Hello,

help me choose wood for my custom made CZ 550 Safari Magnum (.375 H&H)

which one you like better?




Full size photos:

http://hel2008.cz/guns/pic1f.jpg
http://hel2008.cz/guns/pic2f.jpg

Jiri

The second (bottom) one. John303.

Bottom blank. Good figure and appears to have proper layout.

So I will specify my question: Which one you like better and why? Is it only just a taste or also something like this: "this wood will be more tough" or so?

Jiri

already said - the bottom blank appears to have better flow through the wrist for better even transmission of recoil energy.

ditto: what jsi3170 said you need strenth in the grip area [streight grain] bottom wood

#2

I also like No. 2 better, particularly since I assume this will be a hard-kicking rifle. I would prefer that the grain in the fore-end turn upward rather than downward, but the stockmaker may be able to minimize this when laying it out.

Bottom - what others said - better grain flow in grip area.

I think the grain flow is better in the bottom. It would be my choice.

Bottom one is better for a big kicker, assuming the same level of stock maker ... I like the top one, though its sided

Thank you all . . .

I can still say "I don't like both, show me something different" . . .

If I will not choose any of that two blanks, what I have to specify exactly? (grain flow etc.)

Jiri

top blank

let us see the tops and bottom of each blank.

no one can make a decision on layout without first seeing the top and bottom.

aand what of the density of each blank?

Another vote for the bottom one. It is the prettier of the two IMHO.

Is this a DG rifle?
If you are betting your lifle on it, forget pretty. The ugly girl gets the dance!

Plain tight straight grain or synthetic.

Those are both pretty, I like the top one.

John

I agree with every one else the bottom one is nicer it just looks like the grain flows better
i myself would be happy with either one.

Forget the bottom one, the grain turns down too much in the forend.

Terry

Hello all,

here it is. Sorry for bad photo quality. Still with old scope, will replace with Zeiss Victory.











I like it very much. The wood is dense (understand heavy), recoil is very mild (kick less than friend's 7x64 ZKK) and it is pleasant to shoot. It is not only tuned for "beauty", but for performance. For example action is tuned (smooth bolt travel), chamber is hand polished etc.

Jiri

Looks very nice. Thanks for letting us see the finished project.

ramrod340

Thank you for helping me to choose the right wood :-)

Now with Zeiss Victory (3-12x56) illuminated and ballistic turret.




It definitively works with Talley medium QD rings, but the gap between objective and barrel is only about 1/10 of inch.

I think it's a very successful project.

I'm interested to learn of the exotic wood add-on under the grip cap. Was that requested after you shouldered it? So many facets of that rifle are different than what we are used to seeing on a classic American rifle but I like it as a whole. The grip cap - damascus?

Nomo4me:

About grip cap - for the first, I requested briar wood (the same as on pipes) for the forend and grip. I tried coarse machined stock without buttpad and grip. So gunmaker did any "measurements" and I left. But gunmaker mixed few orders together (some papers with notes) and made my stock with proper buttpad, but with ebony/damascus cap. He told me he did it and it was my decision to let it there or to remove (on his expense) and put there what I ordered. But I liked it and told him that I like it so here it is :-D After that I chose bear as scrimshaw and rifle was finished.

All that started as "I want simple CZ-550 for hunting in .375 H&H, but with better wood". After that, I added this and that and it ended this way ;-)

So the dark ring around the bear, ebony carved to match the damascus pattern?

quote:

Originally posted by Nomo4me:
So the dark ring around the bear, ebony carved to match the damascus pattern?

No, the ebony is just between stock and cap. The cap (the end) is made from damascus steel with inserted bear.


Sorry for my English, maybe I don't understand you exactly.

Jiri

That's a lovely CZ 550. Was that a Safari Classic 375 H&H from the custom shop, or was it your own project?

PD999:

Thanks. It is custom project. This is the story:

First "I had a dream" about simple CZ-550 in .375 H&H, but with better wood. So I realized that Safari Classic will be fine. I called to CZ shop, but they didn't know about "Safari Classic", later, I called to CZ custom service with no result. After all that, I contacted "technical director" of CZ and he recommended me one guy (master senior seller or so) from CZ. They told me that Safari Classic is made in USA from Czech system and American stock and it is big problem to buy in Czech Republic. And at this point it begun. This guy pointed me at Rene Ondra, master engraver of CZ and I told him about my dream. He had some good wood, at this time two and I posted that pictures of wood here. You guys here had helped me with choosing right one and I said: "I want a stock from this one". Later, Mr. Rene Ondra told me that a finish on CZ is not smooth at all for custom rifle so it is good idea to make it smoother (mirror polished). I said yes but he told that the whole gun must be reblued. So if it has to be reblued, add there some light engraving. Later, we spoke about initials in trigger guard etc. and some "safari style gold inlays" and the result is here. Yesterday, I bought Zeiss rifle scope (with ballistic turret - made to order in Germany) and tomorrow I will sight it in.

Neat Project with a great outcome. The lines of the stock are pleasing to my eye as well as the wood it's made of. DW

Congratulations! A beautiful rifle in any language!

Nice rifle and stock ... not so sure about the scope. Why did you choose such a big one for that calibre?

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Bottom one is better for a big kicker, assuming the same level of stock maker ... I like the top one, though its sided

Nice rifle

funnily enough, i reviewed as if it was new, and still had the same opinion as 2010

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:
Forget the bottom one, the grain turns down too much in the forend.

Terry

Wondered when someone was going to bring that up...

However...maybe you could layout the stock a lkttle higher in the butt to achieve a straighter fore end grain,

Or...move the "pattern" aound to get close and add an ebony tip?

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):

Wondered when someone was going to bring that up...

That was 13 and a half years ago!

I'm pretty picky and in all respect, I'd look elsewhere, before I chose...bottom has poor grain flow as do some others, and it may have a knot in the grip (maybe the photo). I just didn't see one that I'd use on a high dollar custom.

look at the grain in the butt end, not just the side of the butt and forend on one side, that will give you a better idea of the grain flow or angle of the flow..I bought and sold a lot of Turkish wood by the pallet in my day..

Any body can buy stock wood, few can buy it right or know wood, was my first lesson in wood many years ago by my mentors..there is more to wood than meets the eye I was told.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Nice rifle and stock ... not so sure about the scope. Why did you choose such a big one for that calibre?

It is general hunting rifle for me. Lets say for distances 0-350 m. That rifle/scope is great for it. For close range hunting (driven game), I just remove scope in Talley QD rings and use iron sights.

BTW rifle is still well shooting, no problems with stock or whatever.

Jiri