BRNO, CZ, Meopta... Oh My!

DmacD

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Well, since it is a rainy day here, and the list of manufactured priorities my wife left for me is now completed, I thought I would take the opportunity to post a review of some new (to me) BRNO rifles and Meopta scopes that I have added to the fold.
First, the rifles. I acquired this BRNO ZKK-600 last fall. Too late for the deer season, but I have been making up for that by regularly ringing gongs and punching holes in paper ever since. Chambered in 7x57 Mauser, the first I have ever owned or shot for that matter, I find it very mild in recoil. Accurate, not amazingly so, but it does group around an inch at 1oo meters consistently. It likes the 174 grain ammo weight the best. Unlike some CZ 550's that I own, it does not have a set trigger. The date of manufacture looks to be 1988 by the stamp. I took a chance, for the first time, and bought the rifle in an online auction sight unseen. Normally that makes me cringe with the feeling that I am about to be duped into buying a pig-in-a-poke, but I got lucky I think. It was advertised as a 9/10, and I would totally agree. Whoever owned it before me either never shot it, or was very particular about it's maintenance.

DSC_0032.JPG


Next up, another BRNO, this time a ZKK-602 chambered in .375 H&H Magnum. Oh boy, I think I now understand what all this big bore fuss is all about! Talk about a gateway drug, I have been scouring my usual haunts looking for more of this stuff ever since I took her home!
Anyway, I bought this BRNO, partly because of the recent reports of the CZ 550 ceasing production, and partly because ever since I got back from my first safari I have been scheming about justifying my triumphant return. Buffalo, perhaps............?
The recoil is...... stout, but not obnoxious. I have a 550 in 9.3x62, and find the recoil of that comparable to a 12 gauge waterfowl load, while the .375 feels like a full strength turkey load to me. This one has the hogs back, or Bavarian style stock (like the 9.3) which seems to fit me very well. There is also the matter of the safety, forward for safe, rearward for fire like the other BRNO in 7x57. I treat it like the hammer on an old coach gun, and that seems to work for me. Iron sights only so far, but I can ring the 100 meter gong off the sticks, so I am pleased.

DSC_0030.JPG

DSC_0025.JPG

This .375 has a set trigger, not like the ones on a CZ 550, but a set trigger nonetheless. The trigger on the 55o, in my mind is fantastic. I have a full stock 550 in 6.5x55 Swedish with a set trigger that is astonishing, and the one on the 9.3x62 is almost as good and could be made as good as the Swede if I spent some time on it I think. This BRNO rifle has a little more life experience than the other one, with a few more scratches and stock dings, maybe a 7/10, but I still consider it to be in very good shape. Looks like a 198o vintage.

Now for the glass. Meopta is rare in my neck of the woods, like, Mr. Snuffleupagus rare. Tales have been told that it exists, but so far, no one has actually looked at one. People have seen videos on YouTube, and maybe seen an advertisement or two in an American hunting magazine, but that is it. I have been a Leupold man, as Leupold has been considered the creme of the crop where I come from. They are rugged, quality optics, and I own two VX-R's, one in 2-7, and one in 3-9, and I love the red dot and German #4 reticle on them.
I have however, been in the mood to change things up, and set my sights on Meopta, due to online research and YouTube searches. The problem is, that here in Canada, if you can even find one, the tariffs tacked on make them much too expensive an option. The solution came on a trip to the U.S.A., and a chance encounter with a retail store that was having a blow-out on Meopta optics. I walked out of there with three scopes, two Meopro 6x42 fixed power with the German #4, and a Meopro 3.5-10x44 RD (red dot, not unlike the Leupold) with what Meopta calls a BDC reticle. Not as nice as a German #4 in my mind, kind of like the Leupold Duplex with fine hairs in the centre.

DSC_0021.JPG


DSC_0023.JPG


One 6x42 sits on the BRNO 7x57. The glass is exceptional, great in low light, and the German #4 reticle really draws the eye to the target. I have not hunted with it yet, but I am certain that it will work beautifully here in the deer woods, where most shots are taken at either first or last light within 200 meters.
I was wondering if perhaps the other fixed power should be mounted on the .375 H&H? I would think that it would work nicely for an eventual Buffalo hunt, with the reach for additional plains game within reasonable distances?

The 3.5-10x44 now sits atop the CZ 550 9.3x62. Perhaps a little overkill in the magnification, but what a piece of glass! Again, range work only so far, but very happy with it. The red dot is activated by a dial on the left side, unlike the push button of the Leupold. I find this to be more user friendly, turn the dial to activate the red dot, the next position turning it off, turn again to increase the intensity, then off again.

DSC_0028.JPG


That's it for now, thank you all for indulging me in my rainy afternoon time killing session. Hopefully in the future, I can post some pictures of these rifle and scope combinations out in the field, laying across a animal or two destined for the grill.
 
Nice rifles, thanks for sharing!
 
Great guns! Love that 7x57
 
Nice rifles though I thought Canada would be cold and wet requiring all weather rifles. That’s my justification for a new rifle if I go there.
I wouldnt take those pretty ones out in the snow, I’ve never seen snow.
My CZ550 is the .375H&H, Envious of your 7x57.
Leupold are popular in Australia. Quality for the money.
I bought a Meopta and a friend of a freeing pod we were shooting with said his mate had a Meopta and hated it! What?
Don’t worry they are bright and good, only problem I have with Meopta is we had a big price hike because I was looking for one recently.
Keep em dry and hope for a nice hunting day.
 
Well, since it is a rainy day here, and the list of manufactured priorities my wife left for me is now completed, I thought I would take the opportunity to post a review of some new (to me) BRNO rifles and Meopta scopes that I have added to the fold.
First, the rifles. I acquired this BRNO ZKK-600 last fall. Too late for the deer season, but I have been making up for that by regularly ringing gongs and punching holes in paper ever since. Chambered in 7x57 Mauser, the first I have ever owned or shot for that matter, I find it very mild in recoil. Accurate, not amazingly so, but it does group around an inch at 1oo meters consistently. It likes the 174 grain ammo weight the best. Unlike some CZ 550's that I own, it does not have a set trigger. The date of manufacture looks to be 1988 by the stamp. I took a chance, for the first time, and bought the rifle in an online auction sight unseen. Normally that makes me cringe with the feeling that I am about to be duped into buying a pig-in-a-poke, but I got lucky I think. It was advertised as a 9/10, and I would totally agree. Whoever owned it before me either never shot it, or was very particular about it's maintenance.

View attachment 354861

Next up, another BRNO, this time a ZKK-602 chambered in .375 H&H Magnum. Oh boy, I think I now understand what all this big bore fuss is all about! Talk about a gateway drug, I have been scouring my usual haunts looking for more of this stuff ever since I took her home!
Anyway, I bought this BRNO, partly because of the recent reports of the CZ 550 ceasing production, and partly because ever since I got back from my first safari I have been scheming about justifying my triumphant return. Buffalo, perhaps............?
The recoil is...... stout, but not obnoxious. I have a 550 in 9.3x62, and find the recoil of that comparable to a 12 gauge waterfowl load, while the .375 feels like a full strength turkey load to me. This one has the hogs back, or Bavarian style stock (like the 9.3) which seems to fit me very well. There is also the matter of the safety, forward for safe, rearward for fire like the other BRNO in 7x57. I treat it like the hammer on an old coach gun, and that seems to work for me. Iron sights only so far, but I can ring the 100 meter gong off the sticks, so I am pleased.

View attachment 354869
View attachment 354870
This .375 has a set trigger, not like the ones on a CZ 550, but a set trigger nonetheless. The trigger on the 55o, in my mind is fantastic. I have a full stock 550 in 6.5x55 Swedish with a set trigger that is astonishing, and the one on the 9.3x62 is almost as good and could be made as good as the Swede if I spent some time on it I think. This BRNO rifle has a little more life experience than the other one, with a few more scratches and stock dings, maybe a 7/10, but I still consider it to be in very good shape. Looks like a 198o vintage.

Now for the glass. Meopta is rare in my neck of the woods, like, Mr. Snuffleupagus rare. Tales have been told that it exists, but so far, no one has actually looked at one. People have seen videos on YouTube, and maybe seen an advertisement or two in an American hunting magazine, but that is it. I have been a Leupold man, as Leupold has been considered the creme of the crop where I come from. They are rugged, quality optics, and I own two VX-R's, one in 2-7, and one in 3-9, and I love the red dot and German #4 reticle on them.
I have however, been in the mood to change things up, and set my sights on Meopta, due to online research and YouTube searches. The problem is, that here in Canada, if you can even find one, the tariffs tacked on make them much too expensive an option. The solution came on a trip to the U.S.A., and a chance encounter with a retail store that was having a blow-out on Meopta optics. I walked out of there with three scopes, two Meopro 6x42 fixed power with the German #4, and a Meopro 3.5-10x44 RD (red dot, not unlike the Leupold) with what Meopta calls a BDC reticle. Not as nice as a German #4 in my mind, kind of like the Leupold Duplex with fine hairs in the centre.

View attachment 354873

View attachment 354874

One 6x42 sits on the BRNO 7x57. The glass is exceptional, great in low light, and the German #4 reticle really draws the eye to the target. I have not hunted with it yet, but I am certain that it will work beautifully here in the deer woods, where most shots are taken at either first or last light within 200 meters.
I was wondering if perhaps the other fixed power should be mounted on the .375 H&H? I would think that it would work nicely for an eventual Buffalo hunt, with the reach for additional plains game within reasonable distances?

The 3.5-10x44 now sits atop the CZ 550 9.3x62. Perhaps a little overkill in the magnification, but what a piece of glass! Again, range work only so far, but very happy with it. The red dot is activated by a dial on the left side, unlike the push button of the Leupold. I find this to be more user friendly, turn the dial to activate the red dot, the next position turning it off, turn again to increase the intensity, then off again.

View attachment 354879

That's it for now, thank you all for indulging me in my rainy afternoon time killing session. Hopefully in the future, I can post some pictures of these rifle and scope combinations out in the field, laying across a animal or two destined for the grill.
@DmacD
You have made some excellent choices in both rifles and scopes.
I have a Meopta 3.5-10x44 on my 22K Hornet
They are an exceptional scope for the price and boast the highest light transmission of any scope. You WILL not be disappointed. The other thing I like about the Meopta is the generous eye relief so the 3.5 to 10 would also be perfectly happy on the 375.
You now have the classic Africa battery all you need now is a 416 to complete it.
Bob
 
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Nice rifles though I thought Canada would be cold and wet requiring all weather rifles. That’s my justification for a new rifle if I go there.
I wouldnt take those pretty ones out in the snow, I’ve never seen snow.
My CZ550 is the .375H&H, Envious of your 7x57.
Leupold are popular in Australia. Quality for the money.
I bought a Meopta and a friend of a freeing pod we were shooting with said his mate had a Meopta and hated it! What?
Don’t worry they are bright and good, only problem I have with Meopta is we had a big price hike because I was looking for one recently.
Keep em dry and hope for a nice hunting day.
@CBH Australia
Chris
If you want to know what the snow is like just sit your bear ass in a chest freezer and have a few Bundy mate.
If you go to the snow all you'll do is freeze your ads off and drink booze. Stay home and use step one and save the money you would spend on food, fuel and accommodation and spend it on a new rifle.
After working in the shit for a few years you can take the snow and shove it.
Bob
 
I am really starting to love it too. I didn't realise how mild the 7x57 could be. The ZKK-600 makes for a nice platform too.
I believe it is an all time classic that has stood the test of time, so many of the fad cartridges will come and go but the .275 Rigby and the 375 H&H will still be being used in the game fields when the others are all but forgotten.
Your 600 is a fine example of the rifles that will be in the field.
Cheers,
Cody
 
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Nice rifles though I thought Canada would be cold and wet requiring all weather rifles. That’s my justification for a new rifle if I go there.
I wouldnt take those pretty ones out in the snow, I’ve never seen snow.
My CZ550 is the .375H&H, Envious of your 7x57.
Leupold are popular in Australia. Quality for the money.
I bought a Meopta and a friend of a freeing pod we were shooting with said his mate had a Meopta and hated it! What?
Don’t worry they are bright and good, only problem I have with Meopta is we had a big price hike because I was looking for one recently.
Keep em dry and hope for a nice hunting day.
CBH,
Canada does indeed have some fierce weather, especially on the coasts. All sorts of wind, rain and salt water to wreak havoc upon an unprotected rifle. If that is an excuse for a new rifle, it is a good one (although, I require very little excuse to buy a new rifle!) Speaking of harsh weather, I was in Australia about 15 years ago, spent some time at Ayers Rock. 56 degrees Celsius (132.8 Fahrenheit for our American friends) Christ it was hot! I can't imagine keeping any bluing on a rifle with all the sweat that was pouring off of me. Plenty of VB and Toohheys that day.
Anyway, I do my hunting around the Great Lakes area, mostly on parcels of long, skinny 100 acre farms where the back 20 or so acres is still bush. These farms back on to other 100 acre parcels, with their own bush sections, which leave nice wide swathes of bush to hunt. Rain sucks, but snow is welcome. It makes tracking easy, and the deer really stand out in the snow. On rainy days, the nice rifle stays in camp, while the sporterized SMLE that got butchered in the 60's gets the call.
Does your 550 .375 have the set trigger?
Where do you do your hunting, and for that matter, what are you hunting?
I am really happy with the Meopta scopes so far. They do indeed seem very clear and bright. If I told you what I paid for them in the States, you would possibly cry.
Thanks for the reply!
 
@DmacD
You have made some excellent choices in both rifles and scopes.
I have a Meopta 3.5-10x44 on my 22K Hornet
They are an exceptional scope for the price and boast the highest light transmission of any scope. You WILL not be disappointed. The other thing I like about the Meopta is the generous eye relief so the 3.5 to 10 would also be perfectly happy on the 375.
You now have the classic Africa battery all you need now is a 416 to complete it.
Bob
Thanks Bob,
There is a lot of eye relief, and seem plenty bright.
Don't get me all worked up about a 416!
Dean
 
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CBH,
Canada does indeed have some fierce weather, especially on the coasts. All sorts of wind, rain and salt water to wreak havoc upon an unprotected rifle. If that is an excuse for a new rifle, it is a good one (although, I require very little excuse to buy a new rifle!) Speaking of harsh weather, I was in Australia about 15 years ago, spent some time at Ayers Rock. 56 degrees Celsius (132.8 Fahrenheit for our American friends) Christ it was hot! I can't imagine keeping any bluing on a rifle with all the sweat that was pouring off of me. Plenty of VB and Toohheys that day.
Anyway, I do my hunting around the Great Lakes area, mostly on parcels of long, skinny 100 acre farms where the back 20 or so acres is still bush. These farms back on to other 100 acre parcels, with their own bush sections, which leave nice wide swathes of bush to hunt. Rain sucks, but snow is welcome. It makes tracking easy, and the deer really stand out in the snow. On rainy days, the nice rifle stays in camp, while the sporterized SMLE that got butchered in the 60's gets the call.
Does your 550 .375 have the set trigger?
Where do you do your hunting, and for that matter, what are you hunting?
I am really happy with the Meopta scopes so far. They do indeed seem very clear and bright. If I told you what I paid for them in the States, you would possibly cry.
Thanks for the reply!
@DmacD
Your lucky you were at Ularu on a cool day mate. You can keep the snow, it sucks.
The beauty of the old 303 is that it will work in any weather or conditions. It's a very underrated cartridge.
Bob
 
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@DmacD
I bought thec .375 H&H because i wanted an Elephant gun.
I bought a .458wm on clearance one time because i wanted something big. A safari rifle. I reaf more amd decided i wanted the classic .375H&H so i sold the. 458wm to pay for it.
Ive shot pigs with both. Ive gotta be competent with it. I hope to shoot water Buffalo in Australia but im in NSW so a long way from Buff.
Ive shot dingoes goxs pigs with .223 and .308 just wanted a big rifles because they make them.
A .300wm on the way now to replace one i sold to pay for something else.
Yes its a set trigger. I have a Timney in the cupboard. Im not sure why they put set triggers on the bigger stuff, .458wm had one too
 
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@DmacD
I bought thec .375 H&H because i wanted an Elephant gun.
I bought a .458wm on clearance one time because i wanted something big. A safari rifle. I reaf more amd decided i wanted the classic .375H&H so i sold the. 458wm to pay for it.
Ive shot pigs with both. Ive gotta be competent with it. I hope to shoot water Buffalo in Australia but im in NSW so a long way from Buff.
Ive shot dingoes goxs pigs with .223 and .308 just wanted a big rifles because they make them.
A .300wm on the way now to replace one i sold to pay for something else.
Yes its a set trigger. I have a Timney in the cupboard. Im not sure why they put set triggers on the bigger stuff, .458wm had one too
Chris are goxs a cross between a goat and a fox. That pre emptive text is a pain in the arse .
 
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@DmacD
Your lucky you were at Ularu on a cool day mate. You can keep the snow, it sucks.
The beauty of the old 303 is that it will work in any weather or conditions. It's a very underrated cartridge.
Bob
A lot of game has fallen to the .303 here. I would think that it was used extensively in all the current (and former) Commonwealth countries. Every farmer I know has a rusty old .22 and a .303.
The outfitter I had in Namibia called it the "British Bulldog", which makes me wonder what a PH would say if you showed up off of the plane with one?
 
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Nice rifles and scopes Dean! Love them all but I really like the 600 in 7x57. Used to have one too. Now I have switched to Older Brnos 21/22 and I have some ZG47 to try. Truly classic, simple and reliable guns and excellent glass those Czech pieces...always made me proud of my heritage. Now they keep going downhill the capitalist way...cheaper and quicker to produce products. The commie era Brnos were rough looking sometimes but still had the old school way of manufacturing which made them better in the end I think. Same with the glass. I believe some of the cheaper binos now have "non-Czech" made pieces (luckily not the glass) and some scopes are now assembled elsewhere. :(

I have a Meopta Artemis 2000 2.5-8x42 with German #1 reticle. What a great piece of glass. But being steel body, rather heavy, LOL...I wanted it like that for old-school feel but man am I now going back to the lightest Leupolds out there. But only because I'm trying to build a light rifle. Currently the scope sits on CZ550 FS in 9.3x62 and while it makes the rifle 9.5-10 lbs with sling and ammo, being a carbine, it's still handy and the glass complements the rifle well.

Nice rifles though I thought Canada would be cold and wet requiring all weather rifles. That’s my justification for a new rifle if I go there.
I wouldnt take those pretty ones out in the snow, I’ve never seen snow.
My CZ550 is the .375H&H, Envious of your 7x57.
Leupold are popular in Australia. Quality for the money.
I bought a Meopta and a friend of a freeing pod we were shooting with said his mate had a Meopta and hated it! What?
Don’t worry they are bright and good, only problem I have with Meopta is we had a big price hike because I was looking for one recently.
Keep em dry and hope for a nice hunting day.

CBH,
We do get wet out here some. Luckily I'm in a fairly dry Alberta, though last few years the climate has become more humid. And even if it did not, there are days when snow dumps and your rifle gets wet. Or it gets wet by freezing outside, getting frost on it and then starts sweating when you take it inside vehicle or indoors somewhere. I hunt my nice wood and steel rifles in any weather as I believe they will easily outlive me and my kids, rust or no rust. But I'd be lying if I told you corrosion does not bother me. Any corrosion bothers me on anything but especially vehicles, guns, knives and tools. Few times already I had my rifles rust in just two to three hours coming home from the hunt and I even placed the gun in wide open case to not close it inside all wet. Still surface rust developed very, very quickly. Sure a light wipe of G96 oil cleaned it up, but the rust was forming even in places where there is steel and yet it is hard to get at it and clean - screws inside scope rings, screws inside sling mounts, action screws/bolts, etc. Pure hell. Had to take the whole rifle apart, clean every bit and then put it together. I guess the biggest pain in this was the fact that it had to be done right there and then as soon as I got home. You get home all knackered from a hard hunt and now you have to not just wipe down the gun but take it apart and clean every little bit? And this happened with CZ550 as well as Weatherby Vanguard 2. Oh well I did it and will do it again but it is the reason why I have now sprung for stainless Zastava (was considering Kimber or Mod 70 but this one happened to be in 7x64 :D ). We will see how she does this winter but my blued guns are still coming out to hunt. And if I had only 1 rifle, there would be no question about it. :D
 
Have any of you thought about dripping melted beeswax into the screw recesses after tightening the screws and wiping the surface clean on all the areas that you find water/condensation seeping its way into and causing the rust mentioned @Milan That should create a seal against any water incursion in those areas.
 

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