Not many times do we get to praise a "Factory, Out of the Box" rifle for it's fit, feel, action, and accuracy but I have to give a couple of thumbs up to a CZ 550 American in 6.5x55 that I purchased last week. As with a good women, a first impression is a lasting one and when I first held/shouldered this rifle it just felt right. To explain my meaning of that would take a good deal of key strokes but I'm sure most of you nod to what I'm trying to convey. For a rifle that didn't bust the bank in any shape form or fashion, this is a gun(that in my mind) that plays ball with some of the significantly higher priced guns on the market. Checkering was sharp and crisp; nothing fancy, but well defined... The wood mated to the metal receiver with only minute flaws that only a very keen eye would discover. The action was smooth and the feeding/extraction was clean from magazine to chamber to case control. Bluing was sleek without any runs or void, yet I was hoping for a deeper bluing than what it looks to be. CZ still plays second fiddle to the 'ole Win. Model 70 with regards to deep, luster bluing. The saftey was easy to utilize and very quiet for hunting applications. Best note of all was this rifles trigger, may have been a pure stroke of luck but nonetheless it is a keeper from the factory. With it's standard profile, creep is non-existent and it breaks clean and crisp at just over 4 lbs... Push the trigger forward for a set trigger and it breaks just shy of 13 ounces. I topped the rifle off with a set of Talley rings and a Leupold FX-III 6x42mm utilizing their Heavy Duplex. Being that this gun will be used in the Southeastern US in wooded terrain, I felt this would be a good choice. At the range I fired several "3" shot groups utilizing Norma 156 grain Oryx ammunition. After the 6th group, I took time to mic out the groups and calculate an average. At 100 yards, with a extremely light crosswind (less than 2 mph) it averaged 1.014" for which I am extremely pleased with it's accuracy being that I'm not completey comfortable with the larger than normal crosshairs and/or the rifle just yet. For a whitetail deer hunting rifle, I feel it will be a welcome friend to me this fall.

Dawn2Dusk: welcome to the large and growing list of more than satisfied CZ customers. I am certain that any one of us could take any rifle and find merit, or bad qualities, however, with CZ 527s and CZ 550s, the bad qualities seem to be very, very few. Anyway, welcome and I'm certain as time goes on you will appreciate your CZ 550 American even more. Tom Purdom

I have gone through several stages as a gun owner (get as many as I can/worry about quality second to try and obtain decent but keep getting numbers of gun to sale the lesser quality guns and buy good equipment). I'm glad I was turned on to CZ and that I purchased this gun. It's going to be a killer in the woods of Alabama and Georgia this year. Hey, you can't go wrong with a over 100 year old round either...

Dawn2Dusk: I know about the older cartridges. My CZ 550 American is in 7x57mm. It has the euro-twist barrel of 1x8.66 inches and just loves the heavy for caliber bullets of 160 grains. With Hornady SSTs in 162 weight, 48.3 grains of H414 and the bullet seated way, way out to .010 off the lands, this puppy will put three slugs into a half inch at 100 yards off of sandbag rests and do it at a chronographed 2,800-plus feet per second. If you handload you'll find that your rifle has an exceedingly long throat. I think CZ does this will all its euro calibers. Good luck with your rifle, sounds like a keeper ... Tom Purdom

Dawn2Dusk,
I have exactly the same rifle with a S&B 6X42 sitting on top, and as you have found, and many others already know, they are a great. I also have a CZ527 in .222 and a ZKM452 lr both of which are excellent, and a couple of BRNO's, also great guns. If you handload try the Hornady 129 grain Interlock's, mine are over 45 grains of H4350, and watch your groups shrink. I use mine for woodland stalking for Sika and Roe, and the farthest any deer has moved after the shot has been about ten feet!
You should really enjoy your time with this gun.


This is mine with a ladyfriend>
John

yes the cz,s are sweet, both mine, a fullstock 7X57 and an american in .243 shoot real well.
I just got a second .243, a sako built brwoning and if it shoots as well as my cz, and it probly will , I may trade the american 550, or sell it and get another 550.
Not sure witch one but it will be one with a hinged floor plate not a clip.
I like about every cartridge out there,
but a 550 american in 6.5x55 30,06 .270 25,06 would all be great,
The 550 is a little big and heavy for a .243 thow, but on the other hand it would fit the dual purpose varmint to deer role perfectly.
...tj3006
PS I also have a CZ 75B 9mm, I cant see how a guy could go wrong with one pf those either, acurate no failures of any kind factory night sites , and a 425.00 price tag.

Hey - I think I saw that gun the other day. Now I want to shoot it.

quote:

Originally posted by Buzz:
Hey - I think I saw that gun the other day. Now I want to shoot it.

Hey Bud,
Yelp, just ordered the stuff to get you to show me the ropes of reloading...
Dies, Brass, and 140 gr. Partitions...

one thing you might try is take the rifle of course unloaded, close the bolt and set the trigger, next drop the butt of the stock frimly onto the carpet in your house, make sure the rifle will not go off with a set trigger that light, both my 527's have sets that go right at 12oz. which is plenty light for me, one of them failed the test I did above, so I adjusted the take up just a little, its the exposed screw right infront of the trigger. 3 oz is pretty freakin light

quote:

Originally posted by cummins cowboy: 3 oz is pretty freakin light

I think you may have misread my post... the set trigger breaks at 13 ounces...

Hey D2D,
Glad to hear you got a sweet one. The 6.5 X 55 is a cal that has always interested me. I figured you would like it, as well. If I remember correctly, you were real happy with the 260Rem.

I hope you get to use that CZ on old "mossy horns" this year. Don't let Buzz touch it, though. He'll corrupt it. Plus he shoots with the wrong eyeball .

quote:

Originally posted by Duckbill:
If I remember correctly, you were real happy with the 260Rem.

Oh, I've still got the .260 ready to go as well... Yet, the wife had nearly claimed that rifle as hers after she downed her fine 7 point with it...

I think CZ's are the best rifle for the money right now. I own a FS in 270 WIn and am just as pleased.

I bought my first CZ 2 years ago. A 550 American in 9.3x62. What a shooter! This thing will shoot a 286gr Partition into one hole. Every time I picked it up I couldn't get over the fit and feel. So, I bought another one. A 550FS in 6.5x55. Again, what a shooter. A couple of months ago I purchased my third CZ, a 527 American in 221 Fireball. Haven't had a chance to shoot it much yet, but it looks as though getting one holers with this one won't be a problem either.

My only problem is which CZ to purchase next.

I have a CZ american in .243, as well as a full stock in 7X57. Both are fine rifles. I also just got an old sako browning .243, and if I can get it to shoot as well as my CZ, I will either trade the CZ for another or, have a custom built on it.
maby a .260 or .358 win...tj3006

i have the same rifle and my son has the FS model in 6.5x55. they both shoot the same load very well...129 grn hornady and 45.5 grns of IMR4350. kills deer very dead

From the time I made this post to now I've gotten in a little more experience with this gun. Here's my 2nd best group ever from the CZ-550 in 6.5 swed...

This is using Norma 156 gr. Oryx factory loads and the same scope; Leupold FX-III 6x42mm with Heavy Duplex.

Here is my pet load out of my CZ 550 American .243:

Sierra 85 gr HPBT
35.5 gr. Varget
2.615 OAL
Winchester Brass

Below is a 3 shot group @ 125 yards:

D2D

I could NEVER get that kind of accuracy with my HD 6x42, it covered too much of the target, but you have to choose the right one I suppose, great accuracy with 156's, I bet other weights would do as well and then some.

quote:

Originally posted by cummins cowboy:
one thing you might try is take the rifle of course unloaded, close the bolt and set the trigger, next drop the butt of the stock frimly onto the carpet in your house, make sure the rifle will not go off with a set trigger that light, both my 527's have sets that go right at 12oz. which is plenty light for me, one of them failed the test I did above, so I adjusted the take up just a little, its the exposed screw right infront of the trigger. 3 oz is pretty freakin light

IMHO that's a pointless test. A set trigger is only used a couple when the crosshairs are on the deer and should be taken off the moment the shot isn't taken. It should never ever be used a second longer than required.

My CZ-500 in 6.5x55mm speaks!!! Now I'm EXTREMELY pleased with the results!!!

Date: Nov. 1st, 2006
State: Georgia
County: Burke
Rifle: CZ-550
Caliber: 6x5.55mm Swedish
Ammo: 156 grain Norma Oryx
Scope: Leupold FX-III 6x42mm Heavy Duplex
Range to deer: 120 yards

The proof is in the pudding ! I used a 6.5x55 for many years on deer and it never failed to perform well. Factory loads here sadly make it a handloading cartridge today. Congradulations !!

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
The proof is in the pudding ! Congradulations !!

Thanks! I know he's not big by many folks standards and/or locations around the US but for where I hunt he's a fine'un!

D2D,

A fantastic buck for GA! Congratulations. I know you are pleased. Thanks for sharing. Hugh

Way to go, Andy. That's a fine buck. That 6.5 X 55 is such a neat cartridge.

What advantage does the 6.5x55 have over say a 7 mm-08?

loooooong bullets with good SD and so forth...

Usualy a 6,5x55 is done on a long/bigger system wich in turns enables you to utilise the full lenght of the case, in modern weapons the 6,5 can be loaded to it´s full potential.

The old Mauser 96 rifles are proofed for 28 000 units as to where modern pressures are what 40-45 000 units hence the anemic factory loads in the US.

However the 6,5 produces wery litle recoil and will enable a shooter to shot better.

When compared with the 7-08 the difference lies in the 160-170 grains bullets and their SD/SA and Bal cof.

The 6,5 usualy does a little better.

In short it´s comes down to the choice of a short or long system and your preference in that choice.

Best regards Chris

Thanks for the reply.

No Sweat DaD, if you whant further info regarding this Swedish round give me a PM and i will answer.

Best regards Chris.