Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles CZ 550 owners........likes and dislikes? Tunning?

For my next hunting rifle, I am thinking about a CZ 550 Hogsback .300 win or possibly with the American style stock. What is the general opinion about these rifles ?


What about tuning them and who is the best gunsmith for this type of work?

My 9.3X62 CZ 550 American is very accurate.
I love it, except it is a tad heavy, and the bolt throw is just a touch rough.
Both "faults" I will gladly accept considering the reliability and accuracy.

Can't speak as to the tuning aspect of the weapon.

I picked up a CZ 550 Safari Magnum in .300WM (hogsback stock) in '05 for my first Safari.

My impression..... too heavy, unbalanced, and akin to toting an unwieldy club. Diminished my enjoyment lugging that club through the brush day after day....

Sold it as soon as I returned. Having said that, it shoot very well. Previous owner had already tweaked the trigger and bedded.

For tunning and or customizing.... one would be hard pressed to find better than Ed Plummer of American Hunting Rifles. He specializes in building functional and reliable DGR's on the CZ 550 action.

I had a CZ 550 in .30-06 ... other than being a tad heavy, and that the bolt handle design is bad, the rifle itself was very sound.

The bolt handle design doesn't allow you to mount a scope as low as you'd like to on a hunting rig ... but I've seen a couple of examples where people have had the handle modified to make it 'right' ...

as far as tuning goes, the trigger is easy to tune yourself... some don't like the set trigger feature, and some don't like how thin/narrow the trigger shoe is ... both of those are personal, and can be dealt with ... for instance, the trigger can easily be tuned to practically eliminate the set trigger. The shoe, on the other hand, would require more work...

My CZ was fully free-floated when I got it, but still, I opened up the bbl channel a tad for more clearance, and had it bedded at the recoil lug and tang ... worked up a couple of loads, and got one shooting 168g Interbonds between 1/2" and 3/4" at 100 yards ...

Generally, these rifles don't require much tuning ... simple bedding and a trigger tweak will do it ... Then again, most good factory rifles these days only require that (if anything), and possibly a re-crown ...

I have three...

CZ 550 American 308
CZ 550 FS 6.5x55 SWEDE
CZ 550 FS 7x57 Mauser

I lov'em all!

BUT...

I will re-shape & re-finish each one...

To lighten up the bulky stock and to bring out the natural wood color beneath the ugly factory finish.

Then, have the safety re-worked because it makes somewhat of a loud "click" when engaging and dis-engaging IMO...

All, rifles are very accurate and "actions" were smoothed with some lapping-compound on the raceways.

I would buy another one in a heartbeat!!!

Hope this helps some...

one more thing ... if you plan on using a scope on the rifle, DO NOT get the hogsback stock ... get the American style ... the comb is WAY too low for a scope if you use the hogsback ... and due to the issue with the bolt handle that I already spoke of, you might even consider a padded stock pack to raise your cheekweld ...

+1

Have a 550FS in 9.3x62. Fits me well. Heavy, but balanced in the 20.6" barreled, FS version.

Shoots great.

Can't say as to the other versions; haven't had them or shot them.

I've had one in .270 Win for about 4 years and I wouldn't trade it. It isn't perfect, as with the bolt throw already mentioned, I have a 3x9x40mm on mine and have no problems. If they would make a Monte Carlo stock it would be better.

Very accurate and reliable. Shoots 130 gr Fusion and Nosler BTs in under an inch off the bench.

I hear folks comment on the weight but according to CZ it weighs in at 8 lbs. I hunt from a stand so that's not an issue for me.

What are thoughts about the full stocked Bavarian style stocks? Here in Houston, there is no way I could find a firearm with one, so how do they handle and shoot? Any concerns ?

I have the 550 American in .243. I can agree with others have said in that it is bulky and accurate and the bolt is odd. However, the trigger is a joy and it feeds and extracts perfect which I can't say for my latest Remington or Stevens 200. It is also made of all steel which I like with no pot metal for a trigger guard. The action is forged per CZ's gunsmith, Mike Eagleshield.

They are a bit of a throwback in that I don't find them heavy exactly, just not lightrewight like the trend has been. Consistently accurate, hell-for-stout safe rigs, good standard triggers, excellent recoil pads, include good rings (also hell for stout), a set trigger that is sure to kee pyou grinning at the range, and they have floorplates for emptying the magazine without having to cylce the rounds. Very soft shooting rifles available in good but limited caliber selections with the 6.5x55 being the most intriguing. They don't scrimp on strength anywhere typically use pretty dang good wood though usually hidden beneath a tough finish. Does that help?

I had a CZ 550 Safari American rebarreled to 416 Rem. It has a 24" #5.5 contour barrel and a "bedding bar" epoxied in the fore end to allow the barrel to free fload. With a Leu 1.75x6x32 it weighs 10.5 lbs. While that weight is great for a 416 Rem or 458 Lott (or larger), it is too heavy for a 375 H&H.

I hear the medium CZs are also heavy, and as much as I like the action the weight keeps me away from them for anything but the big DG chamberings on the Safari action.

Becuase of the that I tracked down an SS M-70 Classic in 375 H&H and put it in a McMillan stock. My 375 weighs 9.25 lbs with a Leu 2.5x8x36, which is the weight I like for a 375 H&H.

For typical belted mags (IE 338 Winny and under) I think an M-70, Rem 700, or the Kimber are better choices because of the lighter weights you can get. Now if you don't care about weight and care more about accuracy, then to me that puts you more in the realm of a heavier barreled 700.

I have been toting one of these in 416 Rigby around the planet for some time now. I had Ed LApour in Bremerton WA install a model 70 stle safety and a single stage trigger among other things. I consider the one of the better choices of firearms out there right now.

'Bout sums it up.... if you add the 9.3x62 into the intriguing category.

I have one that has been bedded, 550
American in 30-06, and it shoot great. Fit and finish is much better than anything else out there right now, CRF, double square bridge reciever, single set trigger, everything is steel on the gun floor plate ext, who else offers all that stuff? I like the weight, I like my guns a bit fat. Yes the bolt is not as smooth as I would like but CZ offers to smooth them at the factory for 65 bucks (I think) but that will take care of it self in time.

There very highly thought of in Africa, one of the better dangerous game guns you can get right now, and there priced right. You can call Mr Tally and get some quick detach rings and still use open sights, nice.

What is not to like? And there the biggest small arms mfg in the world.

As far as the hogsback stock I would say look at the American offerings, much better for scopes with any ammount of power. In Europe, low power stuff is the norm and we like our 4x12's and CZ has seen that and stocked guns just for us.

So get one Boxerdog, have it bedded and shoot the hell out of it.

Box..,

The Bavarian style stock actually seems to come to the shoulder faster for off hand shooting - the style is definately intended for hunting ,not bench shooting.

CZ makes a fine rifle at a good price. Have not felt it necessary to do anything with mine except scope and shoot.

I've got a CZ 550 American in .22-250

Gun is freaky accurate for out of the box performance and the set trigger is killer. As mentioned, I think the wood can be made to look a lot better than the factory finish. I've also compared the blueing on the CZ to my Savage and the CZ is much "deeper".

For the money, you'll be hard pressed to find more bang for the buck.

Boxerdog,

I'm in the process of having a company called American Hunting Rifles build my go to rifle as we speak.
They do a lot of work to the CZ 550, blueprint the action, rebarrel, fiberglass stock, glass bedd, sights, different trigger, a m70 type 3 position safety.
You might want to talk to Mr. Ed Plummer,he's the proprietor of the company. There is an article on the website from 1999 rifle or handloader magazine, you might want to read.
I can't comment on their work yet, but I'll post a review when it comes in.
With Regards,

These guys: American Hunting Rifles ?