BRNO 602 modifications

[dguthrie8158]

I have a BRNO 602 458 win mag. Who can I get to install a M70 safety and install 2 stock cross bolts?
Thanks

 

[mark-hunter]

Try American Hunting Rifles.
If not possible, they will recommend another partner company. They were doing this before, and I see on the shop they have these safeties. I have their trigger and safety on my 602, it works marvelously!

Shop - American Hunting Rifles

Custom Big Game and African Hunting Rifles to include the 600 Overkill, 700 AHR, 577 T-Rex and others.

americanhuntingrifles.com

 

[Jefferry404]

Tim at Matrix upgrades Brnos and CZ, using AHR 3 position safety.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

I'll second Tim at Matrix. He did an upgrade 2 package on my 458 Lott in 2022 for me, I believe with Wayne's parts. Good work and turned around quickly. He's pretty responsive via email to inquiries and questions.

 

[deewayne2003]

Wayne @ AHR hasn’t done upgrades in years, he still makes the triggers & safeies though.

I ordered the parts from him and had them shipped to my smith.

 

[grand veneur]

I have a BRNO 602 458 win mag. Who can I get to install a M70 safety and install 2 stock cross bolts?
Thanks

I would not do that because the rifle BRNO ZKK 602 caliber 458 win mag is a traditional rifle with in the meantime a little history. For the price of such a doubtful modification, it is more advisable to get another rifle caliber 458 Win Mag with a Winchester-like safety and cross bolts.

 

[fourfive8]

I would not do that because the rifle BRNO ZKK 602 caliber 458 win mag is a traditional rifle with in the meantime a little history. For the price of such a doubtful modification, it is more advisable to get another rifle caliber 458 Win Mag with a Winchester-like safety and cross bolts.

I didn’t know the ZKK 602 was an historically significant and valuable, collectible rifle? If so, Woo who! I picked one up, a 375 HH, in unfired condition a couple years ago for 900 USD. If all that is true, then that backwards, trigger block safety and wanky, stock mounted trigger group must be in some kind of demand by “discriminating” hunters.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I would highly recommend McBride’s Guns.

 

[grand veneur]

I didn’t know the ZKK 602 was an historically significant and valuable, collectible rifle? If so, Woo who! I picked one up, a 375 HH, in unfired condition a couple years ago for 900 USD. If all that is true, then that backwards, trigger block safety and wanky, stock mounted trigger group must be in some kind of demand by “discriminating” hunters.

The ZKK bolt actions from Brno played a significant role in the early 1990s when many big bore cartridges were revived and Mauser Magnum actions were not available. It was also one of the few serial-rifle available in this bigger caliber at that time. Of course, much has changed since then, but many PH still use these rifles for backup.

 

[skydiver386]

The ZKK bolt actions from Brno played a significant role in the early 1990s when many big bore cartridges were revived and Mauser Magnum actions were not available. It was also one of the few serial-rifle available in this bigger caliber at that time. Of course, much has changed since then, but many PH still use these rifles for backup.

Bullseye!

Although CZ has never published any production numbers for the BRNO 602 or CZ550 in large African calibers, it's a safe bet they produced more in a month that many smaller builders turned out in their entire run.

CZ produced these rifles at a decent price when almost everyone else dropped African magnum calibers from their production line.

I've never understood why there seems to be a desperate need to modify these rifles from their original condition, when there are other rifles with far worse features, yet no one feels compelled to change those rifles.

I believe the CZ's flaws are more theoretical than real, and most accidents can be traced to unsafe handling by the end user.

 

[deewayne2003]

I've never understood why there seems to be a desperate need to modify these rifles from their original condition, when there are other rifles with far worse features, yet no one feels compelled to change those rifles.

Why?....

1. Because the forward safe factory safety is completely different than every other bolt gun I have with three position safeties.

2. The set trigger that one of mine came with was less than ideal and again different than every other rifle I own.

3. The actions were rough because by the time the 80's rolled around most of the soviet era tooling used to make these rifles was obviously tired/worn out.

4. The wood stock that my .375 came in was MASSIVE, ill fitting and had the wood quality of a forklift pallet....

 

[RR 314]

I would highly recommend McBride’s Guns.

Habib,

Do you live in the Austin area? I’ve been here on and off since the 70s and honestly every bit of feedback I’ve heard regarding the ‘smiths there has been mediocre at best. All of my friends will take their guns out of town for work. I have seen you praise them before.

 

[deewayne2003]

Habib,

Do you live in the Austin area? I’ve been here on and off since the 70s and honestly every bit of feedback I’ve heard regarding the ‘smiths there has been mediocre at best. All of my friends will take their guns out of town for work. I have seen you praise them before.

Well I lived there for 10 years and I can tell you that for run of the mill rifle and shotgun work they do just fine........ DO NOT take a double rifle or other fine gun there though!

 

[BJH65]

Here are my two custom Brno ZKK-602 rifles. Top one is 458 Lott and bottom is 416 Rigby. Both have M70 3 position type safeties. To me this is a much more desirable safety than the original backwards safety. I see nothing wrong with modifying and enhancing these rifles to better fit the user especially when DG is on the menu.

To the OP, I would check with Matrix, they come highly recommended.

 

[skydiver386]

Why?....

1. Because the forward safe factory safety is completely different than every other bolt gun I have with three position safeties.

2. The set trigger that one of mine came with was less than ideal and again different than every other rifle I own.

3. The actions were rough because by the time the 80's rolled around most of the soviet era tooling used to make these rifles was obviously tired/worn out.

4. The wood stock that my .375 came in was MASSIVE, ill fitting and had the wood quality of a forklift pallet....

I can see that.

I've had rifles with safeties that moved forward to fire, others that moved to the rear. Some with crossbolt or tang safeties. I'm fine with all of them.

The set trigger is a non problem in my opinion, as the rifles came new with a curved trigger in the box that was easily swapped. I've owned 2 with the straight bow set trigger and quite liked both of them.

The rough actions are a legitimate complaint, but easily cured by most kitchen table gunsmiths with proper instruction.

The wood is a matter of personal taste and I actually prefer the large wood on the factory CZ550 rifle vs the broomstick thin wood that some custom stock builders replace them with. To thin at the wrist, forearm to thin/narrow, comb to low, etc. The shaved down custom stocks don't give enough surface to grip on a hard kicking rifle. Properly bedded, the factory stock suits me perfectly. To your point, the BRNO rifles on average had a rougher grain and were not fitted as well as the later CZ products IMHO.

What seems a mystery to me is that so many have the stock whittled down, and the barrel chopped by 4-6 inches, removing a pound and a half to 2 pounds of weight, and then are shocked at the recoil of the now sub 8 pound .458 Lott rifle. Newtonian physics is a thing!

 

[whisk(e)y hunter]

Brno reverse safety is goofy and deserves an upgrade to a nice AHR 3 pos

CZ 550 2 pos is fine, at least it travels the “correct” way, but can also be improved. Ultimately do what you want, it’s your rifle!

Tip Burns or Matrix both highly regarded to work on CZ/Brno actions

 

[grand veneur]

Why?....

1. Because the forward safe factory safety is completely different than every other bolt gun I have with three position safeties.

2. The set trigger that one of mine came with was less than ideal and again different than every other rifle I own.

3. The actions were rough because by the time the 80's rolled around most of the soviet era tooling used to make these rifles was obviously tired/worn out.

4. The wood stock that my .375 came in was MASSIVE, ill fitting and had the wood quality of a forklift pallet....

Sure, but you should not expect too much from cheap, serial-produced firearms. Nevertheless, such rifles and their bolt actions can have a history. The first custom rifles caliber 416 Rigby I saw in the early nineties were mostly built with ZKK 602 actions.

 

[deewayne2003]

Sure, but you should not expect too much from cheap, serial-produced firearms. Nevertheless, such rifles and their bolt actions can have a history. The first custom rifles caliber 416 Rigby I saw in the early nineties were mostly built with ZKK 602 actions.

Agreed, I see the 602 as a fine rifle that was ruined by communist systems.

After all if Rigby used their actions for their rifles back in the day, then at least you know you have a good starting point.

For a few hundred dollars to the gunsmith, I ended up with a very accurate rifle that I would feel comfortable hunting anywhere in the world with.

Before....

After.....

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib,

Do you live in the Austin area? I’ve been here on and off since the 70s and honestly every bit of feedback I’ve heard regarding the ‘smiths there has been mediocre at best. All of my friends will take their guns out of town for work. I have seen you praise them before.

@RR 314

In 2023, I had them fit an M16 extractor to my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock custom. @Red Leg introduced me to them.

My son-in-law's mother's side of the family hails from Austin so we occasionally visit them.

 

[RR 314]

@RR 314

In 2023, I had them fit an M16 extractor to my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Remington Model 700 Kevlar Stock custom. @Red Leg introduced me to them.

My son-in-law's mother's side of the family hails from Austin so we occasionally visit them.

Thanks. My dad took something to them in the late 80s that they botched. I took something to them probably 10 years later and I was not pleased with their work. Kind of like getting food poisoning-I don’t go back. . Sounds like they are doing better these days. I just think it is telling that none of my rifle aficionados in Austin use them.