard anything about the 375's being shipped, only the 458's and 416's in the fancy grade. Also, if I had to settle for the hogsback, is the hogs back hard on your shoulder? How skilled at wood work would you have to be to reshape it? Thanks for your input.
Sevens

Sevens,
the price aint worth the deal.

the rechambered lotts are going for 1100-1200... that's the same price range for a RUGER... or restocking a cz yourself with a nice piece of wood.

jeffe

Reshaping a hogback is easy but I don't feel that the result is a really major improvement to the original. I know, I did it. Better bet is to buy the $600 original and then get a good pre-inletted stock and go to work. The price might not be much different from the American stock, come the day when they hit the market, but it will fit you better if you're careful in your whittling and will give you a lot more satisfaction. If you're in a hurry, send it to American Hunting Rifles. For about $500 they will put a decent walnut stock on it and cut it to your length.

Sevens,

I bought one with the hog back stock about a year and a half ago. These come up from time to time at the online auctions in new or like new condition. I saved about a hundred bucks that I will apply towards a new stock. It shoots fine but I don't like that hump in my face and even if its reshaped, it will still look odd. The "American" stock that CZ came up with doesn"t look quite right to me eihter. I,m going to get a semi-inlet and replace the stock.

good luck on your project.

Alan:

I sent you this as a private e-mail, but I reply here for general consumption:



Alan:



Several things I'd like to say about my CZ projects. I have a bunch of the rifles (and have sold a couple). I now have a CZ Lux in .375 that is the subject of the inquiry. I have a CZ American in .458 Lott, a 9.3x62 in a FS version, a 527 in FS .223 and a 527 in 7.62x39. I've had a Lux in 9.3x62, a .375 Lux and a FS .243 that were sold.



Before you make a decision about buying an American Safari, be aware that they haven't gotten it straight yet with the stock to action fittings. My Lott doesn't have recoil lug one... It also has no cross bolts. Bedding is not great either. I was always going to fool with the rifle some, but I'd rather have gotten something more "perfect" than what arrived. What I'm saying, is that the American Safari model will need extensive work.

And.. I paid $400 extra for the fancy wood. A Lux, from time to time, shows up with wood that is really wonderful if you strip the factory finish.



I just procured a .375 Lux for a friend. We had to do nothing to it but bed it with Brownell's "steel" bedding compound (we pilar bedded, but that's not necessary). We adjusted the trigger to "single stage", disabling the "set" feature. The gun is sturdy, accurate and the hog back is functional, being a perfect compromise between irons and a low mounted scope. He loves the thing. It is relatively heavy, but that weight is just fine when you're shaking after sneaking up on a buffalo (both in fear and with exhaustion!)



O.K., back to your original question:

I got Roger Ferrell of Fayetteville, GA to do both the metal and wood work. He retained the original Pacmar recoil pad, but did extensive wood work, taking off the hog back, sanding off all the checkering (which is just basic, roll-on type) and doing a great 22 @ line hand work. He also reseated the lug (the Lux has one, albeit, not satisfactory) and glass bedded the stock. I believe he charged $600 for the work, which is very cheap. If he didn't re-checker, etc., the re-shaping would be less, of course. Could I have done it... Heck no. Roger is a member of the American Guild of Custom Gunmakers. Somebody is better than he.. but I don't know who. Also, stuff you hear about the angle of the stock being wrong, causing felt recoil to be greater is just b.s. to me. The gun, particularly if you keep the weight of the Lux stock, doesn't kick at all. (But you're reading a message from a guy who shoots his .475 Nitro for fun at lunchtime).



What would I do.

1. I'd buy a .375 Lux

2. I'd make sure it doesn't have the plastic "c-clip" on the firing pin. (CZ will send a proper replacement if required.)

3. I make sure the follower is steel.

4. I'd bed the stock with "Steel" bedding compound and if the recoil lug is plastic.. yes, some are plastic!, I'd replace it with steel.

5. I'd get some Tally QD rings and a 1.5x5 Leupold Vari-x III (now discontinued but on sale at Premier Reticles for $350)

6. I'd strip the Coca-Cola and gorilla-shit factory finish and hand rub an oil finish instead, leaving the contour just as is... and have a classic European beauty!

7. I'd write CZ and get the factory three position safety for $70.

8. I'd go shoot a buffalo with it!!!!! After that, you'll love that butt-ugly hog back.



I'm sorry I ran my mouth so long, but you asked.



This shows some of the checkering on the modified CZ Lux .375 H&H





Here is the forend cap addition and the barrel band





The cheek piece after much wood work





The "hidden" wood of a Lux after refinishing





Here's the American stock on my Lott (for $400 additional... I think I paid $1100 for the rifle). Just the stock was probably worth that! Roger Ferrell now has the rifle, will re-checker, re-bed, put in two cross-bolts, etc.

The hogs back stock works fine, and I do not even mind the looks of ot. I have two cz's wearing the hogs back, my .375 & my .458 lott (was a .458 winnie. The cz's are just great, have it bedded and add a couple of cross bolts.

Would anyone be able to tell me how they go about changing the c-clip ?? I have 4 "heavy calibre cz's" two with c-clips and two without;

.375 no clip
.458 no clip
9.3x clip
.416 clip

I do really want to get the bootom two changed.

Can the swapped part just be replaced with no gunsmithing ??
Regards PC.

I admit that I have only seen one new American style stocks, but it looked okay to me. I don't know where it was decided that these things need cross-bolts. The .375 is heavy enough that I doubt it really needs any and the hogbacks, from the ones I had, were light density and that is probably why some of them cracked.

They all need to have the bedding checked, I suppose, for accuracy but maybe not for the strength of the stock.

Also straight combed stocks kick less because they don't have the muzzle flip that hogbacks give you. That is first semester statics and not b.s.

If it were me, I would just buy one of the American versions, and shoot it, without worrying about all the "fears." You can buy one for essentially the same price, assuming they are available, as the hogbacks.

Will:



If you read my post, I was refering only to a .375 Lux and not every caliber rifle with the same stock configuration. A Lott may well be different. In my opinion, .375's in heavy guns, regardless of the hogback, to ME, just don't recoil much. Last night, I watched a DVD made of my Tanzania hunt last year. I believe there were about 10 shots on the video. My fellow viewer commented on the fact the gun seemed to recoil very little with no muzzle flip.. and this was with a CZ with the Lux stock angle. I certainly can't speak of other people's reaction, but to me, worring about recoil and muzzle flip in a CZ Lux in .375 H&H is just b.s. And again, I qualify my comments be stating that my .475 N.E. does't have much recoil.



Also, the modificatins to my rifle were mainly cosmetic in nature, but with the Lott and the pretty stock, I'm going to make darn sure that it doesn't crack!

Will,
ever had a stock give way in your hands? What if it's the first shoot at dangerous game, and a followup is required... and the gun is BROKE?

Kinda like saying "well, a push feed works fine enough"... and Jeffe would never hunt DG with a 700, regardless of caliber.

I've had 3 give way... pretty sick feeling.... including a BONE STOCK 602 in 458... I didn't really like large splinters in the web of my right hand and having to take the gun out of the stock to extract the case. factory loads, factory rifle, 9th shot the rifle ever had.

did I check the bedding? yep... looked fine...

So, *I* firmly believe that any hard kicking rifle (375 and up) should be as expertly stocked and reinforced as a requirement as smooth and consistant feeding should be. After all, what does it matter if the action can feed like greased minnows, if the stock is broke and you can't get the bolt open?

jeffe

I figured that would stir things up.

But there is assuredly thousands of guys that buy these CZ's, that are not forum members, and just go shoot the things without having to worry about recoil lugs, cross-bolts, etc., etc. Maybe this is a good reason to use fiberglass stocks. They don't need barrel recoil lugs and cross-bolts, and prayers!

I guess I am just dumb and lucky, as I have never had any stocks crack much less let go. Any if anything would let go it would seem to be SxS's. There is hardly any wood supporting the action. I hear stories of those stocks cracking but only in the biggies like the 570's and such.

I just wanted to throw up the opinion that all the CZ Americans may not be trash.

Could someone please explain what a c-clip is. I believe I someone told me what a follower was, but I can't remeber what it does. Thanks.

Sevens

The best reason for checking the 375 is the wood warping prior to sale, thanks to shipping conditions, shelf time for the rifles, and wood shrinkage.

Suffice to say that having your rifle checked, so the action can't get a running start on the wood, is a really good idea.

Bedding should be sufficent. My gunsmith said CZ really knows what they are doing as far recoil lug designs.

Asked him if it needed cross bolts, and he said no, even if it was his own, he wouldn't add em.

s
PS mines a 375 H&H, and I did have the stock cut straight, but left the hogback.