Interarms vs CZ or other 375

Backyardsniper

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I will preface this by saying that i am a big fan of CZ rifles and I have a 458 lott in a cz550 as well as a 30/06 and a 527 in 204. I am finally about to get my first safari planned. I'll be hunting Kudu and Buffalo and anything else i can afford with Ivory Trails in Zimbabwe. I'm looking to add a 375H&H to my collection and I'm pretty much commited now since I bought 300 dollars worth of 375 reloading equiptment last night for a rifle i don't even own yet. Can someone school me up a bit on these interarms rifles. I've seen a few but don't know much about them. My sort of field of expertise has been long range hunting and shooting and now that I'm getting older, 42, I'm looking to transition into some more classic rifles and enjoy some of this Africa business I keep hearing about. Is there any other 375s out there that warrant a closer look? I am fine adding another CZ to my collection but I didn't want to overlook any other rifles out there that I should consider.
 
I'm a big fan of Whitworth/Interarm Rifles and have owned a MK X and presently own a Safari Grade Whitworth in 375HH. I have also owned a CZ550 in 375HH and a Safari Grade Winchester in 375HH. Of all of them I preferred the Whitworth/Interarms, I like the old school look and feel and they are very accurate. CZs are great rifles and hold one more round but feel kind of bulky as does the Winchester
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I have owned both and you can't really go wrong with either. My wife's 375 is a Whitworth (Interarms) that I restocked for her. She will be using it for buffalo next year (Supposed to be next month) I have also had two other interarms over the years that friends really wanted badly so I sold them to them. Since you have owned CZ's you pretty much know them. I have owned two CZ 550's that also went to friends. I had one ruger RMS 375 that I converted to 404 Jeff. My 375 that will get passed on to my grand kids in 30 -40 years is a BRNO 602. The short answer is that I have never had a Interarms that didn't shoot well and the only gripe I have of the CZ 550 is that the stock is a bit larger than it needs to be on a 375.
 
Sounds like the interarms are solid guns. I saw that there was a really pretty one for sale in the classifieds. What is the situation for scope bases on the underarms?
 
Since you are becoming a connoisseur of guns my recommendation will be Ruger RSM 375 H&H. It is a bit pricey but well made rifle in True large magnum action. Little heavy on the barrel but with a mercury recoil reducer will balance well. You can not go wrong with it. It is one of the finest made rifle by BILL RUGER. I am sure other members here will chime in on that. I have several 375' caliber of different manufacturers . Check it out and take some time.
Krish
 
I certainly will. I like old ruger rifles anyway so I will research that for sure
 
I'd take a good look at the Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. It isn't a true large Magnum action like the Ruger RSM or CZ 550, just a modified version of their standard long action with a .375 cartridge class bolt face. But it's a very well reviewed and praised rifle.
 
Sounds like the interarms are solid guns. I saw that there was a really pretty one for sale in the classifieds. What is the situation for scope bases on the underarms?
It's a mauser action. I got mine from midway. Warne quick release rings and bases
 
Sounds like the interarms are solid guns. I saw that there was a really pretty one for sale in the classifieds. What is the situation for scope bases on the underarms?
No problem I have Leupold quick release on mine
 
I would highly recommend the CZ - 550 . I personally rank it to be superior to the Inter-arms Whitworth model . If you can get your hands on a Czech manufactured BRNO ZKK - 602 ( preferably the ones manufactured prior to 1978 which feature the rear folding diopter ) , then it is even better . Those rifles were built like tanks .
 
Good looking pooch on your Avatar. (y)
 
Thank you. I have a pair of them but the fellow on the Avatar is Kilo my older male. He is a great dog. The picture of the one sitting on her hind legs is my younger female Zuzu. She is a bit of a loose cannon!
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Beautiful, are they American Shepherds, and are they police dogs?? I am a huge fan of Shepherds.
 
Czech shepherds. They're just my personal dogs, house pet/handler protection/home security dogs. Mostly expensive couch ornaments. HAHA
 
LMAO!!!!! Now that is a beautiful way of putting it. Congrats, beautiful and loyal couch ornaments. (y) (y)
 
The Interarms Mark X and Whitworth are the same rifle. They are both Zastava barreled actions, like the Remington 798 was, as well as a number of other brands (e.g. Parker Hale). It is also available from Zastava directly as the M70.

This is a solid rifle.

The only thing to watch for with used Whitworth rifles is that some of them were stocked without enough relief behind the action rear tang and can have hair cracks in the stock.

Nonetheless, I would recommend that you stick to CZ 550 for the following OBJECTIVE advantages:
  • true magnum .416 Rigby length action (most other Mauser clones are 30-06 length with a or .375 magazine well);
  • double square bridges with integral scope bases (they will never get loose);
  • 5 rounds drop belly magazine capacity in .375 (not needed until ... needed);
  • drop-forged steel action and 100% bottom metal steel (no risk of pot-metal stress cracks);
  • integral rear sight barrel boss (rear sight will never get loose);
  • barrel band front sight (front sight will never fall off the rifle - oh yes, it happens...);
  • iron sights actually regulated with test target (sights on many DG rifles are purely cosmetic);
  • appropriate barrel contour and weight (recoil will not beat you to pulp);
  • available used-as-new in "traditional" .375 H&H or .416 Rigby starting in the $900 range;
  • commonality of fit/handling/feel with your .458 Lott (this alone is an overwhelming reason).

Admittedly for a .375 H&H chambering a true magnum length action is not a requirement, but it gives a lot of flexibility regarding bullet choice, seating depth and cartridge length, and everything else applies: Zastava (under whatever name, as well as other Mauser clones, e.g. Santa Barbara) and Winchester 70:
- have no integral scope bases;
- have unregulated screwed-on iron sights;
- have a magazine capacity of only 3 rounds;
- have a thinner barrel.

In addition, most Winchester 70 generally have a "pot metal" bottom metal, although this depends on when they were manufactured..

These are real considerations for me since I have had a "pot metal" bottom break at the hinge (on a .340 Weatherby Mk V) and I have seen (admittedly on harder recoiling rifles: .416 Taylor and .458 Lott) screwed-on scope bases come loose after a few hundred shots, and a screwed-on front sight fly off the barrel - both installed by a very well know custom shop...

For both CZ 550 and Zastava, I highly recommend installing a bolt-mounted, firing pin-blocking safety, i.e. a Win 70 safety. The "improved" action-mounted, sear-blocking safety is vastly less reliable as in a hard fall the firing pin cocking piece can jump the sear. It has happened...

From my perspective, using the "same" rifle in .375 H&H and .458 Lott is a HUGE plus when it comes to cross-training and familiarity. I personally went all the way and had a .300 Wby built on the CZ 550 magnum action for PG, so I can use my .300 Wby, .375 H&H and .416 Rigby with the same muscle memory and no conscious thinking required. As stated above, for this reason alone I would suggest you stick to CZ 550 :)

(See https://www.africahunting.com/threads/1st-traditional-dangerous-game-rifle.59160/page-4#post-701080 for further discussion).
 
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I appreciate the reply. I was about 90% sure I was going to stay with the CZ anyway because of having one in 458 and wanting to stay with the same platform. I will check into the safety deal. I often see people saying they are good guns if.you have a little work dome. Is this safety the "work" they are talking about.
I had not considered the sights on the other rifles being less quality. I do love shooting iron sights and also didn't know about the pot metal. I think 550 safari classic it shall be. I like the ones with the more European style stock but my 458 has the American style stock. I would like to keep them the same and I also have a 550 American in 30/06.
 
The typical work that people refer to is the "modification #1" performed by Wayne at American Hunting Rifles (AHR).

It involves:
  1. installing a 3-position safety;
  2. installing a crisp single-stage trigger;
  3. straightening and filling the bolt handle;
  4. tuning and smoothing the action;
  5. tuning the feed cycle and making it 100% reliable.
It is the best $795 you can spend when it comes to affordable DG rifles. To which I would add installing yourself a drop-in $285 Bell & Carlson American Safari stock with integral full length aluminum bedding chassis and pillars.

I highly recommend Wayne. He is trustworthy and his work is flawless.

Sure, a lot of folks balk and sneer about spending $1,000 to "fix" a used $1,000 CZ 550, but they forget that for $2,000 you then get the full functional equivalent of a $10,000 Rigby rifle. Heck, Rigby of London themselves used the CZ 550 action for decades to build their own Rigby rifles before Mauser resumed production of the M98 action in 2015 ;)

For all the objective reasons mentioned in my previous post, a $2,000 AHR-tuned CZ 550 is head and shoulders ahead of any Zastava/Whitworth, Win 70, Ruger, Kimber, Dakota, etc. etc. and only $400 more than a Win 70 and $thousands less than Kimber or Dakota... What's not to love :)

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