I am pretty convinced that I want to purchase a rifle in 458Lott and was pretty sure that I wanted the CZ550 American. I feel the CZ offers a quality rifle at a value price. Eye appeal is average at best as the standard stock is hit or miss as to whether you get a good piece of wood or not. The Ruger has it all over the CZ in looks, fit and finish and again is a quality rifle but at almost twice the price. Right now I have no iminent plans to hunt dangerous game in Africa but intend to at sometime in the next 10 years and neither gun will get any cheaper. What is the wiser opinion of those with more big bore experience than I?

Tped, it comes to what you can afford..I own the new Ruger it is now 2 years old..I had it bedded, trigger adjusted, and necg express sights and rails polished...and love it..Took it to Zim and had an up close and personal meeting with a bull ele at 30 feet...
Have a video clip of me shooting the lott rapid fire six seconds..

Mike

Tped,

I have the CZ Lott you are considering. I find it to be a good value for the money. No, it isn't a pretty as the Ruger but, it is well made. Besides, whether it's pretty or not, when you let fly with a Lott at your range, your going to get everyone's attention.

-Vlad

CZ is a better value, ruger is a prettier gun.

which one fits you better?

jeffe

CZ is a good rifle, but a little rough around the gills...but it can clean up...I would personally prefer the Ruger, its a lot of gun for the money, a intregal quarter rib alone makes the barrel worth $2500 to $3000 in a custom rifle...so the Ruger, although more costly, is the much better buy...

Thanks. I appreciate the info. I realize that the CZ offers a great value but the reason I am considering the Ruger is that I have been trying to get away from just an ecomical gun but one that would be the better investment(if there is such a thing) in the long run.

I have read much about the stock problems on the CZ guns and figure that if you have to put alot extra in it - you have spent the same anyway.- Is there similar problems with the Rugers and/or is it just a common thing with the big bores.

quote:

you have spent the same anyway

The Ruger is the better investment. All big bores are subject to stock splitting issues as the grain structure is specific to each stock, the inletting, etc. It is always prudent to have the stock bedded for heavy recoil rifles.

The Ruger not only looks better, but has a number of features you would want on a DGR, that will cost as much or more to upgrade the CZ. The resale on the Ruger will be higher for the Ruger.

tped

I own a few RSM's and haven't had any crack their stocks yet. I'll play it safe and will have all of them glass bedded for stability and for even better accuracy. I know a few guys who have shot their big RSM's with no problems since they just use some loctite on their stock screws once they find the sweet spot. Without loctite on your screws, you'll constantly be re-tightening them on a regular basis. A member on the board has had his RSM in 416 Rigby crack his stock and he's got a remedy for it.

Ray

It seems that a few years back, you didn't like the RSM's much. What changed your mind?

tped

I have a Ruger RSM 458 Lott, and haven't had any problems with it. I love the gun. Ray Atkinson summed it up perfectly. Quite frankly, I've never understood how the CZ warrants comparison with the Ruger RSM. They're in two different classes. If you can afford the Ruger, don't give the CZ a second thought.
Best, Starcharvski.

Itr just depends on what is important to you. The Ruger is a better finished rifle. The CZ is going to have greater magazine capacity. The CZ is going to require more "after-market" work.

I do not care for the bulked-up wood stock on the CZ. So by the time you bed it, cross-bolt it, trim the stock down, refinish the stock, etc., you could get a Ruger and then some.

I do not care for the heavy weight of the Ruger.

So take your pick!!

One thing that is better on the cz is the action lug set up I beleive ??

I bought the CZ, but if I had it to do over I think I might do the Ruger. Why don't I just sell the CZ and get me a Ruger? The truth is that the CZ I have shoots as well as (really better than almost)any rifle in the safe. I just can't justify selling one of the best shooters I have ever owned. Don't worry about the heavy weight of the Ruger, I had weight added to the CZ to tame it back a little. A Rigby will kick if it is loaded warm. When you head into the long grass that extra weight feels very reassuring. Get one of either flavor and shoot it a bunch. Then you will know whether it will be your companion to go into wild country after things that bite and stomp back.

I've got 3 CZ's and I've read all that is wrong with the rifle, but I haven't had a problem. As with all new rifles, I glass bed them, adjust the triggers, then go shoot them a bunch. I'm really hard on my rifles, so if it's between getting a ding on the rifle and risking injury, the rifle takes the beating.

I had a buddy, now this goes back 10 years or so, who was going to Zimbabwe on a 21 day buffalo/plains game hunt. He ordered a Ruger .375. In less the 10 rounds, split stock. He sent it back and promptly received another rifle, again a few shots and another split stock. Once again it sent back, same with the 3rd rifle. Finally he got his money back, got a Winchester Model 70 .375, never did a thing but shoot it, without problems.

Buy the one that says, "this is me" and enjoy. All these fine companies make good products and sometimes problems crop up with the best of them. IMHO.

After much debate, I went ahead and ordered the CZ 550 American in 458 Lott. This ended up being the choice after talking with my dealer and discussing what my intentions were. He felt that the CZ was the better choice as this will be a gun that I will not use all that much so he felt the CZ offered more. I also ordered a Win. 70 Classic stainless in 375 and will be trading a Remington 700VLS in 6mm that is collecting dust and a Sako 75 in 416 Rem Mag. Might be crazy but I felt that now I would have a gun tuly suitable for the Alaskan conditions for large bears and a good African pair for that trip some day.

Comparing my .416 Ruger 77 to my friends .458 Lott CZ, my .458 Lott is going to be the Ruger. His CZ split the stock damned near in half with less than 20 shots, right through the mag area, both action screws, and down the tang and his stock was a plain grained American style. The Ruger uses a recoil transfer plate that puts the recoil way out in front of the action screws, about 6-8 inches in front. That is a lot more wood and should be less prone to splitting. However, and this is the "iffy" part, the Ruger uses a more figured wood which IS more prone to splitting. My .416 Ruger 77 was split from the factory between the front action screw and the mag box opening right along a dark grain line in the wood. I was damned lucky I saw it before shooting it. I cut out most of the split wood and steel bedded the area as well as the recoil lug out in the barrel channel and it has had no more problems and I have about 400 rounds through it. Because of the recoil transfering system used in the Ruger I do not know if I had not caught the split before shooting if it would have gotten worse and ended up like my friends CZ Lott, but I don't think it would have, at least not is so few shots.

I have a Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby and the stock split at the tang. I sent it back and can't wait for it's return. I will have it bedded, relieved at the tang, reinfore the recoil lug and add a cross bolt. Even though it cracked, it is a great rifle and I highly reccommend them

Having said that, send a PM to JudgeG. He has a CZ in 458 Lott that was worked over, including the stock, that is absolutely georgeous! He was thinking about selling it.

I have acz 550 in a lott was once a .458 inw mag. I added two cross bolts and had it bedded and no drama's with 500 gr woodleigh softs doing around 2300 fps. The lott is a good round I reckon.