talking new rifles hear the CZ550 american safari and the winchester M70 safari express. Which gets the most votes . And why.

Of the 2 I'll take the Winchester. I have never been in love with the CZ.

I have used both. Prefer the Model 70. I like the overall feel, heft and dimensions of the Model 70 better. If I was going to re-chamber to the Lott I would go with the CZ, but expect to spend some money on it to get it the way I wanted.

I am content with the Winnie. Bullet and powder choices these days allow you to get the performance you need in a handier package........ as was Winchesters intent some 60 years ago when they introduced it.

Prefer the Winchester over the CZ, weighs less, has three position safety, more refined from the factory, although they all need a little work done to get them right for DG.

I don't have a .458 but have two .375's on Win M70 and had a .416 CZ, sold the CZ it doesn't hold a candle to the Winchesters.
In my experience when comparing trigger, safeties, and action the M70 is ahead.

Limited experience, but I'd go for the CZ and spend the extra to have AHR do some work on it. Holds an extra two down in the mag, Wayne will ensure it feeds and functions 100% before coming back to you. On that note, I'd also just go for the Lott over the WM if going for the CZ anyway.

I would go with the CZ hands down I love mine. I must be the only guy in the world who hates the swinging saloon door safety on the model 70

I have them both. Winchester is better off the rack, I think.

M70, chop the barrel down to 20-22" and put some USABLE sights on it.

If I can send it to Wayne and have him work his magic, then rechambered to 458 Lott, I take the CZ.

That said, I currently own a classic, new CRF, Model 70 Winchester that was rechambered in 458 Lott. It operates flawlessly, including cast bullets.

Shoulder both and work the bolt a couple times with dummies if the store/owner will allow it.
One will simply "feel better"; and that is the one you should buy.

quote:

Originally posted by smallfry:
M70, chop the barrel down to 20-22" and put some USABLE sights on it.

My friends Winchester in 458win has good recknagel sights so this should not need altering BUT the level stock heal to comb needs work

The box on the CZ 458WM is way to large for the cartridge-it is far from cartridge specific.I would buy the mod.70.There are are other issues with the CZ 550 as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
If I can send it to Wayne and have him work his magic, then rechambered to 458 Lott, I take the CZ.

That said, I currently own a classic, new CRF, Model 70 Winchester that was rechambered in 458 Lott. It operates flawlessly, including cast bullets.

Shoulder both and work the bolt a couple times with dummies if the store/owner will allow it.
One will simply "feel better"; and that is the one you should buy.

Who milled your action?

Look at the rifle in parts.The mod.70 has a great action that feeds reliably,is easy to take apart for field maintenance,and has a great trigger.Its barrel IMO is better than the CZ barrel.The safety on the mod.70 is also much better than the one on the CZ.Although the stock on the Win is not the most attractive,it is not as bulky as that on the CZ.

I'll take the Win. if its the control feed model..You can have it sent off and tweaked also if need be..I like to polish the rails in all bolt actions, Mod. 70 triggers don't need to be worked on as a rule, glass bedding and two cross bolts in a .458 of anykind is a good idea.

I had a Pushfeed M70 458 in Alaska in my teens. It was my primary rifle. I like the M70s because they are a bit trimmer. It's really a great cartridge that is underestimated by many as a 50-100 yard affair. This is not true and even making a 300 yard shot with a handloaded 500 gr sp at 2150 is not unreasonable. I got rid of the virtually worthless factory sights and had one standing fileable rear and mounted a fixed leupold. If I threw another one togeather today I'd probably use a stainless M70, stainless pacnor 1-10 twist 20 or 21 inches long, one standing fileable rear and have the whole thing Cerakoted midnight blue. If I stuck with wood I'd weatherproof it and shorten the forearm a bit. Great berry pick'n rifle

I have owned DG bolt rifles made by Browning, CZ, Remington (2), Ruger and Winchester (2) over the past 20+ years of annual safari hunting, taking 20+ head of DG. If I take a DG bolt gun to Africa today it will be a Winchester in .416Rem or .458B&M.

Virtually all DG rifles, even those from manufacturers Custom Shops, require additional work before hunting DG; all mine did, except for the Browning.

Have had both the CZ and the current FN Winchester, and much prefer the latter. Nice trigger and a smooth action, which cannot be said of an out-of-the-box CZ. Plus the CZ comes with way too much wood.

Had one CZ and it was a pain
Love my Browning in 375 and my basement made Savage in 404 J
Honestly, those three way safeties are ridiculous

I have a M70 in 375 it is a current production safari.

I have owned a couple of 375 and 458 CZ 550s.

Both of these rifles have things I love and hate.

Aesthetics aside, the CZ is a better "system" than the m70 for these reasons.

1. Integral scope mounts
2. Holds more ammunition without modification
3. Better safety

I prefer the fit and finish on my M70 over any CZ that I have ever owned. The M70 has a couple better options.

1. Shorter barrel length
2. Smoother action
3. Better fit and finish

I agree the swing lever is ok, but it isn't very tough and I have broken them on a Mauser, Ruger Mark 2 and M70 before so they aren't a favorite.

I've got .375 and .416 CZs. After thousands of rounds, several safaris, shooting out the barrel on the .375, and spending enough on modifications to buy a Winchester I felt I had a measure of familiarity that would be hard to beat. Then Winchester started making M70s again and I got a .458 and .375. I can tell you this, if I had to pick between them I'd stand the CZs in the range burning barrel and walk away with the Winchesters with nary a backwards glance.

Here's what you do with a CZ 550 Magnum in .458 WinMag:



You can simply re-chamber it or re-barrel it.
I have done both for the 45/.338 Lapua Magnum.
I have a 25" factory barrel that was re-chambered from .458 WinMag,
but the one pictured here started as a 460 Wby, but got its breech end of barrel cut off and was re-chambered.
That is why the barrel band is so close to the forend tip, and the barrel is only 23" long.




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Tanoose,

Can't comment on the CZ other than to say that I have handled them but I just bought a Winchester Model 70 458 Win. It is a South Carolina/FN gun and I am very impressed with it overall. Pulled it apart today and see that Winchester has added a front barrel recoil lug in a dovetail and that this lug as well as the normal recoil lug are bedded in a hard black epoxy. The rear of the action is bedded in same epoxy as well as the floor plate. It has the new trigger and it is as good, clean and crisp as any I have seen. It weigh 9 pounds without sights and the stock has a nice satin finish inside and out with a Pachmayr pad. I shot it with some mid range handloads with iron sights, no scope yet and it shot well at 50 yards off sticks. It is a thumper at that weight but manageable due to the stock design and pad. Just slightly more recoil than my Ruger Rigby.

I have always been a Winchester Model 70 guy but this is my first new So Carolina/FN gun and I am very impressed. I bought it used but NIB from a dealer and paid $998 out the door. Both rifles are very good choice but I will vote for the Winchester if that helps.

Good luck,

Paul

I have an FN M70 in 416 rem that I picked up last year. Also have a pair of New Haven M70 classics in the stable as well. The FN is well made, even bettering my other two, and the trigger is great out of the box. For the 416, I say it's about perfect as is, already cross bolted, and has a barrel band. Sights could use improving though. I prefer the m70 safety over the CZ hands down. I'd only consider a CZ550 if I was going with a Lott or bigger, due to magazine capacity, action length and heft. For 416 and smaller, I think it's just too heavy, and even with the larger caliber I spoke of, it needs the stock cross bolted, bedded, the barrel bobbed down, barrel band installed, just to really make it useable. It's safety is a real turn off, even Viagra can't make me like it, lol.

I much prefer the 416 Rem or 404, but that has nothing to do with caliber, the 40's just shoot a little flatter and recoils considerably less and they have always got the job done with excellence for me. A 400 gr bullet at 2400 FPS is my choice for DGR....

The .458 with todays powder and the great bullets out there can push a handload to 2150 or even faster/better with a 450 gr. monolithic in some cases, and that's a proven killer of anything on this planet. I believe the 458 Win needs at least a 24 inch barrel to keep the velocity up there, and I personally like a 26 inch barrel on most guns. I like long barrels for off hand shooting, and in a lean rifle they handle well and I never had any problems in the thick jesse, sooooo! I like the idea of a short trim rifle of 9 lbs. in a 458 for poking around with a fly rod in some parts of Alaska. or hunting plainsgame in Elephant/hippo, and buffalo country for instance. I wouldn't mind having a nice .458 Win. but these days I really no longer have the need..

I would love to have one the old commercial FNs in a 404 Jefferys, has a mint one one time and loved it, so I sold it for big bucks back then. If I ever find another short of on a game scout in Tanzania, I will try my best to own it.., Ill pay cash or pull a knife on the owner!

I vote the CZ 550.

Oh, wait...I already HAVE a CZ 550 in .458 Lott/ .458WM!

And a CZ 550 in 9.3 x 62!

I am twice blessed!

And I bought 'em both from the guy who posted immediately above me!!