I have a CZ .458 Lott that I had some work done on not quite a year ago by a gunsmith I had used before. I do not work on my guns other than scope mounting.

I had him "bed" the action per the suggestion of most of the folks on this board. I had further plans to crossbolt change sights etc. etc. It became apparent that dangerous game rifles were not his thing and I had him hold it at bedding. I put the gun up for several months and thought nothing of it.

Today I got it out and decided to take it out of the stock to examine it for more work. I have found someone else to work on it.

I can not get the action out of the stock. How difficult should it be? I think he "glued" it in place with no ability to release. Should it be this difficult? If so how do I get it out with out destroying the stock?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

I had the same thing done on my Lott, bedding wise, and sometimes they are tight, tight. I have to whack on the bottom of the barrel ahead of the forend with a rawhide mallet to get the barreled action out of the stock.

Thanks jwp475 and Will. I got it. Man was that tight. It looks like he bed that CZ metal piece at the front recoil lug into the stock. It is under the bedding that he put in. Is that normal? All the bedding compound is at the front action lug and the barrel lug.

Most large CZs have some negative draft at the front of mag box area on the receiver. If it's not filled in with clay when it's bedded they can be a bitch to get out. Check for scrape marks on the stock in that area. You can relieve that area in the stock if it's a problem. Good luck.

My understanding is that with a good tight bedding job combined with adequate recoil lugs, cross bolts are not necessary. The gunsmith who bedded my action told me it would be difficult to remove and gave me instructions on how to do it if the need arose. He also said if I ever needed to remove the action, to bring it to him and he would do it at no charge.