I'm having trouble with a CZ 550 Safari Magnum .416 rigby. It has a European style drop stock.I do not feel that I,m particularily recoil sensitive having shot alot of magnum rifles ,but this particular rifle has a nasty jump that is changing the contours of my forehead.I do not believe that reloads are the problem. I think the light weight of the rifle to be the main culprit.I've been told that adding weight by leading the stock will greatly help. Does any one have any sugestions? I'm trying to get this set up for a late season buf. hunt.

Randy, you are shooting the perfect cartridge for Cape Buff, but you have the wrong rifle. The light weight of your CZ is the main problem, plus its Euro-style stock really magnafies the perceived recoil. (Bet it's jumping straigt up out of your hands, isn't it.) The CZ is a fine rifle, but I think it is just too light for such a heavy round. You need at least another two pounds to calm it down. Rather than trying to add more weight to a light-frame gun (which may create unforeseen problems of its own), my suggestion is replace it with one that was designed (heavy enough) to handle that much recoil. I'd still stick with the .416 Rigby, because in a heavy enough rife, with everything else being equal, it actually has less perceived recoil than most of the other options with that much hitting power. Good luck sorting out the problem.

Randy
It could be your shooting technique.
Elmer Keith is one of the few who have stated so in print, but you hold a hard kicking rifle different than you do a rifle of lesser recoil.
Pull the rifle into your shoulder firmly with you strong hand [the one pulling the trigger], your other hand should FIRMLY grip the forearm, and the elbow should be well under the rifle. Place more weight on your foward foot.
When you fire the rifle your head shoulder and arms should recoil with the rifle. If the rest of your body is relaxed this will occur, and the scope will not hit you in the head and/or your thumb will not bust you in the nose. Do not allow your shoulder to collapse, this is one way the scope can hit you in the head.
When shooting from any type of supported position the forearm must still be gripped FIRMLY.
These ain't varmint rifles.
You would not hold a Tiger by the tail loosely.
I hope my explanation is clear.

If you really can't live with the stock, AHR, McMillan, and Jim Brockman have replacements available.

www.hunting-rifles.com
www.mcmfamily.com
www.brockmansrifles.com

I'd try different techniques first. Get it tight in your shoulder and lean into it a little. Don't let it get a running start on you. Mine is surprisingly comfortable with the factory stock.

Best,
Joe

I believe that Waterbuck has an important point. My CZ in .416 was brutal (I think that comes from Latin and means "causes bruises") until I mounted a steel K1.5 on it with the heavy CZ mounts. The total weight was then about 10.5 pounds, and the recoil was manageable.

As the center of the butt gets further below the line of the bore the rifle HAS to pivot upwards on recoil. It's only physics. That's why a "straight" stock is more comfortable to shoot. It takes a lot of the pivoting motion out of the recoil and that keeps the scope lens away from your tender eye brows.

Check out the stocks Jim Brockman is having turned on a CNC carver. Amazing!! I think once plotters and CNC machines become more plentiful you'll see a big move away from pantograghs and towards CNC carvers for commercial stocks.

As the center of the butt gets further below the line of the bore the rifle HAS to pivot upwards on recoil.

True. However it is also true that direct rearward velocity is reduced.

For me the stock with a big distance between centre of butt and axis of bore is the best for recoil.

There is a fiberglass stock maker in Australia who makes expensive stocks and he recommends the Wby stock dimensions for big bangers and one he does is of course the CZ in 416 Rigby.

I think straight stock vs wby stock is an individual thing as to which produces the least felt recoil.

Mike

Randy

Is your stock the hogsback or the straight version?

If it is the straight version, your head will have to be raised very high to see trough the scope, actually resting on the stock with your chin instead of your cheak.
So when you pull the trigger the rifle is coming back and up - up due to the very low resting point on your shoulder from the very low drop of the standard stock - this causes the muzzle to climp quite a lot - in the meantime your head has lost contact and support of the stock and is moving down and forewards - and BANG you get knocked by the scope.....

Had to laminate almost 1" of wood to my standard stock to get propper alignement - didn't stop the rifle from jumping at me, but banging has stopped.

Ordered a 3-piece laminated from AHR - should be here every day soon.

Get yourself a new straight stock from McMillan or AHR.

Franz

I second what has been said and I also have one of the stocks MIke 375 talks about in his post on my own cz .416 and it is the weatherby style. It worked that well on my cz .416 I also had one made form my .585 Nyati. For me the Weatherby Style works. Do not give up on your CZ as there an awsome rifle in my opinion just change the stock or maybe add a Mercury Recoil reducer in the stock, evemn if your not a believer in the mercury systym the added weight will tame it. Also keep your loads to 410 gr woodleigh at 2400 fps. There is a big difference between 400 gr @ 2400 fps and 400 @ 2600-2700 fps when approaching .416 Weatherby ballistics.