I've had a 550 Safari (.375 H&H) for a couple of months, about 110 rounds through the barrel. A crack has developed behind the tang, and it started getting worse when I shot so I've got a warranty request into CZ. I hope they'll make things right.

I'm not sure I'll trust another one of their stocks though, at least unless its redesigned. If I were to get a composite stock like a McMillan or Bell and Carlson, does anyone know if one of their stocks made for a Safari American will fit a European style Safari (which the humped buttstock like mine)?

I think the guns are the same, stocks are different.

B&C or McM should work.

I'd Steel Bed the lug if it was mine.

JB cut his hump back down to suit and refinished. If the crack wasn't too bad, one could relieve wood behind the tang, drill holes from inside into the crack, fill with epoxy, clamp closed. I'd steel the lug on that one, as well. Don't think it would crack any more.

DF

The hogsback stock and the American stock are interchangeable- there is no difference between the metal.

The new stock you get, relieve the tang. There should be a small gap between the tang of the action and the stock so the action doesn't keep ramming the stock like a wedge. Making sure the recoil lug is properly bedded would also be a good safety measure.

Thanks for the info guys. I got my return label from CZ today, will ship tomorrow and see what happens.

If I get one of the composite stocks I guess it would still be a good idea to bed behind the stock? It looks like the B&Cs don't have cross bolts in front of and behind the magazine. Maybe their strong enough that they don't need them?

I'd Steel Bed the lug and make sure there was a slight gap behind the tang. That should to it.

DF

There should be a secondary lug on the barrel. Usually a steel block that fits in a recess in the stock. Bed it also. You want even contact amongst the two lugs.

Seconds on relieving the tang.

And very tight action screws!

There are lugs and then there are lugs: In progress photo of my 450 Rigby.

Nice.

DF

How many recoil lugs did it have? I remember back in the early 80's Sako started with one recoil lug and had the same problem, then went to two recoil lugs. Fixed it. I went to a McMillan stock, never had a problem.

Buy a plastic stock. Oops, I meant fancy plastic otherwise known as polymer or composite stock.

I want to give everyone an update. I received my rifle back from CZ today, exactly two weeks after I shipped it to them. They not only replaced the stock, but bedded the area behind the tang as some of you suggested I do.

Pretty good customer service I think.

Good news.

Be sure you have a small gap behind the tang.

DF

I'll never understand ANYONE shooting a wood stocked rifle without bedding it first, most especially anything that has more recoil than a 222.

Agree.

That's what happens with my guns.

DF

Good service from CZ!

The only wood stocked rifle I ever bedded was my RSM in 416 Rigby.

Are these CZ550 Safari stock cracks more common in the euro/hogback stock or the American Safari stocks?

Good question, mine's the hogback version.

i have an american cz550 in 375h&h. it did not have cross rod in front of the safety. I only shot it a few times. one day i had it leaning against the wall in my house and it fell over cracking the stock behind the reciever basically in the tang area.
cz told me to pound sand.
i had it replaced with a bell and carlson stock and glass bedded.
i had that old wood out the other day looking at a piece that chipped out. I don't know where they got the wood but it was pretty crappy. Looked nice on the outside, but stinko on the inside.

Damn. I bought a 550 in 375HH with the euro stock about 10 years ago. I shot it a bit and decided it should have cross bolts. Sent it to CZ USA and they installed them and bedded it for not much more than the cost of shipping.

They were great to deal with.

Agreed on the wood. Seen a few with seemingly nice figure, but the layout of the grain was random.

Even though CZ replaced my stock I've been thinking about at Bell & Carlson. Do you like yours? Does it have the aluminum bedding blocks?

Going to take a hard look at my CZ550 AmSaf in .375H&H. I would have sworn I recalled extra cross bolts & suchlke, but it has been a while since I took it out of the stock and gave it the gimlet eye.

I think I will practice bedding on my old Rem700 ADL before I go about bedding the action, though.

I have no idea why anyone would shoot a wood stock rifle without relieving and bedding.

Most especially if it kicks more than a 223.

I have quite a few rifles in calibers well above the 223 threshold all the way up to a 450NE (but that's a double so not really germane). I bedded the 416 Rigby because I did hear some had cracked and I wanted to take no chances whilst in Africa. Since then I've also bought a CZ 550 in the same caliber and again, given the accounts here and elsewhere, I will bed it at some point in the near future. That said, none of my Winchesters, Brownings or Weatherbys have ever given me an issue.

Steelhead, do you realize that's the second time you posted that, on this thread?

You might just have to go through life with that mystery unsolved.

The factory bedding was nearly perfect on my 550 9.3X62, just make sure that both recoil lugs are bearing evenly and there is some clearance at the tang. If the action and barrel recoil lugs don't bear evenly then glass bed, especially at the lugs. Bedding in the wood is fine if done properly. The wood should be treated inside and out with a water resistant finish. Glass beading compound of course seals the wood where it is applied.