Bedding the CZ 550 Safari Magnum in its own stock!

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Hey guys,
Searching for wisdom

Anyone bedding the CZ 550 Safari Magnum in its original stock?
If so, do you not use the front forend screw so it can be free floated?
changing out the trigger and safety but I’ll like to also finish out the upgrade with bedding and free floating the barrel
Regards
Mike
 
I have a BRNO 602 that is being built in .458 Lott. This action being very much the same as a CZ 550, how the gunsmith bedded the 602 should be relevant.

Note: For a .375 H&H, float the entire barrel. Of anything with higher recoil read on...

The background is a retired gunsmith had acquired many rifle parts and stock blanks over the past decades. With a BRNO 602 action and a .458 bore barrel blank he started “his” project a year or more ago. This is something the gunsmith is building for himself and at his pace. He is not building the rifle to shoot, no he is building the rifle just because he wants to. The stock work on a piece of English Walnut was worth the rifle’s cost so I elected to buy it! I'm a sucker for lovely wood!

As for bedding, the forward barrel lug screw was removed. Both recoil lugs are fully bedded to distribute the recoil of a great area of the stock. The portion of the barrel forward of the forward lug is free floated.

FYI, between the recoil lugs I provided a 3” x ½” tungsten rod for a little extra rifle weight. The placement will be just behind my forward hand when shooting to keep the weight “between the hands”. Like a fine shotgun, having most weight between the hands provides more lively “movement of inertia”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia

A few years ago another gunsmith and unfortunately now a late friend would repair stocks cracked or broken at the wrists using a fiberglass rod. For the BRNO .458 Lott, I discussed with the builder adding this prior to any cracking. He told be for adding such, he would bore a hole through the wrist from where the rear portion of the action would be. We haven’t come to a decision on the fiberglass rod because the grain of the stock flows as it should through the wrist. For a CZ factory stock in .458 Lott or higher recoil chambering, a fiberglass rob might be wise before a crack develops. Rumor is that most all CZ 550 stocks for the high recoil chambering’s develop a crack.
 
I have a BRNO 602 that is being built in .458 Lott. This action being very much the same as a CZ 550, how the gunsmith bedded the 602 should be relevant.

Note: For a .375 H&H, float the entire barrel. Of anything with higher recoil read on...

The background is a retired gunsmith had acquired many rifle parts and stock blanks over the past decades. With a BRNO 602 action and a .458 bore barrel blank he started “his” project a year or more ago. This is something the gunsmith is building for himself and at his pace. He is not building the rifle to shoot, no he is building the rifle just because he wants to. The stock work on a piece of English Walnut was worth the rifle’s cost so I elected to buy it! I'm a sucker for lovely wood!

As for bedding, the forward barrel lug screw was removed. Both recoil lugs are fully bedded to distribute the recoil of a great area of the stock. The portion of the barrel forward of the forward lug is free floated.

FYI, between the recoil lugs I provided a 3” x ½” tungsten rod for a little extra rifle weight. The placement will be just behind my forward hand when shooting to keep the weight “between the hands”. Like a fine shotgun, having most weight between the hands provides more lively “movement of inertia”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia

A few years ago another gunsmith and unfortunately now a late friend would repair stocks cracked or broken at the wrists using a fiberglass rod. For the BRNO .458 Lott, I discussed with the builder adding this prior to any cracking. He told be for adding such, he would bore a hole through the wrist from where the rear portion of the action would be. We haven’t come to a decision on the fiberglass rod because the grain of the stock flows as it should through the wrist. For a CZ factory stock in .458 Lott or higher recoil chambering, a fiberglass rob might be wise before a crack develops. Rumor is that most all CZ 550 stocks for the high recoil chambering’s develop a crack.
Thanks so much for this information,
 
I have a BRNO 602 that is being built in .458 Lott. This action being very much the same as a CZ 550, how the gunsmith bedded the 602 should be relevant.

Note: For a .375 H&H, float the entire barrel. Of anything with higher recoil read on...

The background is a retired gunsmith had acquired many rifle parts and stock blanks over the past decades. With a BRNO 602 action and a .458 bore barrel blank he started “his” project a year or more ago. This is something the gunsmith is building for himself and at his pace. He is not building the rifle to shoot, no he is building the rifle just because he wants to. The stock work on a piece of English Walnut was worth the rifle’s cost so I elected to buy it! I'm a sucker for lovely wood!

As for bedding, the forward barrel lug screw was removed. Both recoil lugs are fully bedded to distribute the recoil of a great area of the stock. The portion of the barrel forward of the forward lug is free floated.

FYI, between the recoil lugs I provided a 3” x ½” tungsten rod for a little extra rifle weight. The placement will be just behind my forward hand when shooting to keep the weight “between the hands”. Like a fine shotgun, having most weight between the hands provides more lively “movement of inertia”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia

A few years ago another gunsmith and unfortunately now a late friend would repair stocks cracked or broken at the wrists using a fiberglass rod. For the BRNO .458 Lott, I discussed with the builder adding this prior to any cracking. He told be for adding such, he would bore a hole through the wrist from where the rear portion of the action would be. We haven’t come to a decision on the fiberglass rod because the grain of the stock flows as it should through the wrist. For a CZ factory stock in .458 Lott or higher recoil chambering, a fiberglass rob might be wise before a crack develops. Rumor is that most all CZ 550 stocks for the high recoil chambering’s develop a crack.
Mine hasn't, knock on wood, close to 500 full power rounds through my 500 Jeffery

eLzNeRG.png
 
I also like a steel all thread through the grip to strengthen the transition and add a little weight
 
I have bedded the barrel lug( glued in the steel lug into the stock) and bedded the main recoil lug in my CZ 550 458 lott. When I bought it, there was a plastic block behind the recoil lug. Pretty junky. So I bedded both lugs. Noy a full bedding but I ensured the action was pushed forward during the bedding so that I had clearance at the tang. 7years on and no problems. I think the forward lug is a great idea- moves some of the recoil into solid forend wood. Where it is less likely to split. Full bedding is probably better. Also tighten your crossbolts.
 
I have bedded the barrel lug( glued in the steel lug into the stock) and bedded the main recoil lug in my CZ 550 458 lott. When I bought it, there was a plastic block behind the recoil lug. Pretty junky. So I bedded both lugs. Noy a full bedding but I ensured the action was pushed forward during the bedding so that I had clearance at the tang. 7years on and no problems. I think the forward lug is a great idea- moves some of the recoil into solid forend wood. Where it is less likely to split. Full bedding is probably better. Also tighten your crossbolts.
I would need a special tool to be able to tighten those cross bolts, not sure where i would get one
 
My CZ 550 has a + on the crossbolt. I just used a flat screw driver.
 
I have a BRNO 602 that is being built in .458 Lott. This action being very much the same as a CZ 550, how the gunsmith bedded the 602 should be relevant.

Note: For a .375 H&H, float the entire barrel. Of anything with higher recoil read on...

The background is a retired gunsmith had acquired many rifle parts and stock blanks over the past decades. With a BRNO 602 action and a .458 bore barrel blank he started “his” project a year or more ago. This is something the gunsmith is building for himself and at his pace. He is not building the rifle to shoot, no he is building the rifle just because he wants to. The stock work on a piece of English Walnut was worth the rifle’s cost so I elected to buy it! I'm a sucker for lovely wood!

As for bedding, the forward barrel lug screw was removed. Both recoil lugs are fully bedded to distribute the recoil of a great area of the stock. The portion of the barrel forward of the forward lug is free floated.

FYI, between the recoil lugs I provided a 3” x ½” tungsten rod for a little extra rifle weight. The placement will be just behind my forward hand when shooting to keep the weight “between the hands”. Like a fine shotgun, having most weight between the hands provides more lively “movement of inertia”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia

A few years ago another gunsmith and unfortunately now a late friend would repair stocks cracked or broken at the wrists using a fiberglass rod. For the BRNO .458 Lott, I discussed with the builder adding this prior to any cracking. He told be for adding such, he would bore a hole through the wrist from where the rear portion of the action would be. We haven’t come to a decision on the fiberglass rod because the grain of the stock flows as it should through the wrist. For a CZ factory stock in .458 Lott or higher recoil chambering, a fiberglass rob might be wise before a crack develops. Rumor is that most all CZ 550 stocks for the high recoil chambering’s develop a crack.
I came to browse as I have a crack generating in said location, on a CZ in the 505 Gibbs… is there anyone out there that is notably qualified still to fix and or replace?
 

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I built a jig for extra long drill to guide drilling the hole down through wrist from end of tang for reinforcement rod. I used 3/16" steel rod. Larry Potterfield of Midway does it in his video with handheld electric drill and no jig. I don't advise trying that. Too easy for the drill to wander. Most use 1/4" threaded rod for reinforcement but my stock's wrist was a bit thin so I wanted to leave more wood.
 
I have a BRNO 602 that is being built in .458 Lott. This action being very much the same as a CZ 550, how the gunsmith bedded the 602 should be relevant.

Note: For a .375 H&H, float the entire barrel. Of anything with higher recoil read on...

The background is a retired gunsmith had acquired many rifle parts and stock blanks over the past decades. With a BRNO 602 action and a .458 bore barrel blank he started “his” project a year or more ago. This is something the gunsmith is building for himself and at his pace. He is not building the rifle to shoot, no he is building the rifle just because he wants to. The stock work on a piece of English Walnut was worth the rifle’s cost so I elected to buy it! I'm a sucker for lovely wood!

As for bedding, the forward barrel lug screw was removed. Both recoil lugs are fully bedded to distribute the recoil of a great area of the stock. The portion of the barrel forward of the forward lug is free floated.

FYI, between the recoil lugs I provided a 3” x ½” tungsten rod for a little extra rifle weight. The placement will be just behind my forward hand when shooting to keep the weight “between the hands”. Like a fine shotgun, having most weight between the hands provides more lively “movement of inertia”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia

A few years ago another gunsmith and unfortunately now a late friend would repair stocks cracked or broken at the wrists using a fiberglass rod. For the BRNO .458 Lott, I discussed with the builder adding this prior to any cracking. He told be for adding such, he would bore a hole through the wrist from where the rear portion of the action would be. We haven’t come to a decision on the fiberglass rod because the grain of the stock flows as it should through the wrist. For a CZ factory stock in .458 Lott or higher recoil chambering, a fiberglass rob might be wise before a crack develops. Rumor is that most all CZ 550 stocks for the high recoil chambering’s develop a crack.

Mine hasn't even after 500 full power 500 Jeffery loads, but I got it from the CZ Custom Shop, dual crossbolts and bedded by Harlan Satrang.

eLzNeRG.png
 
I came to browse as I have a crack generating in said location, on a CZ in the 505 Gibbs… is there anyone out there that is notably qualified still to fix and or replace?
That looks like it originates in the crossbolt. Pretty unusual because the crossbolt is a compression device and doesn't carry recoil. Is your crossbolt tight ?

In my opinion, the only true fix would be to put a new section of wood in there. You can try to epoxy bed the crossbolt while ensuring the bolt can still be tightened and then use a compressor to force glue into the crack- maybe flexing the wood to open it. But I suspect that you cannot get any meaningful amount of glue into the crack. You do get a very liquid superglue used for repairing windscreen cracks. Maybe that will work. Also see if you can access from inside the stock.
 

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