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I just received this action from master-metalsmith Tom Burgess (Systeme98). I recently acquired it from Mingbogo who started the work with Mr. Burgess who made the safety and trigger, built up the bolt release button and filled the old safety slot on the tang. Mr. Burgess further modified it for me by building a new bolt handle and removing the "billboard" stampings on the right side of the receiver. There were alot of innovative ideas and nuances to this job that are not readily apparent to the eye and it is by far the finest CZ550 I have ever seen. I will use Jeffe's barrel and a nice English semi-inlet I got off ebay to complete the job.     NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | ||
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Isn't that bolt about a 100 times better than before? I love the handle he put on mine. I wondered when I first saw those photos, why someone would replace the safety, etc, but not that gawdawful handle? Different strokes I suppose. What cal will it be? Mine's a .416.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Z1R, Tom told be about the work he did on yours and I decided to add those touches to mine. Yes, it will be a 416. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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FLA3006, That's Tom's excellent trigger too isn't it? I love mine, it is so mich better than the stock trigger. I'll need to get the new safety & shroud, I just love the looks and it's more Mauser like, lol. You will have a very nice rifle when done. Keep us posted. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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fla3006 could you possible post a close up of the underside of the bolt handle showing the root? I would like very much to see how Mr. Burgess deals with that area.  Doug Humbarger NRA Life member Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73. Yankee Station Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo. | |||
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That is beautiful. I don't see a thing I'd change. Isn't it amazing how it only takes a little chump change to fix up an action?  For the life of me I don't understand CZ's use of that ugly runt of a bolt handle on their actions. Be sure to send them pics of this action. CZ could get close to this (looks alone) at the factory for an incremental $100 in cost and sell their rifles for an extra $150. ______________________________ "Truth is the daughter of time." Francis Bacon | |||
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Doug, hope this helps:  Forrest, I never understand why some gunmakers do what they do. It would cost very little if anything incrementally to do things right regarding styling and aesthetics. I won't bother to send these pics to CZ. I've already talked to CZ as well as Zbrojovka Brno about just these topics but they don't seem to care or understand as long as they sell a few guns, stuck in the old ways I think. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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Thanks fla3006 thats perfect. That is a difficult area to do right & Mr Burgess certainly has it mastered.  Doug Humbarger NRA Life member Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73. Yankee Station Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo. | |||
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That's nice! I can't wait to see the finished rifle. Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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That is one fantastic looking cz550! It's amazing what Mr. Burgess can do to an action...the difference is night and day. I also don't understand the thought process that some of these manufactures seem to employ. The standard cz bolt handle is unforgivable ...it looks to be designed to repulse! And why they don't dump the bolt shroud and utilize a 3 pos safety is beyond me as well. It would make all the sense in the world(to me anyway) for a company like cz(or any other large firearms manufacture) to find a known expert like Mr Burgess who has taken the time to analyze & modify the action as displayed and then hire them on in some sort of consulting basis to help produce a better end product. I would guess money, ego and decisions made by committee prevent companies from making positive steps foward like that.  fla3006 - I am more than a little envious as I was next in line to purchase this action from Mingbogo if you didn't. I wish I had my greedy hands on that beauty right now!  Please keep us updated as this project moves along...!!! Best Regards, Dave | |||
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fla3006- Beautiful, simply beautiful. Had the stars been aligned, I would have and wanted to jump all over that action. Please, please, keep us in the loop as it progresses. Thanks for sharing. May the wind be in your face and the sun at your back. P. Mark Stark | |||
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Fla3006, I have an action that I am also looking to have some work done. If you don't mind me asking, what was your total project cost including the work that was started before you?? Thanks. | |||
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I posted some pics on here before of the fixture that Thos. Burgess uses on the bolt handle weld on. The handles are tig welded on for maximum strength and then he mills the root area to perfection. I told CZ rep at a show while looking at the new african rifles that they needed to get rid of that handle and asked why they felt the need to put a cheap hollow ended deal on there. he said something about it was supposed to help grip better, yeah, maybe while throwing the cutoff handle in the trash!!! Great looking action. I actually saw that thing listed I think before anybody else jumped on it and just couldn't because of funding, but I did wonder for a few minutes how fast I could sell off a body part or two for the cash! Red | |||
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Forrest, I want to see that action, that is real nice. did he do the tigger to, if so give me the scoop, CZ triggers are kicking my butt in getting the slop out Billy, High in the shoulder (we band of bubbas) | |||
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Beautiful work, but beautiful work is the norm for Mr. Burgess. "There are only three kinds of people; those who can count, and those who can't." | |||
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Some people find nothing wrong with the appearance a CZ action as it comes. I am one of them. Mine did come with a three position safety too. | |||
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To a point I could care less about the appearance, it is the function I care about. I like nice looking parts and whenever I put something together I try to make it as visually appealing as possible but never at the cost of function. That factory bolt handle was both ugly and uncomfortable as well as poorly designed. Now it is easier to use, won't bite your hand, and looks fantastic. It is a win win situation all the way around. Most folks I think won't replace something simply for improved looks. But they will to improve the function. In the process, most will pick a good looking replacement over an ugly one. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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z1r said...
That's pretty much what I was trying to say. I also feel that considering the fact that cz has to manufacture bolt handles, shrouds and the like anyway....why not try to do a better job of it both as to function and aesthetics? Especially that bolt handle! cz550s are fine rifles...I have 2 of them but, I believe they are much better rifles when the modifications displayed above are made to them. Regards, Dave | |||
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Nice work to say the least. Ed Plummer's redesign work on the CZ 550 is in the same vein. I love that straightened bolt handle and filled in bolt knob, together with the 3 position Mod. 70 style safety and simplified and repositioned trigger. If CZ would only integrate them into the 550, those features alone would elevate that rifle to a higher plane. Of course, proper bedding and double cross bolts would help just a bit too. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Forrest, most excellent!! I want to see that too!! can't wait to see it done jeffe opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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All- After oogling the pictures of Fla3006's action for the umpteenth time, I have a couple of questions: #1. Is that a bolt handle of Mr. Burgess' own design (and most likely it is) or a Talley? Just curious. #2. Is Mr. Burgess still doing work on CZ550's; I thought I saw a post that indicated that he no longer did CZ's? Thanks in advance. May the wind be in your face and the sun at your back. P. Mark Stark | |||
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The bolt is Mr. Burgess own design. It is very much like the original magnum mauser handle. Last I heard he was still working on CZ's but hopefully not until he finishes my mauser, lol. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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fla3006, Could you elaborate on this statement from your inital post?
I would love to hear the specifics about Mr Burgess's 'innovative ideas' & 'nuances' regarding fine tuning cz actions...! Much Thanks, Dave | |||
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I had the oportunity to hold that action last week, the pics do not do it justice, its slick as a gut. The trigger its self is fine as frog hair. I offered Forrest a hot sixpack of beer and some fritos for that action, but he turned me down........seemed like a good deal to me Billy, High in the shoulder (we band of bubbas) | |||
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Forrest, That is typical perfect Burgess work. No one does bolts like he does, they are perfect in function and look more like functional art. As someone said, they do come with a 3 position safety. They failed to state that it is backwards. CZ might state that everyone elses idea is backwards, but then, they would be flat out wrong. | |||
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Billy . A hot 6 pack of beer and some fritos? Thats a good one, Sounds like a Texas Gourmet! And a fine trade. | |||
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GSP7, If Jeffe hadnt opened the bag of fritos, I think I could have cinched the deal, but I didnt. So I just threw my CZ in the trash and set it on fire...........just wish I would have taken the bullets out of it Billy, High in the shoulder (we band of bubbas) | |||
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Tom Burgess is and has been in a class by himself for years, they just don't come any better...He is a walking, talking, breathing art form with metal.... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Ain't that the truth. There is no detail too small that he can't improve upon it. He seems to see things that most everyone else never knew was there. Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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