Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Fun with a new CZ Swede

Got the itch to fool around with the 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser. My prowling around the gun shops came up with nada in any used rifles, but did teach me that my best option was to order a CZ in model 550 American.

I was able to handle a used 550 American in 30-06, and another used 550 "Premium" (?) in 300 WinMag. Nice rifles, reasonably nice wood, but the stocks struck me as a bit "blocky". After looking over the 2007 CZ catalog, I put my money down and waited with baited breath.

Low and behold, I brought the box home today and cracked it open. It 'aint nothing like I looked at or saw in the catalog, in fact, it's much nicer!

They must not have updated the catalog because the stock is much trimmer and has way better figure in the wood than displayed in the catalog. In fact, the stock figure is on a par with that used "Premium" 300 WM I looked at. The checkering is different as well . It's the same checkering as offered in the model 550 "Ultimate Hunting Rifle". Clearly, the catalog is due for some changes in 2008.

Fit and finish is very good. From the recoil pad to the muzzle it's all nicely fitted, symmetrical, and snug with the barrel free floated evenly down the barrel channel. It's a very trim looking and feeling stock with a shadow cheek piece and just a hint of a palm swell in the grip. I'll have to find an hour or so to sit in front of the boob tube and cycle the action a couple hundred times to smooth it out some.

I was pretty curious about the CZ trigger having read some about it. Sure enough, you push it forward, and you get a super light (for a hunting rifle) trigger pull afterwards. Unfortunately, using the trigger the other way by simply squeezing I found a healthy amount of creep before the trigger broke at 3 lbs. However there is no over travel. I'll have to snug that up.

The rings that come with it are monsters. I'll probably use them to start with, but if I keep this rifle I'll likely switch to a pair of low Talleys.

All in all I'm delightfully surprised at what showed up today. When I get a chance I'll figure out how to post a picture.

A 100 rounds of factory ammo shows up this Wednesday, and the scope I bought from luv2safari in a week or so. I keep reading that these CZ's are accurate little buggers so, as they say the proof will be in the firing range pudding. I focused on the 140 grain round and ordered a box each of:
Norma Partition, Winchester SP, Federal SP, Hornady SP, and Prvi Partizan SP. I'm still looking to rustle up a box of Corelockts.

I'll update this post with the results of the firing range and what I think about this rifle after all is said and done.

too much fun....

Fixing that creep won't take you ten minutes.

Remove the stock, cock the rifle, turn the small screw on the upper rear of trigger (perpendicular to the blade) until the sear releases, back up 1/3 of a turn, put the stock back on.

If you get a chance to weigh it before putting the rings and glass on, I'm curious where it'll come in with the trimmer new stock. My American was about 7 3/4 bare, and my UnAmerican (euro hogback with the waffle recoil pad) is just under 7 1/2.

Sounds great, but we need pics

+1. My attention span is virtually zero, I'm a visual guy...

I too had months of fun with a Swede a number of years ago when I was still in college, then, unfortunately, she moved back to Sweden.

Thanks for the tip. I weighed it today w/o rings or glass and it's just a hair over 7 1/4 lbs.

I'll get a pic up. promise. really.

Puddle, You'll love your CZ the more you mess with it. As for the trigger, I've been able to adjust the trigger on mine to where both set and unset, it is VERY, VERY nice. aspade's instruction for the creep adjustment is good, and in the manual, I think on the last page, there are instructions on adjusting not only creep (sear engagement), but also weight of pull and overtravel, as well as weight of pull in the set position.

Back in December, I posted a report with pics. Here's the link: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1843857/page/0/fpart/1 . Is this the same stock as on yours?

killsoft and SKane: check out the link to my earlier post on the new CZ's to see what they look like now, and how they shoot.

I don't mean this to appear I'm kidnapping your thread, Puddle. Hope this is helpful.

Best Regards,
Skeez

Skeezix,

Thanks for the pics. The checkering is the same as yours, but either I got lucky with the stock, or the latest batch of trees CZ is using is really nice, or CZ has decided to upgrade the wood on the 550 American. The test target was dated 12/07/07 so perhaps the very latest rifles are coming out with nicely figured wood? dunno. What's the date on your test target?

Wow, looking at those pics those CZ rings sure do sit a scope high. I've a tendency to mash my face down good on the stock and I'm betting I'd be half looking under the scope. No issue at the bench, but I'd switch to something different for hunting.

BTW, when I was looking around at rifles, the value of the $600 CZ really shined compared to a Remo M798 @ $550 and a M700 CDL @ $735. The fit and finish of both was pathetic. On the M700 the assembler didn't even bother to insure the recoil pad was aligned correctly, much less the chunk of material missing from the toe of the pad. Sheesh. The closest comparison was the M77 Hawkeye - nice rifle, but not offered in the Swede.

pud

Puddle, I agree with you that the factory CZ rings put the scope up really high. And they weigh five pounds a piece, it seems like. I want to replace them with Talley's, Warne's or Millett's which are lots lighter AND lower.

And I agree on your assessments of the quality of the CZ's, Rems, and Rugers. The CZ's are just gettin' better and better and are a terrific value. A lot of the Rems are pretty pitiful and getting sorrier all the time. And the Rugers are pretty good and, lately, seem to be getting better. I actually traded my old No.1 in .416 Rigby for a newer one, same model and caliber, just because the fit, finish, and wood on the new one was so much better. And just bought another new No.1 in .25-06 that is absolutely beautiful, with fit and finish like a Swiss watch. (Am looking/drooling on a No.1 in Swede, also.)

Skeez

[quote=Puddle
The rings that come with it are monsters. I'll probably use them to start with, but if I keep this rifle I'll likely switch to a pair of low Talleys.
[/quote]

All of your comments are totally valid, CZ has an outstanding product across the board.

I have a CZ 527 American in .223 that is a phenominal shooter, and I have loads from 40gr Sierra HP's to 60gr Hornady SP's that run well under an inch, with W748, Bl-C2, and IMR 4895. I used a set of Leupold rings to hold the AO 3X-9X Compact, and they look much nicer.

Happy with that purchase, I picked up a 20Ga. O/U Ringneck. It was so pretty I had to have it. The fit finish are very good. And I don't even shoot small game stuff

Got around to testing a number of factory rounds with this rifle. I decided this time I'd resist my usual anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive nature and just start firing the rifle right out of the box without any barrel "break-in" routine and without any barrel cleaning.

Here's what I gleaned 50 rounds later and all in one session:

CZ makes a darn fine, accurate rifle right out of the box without any dinking around with anything.

I fired 50 rounds of various factory 140 grain bullets and the barrel clearly has a preference for loads in the 2500 - 2600 fps mv range.

The Federal blue box SP was the most consistently accurate, with the Hornady Custom Interlock right behind. I actually followed up both of the loads with an additional 10 rounds each and they both grouped under 1" with 10 shot groups.

As mv creeped past 2600 the groups began to open when firing the Norma Partition load. But I'd never turn down 1 1/4" groups from a factory round loaded with Partitions.

The most disappointing was the Winchester grey box. Groups approached 3" and I actually had one round that would not chamber. That's a first for me.

I'd of liked to have tried a box of Corelokts but just couldn't find any. The Lapua was just too expensive at $68/box to give it a whirl.

All in all, I'm very impressed with this $600 rifle and what it can do out of the box with factory ammo.

I just shot my CZ-527 American in .223 again last night and it never fails to impress me with 40-55 gr bullets. I shot groups with 50 gr Ballistic Tips and Sierra Blitzkings over 26 gr of H-335 that were all about 1/2-inch, so long as I avoided called flyers. I have done nothing to the trigger and do not use the set feature. I am sure the rifle would do better with the bit of creep removed, but I hate to mess with it when it shoots so great as-is!

I haven't tried my new CZ .416 Rigby yet.

good buy.

Puddle,

Methinks you've been bit! Where's the pics?

Best Regards

Puddle

Good read. Just wondered if you were planning on reloading? I suspect that even better accuracy could be attained than the factory stuff. What are you planning to hunt with it. I think you will find the 120 grain bullets also work equally well in the Swede.
Regards

LowBC

Nice to read a post about testing a new rifle with factory ammos and not having to read about x bullet on top of x powder x lit by x primer at x col at xxxx fps. Very very nice. Thanks!
GeoW

slabslapper - I'm supposed to be handed a digital camera this weekend, so expect some pics shortly

LowBC - I'm trying really, really hard not to let my nature suck me into tweaking the heck out of this rig and bury myself into wringing the last bit of accuracy out of it. I'm trying to leave it alone and just shoot it! It's so hard but I know I have to be strong

Heck, I'm not even sure if I'll keep this thing! My 3 hunting rifles - .257 Roberts, .30-06, and .375 H&H cover the gamut of any likely hunting scenarios, so the Swede is clearly overlapping the lower end.

But, the more I shoot this Swede, the more I think it'll tag along with me this year on a Pronghorn hunt, just to get it blooded. After that, I'll have to decide whether to hand it off to some deserving kid or sell it off.

Then again, it is a double square bridge Mauser action that'd make a fine basis for a custom....oh, stop it!

If CZ has a new and trimmer stock that can only be a good thing.

As a commercial mauser I'd guess that one could convert to a 3 position M70 wing safety. Correct?

The weight could be addressed by taking some of that 13.7 LOP, mebbe some judicious hollowing and trimming the barrel from 23.6 back to 21 or 22".

Hmm, I guess that would put me back where I am with my Model 70 Swede.

I need help.

GE

Then again, leaving the barrel long and reaming for a 6.5-06AI ...

I really NEED HELP!

No sweat. You just have to learn to rest your chin on top of the stock...

HA!

Unfortunately, that's about what I did last week helping a guy with his little rifle problem...and I paid the price

another lesson to add to my do-not-do list...

Finally, after much stalling, I've got a pic of my Swede!

CZ 550 American, New and Improved

The pic above is a dead ringer for my CZ right down to the wood figure and color. The only difference is my Swede wears a VXIII 2.5-8x in low Talley fixed rings.