Weight Difference in CZ 550 Stock

Dogleg

Dogleg

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I`ve been wondering how much difference a Bavarian stock would make compared to the international American stock my 2 CZ 550s had. My biggest reason was to get a solid cheek weld, without going to the CZ USA American style stock. Anyway, I got a hogback stock given to me by an American booking agent so I bedded my .416 Rigby up in Devcon yesterday and shot it today. Frankly, it`s a totally different gun, fitting me like a custom and reducing the recoil to a fraction of what it was before. What baffles me is that the rifle with the old stock weighed 10.20 pounds and the same gun with the Bavarian stock weighs 11.6 pounds. I wouldn`t have thought it possible that 2 basically straight grained stocks could vary 1.4 pounds. The old stock weighs exactly 2 pounds. I`m not complaining, and am now thinking that with a selected heavy stock a .458 Lott or .450 Rigby would be quite manageable.
What weights are you guys seeing with your CZ Safari Magnums.
 
I had the Euro classic stock on my 602 when I got it and swapped it for the McMillan when it failed. The rifle gained 2 pounds, making it 9 pounds loaded with the sling and scope attached. I have a lot more faith in the Mcmillan stock than I did the factory stock, particularly when exposed to long spells of unpleasant weather.

The factory Brno 602 stock made shooting with irons very easy, and this stock had a very nice feel once it was cut to fit me. The factory LOP was well over 14" and I reduced it to 13.5" which for me is a good compromise between being a bit short when dressed for warm weather, perfect with a sweat shirt and light jacket, but a bit long when I'm wearing a bulky parka in the winter. The downside of the McMillan is that like most American designed stocks, it has a high comb to allow for a good cheek weld with a scope typically mounted a couple of inches above the bore. The disadvantage here is that when the ghost ring is in place, I must really push my cheek hard into the stock to get a good sight picture and the recoil tends to snap my head backwards in a most disagreeable fashion. Although my Ultra has a bit more recoil than the H&H you might encounter a similar problem with the higher comb, and for sure you would on your heavier rifles. As a result I have a back up scope, and I don't shoot with the ghost ring as much as I should.
 
Boomer,
I haven't shot this stock with the iron sights yet, but they actually line up easier for me with the high comb than the original low comb. I don't have the pop up sight, mine both have the later express open sights.
I think that it's ironic than I got this bavarian stock for nothing from someone who thought it kicked too much, and clobbered him in the face when I find the opposite to be true. It does show the futility of suggesting rifle fit for other people.
Your Mcmillan stock is 2 pounds heavier than the original? It must have been vicious at 7 pounds.:eek: The weights I gave are with the scope but unloaded.
 
As you discovered with your bavarian stock, once shortened up the original fitted me like a glove and I found the recoil either with the scope or irons to be very controllable, although there was some muzzle rise. I have found that regardless of fit or style a fiberglass stocks seem to kick a bit harder than wood, perhaps because of stiffness or texture, but I am at a loss to explain why.
 
Boomer said:
As you discovered with your bavarian stock, once shortened up the original fitted me like a glove and I found the recoil either with the scope or irons to be very controllable, although there was some muzzle rise. I have found that regardless of fit or style a fiberglass stocks seem to kick a bit harder than wood, perhaps because of stiffness or texture, but I am at a loss to explain why.
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I've heard the reduction in perceived recoil explained as being made up, in part, by the increased muzzle jump with the Bavarian-style stock (whereas the straight American-type tends to deliver recoil more directly into the shooter's shoulder).

Hope to find out soon, as my (newly acquired) .416 CZ 550 has an American-style stock while the .375 H&H (CZ 602) has the Bavarian-style stock and is pretty reasonable in terms of recoil.

One way to find out...
 
My Laminated Safari Magnun weighed 10 1/4 lbs empty no scope. My standard 550 in Ribgy weighed 10 1/4 lbs with Talley mounts and 2.5 x 8 Leupold.
 
A-zone said:
I've heard the reduction in perceived recoil explained as being made up, in part, by the increased muzzle jump with the Bavarian-style stock (whereas the straight American-type tends to deliver recoil more directly into the shooter's shoulder).Hope to find out soon, as my (newly acquired) .416 CZ 550 has an American-style stock while the .375 H&H (CZ 602) has the Bavarian-style stock and is pretty reasonable in terms of recoil.

One way to find out...
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That's exactly what I think as well. I'd rather get a glancing blow and some extra muzzle rise than that straight back jab of the straighter stocks.

Is your new rifle the CZ USA pattern American stock or the one that the rest of the world calls the American stock? They aren't the same. The CZ USA stock is straighter than the one we have got up until recently. Our normal, quasi- American stock has the same drop at heel as the Bavarian. The USA version is like an overfed Remington and has very little drop at all. Who ever designed must have very big hands as well.
 
The drop at the heel appears to be almost the same for the two rifles.

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CZ 602 (.375 H&H) on top, CZ 550 (.416 Rigby) on bottom
 
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The Safari Classics Catalog is most annoying. Lots of very nice stuff I immediately wanted. Most irritating was that kid with the lion. The kid didn't look old enough to shave, and lion was a female!!! Oh well, maybe it was a defense kill.
 
The Safari Classics are some nice stuff, but also get me thinking about about American Hunting rifles (AHR) Even then, I've come to realize that a plane ticket gets me closer to an elephant hunt than another rifle will.
 
Dogleg said:
The Safari Classics are some nice stuff, but also get me thinking about about American Hunting rifles (AHR) Even then, I've come to realize that a plane ticket gets me closer to an elephant hunt than another rifle will.
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Every time I almost fall off the wagon and buy another rifle I really don't need, you go and post something like this.

Bless you, Dogleg! Truly, you're the patron saint of hunting! :D
 
Neo said:
I'll reserve judgement on that until I get to shoot yours :p
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I can say that mine is rather fun to shoot at 11.6 pounds, and quite manageable at 10.2 pounds. Without the scope it weighed 9.2 and with near Weatherby level loads was over my threshold. I would take a shot and have my arm go numb right to my fingertips. Then the pain would set in, and I'd wish the numbness was back.:eek: What a difference a few pounds, different recoil pad, different stock design and sane loads made.
 
Not to worry, I've got some wee 400 grain .416 Hornady pills and will start at a reasonable "starter" load, as per the kind folks at Hodgdon.

(Don't know about you, but I'll bring a Limbsaver pad to the range just the same.)
 
What a revelation! Had a chance to try the .416 Rigby this afternoon and it was much more civil than I had expected (just goes to show that your imagination can generally imagine worse things than reality).

After taking a few shots offhand I settled into the sandbags to zero the scope. Here's the end result (three shots at 100 yards):
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The three smaller holes were made while zeroing a .260 Rem Ti (another pleasant surprise). The squares are one-inch across.

Bottom line: This was a bit above the Re22 starter load (using 400 grain Hornady SP's. Shooting while standing was definitely a bit easier, but the sandbags were used to set the zero and to see how accurate the load was.

Very interesting rifle/caliber. Recoil is more like a "heavy push" and not as "sharp" as, say, a .300 WBY ("heavier", though).

(Neo: I only shot 14 rounds. I saved you 6 for tomorrow :) )
 
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