CZ 550 Review

You got one heck of a nice gun!
 
the CZ 550 in 375 H&H is probably the perfect intro rifle into large bore African hunting cartridges! it was my first and wasn't replaced until I picked up a Winchester M70 in 416 RM.

just remember the big bore addiction starts with the 375 H&H! once its got you hooked your more then welcome to join us in the big bore addiction group.

-matt
 
When ordered through my local shop it was ordered as a American Safari. I saw pictures of some with cross bolts and some without. When it showed up it was that rifle. I am very happy with the rifle it's far nicer then excepted. The wood I think is very nice. Fit and finish is exceptional. Only machine marks are back by the safety. None in the moving components.

I just want to make sure you know where this is all headed....

Most of us thought we could put our .375 H&H down whenever we wanted to. Most thought that it was OK to have "just one." Most thought that one .375 was all we would ever need.

Most of us were wrong. You have been warned.

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/big-bore-addiction-group.16761/
 
the CZ 550 in 375 H&H is probably the perfect intro rifle into large bore African hunting cartridges! it was my first and wasn't replaced until I picked up a Winchester M70 in 416 RM.

just remember the big bore addiction starts with the 375 H&H! once its got you hooked your more then welcome to join us in the big bore addiction group.

-matt

LOL! Didn't see Matt's post.

Matt is a great addict though - he doesn't try and get you to save yourself, but rather to immediately try and drag you down with him. Ask me and my .458 Lott how I know this. ;)
 
Yea @matt85 dragged me down too. I was completely satisfied with my 375 :W A Rifle: and absolutely "just knew" that I could hunt anything in Africa with it:P Elmer Fudd:.... Enter Matt :S Wanted: Then Royal chimes in because he was over on the dark side already :P Devil:

And before I know what happened I'm hunting with a 416 and hunting for a 505 :A Hi Five:


So now your a new :A Target:for these guys:A Me You:

So have a look into your future :A Surrender:and then before you know it your one those guys :W Rockets:
 
Matt is a great addict though - he doesn't try and get you to save yourself, but rather to immediately try and drag you down with him. Ask me and my .458 Lott how I know this. ;)

lies, all lies! dont listen to these guys slander my innocent reputation. ;)

Gunnie now that you have a 375 H&H, lets talk about the 416 Rem Mag :cool:. the CZ 550 or better yet the Winchester M70 are both available in this fine cartridge and ammunition is priced reasonably. the step up in recoil is noticeable but still very controlable and you will learn to love it as i have. while its true the 375 H&H is legal for all DG, it is the legal minimum and its performance falls short of most other DG cartridges when it comes to bringing down large and dangerous animals such as cape buffalo. the 416 on the other hand will give you both a greater frontal surface area and better penetration on heavy boned animals on those difficult shots.

-matt
 
Yea see! He gets you onto a 416... then it goes from there..... you know his real plan is to eventually be able to shoulder fire frozen herring propelled by gun powder. His newest project is getting him close... I think he is freezing several varieties of minnows now to experiment with on his latest craze, a 585 HE.
 
If I could now would buy a rifle in .50 caliber, but in Spain both the 500 Jeffery and the 505 Gibbs are banned in Spain for being incomprehensibly rounds of war by our government.

Óscar
 
both the 500 Jeffery and the 505 Gibbs are banned in Spain for being incomprehensibly rounds of war by our government

:confused::confused::confused::confused::A Blowup:

I would love to hear what military force has EVER used the 500 Jeffery or the 505 Gibbs!? even assuming the argument that that 500 Jeffery has the same bullet diameter as the 50 BMG, the 505 Gibbs shares nothing in common with any military cartridge throughout history!

however this is really a topic for another thread. :S Hijack:

-matt
 
Under Spanish law justify the consideration of these two cartridges as military qye both have a diameter of 12.7 mm and corrugated sheath, however the NE 500 if allowed. Crazy.
 
I have to say thank you to all. And to everyone warning about the addiction. Don't worry I've already been thinking about jumping up. Thought maybe going to 458 Win mag. Just because of the classic caliber. Plus I won't have to buy yet another type of brass lol. I'd really like a double but haven't commited to saving for one yet. Trying to stick with bolt guns.
 
if your considering the 458 WM, you should take a hard look at the 458 Lott. the 458 WM uses a shortened version of the 375 H&H brass while the 458 Lott is really just a necked up straitened out 375 H&H case. the 458 Lott also works better with bullets like the 500gr Barnes TSX or the 470/500gr CEB which are both longer bullets and require more case capacity. you can load the 458 Lott to 2150fps or stretch its legs a little and load it out to 2300 fps. another benefit of the 458 Lott is in a pinch you can fire 458 WM from a gun chambered in 458 Lott.

-matt
 
Gunnie,

Congrats on a good purchase- looks excellent.

I started with a CZ550 in .375 H&H.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 win mag.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 Lott.

Guess I must be due for my next one...

Ado
 
Gunnie,

Congrats on a good purchase- looks excellent.

I started with a CZ550 in .375 H&H.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 win mag.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 Lott.

Now I'm looking at a CZ550 in 505 Gibbs.

Ado

you made a mistake in your post so I fixed it for you. (y)

-matt
 
Hi
Gunnie,

Congrats on a good purchase- looks excellent.

I started with a CZ550 in .375 H&H.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 win mag.

Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 Lott.

Guess I must be due for my next one...

Ado

Hi Ado,

I too have several CZ 550's and think they are the best buy for today's new in the box hunting rifle.

However, be warned that even though the several main-stream/plain Jane Model 550's I have in assorted calibers, all worked perfectly right from the get-go, the one and only 550 I ordered from CZ's so called "Custom Shop", in .500 Jeffery, brand new in the box, for WELL OVER THREE THOUDAND US DOLLARS, would not feed live Kynoch factory ammunition, not even a little bit.

I called CZ's so called "Custom Shop" and spoke with their so called "Gunsmith" who proceeded to tell me that Kynoch ammunition was probably out of spec and likely so were my A-Zoom brand snap caps/dummy rounds (I'm probably the dummy for not simply demanding my money back) that also would not work in this beauty.
I told this character that my friend Cal Pappas (www.calpappas.com) has no less than an original August Schuler, Pre-War Mauser, marked ".500 Schuler" and it worked butter smooth with both my Kynoch ammunition as well as my A-Zoom snap caps.
I added that since August Schuler was the inventor of this cartridge, I was leaning toward the CZ being out of spec.

With that the man asked me to send him the rifle, my live ammunition and my snap caps so that he could have a look at them.
Since he was at least part of the crew that sent this jacked up rifle to me, obviously with no function test before letting it out the door, I declined.
Seems to me that if those goobers are that shruggy shruggy about function testing a dangerous game rifle, I did not want them screwing around with it any more.
This is not to mention what a Hazardous Material Shipping Permit costs to send live ammunition from Alaska, through Canada, just to get it to Scamville Missouri or wherever their razzle-dazzle shop is located (perhaps in a tent at the County Fair).

I paid a real Gunsmith here (Andy Hawk, in Anchorage, Alaska) to fix it and he did a real fine job of it.
Feeds like a pig now.

So, if looking at another CZ 550 rifle, beware of their so called "Custom Shop" scam.
I was considering eventually getting one of their .404's, one of their .300 H&H's and one of their .425 Westley Richards caliber versions.
But after that rather surreal experience on the phone with that diversion expert, I swiftly decided that I will keep my money and they can keep their so called "Custom Rifles".

I have made up some unprimed and empty .404 cartridges, loaded with 400 grain Hornady round nose bullets by full length sizing new Hornady brass and seating the bullets to proper depth.
Some day when I find a good price on some used .404, (CZ or otherwise) I plan to run these through it before plopping my money down.

Also, I have one regular CZ 550 magnum that I bought 2nd hand for cheap that I can have converted to either .404 Jfry, or .300 H&H, whichever, one of these days when I get the cashola together.

I may have fallen off a turnip truck but I didn't land on my head.
"Custom Shop" my azz.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.
 
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If I could now would buy a rifle in .50 caliber, but in Spain both the 500 Jeffery and the 505 Gibbs are banned in Spain for being incomprehensibly rounds of war by our government.

Óscar

Well with a 500 Jeffery shooting a 570g solid at 2300 fps, if you could just get those bad guys to line up, it would probably do a damn good job.
 
Well with a 500 Jeffery shooting a 570g solid at 2300 fps, if you could just get those bad guys to line up, it would probably do a damn good job.

I have to settle for me to shoot 500 grain bullet at 2300 fps as I have a 458 Lott. In my country is prohibited 500 Jeffery
 
I just got this same rifle in November for an upcoming buff/ele hunt. I absolutely love mine too! Classic look, perfect feel and fit for me and shoots well.
 
I have the Safari Classic in 375 and its a nice rifle. Mounted a zeiss on it and its a shame because its been in the safe ever since. Its too big for plains game hunting imo but ill probably use it on buffalo soon. The action cycles well but i have to admit that i do not like the trigger one bit. Feels flimsy. Im sure you will love the gun since it is very accurate and durable.
 

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