hello i just got a new cz 550 american safari in 458 lott,the test target was dated 04-09-06 and it has 2 cross bolts,not like the phillips screw type on my hogsback either,they look like the ones on my rsm,ill post some pics soon thanks chris

my server is messing up so i have to keep my post shot and quick,it also has some kind of bedding in it and is nice paid 900. dollars ,which my dealer told me the lott cost more said distributor had 6,also itsmarked 458 and above it 458 lott

i talked with CZ on this, and they are now selling the bigins with dual bolts and bedding.

jeffe

Can these new 550s be identified by visual external inspection?

That's really good to hear. Could CZ actually be listening? Would love to see pictures.

yes
there's a pair of xbolts on them, from the factory. you should NOT be able to see the bedding.

CZ is listening...
they are bedding
they are xbolting
they are doing lefties
timney makes triggers for them
wisener makes safeties
wisenet makes floorplates

now, they need a better stock pattern!!

jeffe

Maybe a smoother non binding action is next,hopefully made with real steel

Rug,
they are forged, not cast. while ALL steel is originally cast (every last razor blade to battleship, including model 70s), a forged part, to someone unfamilar with what it would look like, would look LIKE a cast part... the process is actually the same, right up to the point that the kabillion pound hammer hits the die, driving out voids.

the CZ receiver is then machined from a forging, just like a model 70.

Heh, if one takes the position that milling from billet is better, then we would all be shooting remington 700s!!

since the action is based off the mauser, there is a certain amount of roughnesss and issues that should be cleaned up by a gunsmith.

but, heck, the cost of the whole CZ is less than the cost to have a gunsmith rebarrel a mauser and slick it up properly, and put it back in the same stock
jeffe

Wow ,run with Jeff your on a roll. However your post dosent apply to mine. If the steel is soft it will shave off parts of the bolt or the action ,also if the bolt is cut too small for the receiver it will bind when operated quickly. Both problems need to be addressed by the maker.Sorry to confuse

Rug,
np... the cz bolt is a GREAT candidate for nitride hardening... 470mbogo has a couple, and they are SLICK ... I mean well oiled krag on a hot day slick!!

jeffe,

I thought the cz550 bolt & action were case hardened from the factory?

Have you found them in need of case hardening after being trued and slicked up?

So, Dave Estergaard has had some cz actions nitrite hardened an found the results worth while?

I'd be interested in hearing thoughts on this as I am having a couple cz550s tuned up for DG.

Regards,
Dave

Hi Dave,
I can't take credit for the idea of nitriding the bolt. That goes to Bill Leeper. He mentioned that two matals of the same hardness will bind and if the bolt is nitrided the harder coated bolt would be smoother operating. That is exactly how it turned out. I would really recomend the nitriding process. I think you will find that the cost difference between doing one and fifty is minimal so you might as well get a bunch of them together.
Take good care,
Dave

Are they double crossbolting all of them? I ask because the new 9,3x62 I bought has two. Wish both 416R's did. Who and where is this nitriding happening?

regards,

Rich
DRSS

Funnily enough the 9.3's have had them on since way back when, mine's a lux and I have had it probably 3.5 years now and it's double cross bolted.

Just picked up a 416 Rigby today and it has two crossbolts. Barrel date is 06 and the receiver is marked "CZ 550 Safari Classic". They had another one in stock that was the same. They had a 404 and a 505 Safari Classic in stock without the crossbolts.

This is good news about the crossbolts, I too want to know more about the nitride?any website or names thanks

Rug,

I found a good overview of the nitriding process at key-to-steel.com

Sounds like a very good way to get that super slick glass on glass bolt throw.

Nitriding

Regards,
Dave

back to basics...who does this and how do I make contact ,like a phone number?

regards,

Rich DRSS
NRA Life Member

That's great news .

Me thinks CZ will be selling plenty since the demise of Winchester .

A friend called CZ the other day and asked about the cross bolts. CZ said that they would be adding them and that the rifles will take a price increase in 2007 as a result (75$ US per cross bolt). He also said that they will be adding an extra mercury recoil tube to the .505 Gibbs (should bring weight of rifle to around 12 lbs).

CZ said that they would give him a break and sell him a double bolted, double merc tube model for the 2006 price ($2,300 or $2,400 US). He’s got an FFL and said he can’t get them any cheaper than that so he bought it.

Bought mine about two weeks ago and it has only one merc tube and no cross bolts (looks like being impatient didn’t pay off yet again). The action is bedded though and no problems have been noted so far. I really like the wood on the stock, lots of figure on both sides. Going to send it back (the stock) to CZ and have the bolts and extra tube installed.

As an aside, CZ told him that they have built and sold around 200 of the 505 Gibbs to date. They said the Gibbs is outselling all the other Safari Classic chamberings.

Matt V.