Brno ZKK-601 .223 Rem: "The one that DIDN'T get away..." (Reprint from RFC-CZ Forum"
I have shared this with Brnomann in PM as well as over at RimfireCentral's CZ Forum. THat said, since my post on ZKK-601's in .223 Rem has kinda grown, I thought I would post the story of mine and why I am so keen on this rifle specifically. Anyway, sorry for the repeat for all those that visit RFC as well. However, I thought I'd share it with you all as well and hope you appreciate it as much as me and Brnomann did. Additionally, I realize this is not exactly rim-fire but it seems most of us in the CZ section are as much CZ/ Brno fans generally as much as CZ rim-fire fans specifically.
Anyway, what I thought I would share was a success story on "the one that didn't get away"...or at least one that has found it's way back to my possession.
I now have back my Brno ZKK-601 in .223 a rifle which according to all logic and all books does not really exist...but yet I have it! Yeah!...(Kinda like our Stechers that are coming, eh Denny?...but the story on that is yet to be revealed and I will share that part shortly.)
Sometime ago I used to have a BRNO ZKK-601 in .223, (That doesn't exist you say...again hold tight on that, more shortly.) This rifle really was awesome and had the single set trigger installed and as always had high craftsmanship, was beautiful and accurate. I really hadn't ever seen another like it. Unfortunately things got really tight a few years ago and I sold it..but fortunately I sold it to a true friend who understood what the circumstances were and what this rifle meant to me. As many of you know in general, while somewhat more common in other countries Brno ZKK's are pretty uncommon here in the states let alone one in .223 Rem. So when I sold it to my friend, with the hopes of better future days; I told him to use it etc, it's yours no strings attached. However I also told him to hold on to it and if in a year or so if he wanted to get rid of it or decided he needed to sell it...to please give me me first chance to buy it. He agreed, but again he was under no obligation. Well it actually turned into 4 years before the sun shone on better fortunes. So finally last week after tracking down where this friend was and MUCH cajoling etc I talked my friend into selling it back to me. :t :t :t
However since that time Denny and I have been email conversing and the story has gotten even better. It turns out that it is truly somewhat of a rare item. Didn't know that when I bought, just that I liked Brno's, loved the trigger and that it was in .223 Rem.
Back to my story. While my friend owned this rifle, he neither shot nor really even really handled it through the years. (He actually never admitted to his wife that he even had it. ) so it was in essentially the same shape I left it which was 98%, including its original case. It just basically sat there in his gun locker for the last four years. As to my friend, I have to admit, I don’t think my friend really “wanted” to sell it back to me. He really appreciated what a quality firearm it is and also thought it was just so cool and unique. I think deep down inside he knew though when he bought it from me, that it was more a favor or maybe sort of a temporary loan and that I would eventually come back for it in the future. He said that he thought it might work out this way. He knew I had sentimental and emotional attachment to this rifle and understanding this, I think this is why he never fired it and took such great care of it. Even though he hated to loose it, after explaining why I wanted it back, he understood what this specific rifle meant to me personally (see below) and he wanted me to have it. He sold it to me for just what he paid for it; I’m grateful! As mentioned, the reality of its value to me is only slightly related to its potential rarity…which I have to admit I didn't know when I bought it...I don’t care either way as I am just grateful to have it back.
To me, it was great to get it back for several reasons. First, while it's nice to get a BRNO in a caliber I love…AND an additionally potential rarity; for me this specific rifle represented much more than that. The reality is that I am even more thrilled to get it back than I realized I would be. This rifle represents gaining back one of the exact things I was forced to sacrifice a few years back. It is something that was a “thorn in my side” that always lurked in the back of my mind. I also don’t know if this will make any sense, but maybe getting it back represents an achievement or maybe attainment of a little personal success to me...a goal. I guess it may also represent overcoming “the one that got away”….but I was lucky enough to be able to find again. This just seems to only happen rarely in the gun world...and if it does the weapon is usually thrashed. Next, while I always suspected that this rifle was maybe an uncommon rifle ; (I hadn't ever even heard of another one.) but…learning since then that it may potentially be of such rarity is just “icing on the cake”. And finally,maybe much more importantly, (which explains some of the the emotional attachment) I think it represents so many fond memories including purchasing and hunting so much with it with my only brother and best friend who has since passed away as well as with one of my new best friends, my brother in law.
One thing is for sure and that is I have no plans to ever sell this rifle again now that I was lucky enough to recover it. Also that I really appreciate this true friend for buying it from me when times were tough, keeping it perfect shape and then selling it back to me...for what I sold it to him for.
Sorry so long winded, just thought I’d share with people that might appreciate this experience.
Warmest Regards and thanks for listening.
TOU
PS. One more additional not on this rifle. It is the one that I mentioned in a previous thread, that on the first day I owned it we took it with us hunting gophers in Alberta. We shot a few gophers with soft points which was fun but then came across a coyote. It took off on a dead run up a hill diagonally. I tracked it and just before it crested the hill I squeezed that set trigger...I nailed it on a dead run, it dropped like a rock at 250 paces...open sight. Admittedly, the reality is, it was a lucky shot that I haven't been able to repeat since. Sure made me love that gun...and from then on I was a Brno/CZ center-fire believer. I haven't bought another brand of sporting center-fire since....By the way this was, at that time, my first coyote ever.
I have shared this with Brnomann in PM as well as over at RimfireCentral's CZ Forum. THat said, since my post on ZKK-601's in .223 Rem has kinda grown, I thought I would post the story of mine and why I am so keen on this rifle specifically. Anyway, sorry for the repeat for all those that visit RFC as well. However, I thought I'd share it with you all as well and hope you appreciate it as much as me and Brnomann did. Additionally, I realize this is not exactly rim-fire but it seems most of us in the CZ section are as much CZ/ Brno fans generally as much as CZ rim-fire fans specifically.
Anyway, what I thought I would share was a success story on "the one that didn't get away"...or at least one that has found it's way back to my possession.
I now have back my Brno ZKK-601 in .223 a rifle which according to all logic and all books does not really exist...but yet I have it! Yeah!...(Kinda like our Stechers that are coming, eh Denny?...but the story on that is yet to be revealed and I will share that part shortly.)Sometime ago I used to have a BRNO ZKK-601 in .223, (That doesn't exist you say...again hold tight on that, more shortly.) This rifle really was awesome and had the single set trigger installed and as always had high craftsmanship, was beautiful and accurate. I really hadn't ever seen another like it. Unfortunately things got really tight a few years ago and I sold it..but fortunately I sold it to a true friend who understood what the circumstances were and what this rifle meant to me. As many of you know in general, while somewhat more common in other countries Brno ZKK's are pretty uncommon here in the states let alone one in .223 Rem. So when I sold it to my friend, with the hopes of better future days; I told him to use it etc, it's yours no strings attached. However I also told him to hold on to it and if in a year or so if he wanted to get rid of it or decided he needed to sell it...to please give me me first chance to buy it. He agreed, but again he was under no obligation. Well it actually turned into 4 years before the sun shone on better fortunes. So finally last week after tracking down where this friend was and MUCH cajoling etc I talked my friend into selling it back to me. :t :t :t
However since that time Denny and I have been email conversing and the story has gotten even better. It turns out that it is truly somewhat of a rare item. Didn't know that when I bought, just that I liked Brno's, loved the trigger and that it was in .223 Rem.
Back to my story. While my friend owned this rifle, he neither shot nor really even really handled it through the years. (He actually never admitted to his wife that he even had it. ) so it was in essentially the same shape I left it which was 98%, including its original case. It just basically sat there in his gun locker for the last four years. As to my friend, I have to admit, I don’t think my friend really “wanted” to sell it back to me. He really appreciated what a quality firearm it is and also thought it was just so cool and unique. I think deep down inside he knew though when he bought it from me, that it was more a favor or maybe sort of a temporary loan and that I would eventually come back for it in the future. He said that he thought it might work out this way. He knew I had sentimental and emotional attachment to this rifle and understanding this, I think this is why he never fired it and took such great care of it. Even though he hated to loose it, after explaining why I wanted it back, he understood what this specific rifle meant to me personally (see below) and he wanted me to have it. He sold it to me for just what he paid for it; I’m grateful! As mentioned, the reality of its value to me is only slightly related to its potential rarity…which I have to admit I didn't know when I bought it...I don’t care either way as I am just grateful to have it back.
To me, it was great to get it back for several reasons. First, while it's nice to get a BRNO in a caliber I love…AND an additionally potential rarity; for me this specific rifle represented much more than that. The reality is that I am even more thrilled to get it back than I realized I would be. This rifle represents gaining back one of the exact things I was forced to sacrifice a few years back. It is something that was a “thorn in my side” that always lurked in the back of my mind. I also don’t know if this will make any sense, but maybe getting it back represents an achievement or maybe attainment of a little personal success to me...a goal. I guess it may also represent overcoming “the one that got away”….but I was lucky enough to be able to find again. This just seems to only happen rarely in the gun world...and if it does the weapon is usually thrashed. Next, while I always suspected that this rifle was maybe an uncommon rifle ; (I hadn't ever even heard of another one.) but…learning since then that it may potentially be of such rarity is just “icing on the cake”. And finally,maybe much more importantly, (which explains some of the the emotional attachment) I think it represents so many fond memories including purchasing and hunting so much with it with my only brother and best friend who has since passed away as well as with one of my new best friends, my brother in law.
One thing is for sure and that is I have no plans to ever sell this rifle again now that I was lucky enough to recover it. Also that I really appreciate this true friend for buying it from me when times were tough, keeping it perfect shape and then selling it back to me...for what I sold it to him for.
Sorry so long winded, just thought I’d share with people that might appreciate this experience.
Warmest Regards and thanks for listening.
TOU
PS. One more additional not on this rifle. It is the one that I mentioned in a previous thread, that on the first day I owned it we took it with us hunting gophers in Alberta. We shot a few gophers with soft points which was fun but then came across a coyote. It took off on a dead run up a hill diagonally. I tracked it and just before it crested the hill I squeezed that set trigger...I nailed it on a dead run, it dropped like a rock at 250 paces...open sight. Admittedly, the reality is, it was a lucky shot that I haven't been able to repeat since. Sure made me love that gun...and from then on I was a Brno/CZ center-fire believer. I haven't bought another brand of sporting center-fire since....By the way this was, at that time, my first coyote ever.
