Little disapointed with 550 Safari

J

JasonYuke

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Well after a long wait I finaly got a rifle that I ordered a long time ago we forgat about it both me and the gun shop but had a deal with it either way after the 1 st 6 months so no preasure, It is a 458 WM in a European style swooping stock. The gun shop called for me to come and have a look If I wanted it It took well over a year for it to get in.
Well not sure about it going to sleep on it,Taxes in I can get it for 1100.00 but its light To light, My plan was to ream it to a 458 lott. Not this gun the wood is crappy and so are the safari flip sights, just don't know about the whole thing. This would be my third 458 and this one just does not apeal to me.

What do you guys think of the 550 SMs? I am sure its well biul;t just one of those you pick up and himm and haww about?
 
JasonYuke said:
Well after a long wait I finaly got a rifle that I ordered a long time ago we forgat about it both me and the gun shop but had a deal with it either way after the 1 st 6 months so no preasure, It is a 458 WM in a European style swooping stock. The gun shop called for me to come and have a look If I wanted it It took well over a year for it to get in.
Well not sure about it going to sleep on it,Taxes in I can get it for 1100.00 but its light To light, My plan was to ream it to a 458 lott. Not this gun the wood is crappy and so are the safari flip sights, just don't know about the whole thing. This would be my third 458 and this one just does not apeal to me.

What do you guys think of the 550 SMs? I am sure its well biul;t just one of those you pick up and himm and haww about?
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Some time ago there was quite a long discussion over at Nitro Express concerning the Q&C at Brno. The threads made it pretty clear that Brno's popularity has resulted in a drop in quality as they try to keep up with demand from around the world. Suffice to say that the 550 is not a 602.

Question is, what should you do now? Do you spend that much money on a gun that does not excite you? Do you buy it and throw money at it until it's what you want? That could be alot of money, and it could be a long wait.

If a .458 Lott is what you are after, consider finding a good action and have your rifle built from the ground up as one solution. On the plus side you get a rifle built around your own ideas of what a rifle should be. On the negative side it could take a year or more to get it finished - my .375 is back at the shop for a final touch up, and it's been 5 years in the making. Another solution is to take the same money and buy a new Dakota in the caliber you want, and the quality you demand without the long wait.

IMHO there are very few quality big bore rifles available at what would be considered reasonable prices. The only one that really comes to mind is the Ruger #1, and these aren't the answer for everyone. But if I was looking for a big bore wildcat, that had a good reputation for quality, that's what I would get. All it would need would be a short stay at the gunsmiths to rechamber, and he could check the bedding while he had it. By the way - a .460 G&A is better cartridge than the Lott.
 
I used to have a Whitworth .458 on a Mauser X action, which appears to be what the Remington 798 is built on. The stock lasted less than 100 rounds before it failed. The action was rough enough that working the bolt at the shoulder, though not impossible, was a chore. I traded it for my Brno 602. If you buy an inexpensive, big bore, bolt action rifle, it has been my experience that there will be further expenses. I don't want to think how much I've got into the 602.
 
Unless I'm mistaken you can order the CZ550 in 458 Lott without fooling around rechambering.

Rick at Alberta Tactical imports CZ rifles. Talk to him. For the price of a new rifle plus gunsmithing, why not get one from the factory chambered in the caliber you want?
 
So I guess the only thing JasonYuke can do is spring for:

M98 Magnum
mauser_magnum.jpg


or a Reimer Johannsen Magnum Mauser
Johnnsen-mid-right.jpg
 
Yeah if your hoping to order a CZ/BRNO and get one with a nice stock it's really hit and miss with the CZ/BRNO rifles. Seems many of them look like they had the stock carved from a utility grade 2"x8" from Home Depot but yet once in a while you see an odd one that looks like the stock came from the custom shop. I lucked out and saw a mint BRNO 602 in .458 WM at a gunshow with a beautiful Turkish walnut stock and picked it up for $500.00. I also own a BRNO model-2 rimfire that a friend of mine who worked in a gunshop came accross, nicest wood I have ever seen on a BRNO .22. If you are not obligated to buy it maybe you should hold off and keep looking. IMO if a rifle does not appeal to me I wouldn't buy it unless I was desparate to own that make, model or caliber for whatever reason.:)
 
BigUglyMan said:
Unless I'm mistaken you can order the CZ550 in 458 Lott without fooling around rechambering.

Rick at Alberta Tactical imports CZ rifles. Talk to him. For the price of a new rifle plus gunsmithing, why not get one from the factory chambered in the caliber you want?
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BUM Yes tried that route about 1 1/2 year ago!
The CZ USA guys in the states told us (Williams Arms) that I would have to get the 458 WM and ream it?
Than tried it again with the 505 Cibbs! Just lately again CZ USA said they are rebareling them for a few customers but not shipping them to Canada. This is in the CZ 550 SC.
Now a member here told me different I have yet to dig around.
But after handling this one not to sure about CZ any more?
One big thing its just way to light!
 
I have a full wood 450 Ackley that was built on the old CZ action many years ago; I also have one of the new ones in 416 Rigby, it is in no way the same rifle. Get an old CZ in 375 and find a good smith to add a piece of decent bore pipe to the thing and have some fun.

P.S. the 450 Ackley has it all over the Lott!
 
JasonYuke said:
BUM Yes tried that route about 1 1/2 year ago!
The CZ USA guys in the states told us (Williams Arms) that I would have to get the 458 WM and ream it?
Than tried it again with the 505 Cibbs! Just lately again CZ USA said they are rebareling them for a few customers but not shipping them to Canada. This is in the CZ 550 SC.
Now a member here told me different I have yet to dig around.
But after handling this one not to sure about CZ any more?
One big thing its just way to light!
Click to expand...

Maybe I missed it. Did you ever talk to Rick? I know he's getting 550s in chambered for 416 Rigby and he keeps trying to sell me a Gibbs.
 
BUM never did talk to Rick as yet, but from the look of the 416s and 458s, you would not want a 505 on that frame i don't think? Yikes what a walop it would be.

I did get some prices for the 505 gibbs starting at 2500 US funds, not bad for a large caliber rifle.
Have you held a CZ 550 as yet, what were your thoughts?
 
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I rolled one in 458 over and over in my hands. Seemed like a nice rifle and a helluva good price (under $1000). I didn't shoot it, but it was heavier (or felt heavier) than my #1H in 458 Win. That was the main reason that I didn't buy it but pointed another CGNer (Demonical I believe) at it and he bought it to ream to Lott. I had thought about buying one in 416 Rigby but ended up getting the Ruger instead. I don't know that the Ruger is worth double the money though but I got a pretty good deal on mine so I can't complain.
 
CZ 550's come in .458 Lott as a factory chambering. Why all the expense and monkeying around with rechambering? If you want a Lott and are not happy with the new 550, try a Ruger 77 Express. I have a 550 in .458 Win mag and it shoots very well. I have to snug all the action screws up every 15 rounds but I have no other complaints.
 
Hi There

I have a CZ 550 (European) in 416 Rigby. Good gun. No feed jams, no extraction problems. Super accuracy. Lots of recoil... I chose the CZ 550 because the wood is Turkish walnut, The colour of light & dark chocolate swirls. It was also available at the time & while 375 H&H was my first choice, I went wit the larger. The only difference between the 602 & 550 is the safety direction, Back for safe, forward to fire. The also changed the finish from sand blasted to buffed blue, All parts are achieved from steel stock. Very few parts are sheet metal.
I found that the American model has boring wood, Dull uninteresting. Saying that, there are several grades available of wood. For an extra amt. you could get awesome wood. I have to mention that the caliber choice is also limited on the model (CZ American or not). CZ is trying to hit the market and as a result they are catering to the generic American market.

Really, go & see the PDF, it has a lot of options. I fully believe that we are not getting all the option that are pout there. Ask your self this, where can you buy a 505 Gibbs for less than $3000 with options??

http://www.cz-usa.com/data/downloads/common/Safari Classics Catalog.pdf

Post some picts of your rifle, I would like to see it.

Pete
 
Sorry to here you're not too impressed. I had a 550 in Rigby and was very happy with it. Mine had a very nice peice of wood and was very accurate. I'd have to dissagree with the 602 being nicer. I had one of those as well, it was an excellent hunting tool but much rougher than the 550. I just bought another 550 and am looking forward to receiveing it. If the guns not what you want don't but it. It'll just become tradeing stock.
 
I don't know what it is with the 550 , but you just don't feel like you gotta be real careful with it. Just a solid beautiful firearm, the walnut just flows around that massive action. CZ just gets it !! time for remmy and winchester to catch up. :p
 
Not knocking the CZ name at all guys, very dependable rifle, it just did not appeal to me and feel right? didn't have the build me into a lott or Gibbs feel to it, I would still say it would be to light for the 505 Gibb

But as for dependability its great! heard lots of great things in the past year for chambering to accuracy.
 
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