I have seen the CZ's before but really didn't paid them much attention until the other day at the gun shop. I have been considering a bigger than 375 Rifle and so when I saw the local shop had a CZ I thought I would look it over and maybe get a Rigby. Overall it looked ok but I didn't like the look of the shroud and safety. I am sure it works but I like the model 70 type much better. The stock seemed a little "clunky" to me but maybe it needs to be to house the larger action? The thing that really got me was the bolt handle. It seemed awful small. Also it laid so deep in the stock it was all most unhandy and seemed like it would be hard to grab if you were in a hurry. The rifle was used but in like new condition for $700. American style stock.

What do you owners of these think of them?

I agree 100% with your observations. I was checking a couple out the other day and I just don't love the look and feel of them. Great value for sure but just not my cup of tee.

I agree with your observations. However, they alot of rifle for the money and "clean up" fairly easily.

I have a .375 H&H, .416 Rigby and a .458 Win Mag (currently being converted to .458 Lott). They all work well.

I took the .416 Rigby to Zimbabwe this last September and killed a Cape Buffalo with it.
The Lott will go to Africa with me when I go back in 2009. I'm having the barrel cut off at 22", a new front sight installed with a 3/32" ivory bead (so my rotten eyes can see it!!!).

The .375 has the Lux stock on it and the other two have the Brown Laminate stocks on them (a much better design).

All in all I don't think you will go wrong.

There a tough solid rifle that you can't go to far wrong with IMHO.

It's a great donnor rifle if I buy one its for the action and trigger. The stock and barrel are POS.
DR B

ElCab,

Come on, this road has deep ruts in it. As from the factory it is not svelte. But it can be.

I spent about the same amount of money I paid for it off the rack to have the handle replaced, re-stocked, have crossbolts added, the barrel hump removed, and new open sights.

Now it is a 6-shot sex machine!

Hello,
As others have pointed out, economical and entry level big bore bolt gun and with what I would consider no small amount of additional work and expense, but can be improved.
Old saying about "sow's ear, silk purse..." I believe would apply here. After all is said and done, you end up with an improved sow's ear, but it "aint no silk purse!!" I would and did opt for the Ruger RSM's for big bore bolt guns. Good to go right out of the box and have very fine barrels and smooth as silk on the three that I have. Everyone to their own choice and good luck in whatever you purchasae.

This is a CZ Lux in .375 H&H, believe it or not. The stock has been whittled upon some though!



This is an American stock CZ, again, slighty modified.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr B:
It's a great donnor rifle if I buy one its for the action and trigger. The stock and barrel are POS.
DR B

compared to what?

CZ 550s I have/had are/were good solid rifles. But, they are rough around the edges if left as is.

My only complaint with this rifle is that it is not a Mauser. An M98 is made up of approximately 32 simple, basic and durable parts. The CZ 550 has 19 parts in the trigger assembly alone! This doesn't include the additional sear components up in the receiver. The entire rifle has nearly 120 parts including tiny springs, retaining clips, nylon pins, etc. In some ways it is closer to a watch then a M98 Mauser.

I've had one failure of such a tiny part in the field. The magnum sear spring failed on my 375H&H. This was impossible to repair in the field. Once the rifle was disassembled on my workbench w/ the offending part in hand, I phoned CZ USA for a replacement part. They were down to only two of these as they replaced this part often at their shop and they needed the extras for their use. I had difficulty getting this part in a timely fashion but ended up w/ two extra in the event of future failures. This is just one of numerous such tiny and flimsy parts within the rifle that now gives me concern whereas with a Mauser I would have confidence.

GVA

quote:

KSTEPHENS

quote:
Originally posted by Dr B:
It's a great donnor rifle if I buy one its for the action and trigger. The stock and barrel are POS.
DR B

compared to what?

Compared most any rifle on the market ie.
Sako
Kimber
Ruger
Dakoda
Remington
Tikka
Winchester
Remington
Howa
Browning
Blaser
Sauer
Styer
manlicher

i could keep on going but I think you get the point.

DR B

quote:

Originally posted by Dr B:

quote:

KSTEPHENS

quote:
Originally posted by Dr B:
It's a great donnor rifle if I buy one its for the action and trigger. The stock and barrel are POS.
DR B

compared to what?

Compared most any rifle on the market ie.
Sako
Kimber
Ruger
Dakoda
Remington
Tikka
Winchester
Remington
Howa
Browning
Blaser
Sauer
Styer
manlicher

i could keep on going but I think you get the point.

DR B

could you post a source or comparitive work that has more weight than your opinion?

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
ElCab,

Come on, this road has deep ruts in it.

Maybe so but I haven't been down it. There is no need to be a grouch I didn't say you had to travel it either.

Thank you all for the info. A Winchester classic in say 300 mag goes for $600 give or take. With that you have an action that needs a little work to lengthen. Say for a 416 Rem. How much work to put a Rigby in a Winchester classic?

If you start with one of these you have a barreled action. Stock needs replaced or beefed up, bolt handle changed, and if you are serious a new safety and trigger?

Is this about right? Thank you Will for your patience with a green big borer.

Wes

quote:

What do you owners of these think of them?

I have a fairly high opinion of CZ'z. For the money they are a very solid rifle. What mass produced rifle can't benefit from a little work?

I owned one in a 375 H&H and sold it to get a 416 Rigby. That gun is currently getting some work done to it. A new barrel is not one of the upgrades. Some trimming and shaping on the stock certainly was.

I own four other CZ's in addition to the two mentioned above. They all shoot fantastic from 22lr, 17HMR Varmint, 270FS, and 338-06. The 338-06 isn't really fair because I did have to put another barrel on. But the original 270 barrel shot very well also.

The 375 I owned would honestly shoot anything I put through it into 2 MOA.

Dr. B
Your list is certainly suspect, but that is not the point of this thread.

Ruger jumps out at me. You couldn't give one of those. I've had problems getting them to shoot. They don't fit me at all. I am not Ruger bashing, just going off of my experiences. I wish the new Hawkeye would fit, but then I would have get over the accuracy and function issues I have dealt with in the past.

Look and handle as many rifles as possible and make the decision based on your impressions.

I looked at quite a few big bore rifles before deciding to go the CZ and custom route.

I do own a couple of CZ's and can find no fault with them, especially considering the cost and the options. A rugger in 416 is twice the $$$, and no more accurate according to magazine coverage I have seen. My CZ 416R will put 5 400gr XFB's in front of 96gr of H4350 under 1.5" at 100Yds all day, and that load is good for about 2480fps.
Have a little over 400 rounds thru it to date (6 mos) with no issues. It just goes Bang! every time I pull the trigger and working the bolt sticks a live round up the chamber every time. With the extended floorplate Jim Wisner is sending me, that's a lot of firepower available.

Rich
DRSS

I found the fit of the CZ American to be very poor, while the LUX appeared to be much better.

I questioned this with the dealer, I believe he said the American was stocked in the US, while the LUZ is a total Chech product.

I bought the LUX (375 H&H) because it fit me very well, and after bedding the barrel and action, it shoots 1" groups.

While not there yet, it could replace my M70 416 Rem Mag as my favorite "big bore bolt gun".

Inside of every .458 WinMag CZ 550 Magnum Safari rifle with the Lux hogback stock, is hiding something really good. It just takes a little work to realize, as every single one of them is an RIP, Rifle In Progress. Somebody should photoshop a hogback onto the comb of this stock:



This Magnum Mauser 98 in 450 Dakota chambering has a 25" barrel that is 0.670" at the muzzle, and the bare rifle weight is 9.5 pounds, and it holds 4 of the .416 Rigby sized cartridges in the box.

All of this can be closely approximated (same weight, barrel length, muzzle diameter, and magazine capacity) by simply rechambering a .458 WinMag CZ hogback to:

450 Dakota
450 Rigby
460 Wby
.458/.338 Lapua
.458 Lott

A closer approximation is had by doing the further work such as by Will and Da Judge, and more.

You might end up with a better rifle than the Prechtl-actioned Mauser for less money, if you started with the CZ, and you could even make it fit you and suit you better. And you could even make it cost as much beyond sensible as you care to. The sky is the limit, even with a CZ "starter rifle."

Re-sale value?

/

Bravo Alf! More goodies to go with your investment pieces!

Those BRNO 602's count exactly the same as the newer CZ's except for the greater collector value of some of your "special" rare goodies in the 602's.

Here are my first two RIP's (didn't have a decent camera then, still don't, wife does) :

CZ 550 .375 RUM, might become 398 Lapua. A Dakota follower and spring and feed work on the rails and all over internal magazine and ramp polish improved the feeding in .375 RUM (4 down). The Lapua case would make it unquestionable:



BRNO 602 500A2, started life as a .375 H&H, got rechambered to .378 Weatherby, then got rebarreled (stainless with flat black Gun-Kote) to 500A2 (.510 JAB) and put in a McMillan stock, with PME 3-position safety and shroud:



Both have 23" barrels, both still in progress.

I really hate to see such a good rifle take such a beating. I bought the first 416Rigby to hit the store here. I believe at that time cost was around $650. I then bought a Brockman laminate dropin when they first came out, I believe it was around $350 0r so. I had the barrel cut to 21" and an NECG front ramp with a red fiber optic blade mounted (this gave me elevation) and had the kink taken out of the bolt handle. I think the ramp and blade were $50.Don't remember what it was to cut barrel and mount front ramp but not much. Stock still needs to be slimmed some but I took it to Zim and the tusks in the background came from the Elephant that really didn't know he'd been shot with such a lousy rifle. I have a Brno ZKK602 375 and the 550 416rigby and they are head and shoulders over any other comprable big bores I have.

Alf
Nice looking rifles, I really like the Fullstock 416 rem who did yor stock work.
DR B

I certainly did not mean to rake them over the coals so to speak. I was just wanting opinions on what needed to be done to make them "better". Apparently I was correct in my observations as all the pictures show that the things I mentioned were done.