DeishuAK
.224 member
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 28
Loc: Chilkat Peninsula, Alaska
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Recently ordered a brand new out-of-the-box CZ 550 Safari Mag in 458 Win Mag as an additional brown bear back up rifle (We don't have any local gun shops up here that sell CZ's so I couldn't handle one first). Overall quality was initially questionable. When I attempted to cycle the first 3 rounds from magazine (with new ammo) the rifle jammed 2 out of 3 times. I attempted again...and again, jams. Eight out of 10 rounds jammed! The rounds that did cycle, albeit roughly, were ejected with damage to case and/or bullet. Needless to say it's been sent back to the factory. But as I explained to the CZUSA gunsmith, one jam in 500 is too much for those of us who actually carry these weapons as DG rifles. Additionally, the floorplate would not release because of a poorly fit stock that wedged against the plate. Amazing that this rifle passed inspection. As soon as I get it back I'm getting rid of it. I've already replaced it with a Win. M70 Super Express - what I should've done in the first place. No more CZ for me. Anybody else face this sort of fiasco with CZ's?
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3674
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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We get 'em here in Oz, popular in the .416 Rigby chambering. The two I have had a bit to do with, belonging to two close friends, were both quite acceptable quality for the price. Neither has ever jammed to my knowledge, both have fired over 500 rounds without a doubt.
They were imported a couple of years ago though, has the quality slipped since then? ...or is this problem peculiar to the .458?!
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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Plains99
.300 member
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
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Going by mine, which was brand new with the American stock purchased last fall I'd say a bad rifle got past inspection. It shouldn't have though.
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Moody
.224 member
Reged: 20/05/05
Posts: 5
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I just returned a brand new CZ in .505 Gibbs. It came out of the box shoddy and would not chamber any of the CZ ammo I had purchased for it. A $2000 rifle should have been QCed at the factory. I'm sure it was the ammo but it was CZ ammo. Very poor in my opinion. I returned the rifle and ammo which was $248 for 20 and purchased a Winchester Safari Express which I am very pleased with.
Ken Moody
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DeishuAK
.224 member
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 28
Loc: Chilkat Peninsula, Alaska
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Sad when something like this can be processed through the so-called QC. It's a poorly made firearm for sure. Perhaps the worst I've ever encountered for the money. As I said, when this thing comes back from CZUSA, it's gone. I'd heard much positive about the BRNO's, and expected this with this rifle. Very bad. Could it be a lemon? I'll never know, 'cause I'm done with CZ. Just last week I helped a friend skin out a brown bear that squared 9 feet. You think we can have this sort of crap up here?
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atkinson6
.375 member
Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho
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I had a conversation with the CZ guys, I am not surprised that some of them are bad, it was like talking to Donald Duck and Daffy...
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475Guy
.400 member
Reged: 22/08/03
Posts: 1088
Loc: Kali, US
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The one thing everyone forgets is that demand is outstripping supply. When that happens, even shitty pieces would go out where they'd never even had a chance before. Seems that CZ is trying to capitalize on it's newfound fame and is going by way of Winchester a few years ago.
 
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Lo do they call to me,
They bid me take my place among
them in the Halls of Valhalla,
Where the brave may live forever.
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vladimir
.224 member
Reged: 13/12/04
Posts: 21
Loc: Louisville, Ky USA
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I have 3 Cz's - a 458 Lott, a 308 win and a 223 rem. I have never had a single complaint about any of them. All were very accurate right out of the box. They may not be the "prettiest" rifles but, I'd carry one anywhere !
-Vlad
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luv2safari
.400 member
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1412
Loc: United States
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I had two out of the box shitty Winchester Safari Express rifles...one so bad that the factory bought it back from me...one in 375 H&H and one in 416 Rem.
The 550 CZ in 416 Rigby I owned was an excellent rifle. It did crack its first stock after the first three rounds fired, but the warrenty station in Kansas supplied me with an acceptable stock ASAP.
I am of the firm opinion that one shouldn't buy a rifle that must be ordered in. Buy a good one off the shelf, or tell the merchant to get one in and call you when it arrives...still his merchandise, not your mess if it isn't right. 
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Hunt with Class and Classics
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DeishuAK
.224 member
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 28
Loc: Chilkat Peninsula, Alaska
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luv2safari,
Your advice to handle a gun before buying may apply to those of you who live in the lower 48, but for those of us who live in bush and semi-bush communities in Alaska, we often buy guns based on purported reliability and reputation, not having access to the large gun shops that you do. We do actually carry our guns as DG guns here out of necessity just about every time we hunt. The CZ 550 I received was so radically, abysmally dysfunctional and cheaply built I find it hard that anyone could possibly defend it. I actually wonder if any of the good ones are exceptions rather than the norm. Most of my bear hunting is done with a Mark X Mauser in 375 H&H. Hundreds less than I paid for the CZ, but an absolutely solid, reliable, well built rifle I can count on to perform. I would never approach one of our salmon streams or alder thickets with a CZ 550, nor would I allow anyone to carry one with whom I'm hunting here in our coastal brown bear country.
Edited by DeishuAK (27/05/05 08:28 AM)
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nitro476
.300 member
Reged: 21/10/04
Posts: 120
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I have a CZ in 458 Lott and it is crude by most standards! I knew this going in but bought the rifle as the basis for a project. I will turn the rifle over to Steve Heilmann and have it gone through completely. Steve will throw out the stock, polish the action inside and out, work over the feed ramps and dehorn all of the exterior metal. I also want him to add an island rear sight and a NECG front sight. Once he has completed his work I will have Goudy make a new stock for the rifle. It will then be perfect.
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MauserRifle
.300 member
Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 153
Loc: U.S.A.
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DeishuAK
IMO there is no comparison betwen a Brno ZKK and CZ 550. The Brno ZKK is far superior to the CZ 550, in fact I prefer the Brno to the new Winchester as the Brno is a true magnum length action, has better sights and a far superior designed stock. The stocks on the new Win. Mod. 70 are far to straaight for me, seems to be designed for scope use only. On all of my Brno ZKK's the stocks have more drop allowing me to use the open sights with ease.
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Mauser Rifle
Everyday is a great day, some days are just better than others!
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NE450No2
.375 member
Reged: 10/01/03
Posts: 942
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DeishuAK
The ONLY bolt rifle I could honestly recommend that a person could order unseen, thus untested,and expect it to work is a Blaser R93.
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