I am wondering why some seem to prefer the BRNO over the CZ?

What are the pros of this action?

Some of the 602's were as slick as,
quality f build second to none.

(Some were not so but only a few years worth
of production).

550's just seem to be a bit clunkier.

That's my HO.

I have both. My CZ-550 is a .458Lott (.458WM re-chambered). My ZKK-602 is a .416RM (re-chambered from .375H&H).

If I had to choose I would take the .416RM ZKK-602, but that's just because I had more work done to it.

On both rifles I kept the factory safeties, which all the afficionados insist on changing to 3-pos safeties, plus they both have the factory set triggers.
The ZKK-602 has that weird-funky 2-piece set trigger. The factory CZ-550 trigger is better than the factory ZKK-602 trigger IMGO.

All the 'experts' get these rifles modified with 3-pos Winchester style safety. Maybe a trigger change too?

BOTH are really good, well-built CRF bolt actions.

I've had quite a number of 602 over the years, and I have handled 550s.

Best rifle for the money you can have: extremely reliable, and with a bit of polishing, slick as glass to operate.

The 602 have an undefinable "better built" feel, not in the finishing (Brnos are quite rough out of the box) but in the metallurgy, as well as in the quality of the stock (again, quite rough, but good walnut and good oil).

I don't like the look of the 550's bolt shroud, and I prefer the 602 safety.

All in all, my next rifle will be a 602, probably rechambered or rebored to a caliber not available in their days.

I have a 602 in 375 that I have used for 6 of the 8 safaris I made. It is Jon Speeds rifle he used when a warden. I have cut barrel to 21" installed new Masterpiece adjustable front sight and sling swivel on barrel. Stock has been fully glassed. My 550 is a 416Rigby in a Brockman laminated stock (without cheekpiece)and has been fully glassed also with barrel cut to 21" with Masterpiece adjustable front ramp with sling wivel installed on barrel. Killed my last elephant with it. I much prefer the fit of the original stock on the 602. It is the American pattern and fits me perfectly. Has had a Pachmeyer pad added. It has the regular trigger. Slight crook has been straightened on both bolt handles. Safeties are original and I have absolutely no problem with them. They are both good ,positive safties. For some reson I seem to be able to adapt myself to whatever safty I am using. I do think the 602 is a smoother action.

I have had a couple of 600s in 270 Winchester and seen them also here in Great Britain in 7x64 and various other calibres. Also had a 601 in 243 and seen one in 223.

I agree with the earlier posters I just don't like the bolt shroud on the 550s and if you can, as I did, put the factory standard trigger on your 600 or 601 it "looks" better than the awful set trigger.

FWIW the standard factory trigger isn't easy to find nowadays!

I'd also agree that the 600 series being made in Communist times seem made to a quality, with an aim to sell for foreign currecny, rather that the 550 series which, lately seem made to a price.

I would not, in fact, even entertain buying a 550 series with perhaps the exception of the Safari in 300 H & H but that is WAY outside the depth of my pockets!

The BRNO 602s I've seen and handled have been well built, but man are they roughly finished. They're blued, but they lack any kind of polish and are so rough they look Parkerized.

As far as I have been able to tell, there is no inherent and material advantage that either the CZ 550 or the BRNO 602 has over the other.

The CZ 550's can be a bit rough out of the box, but man are they solid, reliable and accurate. No cast parts, solid steel. They are a bit heavy in 375 H&H, but just right in the big 50s. A quote from Wiki:

"The operating mechanism of the CZ 550 series is based on the Mauser M 98 controlled-feed bolt action system though it is not an exact copy. The original Mauser M 98 is a simple, strong, safe, and well-thought-out design that inspired other military and hunting/sporting rifle designs that became available during the 20th century. For the CZ 550 series the action system is machined out of high-grade steel. It also features a double square bridge for mounting a telescopic sight."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CZ_550

I have owned alot of ZKK series Brnos and like them. I always customize the factory stocks (reshape, rechecker, add ebony tip, steel grip cap, decelerator pad) and straighten and tig the bolt knobs. I like the "backwards" safeties, just like cocking a hammer gun. Trigger is not the best design but works, I always use the standard trigger not the set version.

If I had a CZ550, I would do likewise to the factory stock, straighten the bolt knob, grind the billboard lettering off the side of the receiver and replace the trigger and saftey with a M70 type. Lots of shooters seem to have problems with split stocks on CZ550s but I have never heard of that happening on ZKKs and they do not have cross bolts.

Either with a few modifications makes a fine relatively low cost hunting rifle. I think AHR does a great job of the mods I mentioned.

I had everything done but the ebony tip and steel grip cap by Ed and Wayne at AHR on my 500 Jeffery. Love the trigger and safety. I'm still thinking about the ebony and grip cap lol ..

We have several old brnos a nd new czs in our hunting operation ,some have thousands of shots trough them ,because we have some rifle training programs in our business ,The rifles are rented permanently to the clients and WE NEVER NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEM .Of course we dont care of the finish we need working rifles only .

I hunt with mine too Juanpozzi, but only 20 days a year or so. I'm sure I don't use it as hard as your loaners get used.