Anyone have one of these? I am teetering on the brink of a purchase. Any comments?

I've been lusting after one of the Full Stock CZs in either 6.5x55 or 7x57 and am -><- this far from ordering one. I just can't make up my mind on the caliber.

I have two other CZs, an American in 9.3x62 and a custom .416 Rigby by Jack Belk. They're great rifles and terrific values. I'm buying all I can before they start cutting corners and getting sloppy.

Best,
Joe

Although the 7 x 57 is ONE of my favorite rounds...... my vote is 6.5 x55. There is one in my future to be sure.

Go with the 6.5x55. Its such a damn nice cartridge.

Both are great but I would go the other way and go 7x57. The barrel length is short and better suited to the mid range powders that the 7x57 thrives on.

I would love one as well and it has been suggested to me that the 6.5x55 needs a little bit more barrel length. Probably the best performer in that rifle would be the 9.3x62 and I kind of wish I had gotton one of those rather than the Lux model.

I'm aware of the barrel length issue with the 6.5 but for 100 - 200 yards with 140gr bullets on white tails or on impala size game it should do ok. How about heating up this issue. I'm no expert so I need you all to pile on here.

Eric98,

My personal firearm is the CZ550 American in the 6.5x55 Swede. Quality workmanship, fine cartridge and, IMHO, probably the best quality for the money on the market today. Although I prefer the 6.5x55, the 7MM is certainly no slouch and after 100years its still doing what needs to be done. You could make a lot of worse choices but darn few better.

Ol' John

7X57, due to the better factory ammo availability if you don't reload, and the better selection of bullets if you do.

A CZ 550 FS in 7X57 is my next hunting rifle purchase. The only thing keeping me from it is the need to get both an M1903 and an M1 from the CMP before they all go *poof*.

My little brother and his friend both own CZ 550 Full Stocks and both are in 7x57mm Mauser. With the euro-twist in these metric cartridges that CZ favors, the rifle is suited for the heavier bullets. My brother's likes 160 grain Nosler Partitions in front of 48.3 grains of H414 seated to .01 inch from the lands. That combo nets him one-inch five shot groups with a slug traveling 2,765 fps (average chronographed)and that ain't too shabby in my books. Both my bro and his bud got their full stocks after seeing my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm Mauser perform. Tough choice, but good luck in making one! Tom Purdom

Eric 98,

do you like the 9.3x62 round at all ??

I feel on some levels your right the velocity issue won't be a problem at those ranges. But maybe the 7x57 (I know little about this round) may be better from the short barrel and give you a little more flexability.

I want a 6.5 cz as well but I will most likely get the Lux model so as to have a matched pair with my 9.3x62 lux

PC yes I love the 9.3x62. See my hunt report on Hunt Reports Africa on this forum under LaRochelle Namibia. I love my CZ 550 Lux. I just think those full stocks are a thing of beauty and so early 20th century. I still want a 6.5 but, I don't know, you 7x57 guys are pulling me a little here.

I'm extrapolating but my own experience with short barrels and cartridges that like 4350/4831 range powders to perform is that the muzzle blast and fireball are pretty ghastly (18" 243). Thusly allthough I have no experience of it in short barrels, I would think the 7x57 with it's liking for 4895 type powders will be more pleasant to shoot.

In my 24" barrels I find it easy to get 2,800fps with 139gr and VVN150 (ie IMR4064 speed)in my 7x57 and impossible to get over 2,700fps with 140gr with VVN560 (ie RL22 speed) in my 6.5x55. Seeing as the 6.5x55 powders aren't 100% burnt in 24" and the 7x57 are burnt in 16" I think 7x57 really is the logical best choice. I know the bullets don't look so long but they sure as hell work as well.

1894,

Out of the following calibres and using your powder burnt method, which is most suited to CZ's 20.5" barrel Full Stock Model. Could you rank the following calibres please.

9.3x62
7x57
30/06

(we already know about the 6.5x55)

eric, a project I would love to do one day is to purchase a cz Full stock and rebarrel to 10.75x68 mauser. It will fit in a 30/06 action and would be suited to a short barrel I think and with Hornber brass and woodleigh bullets you would have a powerful handy rifle.

To tell the truth I wish I never posted what I did. Extrapolation and theorising can be way off the mark. I'm sure all of your choices can work well for the CZ FS and I really wouldn't think of moving from a 6.5x55 to a 9.3x62 because it theoreticaly works better. Somewhere along the way the central reason of what you want gets lost and I'm sorry if I caused that.

If you want a 6.5x55 then I would go for that. If you think about it the little FS Mannlicher 6.5 had a shorter barrel (17"?) and was very highly thought of.

My own choice would be 7x57 sorry I allowed that to cloud the issue.

Either will be brilliant. Personaly I would not want to shoot a short barrelled 30-06 or 9.3x62.

Personally I would not like a 30-06 in a 20" barreled rifle. I think you would be handicapping the cartridge's excellent ballistics. Remember, the US Cartridge, Ball, .30 Caliber, Model 1906 was designed around the US Rifle, Model 1903's 24 inch barrel.

A 22" barrel is the shortest I would use for the 30-06.

1894 - That was my reasoning behind the 6.5x55. All the positive history behind the little Manlicher-Schoenauers. Since such a rifle is out of my price range, I thought about the CZ. This has been interesting seeing where all this has gone. 7x57.....my next CZ FS after the 6.5x55 ?

1894,

don't be sorry !! I love to think about all this stuff for me it breaks up my usually mundane life So 1894 you feel the muzzle blast from the 9.3 and 30/06 in this particular rifle may be a little objectional ??

Eric98, so the orginal FS 6.5 rifles only had a 17" or so length barrel ??

THe 7x57 must be a good performer in carbine length barrels, is it not the caliber that bloke Bell used to whop a heap of elephants ??

Hello Eric,

Somehow we went adrift didn't we? As to the caliber: the 6.5x55 stands me in good stead for moose in Canada with a good 160gr. hunting bullet. You can feed it everything from 85gr. up to 160. That's quite an impressive bullet range for any caliber. A moose is no harder to kill than a deer. As to the rifle, actually I have 4 in 6.5x55. I restore them as winter projects to help get through our long, cold winters. My first 3 were Swedish M96 Mausers. I was so impressed with them that when Remington chambered the Classic rifle in 6.5x55 some years ago I couldn't resist and purchased one. The rifle is definitely user friemdly in terms of recoil and very accurate. Now, as to the rifle end of it. I'm a Remington fan, but not a fanatic. The Czech firm, CZ, makes nice rifles in this calibre as does the Finnish company, Tikka. Both are reasonably priced and I feel they are the equal of Remington in value. Most rifles in this caliber
are 7 to 8 lbs, and feature either 22 or 24" barrels. You've got a good caliber in your sights and have several excellent rifles from which to select. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Thank you for the insight, Cal. And your comments on the performance of the 6.5x55 in a 20.5" barrel would be........(sorry, don't know the twist of the CZ 550 FS. )

Eric,

European 6.5s carry the 1 in 8 twist nowadays.
Older stuff carried a 1 in 7.5. Mainly the older Military Mausers.

Winchester did a 1 in 9 twist in the old 264 Mag, and many US firms seem to still follow that lead.
ER Shaw rebarrels 6.5 mm with a 1 in 9. Works best with 129 grain and down bullets ( at least that is what multiple gunsmiths, I respect have told me)

The CZ is a beautiful rifle, especially with the Mannlicher stock. When I thin out a spot in the old gun cabinets, I will definitely get one. My other choice would be the 7 x 57 ( but the 6.5 x 55 first).

However a Tikka or Sako would also be hard to resist.

No one speaks of it in here, but Howa also chambers a nice rifle in 6.5 x 55, very accurate rifle. My only resistance would be that darn 1 in 9 twist though.

Good luck with it.

PS Cal S; have you ever rebarreled one of your 6.5s? I ended up with an 8 mm Turkish Mauser in beautiful shape, except it has head space problems. Fantastic trigger, wood and smooth bolt on it. Picked it up for $39.00! because of it needing headspace. I was thinking either using it for a 6mm Rem Varmint Project, and put the wood on another Mauser, or thru another site could get a brand new 6.5 x 55 military barrel for $69.00. would appreciate your experiences on this. Thanks.,...