Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only CZ 550 458 Lott

I am looking at the American CZ 550. Are these still plagued with the stocks cracking? Are the new versions all outfitted with the crossbars for support?

Generally speaking are they a good rifle?

Generally speaking, they are an OUTSTANDING rifle. they always have doen well in the various African Countries PH rifle tests and trials and are well represented over there for good reason. I understand that the newer CZ's now have cross bolt recoil reinforcements but if you got one and it did not adding such is a very simple operation. I modified my CZ quite a bit, but hunted with it in Africa and Alaska as issued a couple of times and have always been very pleased with it. HArd to do better for the money, especially in 458Lott.

I have one in 416 Rigby and love it. It has cross bolts and has shot great and functioned flawlessly since day one. Only complaint I have is the bolt handle rides pretty close to the stock on my rifle and is a little hard to get a grasp on it.

Fotis I have had mine for 3 years now. It is a working gun and by that I mean I have it in the bush at all times with me. I have never had it fail me and it shoots like a dream.

Mine has the cross bolts (standard) and after a number of shots fired (probably about 50) the stock is still intact and I have no problems with it. We have hunted lion, buffalo, elephant and leopard together and I love mine a Lott.

Generally speaking it's a great rifle and I can recommend it after working with it in the field as a back-up rifle in all conditions.

Just make sure it feeds with the specific ammo you decide to use. Mine had a problem feeding Hornady solids but a quick trip to the gunsmith sorted that out. I also had it glass bedded and had an extra site added for the old eyes. Hope this helps.

I've had 2 in the 458 lott. Both were cross bolted as all of the new ones are. Both shot fantastic and fed everything. A bit big ang bulky feeling in my opinion. Actions on both of mine were a little rough. Triggers were ok. One of mine was the high grade and it had beautiful wood. They are very good guns for the money and it doesnt cost alot to make them great.

Great rifle, but yes, I have seen and restocked more CZ550'S than any other rifle due to stock cracking at the wrist and they seem to all go in the same place. These seem to be the older rifles, that the back of the tang is making contack with the stock. The standard CZ cross bolts are not very good, take one out and have a look, just go steady as they do snap. I would make sure there is a gap between the back of the tang, and if its a new rifle there should be a good gap as CZ to have realised the problem. I would also bed the action and do away with the bit of rubber behind the recoil lug and bed from the forearm screw all the way back. I would also replace the cross bolts with Talley cross bolts from Brownells or MidwayUSA.I would bed the cross bolts as well. I would also be tempted to shorten the barrel to 21" (and maybe fit an over the barrel NECG front sight). It would make it a better balanced rifle. I have done this to a few .375's and also to my .458Lott Win 70 and just done the same to 9.3x62 CZ VZ24, which has made it a very fast handleing rifle.
Cheers,
Paul.

I illustrated this with description and photos in my article about modifying these CZ550 rifles for dangerous game that was published in African hunter Magazine a few years back. One of the modifications I did and highly reccomend was to have a competent gunsmight who has access to a good heat sink etc and understands the right way to bend a bolt handle without changing the hardness and maelability of the overall work and steel bend this bolt handle outwards about 1/2 inch. This inexpensive and relatively monor change allows for one's hand to easily strike the bolt handle knob on its fast upstroke motion without missing it.

Other modifications to my CZ 550 include Weisner drop box bottome metal, Ed La Pour 3 position Model 70 syle safety, beefier crossbolts in the main body of the stock, a bolt through the pistol grip area glued in with Brownells Steel Bed, and full length bedding throughout. I also had a more robust simpler NECG trigger with a model 70 trigger pad welded to it added to my rifle and an overall polishing and tuning up of the feeding and slickness of the action.

Right now the stock is in the hands of our very own KARNIS who has re shaped and re finished the stock beautifully (As he always does) and is bing checkered by an associate of his. I am anxious to get it back in my hands with its newly re shaped handle! These stocks are, IMO, a bit piggish in overall shape but are good functional handles as issued.

My modifications are addmitedly more than what a casual and occasional hunter would neeed to do but I started this project when I was spending a lot of time in Africa helping my PH friends to conduct hunts that I had booked for them over here.

For most folks, having the bolt handle bent out a tad and making sure the recoil lugs are sturdy plus a glass or steelbed treatment from stem to stern will provide one with a quite good and very servicable, dependable dangerous game rifle.

Sounds great

To say that it has worked exceedingly well for me and for my clients would be an understatement. It is one of just a few guns that I will probably take with me to the Nursing Home