I have a CZ 550 Safari Magnum. The problem I'm having is that even with the maximum front sight height (14 mm) the gun shoots 6 to 8 inches high at 100 yards with 500 grain bullets.

I know I can (and actually do) use a scope with the rifle but I would like the iron sights available for backup or close range hunting. Does anyone know a source for a higher front sight?

What I would suggest is that you have the front sight dovetail recut to accept NECG sights. They come in a variety of heights and types. I am having AHR do some work on my 550 and will ask them if they will do that also...if not, I have a great local machinest who will do it. You might consider this.

I have cut the barrels on both my CZ/Brno's to 21" necessitating a new ramp. I used a NECG Universal ramp that uses inserts and has elevation capability for fine adjustment. I think the ramp comes in several heights and the sight blades are available in several heights. This with the fact they are adjustable allows you to get EXACTLY what you need. I used a red flourescent on mine and am very happy with them.

New sight inserts are available from CZ America. If I remember correctly the 14 is the tallest. They're cheap.

Yep, I think mine came with a front sight at one of the extremes of the range (high or low, I forgot). Ordered another one from the CDN importer... not big $$. Might as well order a few, so you're covered.

Frans

Have you considered just using a cant file, and working down the rear sight to the exact elevation you need? If in the future you need a higher rear sight use one of the remaining two blades.
BTW the inserts for CZ handguns are supposed to fit.

Grum, what caliber are you shooting and at what velocity is it running? Maybe it's not the gun but the load. Perhaps you need to "regulate" your handload.

You are not likely to be shooting it at 100 yards with the irons. Where is it shooting at 50 yards?

Dave

Just call up CZ and order some taller inserts. The height is on the bottom of the blade. Just take it off to see what size it is and get taller ones.

The one that I just got came with a factory target three rd group at 50yds.

Grum, I just wanted to finish my earlier post.

You need to stop a second and back this train up. All the advice you have recieved so far is an effort to regulate your rifle to your load. Before you start hacking on your rifle, you need to go the other way and try and regulate your load to your rifle. Understand?

The question that you posed can't be answered in a vacuum. You are shooting irons so, in one respect you are like the guys over on the double rifle forum who have to work up a load that shoots in YOUR particular rifle. You job is a bit simpler because you only have one barrel but the principle is the same.

First, what is the caliber of this rifle and at what velocity are your loads running and with what bullet? You are going to have to shoot it across a chronograph to begin to see where you are and perhaps experiment with a different bullet and load.

Second, forget about this 100 yard stuff. That is where you will be shooting it with your scope. Shoot it at 50 yards. That is where you will be shooting it with your irons after you wade into the jess to finish off the 43 inch mbogo that your hunting partner has carelessly wounded with a shot a little to far back.

At 50 yards, work up a load that prints about two inches high. In other words, make a load that shoots in your gun before you start filing on it. If you can't get a satisfactory load to work at that distance then, and only then, should you think about modifying the sights and even in that event, I would first contact CZ to get their suggestions before you begin.

Dave

Dave,

That may be needed somewhere down the line but in my experience my CZ's have just laid them in there. They are not double rifles!

If it is not shooting where he wants it, the simplist thing is to just cahneg the front sight and let it go.

And of course I dare not say this in the double rifle forum, but if a double rifle doesn't lay them in there pretty much regardless of what I feed them, the factory did a poor job of regulation.

Will, the only problem is that HE IS ALREADY USING THE TALLEST FRONT SIGHT THAT CZ MAKES! Now, it's time to take a look at his load.

We don't have enough info to answer his question. Is he shooting a .458 Win. Mag., .458 Lott, or a .450 Rigby? Is the bullet a roundnose or a spitzer? What is the velocity? I say we have to know all this stuff and perhaps experiment with the load a bit BEFORE we start hacking on the rifle.

Dave

Oops. You're right.

File down the rear sight!

Another solution is to replace the rear sight. The Williams "WGOS" flat rear sight base is an almost pefect fit for the CZ factory dovetail slot. By playing around with different blade height combinations you will be able to get one that works. Easy, cheap fix.

quote:

Originally posted by Head Trauma:
Another solution is to replace the rear sight. The Williams "WGOS" flat rear sight base is an almost pefect fit for the CZ factory dovetail slot. By playing around with different blade height combinations you will be able to get one that works. Easy, cheap fix.

I give up!

Good. You are not going to win this!

I appreciate all of the replies!

The cartridge I'm shooting is the 458 Lott with 500 grain Woodleighs. The load is the optimal one for accuracy. Accuracy seems good; a 2 inch 3 shot group at 100 yards with iron sights off the bench a couple of days ago. Since the load is optimized for accuracy, I don't want to download it to make it hit where the sights indicate it should. This is also about the 3rd or 4th powder (IMR 4064) I've tried and all the 500 grainers (Woodleigh & Hornady) print high. Having done some CMP shooting, I'm comfortable using iron sights at 100 yards and even a bit beyond so if they were a bit more "on target" it would be nice.

I'm already using the tallest front sight CZ makes (a 14). I did call CZ USA who gave me the number to another company that made front sights to fit their rifles. That was no help at all since that company doesn't even make them as tall as CZ does.

The NECG sights sound interesting; I'll have to check them out. Realistically, I'd use a scope 90% of the time; the iron sights would be more for backup if the scope malfunctioned or in the event a very close shot was anticipated. If worse comes to worse, I guess I can just remember the gun shoots 6 to 8 inches high and just aim a bit low.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:

Since the load is optimized for accuracy, I don't want to download it to make it hit where the sights indicate it should.

Huh? It is shooting six to eight inches high but it is "optimized for accuracy"?

Your not giving us the velocity of your handload. My guess is you haven't chronographed it and have no idea of the velocity. Until you understand that part of the equation, you just don't have enough information to address the problem. It's also going to be hard for CZ to help you.

There are only two parts to this equation. Your gun or your load. You may well be correct. It may indeed be necessary to modify your gun at some point but if it was me, I would make sure I eliminated the handload from the equation BEFORE I started hacking on the gun.

Dave

You just can't let it go, can you?

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
You just can't let it go, can you?

You're right Will. I REALLY need to let this go.

Send him you file

Dave

You may want to check the fit of the barrel to the recoil block in the forend. My CZ 458 originally was higher at forend tip and at recoil lug allowing the barrel to bow down when the forend screw tightened the barrel down to the "F" block. Looked like a ski jump and put bullets 8 inches high at 50 yd.
When I originally called CZ looking for hints as to the high point of impact they said no one else had complained, but they currently were sold out of #14 blades.
Just needed some work to make an accurate reliable rifle.
Larry

quote:

Huh? It is shooting six to eight inches high but it is "optimized for accuracy"?

Yea, actually it is. In my view, accuracy has nothing to do with where the bullets hit; only how close together they hit. The 8 inches high thing is a sight issue.

Also, since the stock has been glass bedded, I don't think it's a problem with a bowed barrel. I have chronographed some loads but that is also irrelevant in my view. I don't really want to sacrifice accuracy just to get the iron sights to work right.

I don't plan to hack the barrel up either. I'll either use it the way it is and remember to shoot low or perhaps get an after market adjustable front sight if the appearance of it doesn't detract from the aesthetics of the rifle.

Try the new NECG CZ rear peep with a white bead front blade.

Sorry that your problem may not be as easy to solve as mine.
If I held the barrel at the rear sight and loosened the forearm screw a turn or two I could feel the barrel rise in the channel.
Good luck.
Larry