CZ 550 416 feeding issues?

[Backyardsniper]

A question for some of the CZ guys out there. Do the CZ 416 have the reputation for the feeding issues like the 458 do? I have a 375 and it feeds like a sewing machine, but as any of you who have read my other posts know I have some issues with my 458 Lott and I understand that is kind of a common issue with that caliber in the 550. I know there is a possibility of having an issue with any rifle but was just curious if it was as common in the 416 as it is in some of the other ones?

 

[Desperatezulu]

Not to my knowledge! I have one and zero feeding issues - if there is a problem, my guess it would relate to the bullet shape (a very flat, broad meplat). Obviously any gun can have burrs on the rails or a rough feed ramp (i.e. poor finishing) but feeding problems are not widespread in the 416.

Mine has been fed A-Frames, Claw, Hornady DGX (paper only), Bertram and Peregrine VRG2 (which has a big meplat).
No feeding issues with any of the above, other than a couple of short-stroke user errors when I first practised rapid fire with the rifle.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I like the CZ rifles and I was thinking about trying to pick one up but I thought I would check first. I do not want to have to deal with what I'm dealing right now with this 458 again. Absolute nightmare and nobody works on them.

 

[Desperatezulu]

If you can view the rifle before buying then take a snap-cap/dummy round and cycle it through the gun. The snap-caps are round nose, so an easy shape for feeding - so if it hangs up or shows any adverse feeding behaviour, then pass on the gun.

You can run your fingers along/under the feed rails and feel for any burrs or rough spots.
If the gun has been used, then you can see the 'smear' patterns of bullets sliding up the feed ramp - should be shiny and smooth. Any blemishes might be a sign of rough feeding.

If you're going to use A-Frames or TSX or any similar spire point bullet, then I think your chances of feeding issues are small unless the gun has a massive manufacturing defect. Which should be obvious if you do the above.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

If you do get to view the rifle I would recommend completely filling the magazine with snap caps or dummies. Then cycling the bolt, it is quite common for the first round to cycle fine, but #2 round or possibly one of the others will not. Even better, in a safe environment cycle a fully loaded magazine with live rounds.

 

[Backyardsniper]

That's where I have the issues with my Lott. Its round #2 and #4. The ones that feed from the left side of the mag. It is currently being worked on but they already sent it back once and it was a complete mess. The rear of the bolt where I had the 3 position safety installed would come unscrewed at will. The trigger job felt like a red rider BB gun trigger and it still jammed the 2nd and 4th round. I literally unpacked it and was on the phone with the Smith in less than 10 min after unpacking it. They did pay for the return shipping and swore they would correct it. I hope that is the case but I don't have a great deal of faith.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

First I believe CZ 550 is a great rifle. We have two CZ 550s in .404J they started life as .375H&H the gunsmith that converted them to .404J will remain unnamed. Upon receiving the rifles neither would cycle the 2nd or 4 round, exactly the same problem that you are experiencing. I contacted the gunsmith who said he ran a box of .404j through each (and of course charged me a helluva price for two boxes of Federal .404J) and that both rifles functioned perfect. Which was a bald face lie!. He had not modified the rails in the slightest. He said he would send me the diagram on how they should be modified. I followed his instructions and with many hours of work I modified both and they are flawless.

My suggestion would be get your .458 Lott to a gunsmith that knows how to fix it properly the FIRST time!

If you buy the .416 Rigby I suggest you also get your rifle to competent gunsmith and have it made right before you even shoot it.

I strongly recommend Ken Owens, Moscow Tenn.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I will definitely check him out. I'm in Ky right next door to TN. The rifle is currently back at the Smith that had worked on it. We will see what it looks like when I get it back this time. If it is not satisfactory I will have to contact Mr. Owens. I'm already $900 into this "upgrade". I really hope I get it back and it is functioning correctly but we will see.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I wonder if the same gunsmith worked on both of our guns? I will not mention his name it will just start a fury of "he worked on my rifle and it was perfect" which I really do not care about. What I do care about is that my rifle and that our clients rifles work perfect every time. Ken has never disappointed me.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I'll PM you

 

[Nhoro]

Mauser action feeding is a function of magazine width (including the width just under the rails), the feed ramp and the rails. I did work on my own CZ 550 in 458 Win mag (now a Lott) to get it feeding well. There is a thread on here somewhere. A competent smith should be able to handle it. My brother has 416 rigby CZ550 and it feeds well. But ALL makes of rifle need to be checked for feeding- and under pressure/quick cycling etc. All makes of rifles can jam-again check out the thread on Zim Pro Hunters shooting tests.

 

[Luvthunt]

Looks like we are missing the talents of Wayne at AHR. Another smith to try is the folks in Co. that Wayne sold his business.
I had two problems rifles in the past a Brno in 458 Lott and a CZ 550 416 Rigby. Both malfunctioned with the #2 out of the mag. Sent both rifles to AHR separately over a three year period and they came back functioning perfectly.By now have more the 300 rounds thru the Brno and 200+ thru the 416.
My point…..all it takes is a competent smith.
I miss Wayne!!!

 

[CoElkHunter]

And the custom shop for CZ, Triple River Gunsmithing in Springfield, MO, is no longer in business as the owner retired! What's left?

 

[Joker12]

M70 Winchesters with the coned breach have no feeding issues at all.

 

[CoElkHunter]

M70 Winchesters with the coned breach have no feeding issues at all.

But, not many available in .416 Rigby or .458 Lott at any price, let alone the much lower cost and availability (at least until recently) of the CZ 550? Now, the above two cartridges along with other CZ chamberings like the .404J, .450 Rigby, .500 J and .505 Gibbs will slowly become obsolescent as the cost of rifles chambered in those cartridges are beyond the reach of most of us. The Lott will survive with more rifle availability, but not by much.

 

[AZDAVE]

My 416 feed anything I feed it slick as can be. My 500 Jeffery need a little work to get to feed correctly. (It is now the DG gun for one of my best shooting buddies, I let him talk me out of it, but the 500 and 505 were the only 2 CZ's that he didn't have in his collection)
If I wasn't taking a double my 416 CZ or 404 custom would be coming along on a DG hunt.

 

[roverandbrew]

My CZ 550 in 375 H&H was sent for a complete upgrade but on return the rounds still rattled in the magazine box. I brought the rifle to a second gunsmith who pointed out the problem in 10 minutes. Some CZ 550 Safaris were thrown together with a different and wrong magazine box. Once he swapped it out the rifle worked great. My question would be is the magazine box correct?

 

[baxterb]

Mauser action feeding is a function of magazine width (including the width just under the rails), the feed ramp and the rails. I did work on my own CZ 550 in 458 Win mag (now a Lott) to get it feeding well. There is a thread on here somewhere. A competent smith should be able to handle it. My brother has 416 rigby CZ550 and it feeds well. But ALL makes of rifle need to be checked for feeding- and under pressure/quick cycling etc. All makes of rifles can jam-again check out the thread on Zim Pro Hunters shooting tests.

In all candor, ive run across otherwise competent gunsmiths who had no idea how a mauser worked. Had never used the mauser magazine rule, simply worked by trial and error. I would avoid at all costs a Smith who isn’t well versed in mausers. Once you start messing with one thing it leads to another and eventually into a corner if you don’t know where you are going.

question on your 458…did you have feeding/retention issues when it was a win mag? The mag box in CZs is mega - did the rounds bounce front to back a lot?

 

[Joker12]

But, not many available in .416 Rigby or .458 Lott at any price, let alone the much lower cost and availability (at least until recently) of the CZ 550? Now, the above two cartridges along with other CZ chamberings like the .404J, .450 Rigby, .500 J and .505 Gibbs will slowly become obsolescent as the cost of rifles chambered in those cartridges are beyond the reach of most of us. The Lott will survive with more rifle availability, but not by much.

It would be a shame to lose those chamberings but that being said the 416RM matches the Rigby factory loads and it should be easy enough to rechamber a M70 to the lott. Its sad that we find affordable choices narrowing.

 

[bowjijohn]

I've had feeding issues with my custom Mauser 98 in 404 jeff from the get go

Gunsmith completed the build without testing that it would feed correctly - just single fed rounds into the chamber

Cycling the bolt with 3 rounds in mag caused the top two rounds to push up above the raceway as they were not held correctly by the feed lips

Also ....

Safety did not engage as inletting was poor which blocked the full throw of the slide lever safety

Rifle returned

A year later send back to me with safety still not working and solution to the feed issue was unfixed - gunsmith merely put a weaker follower spring in !

Now sent to another gunsmith who sent it away to have feed lips rebuilt using laser welding.

That has now been done and gunsmith is fettling the feed lips to ensure correct feeding

He has warned me that if it doesn't solve the problem then the action is beyond recovery

The rifle is for work whilst taking groups on walks through the bush

If it will not work 100% under all conditions then it is merely a wall decoration !!