CZ-557...Canadian Rangers?

That rifle is definitely a CZ-557 and not the slightly older CZ-550? If so, it is almost certainly a prototype trial rifle offered to testing for the Rangers. The reason I say this, apart from the crest engraved in the exact spot where CZ usually puts engravings on rifle butts, is that that rifle has options on it that are not available so far on the standard commercial CZ-557:

1. Two front QD sling swivel studs;
2. Detachable box magazine; and
3. Iron sights mated with a straight non-Monte Carlo buttstock.

According to the CZ website, while the Lux model of the 557 does come with iron sights like the ones on your rifle, it has a walnut stock with a Monte Carlo cheekpiece hump. The straight buttstock like the one your rifle has only comes on the Sporter model, is made of beech instead of walnut (is yours beech or walnut or can you tell?), and that model comes standard without any iron sights and doesn't offer them as an option.

The Sporter model does comes standard with QD sling swivels, but only has one front swivel instead of 2 several inches apart.

The real kicker however, is that according to CZ itself, the company DOES plan to offer detachable magazines as an option for the 557 -- but not until 2014. The only 557s commercially available now have internal 5-shot fixed magazines.

Oh yes, and that sight mount for the scope is not a standard CZ commercial mounting either. CZ hunting rifles are usually offered with optional rings that mount separately into dovetails in the receiver (much like Ruger rings that fit into "notches"). That mounting you have looks like a variation of the picatinny rail system CZ offers with its Military/LEO 750 sniper rifle.

Add all that together, and that is definitely NOT just a commercial off-the-shelf CZ rifle that someone engraved with the Ranger crest as his own personal commemorative rifle.

BTW, what is the year of manufacture of that rifle? According to CZ, they stamp the year of manufacture on their weapons: "Pistol marks are located in a small oval behind the extractor/ejection port. It will be a 2 digit code indicating the year it was manfactured. Rifles generally have the manf date stamp on the right side of the action, slightly behind where the barrel threads into the receiver. The rifle mark is a proofstamp along with the 2 digit code."

You may want to try contacting CZ itself and asking them about your rifle's history. You could start with CZ-USA at the following email address: info@cz-usa.com.
 
Last edited:
A few years back, one of the vendors had a couple Steyr precision rifles, complete with Canadian Army markings, that were put forward during the selection process, but sold off to this vendor afterwards. This CZ might become a neat little footnote in history :)
 
Interesting is that the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle (.308/7.62 NATO calibre) was chosen but Ruger refused to allow Colt Canada to produce the rifle.

CZ might just be the runner up winning by default. This would still be a trials rifle as the rifle must have a synthetic stock.

• 10,200 complete Canadian Ranger Rifles (a complete rifle is defined at Annex B);
• A separate quote is requested for trial quantities of 10 complete Canadian Ranger
Rifles with the accessories needed for cleaning and maintenance for a period of 6
months during which 2,000 rounds will be fired through each weapon; and
• The CF is considering having the NCCR [stock] produced in a distinct colour with
the NCCR emblem engraved into the rifle stock. A separate quote is requested for
adding these features [colour and logo] to the 10,000 weapons to be acquired.
The
colour has not been determined but [it] will be a single colour for the [...] stock only.
 
nope, decision was made and Ruger balked at giving Colt Canada the approval to manufacture.

Munitions Supply Program (MSP)

Some degree of weapons support shall be conducted by Canada's Small Arms Strat- egic Source and Centre of Excellence under the Munitions Supply Program, currently Colt Canada. [E]ventual bidders will be required to enter into an agreement to provide a Technical Data Package (TDP) to the Crown with the understanding that the TDP will be passed to Colt Canada in order that:

a. for National Security reasons, the [New Canadian Ranger Rifle] will be produced in
Canada by Colt Canada under license;
and

b. 3rd line depot-level maintenance and Life Cycle support can be provided to this
[New Canadian Ranger Rifle] weapons fleet by Colt Canada.
 
Where the wheels seem to have come off is DND’s requirement to have the new Ranger Rifle (CRR) manufactured by Colt Canada as part of the larger Munitions Supply Program (MSP). Colt Canada is known for producing Canada’s C7/C8 rifles and not militarized hunting rifles. It has been reported that all the manufacturers asked by DND/PWGSC to transfer their designs to Colt Canada for manufacturing balked and walked away, leaving the project in disarray.
 
New canadian ranger rifle (ncrr)

NEW CANADIAN RANGER RIFLE (NCRR) - Price and Availability Request (P&A)

Introduction

The Canadian Forces (CF ) are looking to replace the current Canadian Ranger Rifle (CCR) with a newer weapon and is gathering information on the price and availability of weapons that meet our requirements and the number of potential contenders as part of [the] planning and budget process. The current CF service Canadian Ranger Rifle is a .303["] calibre, No 4, Lee Enfield. These weapons were manufactured during the early 1950s and [these CRR Lee Enfields are] becoming increasingly difficult to support.

The New Canadian Ranger Rifle (NCRR) [will be] a robust bolt action hunting rifle with minor customization that can fire both commercial .308["] Winchester and 7.62 x 51mm NATO ammunition. [The NCRR will be] used in the Canadian Arctic, (in extreme cold) and on [East and West Coasts] in (a salty/ corrosive environment). This procurement [is] part of the Small Arms Modernization (SAM) project and is expected to occur along [the following] approximate timelines:

Activities and Timelines

Price and Availability (P&A) published: Summer 2011
P&A results received: 14 Oct 2011
Options Analysed and Requirements refined: Fall 2011
RFP issued [...] likely preceded by a SOIQ: Summer 2012
Weapon Selected and Contracted awarded: Winter/Spring 2013
Start of delivery of new CRR: Fall 2013/Winter [20]14

Project Scope

The aim of the SAM Project is to procure up to 10,200 NCRR weapons. For information only and not included in this P&A, the successful bidder will be requested to provide:

o Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) necessary to introduce the system and support
during the first two years of service, including:
• Canadian Ranger and weapon technicians training;
• User and maintenance bilingual (English and French) publications in Canadian
Forces Technical Order (CFTO) format;
• Initial provisioning repair parts for two years usage;
• Repair Parts;
• Special Tools.
• Project Management;
• Provision of engineering services to support the introduction, fielding and support
for the first two years of use.

Munitions Supply Program (MSP)

Some degree of weapons support shall be conducted by Canada's Small Arms Strat- egic Source and Centre of Excellence under the Munitions Supply Program, currently Colt Canada. [E]ventual bidders will be required to enter into an agreement to provide a Technical Data Package (TDP) to the Crown with the understanding that the TDP will be passed to Colt Canada in order that:

a. for National Security reasons, the [New Canadian Ranger Rifle] will be produced in
Canada by Colt Canada under license; and

b. 3rd line depot-level maintenance and Life Cycle support can be provided to this
[New Canadian Ranger Rifle] weapons fleet by Colt Canada.

Constrains

Only robust Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products will be considered to limit the testing required to validate that the proposed NCRR is effective and robust enough to meet its intended role. Only rifles chambered for either the NATO C21 [ Canadian ball ] 7.62x51mm or commercial .308["] Winchester cartridges. Manufacturers will be required to certify that their rifle meet this mandatory requirement.

Requirements

The performance criteria for the weapon are listed in Annex A [but it] is likely that the criteria will [evolve] based on the results of this P&A. For planning and cost estimate purposes, approximately 10,200 rifles are required. This quantity will be refined before the Request for Proposals is released. Prior to the RFP the CF may choose to acquire small quantities for testing and confirmation of the requirements. Suppliers are asked to complete the performance criteria table and provide cost estimates for the following:

• 10,200 complete Canadian Ranger Rifles (a complete rifle is defined at Annex B);
• A separate quote is requested for trial quantities of 10 complete Canadian Ranger
Rifles with the accessories needed for cleaning and maintenance for a period of 6
months during which 2,000 rounds will be fired through each weapon; and
• The CF is considering having the NCCR [stock] produced in a distinct colour with
the NCCR emblem engraved into the rifle stock. A separate quote is requested for
adding these features [colour and logo] to the 10,000 weapons to be acquired. The
colour has not been determined but [it] will be a single colour for the [...] stock only.

Out of Scope items

For the purposes of this P&A, ammunition development is considered out of scope.

Security

Contractors are requested to indicate their ability, and that of any subcontractors, to accommodate personnel and facility security requirements, together with[y] controlled goods restrictions (e.g. International Traffic in Arms Regulations), export licenses and 3rd party release requirements. Contractors are to clearly identify any implications that may affect delivery of the proposed solution in accordance with the Industrial Security Program of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) requirements.

Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB)

[IRBs do not apply to any part of NCRR procurement conducted under the Munitions Supply Program. For parts conducted ] under the MSP, the contractor may be required to provide high-quality IRBs equivalent to 100% of the contracted value.

Requested information

This P&A is the first step in engaging industry to refine the NCRR requirements and support concepts, as well as defining budget, schedule and risk elements associated with a best-value approach. Industry is encouraged to be innovative in their proposed method(s) of capability delivery and support options. Based on the requirements de- tailed in this document, the P&A seeks vendors to provide the following information:

• The unit cost and technical description of the NCRR. [...];

• A statement of the delivery capability. Indicate whether or not the P&A delivery
milestones can be achieved, if not, provide the best possible delivery schedule;

• Constraints and assumptions associated with the proposed solution.
 
Back
Top Bottom