Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles No CZ love?

Just a quick question. CZ rimfires have a cult like following among rimfire shooters it seems. Hard not to like the accuracy and old world quality feel in a compact lightweight rimfire. The same goes for CZ527 line of rifles. They have a strong following among the predator and varmint crowd. And again why wouldn't they? Accurate, can be had in lightweight and varmint models, chambered in a wide array of varmint vaporizing chamberings, and again. Old world quality feel. I own/owned a couple cz rimfires and regret selling a couple of them, I also own a CZ527 in 223 that I love for all of the reasons stated above....so I have to ask.

Why do you not see much love for the cz550 and the newer 557 push feed? Is there anyone here hunting with either of the two models mentioned above?

Just went coyote hunting with a guy and he has a 550 in 22-250 and he does not like it. He has magazine problems and does not like the trigger.
He is going to buy a tikka t3 varmint in 22-250

Love my CZ 550 (They don't make them anymore). The newer 557 version seemed to be the "economical" offering? I wish they would have kept the 550 offerings.

Most often complaint heard is that they are "heavy".

Hard to find the calibers offered and features for a Dangerous Game rifle at the price offered, in my opinion.

I really enjoy my 550 Swede especially with its European look.Never thought I'd like the full stock but has a way of growing on you.It's not a light weight with glass but most enjoyable and gets alot of looks at the range.

I have a 452 17HMR with a very nice piece of timber, and a 550 Lux 9.3x62. I like them both quite a bit...

The timber on mine is way above average for a stock rifle with excellent wood to metal fit..Your 9.3x62 is great round.

I used a mannlicher stocked .243 for a little while. I worked well. Thinking about getting a 9.3x62mm in that style.

Personally I loved the 550...a lot of rifle for the money. I don't care for the push feed version at all. The rimfire are great but the new push feeds are an "also ran" in a world full of great and established push feed rifles. Killing the 550 ended any interest I ever had in the brand. Ymmv

Too heavy for an enjoyable rifle.

The 550 is great. Backward f'kin' safeties on the smaller schit kill them.

Set triggers are sweet.

Absolutely love my 550 American Kevlar in 9.3 x62. A bit heavy but the weight is appreciated on hotter hand-loaded rounds. I've read that some don't care for the triggers because they are more complicated than other Mauser-type rifles. Personally, I am a fan of the factory set trigger. It has not let me down…so far. I really don't expect that it will as I only use it on 2 or 3 hunts a year.

I am a pre-CZ fan. My BRNO ZKK 375 H&H.

Damn that's a fine looking rifle! I'm a huge fan of the Safaris! At least they still make those

CZ's are well made, solid guns.

Here's one you probably haven't seen, It's a 2500, 29" .22LR. I bought it used, the automotive red paint already there, covering up ugly birch.

It's really quiet for a non suppressed gun due to that LONG barrel.

It's very accurate.

DF

Dirt Farmer

Is there a velocity loss with such a long barreled 22?

I can understand the distaste/no love for the pushfeed, but there are plenty of guys that love the CZ 550. They are damn good solid accurate rifles.

I wouldn't think so.

There's still barrel pressure at 29", just not as much as at 18=20".

That's why it's so quiet, not as much expanding gas at the muzzle.

I guess I could clock it against a more "normal" barrel. My guess, it may be a bit faster than a shorter tube. But, that's just a guess.

DF

The only 550 I ever handled had the ergonomics of a steel fence post. I just handed it back to my buddy, and lied: "nice rifle".

If you've got one, I think they are very nice rifles.

I have a 550 American 9.3x62 and a Safari Classic .404 Jeffery. The 9.3 is a tack-driver. We unfortunately don't see a lot of pachyderms in Central S.C. these days, so the .404 goes into the deer woods once in awhile. A good rifle deserves to be used...

There's a lot of talk about CRF rifles, but they have a tough time in the marketplace. Older designs tend to be heavy and expensive compared to push-feed, especially push-feeds with detachable magazines that transfer the feeding control to the magazine instead of action rails that require adjusting to the cartridge. Lots of shooters don't give a rats ass about CRF, and prefer the DMs over staggered-feed boxes. Ruger Hawkeyes are the only inexpensive CRFs left in the new market, and that line has been cut back in favor of the RARs. The 550s have gone up in price beyond what many are willing to pay. So have M70s.

Good push-feeds work well enough that nobody's getting eaten or stomped by critters due to their rifle malfunctioning, the main reason people supposedly prefer the CRFs. Lots of Mausers, pre-64s, Rugers, and such are available on the used market for fussy old guys (like me) stuck in the past.

Like somebody said, the 557s face a lot of competition in the PF market. I'm not sure they have anything special to offer over what's already available. I like the 550s, but will take a good FN, German-made Mauser, or old Brno over one any day.

It's a generational thing. The younger shooters usually prefer the newer styles of cheaper rifles and could care less about CRF. Admittedly I'm an old fart but I'm astounded at the gizmo guns on the LGS shelves.

The Carbine version of the 557 with sights is about the only one of the new line that interests me.


Having been quite happy with the various 452, 527 and 550 rifles that I have owned. The non-magnum 550s are a bit on the heavy side for my taste.

I too prefer the older BRNO rifles by a large margin. My next .375+ bore rifle will be a BRNO if I can find the right one.

I really wish that McMillan would get on board and adapt their Compact/Hunter's Edge stock to accommodate the CZ lines.

When did the 550 get discontinued?

Light weight being all the rage, our nice blue steel and walnut guns are growing scarce.

I have no problem with the 550's...well built rifles, wish I had a couple more..

I have no mountains to climb in SE Georgia so the 8+ lb rifle is no big deal..


geo

550 - Great rifle if weight is not a concern

557 - Why would I care about another companies attempt to produce another cost savings rifle?

It's been several yrs sine I handled any CZ rifles. Can't remember mod #s.

The ones I looked at and handled left me blaaa in the looks dept. and Oh My!! in the weight dept.

Don't know anything about newer mods. I would check them out but I'm not really in the market now.

Jerry

Only the weight complaint here. My CZ550FS in 6.5 Swede is super accurate (<1.0" with factory loads and <0.5" with my handloads). Set trigger is sweet. Took a few tries to find the "right" scope. Got it back when you could get them <$500 NIB.

Can some of you CZ experts give us some info on this 550FS, 7x57. I traded for it and the previous owner didn't know the details. It doesn't have 550 or import info stamped on the receiver. In fact, there isn't much at all stamped on the gun. I'm thinking it may have been a Euro gun brought into the country by a soldier, etc.

BTW, it's about the slickest Mauser action I've ever cycled.

DF

Oh yeah DF, That's one hell of a Mannlicher.

I will be contacting CZ (Europe) directly to get to the story of that rifle. Glad it will stay in good company.

That made me laugh. Subtle humor at its best. Well done cwh2.

DF looks similar to mine except for the spoon..not much in the way of markings on mine except Made in Czech Republic and CZ 550 on the left side of the action.

Nice. Does that bolt handle bang your finger?

I've always loved my CZ 550 American. I liked it a little less after getting a Ruger M77 Mk. II honestly. Mainly because I like the ergonomics of the Ruger stock better.

My small gripes with it are:
1) It's a bit heavy.
2) It's stock is too club-ish and could be made more svelte.
3) The trigger is a little creepy, but the single-set feature is nice.

I'd like to have the stock worked over by someone with talent for it. The that would help with #2 and a bit with #1.

Nope.

That's another reason why I like it.

Have you guys seen a grey metal treatment like this on a factory CZ? I don't think it's aftermarket.

Here's what I do to bolt knobs that do bump my finger.

DF

I love my CZ 452 American in .22lr. Couldn't ask for a better setup for $280 that I spent years ago. I liked it so much I bought a CZ550 American in .243. The theory of owning it was more desirable than owning it as it was:

- Heavy and the stock felt like a club
- 1/10 twist barrel wouldn't stabilize 100 gr bullets
- The magazine did not allow for top loading
- Length of pull was extremely long
- Action is a long action

The 550 will however shoot Sierra 85 gr HPBTs into a ragged cloverleaf hole which I can't say for my Remington 700s. The thought is re-barreling into a 6.5x55 seems like it would be a win/win with the action size and being a mauser action.

These are very neat guns. Very accurate and quiet. Don't seem to see them often. I know a shop that has a used one if anyone is interested

I've heard stories about this series, heard it was an order from some overseas concern that CZ got stuck with and put them on the market.

If anyone knows anything about these guns with 29" barrels and "2500" stamped on the barrel, please share with us.

I'm not much into bright red gunstocks, but the birch stocks I saw on unpainted ones, made the paint job very desirable...

I picked it up a number of years ago at a local gun show, in fact, traded an air rifle for it. I had the choice of this one, used/painted or a new one in the box.

It was an easy decision...

Besides, the trigger had been nicely tuned.

DF

Another feature that makes the "spoon", butter knife bolt handle so neat. It never gets even close to the scope ocular and the Zeiss has a big ocular.

The way it's positioned when open isn't too unlike a 60* bolt throw, certainly not what you'd expect with a 90* CRF Mauser.

DF

I have a CZ550 that started life as a .458 WM that I had re-chambered to .458 Lott. Great gun that is a joy to shoot, very accurate and handles recoil extremely well, and holds 5 down. Not much not to like.

Welcome to the Fire...

The "complaint" of being a tad heavy is, for sure, not a problem with those big boomers...

DF

My 7x57 weighs 9 lbs with scope and it is pleasant to shoot. Even carried it rabbit hunting last fall and survived.

Forgot to add, CZ barrels look really great thru the Hawkeye borescope, no tool marks, just fine machine work.

I think they're hammer forged, not sure. They're a lot prettier than factory Savage/Remington, etc. It's pretty amazing that those barrels shoot as well as they do. They gotta foul worse than a CZ, just saying...

CZ barrels shoot about as good as they look.

DF

Thanks for the welcome!

Hmmm...

Over penetration...?

DF

What 100gr bullets? 1-10 should be fine, normally.

Never liked the DMs on those long actions as they complicate things if you decide to "go long" later on and don't do anything for the looks either. Someone else probably thinks they're the beans, of course.

I had my cz 550 for ....geez.. 13 years at least. Must have gotten lucky because the trigger is perfect and seriously crisp. Liked it so much Dad bought one in 6.5x55. Love that set trigger function, freaks people out when they try it for the first time.

Barrels are hammer forged. I remember seeing that they were hand lapped before leaving the factory. Mine is remarkably consistent no matter what I load for it.

Two more reasons I appreciate mine. Karnis redid my stock as a favor. Anyone who knows him will understand.

Second -my son used it this year to take his first deer. A decent buck at about 160yds. He thinks it is the greatest rifle the world ever produced at this point. I am not about to say otherwise.

Only gripe, like others, the bolt can be rough if not cycled just right.

Not with a 130 gr Speer. Which I killed one rabbit in 13 shots.

Now, one could conclude, you missed 12 and hit one.

Or, it took 13, 130 gr. Speer bullets to finally anchor one mad, charging bunny...

DF

Missed 12 hit one.

I'll second that. I know the one I used to own (CZ 550 American 9.3x62mm) shot lights out.....

Amen, that's the best post yet...

My 527 Carbine 7.62x39 is a fine, svelte little gem. Got it in 2004 when I was wanting the perfect cast bullet launcher and it's very close. A few years later, I got an American in .223 and now, I'm negotiating on yet another Carbine in 7.62. I kinda like them.

I also have a 527 American in .223. Like it so much I've thought about getting another and having it rebored to 6x45.

The CZ 527 American and Varmint models are greatly liked by small bore shooter/varmint/predator hunters. Great carry guns, user adjustable set trigger, and shoot great. I have seven of them.

I keep hoping they bring it out in 6.5 Grendel. Howa's supposed to take the plunge with the new Mini later this year.

The most fun I have is shooting larger centre fires at rabbits whilst afoot...lot of fun and not a lot to pick up.

Great fun in the sandhills.

Ky: I bought a CZ 550 in 416 Rigby when they first came out in that chambering. Controlled round feed, safety in the proper direction, priced right, no scope base needed, ammo available in Africa. What's not to like? However, when I started to work with the rifle in preparation for Africa I found the downside. It is not a "handy" rifle. It was heavy, had a long barrel and the long bolt throw required that I twist the forearm to the right when manipulating the bolt so that it cleared my face. Someone once told me that working a CZ 550 was like driving a garbage truck. I know what he meant.
As much as I wanted to like that rifle, when Ruger came out with the Guide gun in 416 Ruger I quickly sold the CZ and bought the Ruger. Both the Ruger and CZ had actions that are rougher than a cob and require the same amount of judicious application of 440 grit crocus cloth and polishing rouge. However, the Ruger is much more user friendly. After 4 buffalo, 3 zebra and a some plains game I am quite happy with my decision.
I must add the disclaimer that in my advancing years I do not have the upper body strength I once had so a younger stronger person might not have the same opinion of the CZ 550. Mule deer reshaped the stock on his 416 Rigby to a more svelte contour and I am sure that improved the CZ. The other negative to the 416 Ruger is that I seriously doubt that 416 Ruger ammo is available on the Africa continent outside of Joburg. Whenever anyone disputes that statement I ask them to give me the name of a store outside of Johannesburg that carries 416 Ruger ammo. The silence is deafening.

For a smallish lightweight carry I keep tossing around the thought of wither a 527 or a Savage lightweight. I kind of like the idea of a 222 so leaning CZ.

Reminds me of Benny hill movie and that killer rabbit.....

My wife hunts with a 550 chambered in 30-06. It is a decent rifle and she likes it. Out of the box, the action sat crooked in the stock and the barrel made contact with the stock. That was corrected by bedding it to sit correctly in the stock.

My main complaint with the rifle is the stock trigger. It had noticeable creep and the 'set' option didn't solve those problems. I changed it to a Timney, but that required some dremel work to get it to clear the trigger guard (Timney said that is required for the American models). I also dislike the built-in 19mm dovetail. It really limits your ring choices. There are no viable canted options out there.

With handloads, it shoots sub-inch at 100 yards.



Many, many times I have considered the 550 chambered in 9.3x63, but that damn stock trigger just kills it for me.

My 550 Kevlar Carbine in 9.3x62 weighs in at 8.5 pounds with 3X in Alaska Arms QDs......about right weight IMO! The trigger was good but with young shooters hunting with me I opted to install Timney.....I was able to install without Dremel work but it's a bit trickier.

A very reliable and accurate rifle with JB's loads.

A lot of good information here.....I'm not in the market for a new centerfire and if I were I doubt it would be a cz550, but like I stated in my OP, I just wondered why the 527 is such a home run and you just don't hear as much praise for the 550. You guys have more than answered my question.....

I have also thought hard about doing this....my 223 shoots so good though I hate to mess with it

Yup,it's also excellent practice for big game hunting.

I just bought a CZ 550 Lux in 6.5x55 last month. It was sitting in a used gun rack and I couldn't leave it I haven't had a chance to shoot it, but the stock fits great. I have long arms and a long neck, so classic style stocks are out for me. It has iron sights on it and I may get a peep sight for it instead of putting a scope on top it.

I'm late to the 550 party, as the offerings seem to peter out. I really like the rimfires. Haven't gotten into the 527s, as the actions out of the box are just so much slicker on Howas and Tikkas, and the price a lot lower. Also, ARs can be pretty light if you build them right, and ergonomics don't require a woodshop to adjust.

That said, I have shopped the 550 as a sporter for hunting. Bottom line, CZ simply hasn't maintained it as a competitive offering in the market. There are more caliber choices in Hawkeyes. Even for the limited calibers CZ offers, the barrel lengths and twists aren't typically desirable. Just doesn't make sense at a technical level, even before considering price.

It also doesn't make sense from a standpoint of knowing your customer. The 550 comes in Euro calibers, ones that only the looniest of loonies even know what they are without looking them up. In 'murican calibers, they do .243, .308 (with a slow twist for light bullets), .270, .30-06 and 300WM. I think there may be a 7RM in the Euro catalog. It's really not a significantly different approach for the 557. Hang out around here for any length of time, and you'll understand that the buyer for an expensive, beautifully-made rifle with beautiful wood and old school features is likely to be bored with the four most common calibers. They buy the rifle because it's different. They are going to want some other calibers. At the very least, jump on the .260 bandwagon, make a 7-08, and have a .338WM to round out the magnum lineup. Maybe a whizzum or two. Make them with appropriate barrel lengths and twists. People expect sporters to have 22" barrels, not 20". If they are going to buy a .308 or .30-06 with a 20" barrel, it's to help make the dang thing light and handy, so it won't be a 550.

Basically, CZ 550s are unique and different, and excellent in many ways, but they are still the weird kid in the corner who doesn't talk to anybody. The only people who really buy them are, for the most part, loonies who buy them just because they are CZs, or because they appreciate the craftsmanship and wood lottery for its own sake, not because the rifles are a really smart functional choice.

Lots of machining and hand work building one of those.

Old world gun design using real steel and walnut.

Those can never match the price points of the new technology manufactured products.

We're fortunate CZ can still offer them at their current prices.

Their profit margin has to be getting thin on those, so they'll have to find ways to compete or they'll be in big trouble.

DF

I like mine.



Makes my other rifles seem kinda pointless...

Dirtfarmer,

Regarding the 29" barrel on your 22LR, yes, you are losing some velocity in that long barrel. Just a fact, not that it makes any practical difference.

Years ago various tests were done measuring 22LR velocity in a 27" barrel and a 25" barrel as they were shortened an inch at a time with a hacksaw.

Three or four common High Velocity (c. 1200 fps) loads were tested. This was in the days before Stingers and other max velocity loads had entered the market.

Depending on the load, velocity peaked in the 18" to 20" range, and gradually slowed down inch by inch in longer barrels. I don't remember how much they slowed down, but it was readily apparent that they did.

Thanks, Nifty,

Good info.

I was sorta surprised how quiet it shoots, esp with sub sonics. I have a suppressed .22 and it's quieter, just not a lot.

DF

Elmer Fudd after that wascal wabbit...

Now if ole Elmer just had a CZ...

DF

I've got about 8 CZ's. I like them

My latest.

Nice.

People that criticize the CZ for being "heavy" would appreciate some mass and substance with a big boomer round like the .458 WM.

That's a tough, solid gun.

DF

As is,it weighs 9 lbs 10 ozs.

Debating whether or not to mount a Leupold 2.5x on it.

I have several CZ's, including two 452's in .17 Mach 2 and HMR, a 527 in .17Hornet, and 550's in 9.3x62 and .416 Rigby, and have owned a few others. All shot and functioned well.

I like 550's but generally find their stocks (of whatever style) can stand to lose some bulk. The comments about their single-set triggers kind of puzzle me, because I discovered with my first 550 (the 9.3x62) that if you adjust the primary, unset pull to 3 pounds the set feature is bypassed, and the primary pull can be adjust to a very crisp pull. While the trigger is complex, I've been hunting with both rifles for over a decade, including in several dusty and wet places from Africa to Alaska, and haven't had any problems.

I left the set feature on my 527's alone, because I've found it very handy when shooting small varmints, but did work it over to eliminate a little creep. The pulls on my pair of rimfires were fine right out of the box.

Seems I remember reading that's how JOC got to be such a great marksman.

DF

I agree, the stocks could definitely be slimmed down.

But I'm puzzled by the comments about the trigger set feature being bypassed when adjusted to 3lbs. I asked a gunsmith if he could take the trigger down to 2 3/4lbs without affecting the set feature. He said he could, and did so. The main trigger trips at 2.75lbs and the set trigger trips at 8 ounces. Am I simply misunderstanding what you are saying?