CZ 550 Buy. How bad did I just mess up?

[MS 9x56]

How many of you have had modified your 550s with a 3 position safety, action/follower tuning and or adding a sling barrel band?

My 550 came with a 3 position safety, and I bought it new in the box.

 

[cajunchefray]

I will post pics as soon as it comes in. I ordered some of the trash cans with bullets seated in them that are .416 Rigby cartridges lol

I suggest not overthinking recoil. Recoil control is a learned response.

When shooting off the bench (for sighting in only!), use bags to elevate your rest so that your torso is upright, a firm but not death grip, and just let your body roll with it.
In the book Rifles for Africa Gregor Woods has a good chapter,
Recoil: Learn to Manage It. It is a very good read.

Personally, I find the CZ American stock design really helps tame recoil. It works for me up to .500 Jeffery.
The Ruger RSM 416 Rigby I owned, while beautiful, just beat me up. Other people's results vary, but I liked the CZ 416 Rigby.

My CZ 416 Rigby was not bad at all. I loaded faster powders (H4350) rather than large charges of slower powder (RL-22). I didn't chase top velocity just accuracy at around 2300 fps.

As @krish stated, if you don't currently reload, now is the time to do it. You can optimize your loads for your rifle, keep the recoil velocity and muzzle blast minimized and shoot more for less money.

Good Luck!

 

[Maskell Shotgun academy]

you got a great rifle, get a competent small to install a Kick-Ezz recoil Pad and a recoil reducer. I wouldn't shoot it without those additions unless your good with heavy recoil.
Mike

 

[Bwgunslinger]

I suggest not overthinking recoil. Recoil control is a learned response.

When shooting off the bench (for sighting in only!), use bags to elevate your rest so that your torso is upright, a firm but not death grip, and just let your body roll with it.
In the book Rifles for Africa Gregor Woods has a good chapter,
Recoil: Learn to Manage It. It is a very good read.

Personally, I find the CZ American stock design really helps tame recoil. It works for me up to .500 Jeffery.
The Ruger RSM 416 Rigby I owned, while beautiful, just beat me up. Other people's results vary, but I liked the CZ 416 Rigby.

My CZ 416 Rigby was not bad at all. I loaded faster powders (H4350) rather than large charges of slower powder (RL-22). I didn't chase top velocity just accuracy at around 2300 fps.

As @krish stated, if you don't currently reload, now is the time to do it. You can optimize your loads for your rifle, keep the recoil velocity and muzzle blast minimized and shoot more for less money.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the good info. My dad does reload for every rifle he shoots so I think if I get some North Fork bullets and some brass we should be in business. Maybe I will shoot the 4 boxes of Hornady I have coming and then use that brass for some 430 grain loads in the 2150 to 2200 range.

 

[Bwgunslinger]

I notice that with 350 grain loads in the .375 at 2300 fps, it slows the recoil velocity down and has more of a push than a punch. At least compared to factory 300 grain going faster. Hits everything I have killed with it really hard.

That makes me wonder if I could tame the 416 the same way. Maybe not

 

[Bwgunslinger]

Another thing my dad has done to his Caprivi's is have the gunsmith add lead in a channel in the fore-stock and then add weight in the back of the stock as well. Makes a great soft shooting .375 but not worth the added weight for all day carry imo. At least not for 375.

I may be taping a brick to the 416 after saying all that lol

 

[samson7x]

I have the same, CZ 550 in .416 Rigby. You made a good choice but I have to ask at that time of day and with GunBroker was alcohol involved in the decision making?

Once upon a time, I was indulging in some bourbon and surfing GB. Thought it would be cool to have a dirty harry 44 mag. Ended up finding one, placing a bid that I didn't think would win and passed out. Woke up the next morning to find that I had won the auction! Today it's one of my favorite firearms...

 

[Peter Radekevich]

Remember recoil is a matter of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it don’t matter. Good choice on a great gun.

I think it’s if you don’t have a mind it don’t matter

 

[375Ruger416]

Thanks for the good info. My dad does reload for every rifle he shoots so I think if I get some North Fork bullets and some brass we should be in business. Maybe I will shoot the 4 boxes of Hornady I have coming and then use that brass for some 430 grain loads in the 2150 to 2200 range.

I don’t hand load, but will have to help my brother in law get his stuff set back up in office above the new barn. This big stuff is expensive, but even more importantly hard to find!

Loaded Aframe ammo is nearly impossible to find here in Canada and I’ve always been impressed with what I’ve heard about North Fork’s softs and cup nose solids. The ability to download ammo for recoil is a huge advantage too.

 

[Bwgunslinger]

I don’t hand load, but will have to help my brother in law get his stuff set back up in office above the new barn. This big stuff is expensive, but even more importantly hard to find!

Loaded Aframe ammo is nearly impossible to find here in Canada and I’ve always been impressed with what I’ve heard about North Fork’s softs and cup nose solids. The ability to download ammo for recoil is a huge advantage too.

Absolutely. Now that you say that, another added expense I didn't think of was getting a set of dies and a crimper die. Not too much in the big picture cost wise

 

[bigborelover]

Good choice especially for the price. Will kill anything on planet earth.

 

[AZDAVE]

You bought well. It is a rifle that will serve your needs for a long time.

I would advise your first couple shots be off sticks. I have bought a very good number of 338 and bigger rifles that have one or two rounds out of the first box of shells shot. Some one stepped up from a 243-308 and shot HIS or Her bigger bore off the bench and put it in the safe and sold it for half price a couple years later to me.

 

[PARA45]

Like others have said, you got a great deal, congrats. I'm a fairly short man (5'5") and I don't have any issues shooting my Ruger RSM-416 Rigby. Get comfortable with the rifle, and put it to work. I've known 4 PHs and all four had CZ-550s in 416 Rigby, and they swear by them.

The only issue I've found, is finding factory ammo. Luckily, I reload, so I'm ok. I've purchased brass from Raven Rocks (sponsor here). Good luck and please post pictures when you get her.

 

[Bwgunslinger]

Like others have said, you got a great deal, congrats. I'm a fairly short man (5'5") and I don't have any issues shooting my Ruger RSM-416 Rigby. Get comfortable with the rifle, and put it to work. I've known 4 PHs and all four had CZ-550s in 416 Rigby, and they swear by them.

The only issue I've found, is finding factory ammo. Luckily, I reload, so I'm ok. I've purchased brass from Raven Rocks (sponsor here). Good luck and please post pictures when you get her.

I definitely will. Looks like it should be delivered Monday. I work for the company the gun will be delivered to so I’ll get it soon as it comes off the truck and gets checked in.

(Not mentioning the name of the company because I’m not sure if it’s bad form to promote non-sponsors to this site that are in the industry).