CZ 550 Safari Classics II 458 Lott

I'd love one in 404 or 416 as well. I looked at the last 404 they have left for sale but its the high gloss finish, I really prefer the matte oiled finish on the stock.
My 416 rigby

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Beautiful! Does it have an ebony forend? i'm assuming so. I really like the scrimshaw lion grip cap.
 
Can I ask who did the scrimshaw grip cap for you? I would love a grizzly bear on my 500 Jeffery.
 
I have just bought one of these in 375 H&H. Serial number 16.

Has anyone removed the kick stop from one of these?

I’d like mine to be a bit lighter and I don’t feel that the kick stop is needed in 375.

Is it a gunsmith job or could I easily do it myself?

Thanks
 
I'd love one in 404 or 416 as well. I looked at the last 404 they have left for sale but its the high gloss finish, I really prefer the matte oiled finish on the stock.

Didn't know about these either....why don't you get the 416 and just have the stock refinished?
 
A PH I know in Zim use a 458Lott and swears by Woodleigh Hydro's for big DG.

When I was looking for a DG rifle I bought a CZ550 in 416 Rigby. I wanted a 404J but back then they were a special offer from CZ. The 416R was 1600AUD and the 404 was about 4500AUD.
Not game to check Claytons out, I am trying to cut down on the rifles I own but some how the number remains stagnant. :LOL:
 
I have been buying and re-barreling, re-chambering, and fixing up CZ 550 Magnums since as soon as they showed up on this side of the pond through CZ-USA, about the turn of this century.
Sadly they are no more around here.

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The initial issue .505 Gibbs and 404 Jeffery required a lot of work and it wasn't until about 2007 (like in catalog link above) that CZ-USA started getting their act together.
Guided by things like replacing my broken marble cake stock on the mild little 404 Jeffery,
they soon started putting the usual double cross bolts in them instead of none, or just the single one behind the tang.

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Even after I had an expert gunsmith glass bed, and install pillars and crossbolts.

The pretty .458 Lott of OP has a glaring deficiency IMHO:
The Talley rings with the double hole drilled above the recoil tab on the rear ring.
I have busted them on hard kickers, and quit using Talley CZ rings altogether after stripping the main mounting screws on another set,
and googled up some images on the internet.

z002.jpg

poor focus but the crack is there.
Some other images by other people:

talley_fail_new_1_zps0b3f07a3 - Copy.jpg
talley_fail_new_2_zps68e6bd0d - Copy.jpg
talley_fail_old-sept2011_zps1df4f9a11_zps08ee30d8.jpg
talleycrash_1.jpg


I thought this version (no holes above recoil tab) was improved, but when I kept it tight, fearing loosening was what caused the other to fail ...

z003.jpg


... levers pointed above bore axis when on right side so that recoil keeps them tight

z005-1.jpg


... my puny fingers stripped the main mounting bolt, no cheater pipe involved:

z006.jpg
z007.jpg
z008.jpg


No vertical split ring can be as strong as a horizontally split ring, where the scope-tube-holding function is independent of the ring-to-action-holding function.
The OEM CZ 550 Magnum rings are as strong as it gets, especially if you replace the main mounting screws with automotive socket head screw where the QD lever becomes QD itself, and is carried in your pants pocket.
Or Bubba your own QD levers onto the OEM CZ rings:

azz010.JPG
azz006.JPG


azz009.JPG


On the left side of rifle, levers point downward to have recoil keep them tight.
The .500 Jeffery above is waiting for Bubba to sand down the epoxy build on the fore arm edges.
Barrel was so fat the CZ laminate stock's barrel channel had to be enlarged.
Bubba plans to cover the entire mess of the stock with grey truck bed coat, rugged texture paint to cover the checkering and all.
 
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The way Bubba does it is to thread the inside of Leupold QRW levers to fit the metric main mounting socket cap screw that replaces the CZ slotted head screw,
then J-B Weld them to integral.
Use washers if levers do not line up to point correctly.
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Or just forget about the silly QD levers and carry the QD-QD lever in your pocket.

Torque to 65 inch-pounds. Above was on a BRNO ZKK-602 .500 A-Square Improved aka .510 JAB.
 
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Yep, CZ finally got heir act together on the 550 Magnum.
Grain flow in OP stock is excellent.
I would do this to any questionable grain walnut and any laminate:

xc013.jpg


That is the stock on .500 Mbogo 3-Inch (No. 1) which is now getting a B&C replacement.
The laminate is on the .500 Jeffery toy now.
It was originally on a .416 Rigby.
I call it the Fat American style of stock.
 

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Grz63 wrote on roklok's profile.
Hi Roklok
I read your post on Caprivi. Congratulations.
I plan to hunt there for buff in 2026 oct.
How was the land, very dry ? But à lot of buffs ?
Thank you / merci
Philippe
Fire Dog wrote on AfricaHunting.com's profile.
Chopped up the whole thing as I kept hitting the 240 character limit...
Found out the trigger word in the end... It was muzzle or velocity. dropped them and it posted.:)
Fire Dog wrote on AfricaHunting.com's profile.
2,822fps, ES 8.2
This compares favorably to 7 Rem Mag. with less powder & recoil.
Fire Dog wrote on AfricaHunting.com's profile.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS FOR MY RIFLE, ALWAYS APPROACH A NEW LOAD CAUTIOUSLY!!*
Rifle is a Pierce long action, 32" 1:8.5 twist Swan{Au} barrel
{You will want a 1:8.5 to run the heavies but can get away with a 1:9}
Peterson .280AI brass, CCI 200 primers, 56.5gr of 4831SC, 184gr Berger Hybrid.
Fire Dog wrote on AfricaHunting.com's profile.
I know that this thread is more than a year old but as a new member I thought I would pass along my .280AI loading.
I am shooting F Open long range rather than hunting but here is what is working for me and I have managed a 198.14 at 800 meters.
That is for 20 shots. The 14 are X's which is a 5" circle.
 
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