From time to time when using the set trigger on my CZ 550 .458, I get no primer strike.

I have checked the primers after this occurs and there is absolutely no mark. Is this merely a need for adjustment or is this serious?

Thought I'd ask before I started adjusting anything, I am too close to a hunt to screw something up.

I have not had a problem using the standard pull, which is likely all I will use on the hunt, but I wanted to be sure this isn't the beginning of more problems.

Send it back to CZ and let them worry with it. I'm sure they'll repair/replace a faulty trigger for you.

Your rifle might need a work over, but then it can be as simple as the set trigger adjusted too light and not tripping the sear. Try adjusting it a little heavier and check.

Have you checked it for a broken firing pin?

I would have answered earlier but I was at a conference....

I took the action out of the stock, put it in a padded vice and commenced to experiment.

Tried the trigger light, tried it stiff. Sometimes it would come off set and sometimes it wouldn’t.
I am embarrassed to admit that the problem was determined to be the fault of the shooter.

Apparently if you put too much finger on the set trigger you run the risk of "capturing" the trigger as it releases which results in the trigger coming off set without tripping the sear. This scenario was repeated many times and was the problem.

If I made sure to engage the trigger with only the tip of my finger it functioned as intended.

I took the opportunity to give the action a good cleaning and look over, checked the bedding job I performed a year ago (no cracks) and checked the firing pin assembly. All looked well……………….looking forward to my hunt.

The striker falls, but the pin doesn't hit the primer?? Yes, that is serious on a .458!

If the striker is not falling, then the trigger is malfunctioning - use it unset!

I had a primer strike problem with my CZ 550, but it was a different sort of failure. We got into this issue on several threads, but a search for the term "C-clip" will get most of them. This is the thread where I brought it up:
ttp://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/57610505/r/57610505#57610505

Is your 458 a Winchester Magnum or a Lott? I ask because I think they fixed this problem before the Lotts came out. Let us know.


Okie John

I guess I need to state it better....

In the field I was more concerned with safety and the fact that I had (I thought) a hang fire on a LOTT. This caused concentration on keeping the weapon pointed in a safe direction, the avoidance of ignition at an unexpected moment and the fear of ignition as the bolt was opened......being thus distracted I failed to note if the sear, spring or whatever is the correct term had actually tripped.

Once in the vice and unloaded I found that when I "Captured" the trigger the set trigger was diactivated....the gun would still fire with the standard trigger if I continued the motion...... but the "set trigger" was no longer a part of the equation.

In the feild when I was squeezing off the round I would hear the "Click" of the set coming off and assumed that the firing pin had been released but had not struck the primer. This was due to the fact I was wearing earplugs and the "Click" was not recognized as being light.......in the vice the sound was obvious......also, having a Lott in your hands that may or may not go off at any second tends to distract me....

I had a similar problem. Talked to the tech at the company. They sent me a new firing pin spring. Problem solved. Very good customer service.