OK. Let's just say my priorities are misplaced. Almost a year ago I sold my very accurate Merkel .470...for reasons now somewhat indistinct. We moved to Florida, my wife's home state, and I told her I would try to fall in love with the state so we could retire here; bought SCUBA gear for me and my son; bought a couple kayaks and made a wooden one. Uh, it didn't work. I still yearn for mountains and we ain't retirin' just yet.

If all goes well we'll retire in 4 years and whatever post-retirement work I do will go toward hunts. I love double rifles, but they are out of reach for a while.

I've owned a Ruger No.1 in .375 H&H but couldn't get past the idea that one round up the tube in a DG rifle was a bit foolish. I also owned a CZ-550 in .416 Rigby, but the stock was very "clunky," the firing pin spring ended up being replaced (weak strike, so sayeth A-Square) and I sold it to help finance the DR.

What bolt action DR rifles would you recommend in the $1500-2000 range? Are the CZ classic stocks any slimmer? Used or new, what are the smart buys?

Thanks.

Easy...RSM-458 Lott.

The Ruger Magnum in .458 Lott ...... best value for the dollar. Second place = your pick of the CZ's in buff/ele calibers - .375, .416, or .458.

Ok, watching this thread intently because this is exactly where I'm going to be next year...

What if we said $2k budget w/ accessories? I imagine you'd still need another $500 for reloading supplies...?

If I was totally limited to a $2000. budget, I'd pick the CZ (probably in .416 Rigby), and complete the accessories package within my budget. I have all the Ruger Magnums, & all the CZ's (.458 Lott & below), and I just like the Rugers a little more than the CZ's. However, both represent great value for the money.

Be patient. I have a CZ 550 Medium in 458 WM coming with a killer CZ wood stock on it. 3 down, 1 up.

Or my favorite, a 416 Taylor for less than $2K.

I'll vote for the Ruger also. Better yet, wait till the new Winchester factory gets rolling and get one of them.

you can find rsm 458 lott rifles for as little as $1400.00 on gun broker. some folks sell them after firing a few rounds. it is how i got mine.

This is my CZ550 416Rigby. It cost considerably less than $2000 in fact quite a bit less than $1500. It has a Brockman dropin laminate,barrel cut to 21" barrel band slingswivel NECG Masterpiece front ramp with red flourescent bead that is adjustable for elevation. Shoots and functions without fault. I took my last Elephant with it. I reccomend them highly. Best buy for the money on the market today in my estimation.

Ruger M77 Hawkeye, 375 Ruger.





(where did that "hide behind the couch" smilie go???)

Cheers,
Canuck

"Shameless Plug Warning" I have a 458 Mag Mark X in the classifieds. It's been bedded, had two cross bolts, a fiber optic front sight, limbsaver recoil pad, and a Hg KDF recoil reducer installed*.

*Tip Burns installed the recoil reducer, bedded the rifle, and the cross-bolts. My local FFL, Jeff Martin, installed the limbsaver, and the fiber optic replacement sight.

Er... and I will do my best to put up the photos of it.

I gotta be different and I'm partial of course but I'd find a lightly used Weatherby MKV in .460. Take the gloss off all the surfaces and install the scope of your choice. A little more money than the others but a lot more gun.

Any of the foregoing would be fine.

I suggest that you get yourself to a gun shop that has the Ruger Safari Magnum and the CZ-550's and try them to see what "fits" you; what you are comfortable with.

The Ruger is a nicely built rifle but I find the barrels are too heavy on the RSM; very weight forward. That can help recoil I guess, but I don't really feel comfortable with those guns. I have a buddy that has a .416 Rigby, so I have experience handling and shooting the thing.

I own a ZKK-602 in .416RemMag and a CZ-550 in .458 Lott. Personally I prefer the way the Brno's balance.


CZ-550 .458 Lott


ZKK-602 .416 Rem Mag; Leopold VariX-III 1.5-6X

Yeah they come with that really cool telescopic front sight attachment too!

Convert that 460 Weatherby to 500 A-Square and you're in business ...



Chuck

Look around and find a good used Whitworth Express in .458 or 375, maybe punch the 458 out to a 458 Lott..I still like the time proven M-98 Mauser design..

The Ruger Safari model is a lot of gun for the money IMO...

I have owned a few CZs but they are big and bulky and I just never really liked them all that much, but they are a good gun for the buck. Most need to be tweeked for feeding as the workmanship can be a little rough..

I would bet money that you could contact Dennis Olson and tell him what you wanted and he would fix you up with a M-70 or a Mauser that would more than satisfy you...

No one has mentioned the model 70 so I will. Find a 458 win, buy some dies, bullets and brass and have at it. Shold be ableto pick up the rifle for arround 1200 and with the left over $ become VERY proficent with it. Placement is Key

Buy one of the Ruger 416s when they come out. I'll bet they will sell for under a grand. Put another $150 to $200 in gunsmith tweaking and go hunting. I'm sure they will include their excellent ring system like they do with the 375 Ruger.

Will - I sent you a PM.

CZ in 416 Rigby, or rechambered 458WM/Lott to 450 Dakota?
A new CZ in 458 Lott or 416 Rigby is about $900. Plenty of cash for dies, brass, bullets, etc.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

I will not by another CZ because of the feeding issue and the time it takes to get it resolved.The next Lott I get will be a Ruger.I have not heard of many people who had feeding problems with it.

I have owned five CZ's, still have four of them; and have had exactly ZERO issues, triggers or feeding with any of them. Currently have 9,3x63FS, and 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, and 450 Dakota rifles.
Do not believe what you hear about CZ issues, in today's litigious society if they had any flaws, there would be a class action lawsuit filed, just like the one on the Rem 700 trigger.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

CZ550 or ZKK602 416 or 458Win or Lott, or Whitworth 458Win, all well below your budget. I saw a like-new CZ550 458Lott with ammo, brass, dies today at Houston Gun Show for $700.

My CZ-550 was originally chambered in .458WinMag and it had feeding issues. After getting it reamed to .458 Lott the feeding problems disappeared. The longer Lott cartridge changes the feed angle enough to improve the feeding.
I had heard of this before with the Brno's. The magazine is huge and it is a common issue especially with the .458Win CZ's. I can vouch that the modification to Lott helps.

I still suggest you handle any rifle before buying to find what you are comfortable with.