Citori,

Sorry about that pregnant baseball bat crack. That was just a wise-ass way of saying that I, personally, don't like the looks of the CZ Safari Grade. (Looks are more important to me than a lot of other people.) Something about that bulbus magazine area that I find unattractive. And I stand by my remark about the quality of the wood.

From a mechanical standpoint, there is not a thing in the world wrong with the CZ. But if you get one, someone needs to slick up the bolt a little. Most of the out of the box ones that I have seen are a little on the rough side. But, then again, so are a lot of other rifle.

But I will now add my two cents worth of advice. When you do finally plan that once-in-a-lifetime first safari (Yeah! Right! That's what everybody says until they go on one. Most start planning their next one before they arrive back home!), you will find that the rifle you pack is the least expensive part of the entire deal (unless you're into Holland and Holland double guns). For this reason, buy the gun that you want and will be most proud of. An extra three hundred bucks is a drop in the bucket when you look at the overall picture.

What I am trying to say is, if you like the CZ, then buy the CZ. If you are simply "settling" for the CZ, then you are buying the wrong gun.

No offense taken by your comment about the stock. From the pictures, it's wood only a woodpecker could love!

Your logic is what's making this decision hard. The logic screams "Ruger". On the other hand, maybe I go with the cz as an intro to big bores and buy what I decide I really want later. The biggest rifle I've fired is my .30-06 m-70 featherweight. I'm mostly a shotgun/handgun shooter. Few opportunities to shoot rifles in my area.

Keep the fresh perspectives coming all.

You can get the CZ, and then in the future, have a very nice stock made for it. On the other hand, if you really like quarter rib's, and barrel band attachments, the Ruger is a steal for what it offers aestetically.

Citori,

I almost forgot! I also have three boys (twins 15, and a 13-year-old) Next summer, they, along with their Mom, are going as observers on their first safari (plains game hunt to Namibia). The outfitter is going to let them shoot one animal each for the observer daily fee. Of course, trophy fees still apply. I think they have their heart set on a red hartebeast.

The cost of the entire trip, according to the budget I ran, will be $19,000. This sounds like a lot, but remember, this is for a two week trip to another country. I spent eleven grand on a trip to Hawaii over spring break. Stretch that out to two weeks and it would have been a lot more expensive than the safari... and we didn't get to kill a thing!

See, you are really not that far away from that first "family" safari. Maybe two or three years.

Here is two more cents! The Ruger 416Rigby can handle anything Africa throws at you with outstanding authority. Recoil is not at all bad and the 416Rigby can be counted on to do its job.