Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only CZ-550 or Model 70

MIM vs. steel and aluminum.

I repaired this CZ with a Timney.

CZ's break, Timney's don't

DF

Some fine rifles and good info guys keep it coming!



Mike

Thanks DF. As far as I'm concerned, that is CZ's weak point. Along with the funky plastic follower they use instead of using metal like everyone else does. The stocks don't fit me for chidt and probably one of the reasons you had yours worked over by AHR. When I hunted mine, it felt and handled like a 2x4. The safety lever leaves much to be desired as well. I much prefer my pre 64's, there's no contest and when you compare accuracy of the 375 H&H rifles, CZ doesn't beat the pre 64 by much. CZ's can be phenomenally accurate. I'd venture to say that the CZ isn't going to feed as well as a pre 64 either. They are more like a Ruger m77 in that regard, especially if it has the plastic follower. That's the first thing I threw away when I bought mine. You used to be able to contact CZ and they would send out a replacement steel follower to replace the plastic pos... I know where a beautiful Pre 64 model 70 375H&H is for $1,000.00. If there were a brand new CZ sitting next to it, it would be a no brainer as to which one I'd buy. Just sayin..

Those fine old Pre-64's aren't as pricey as they had been, sort of a buyers scenario compared to a few years ago.

The younger generation is all about black rifles and Glocks. Just leaves us ole farts hanging around, drooling over fine old walnut and blued steel rifles.

Oh well...

DF

Isnt that the truth!!

I just want to find a nice shooter pre 64 in a 06.. I looked on gunbroker and the prices are up there.

Be sure you're not just looking at their ask prices, but what they actually sold for.

DF

I agree w/ EdM - the CZ 550 stocks are a bit chunky, heavy and cumbersome. I also agree with CRS regarding the CZ trigger and safety, but the CZ 550 is certainly an accurate and a damn decent CRF.

Given the choice I'd go with the M70. CZ 550s are getting hard to find.

I remain firmly in the Model 70 camp, that said, my Tanzanian PH had a CZ Safari Classic in 450 Rigby that was a hell of a slim lighter weight rifle, classic straight stock and a hell of a set of Express sights, no scope, big bore stopper.

I have a CZ in 416 Rigby and I like it a lot. It is a great shooter and very accurate, yes the stock is a bit over size, but that can be corrected easily enough.

For large cartridges the CZ all day every day

Have an old buddy with a big CZ 505 Gibbs, my 'Smith slimmed the stock on that giant pig, completely steel bedded everything, it's a big solid rifle now with a much trimmer stock, he slapped the piss out of the euro on my buddys rifle, it looks and shoots great now.

That's what I'm talking about!

I never could warm up to CZ rifles. Something about them just feels "cheap" to me. The bolt handle and action just don't feel right either and the trigger is awful, set or no set.

Win 70 doesn't win any accuracy comps in my experience, but they feel and look way better to me, plus their bolts are much more solid. I'd go Win 70 any day over a CZ.

In factory form, I would go with the M70.
If you are going to customize, either or.
Factory form, I much prefer the M70.
I have a CZ in 458 Lott, with the synthetic stock and 22” barrel it feels / handles pretty well. It does not have the factory trigger, has a 3 position safety, and the bolt handle has been altered.
But, I have a MRC 458 Lott stainless, 24” barrel, synthetic stock, and I prefer it. The MRC is very close to the M70.
You give up magazine capacity in stock form with the M70. But, I like the M70 safety and trigger better than the factory CZ.
The CZ is a big action, the 500 grain 458 Lott rounds look small in the magazine.
I personally think the M70’s make better 416 Remingtons than 375 H&H’s.
375 wise, I prefer the 375 Rugers without the brake.
I do like the M70 Classic stainless rifles. I do have one in 375 H&H, 22” barrel, and fiberglass stock. I still prefer the 375 Ruger in the Ruger rifles.

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Ask gunner how accurate the old pre 64 model 70 375H&H, I sold to him, is. The old, pre 64, 375's are known to be good shooters.

i had a chance to buy a rifle like your Winchester 357 H&H S.S. dang i wished i would have purchased that rifle. so i said 2 prayers one for you on the hunt that you did well on and the other pray is you will sell me that dirty old factory S.S. 375 H&H Winchester cheap and might as well throw in that Leupold too . Grin

lol, keep an eye out guys sell them cheap sometimes not realizing how hard they are to come by.

Model 70, no question, especially in that caliber. I have both. The CZ is NIB haven't even unpacked it. They don't make them anymore. I also haveo a CZ in 416Rigby

LOL Big BSA, still cant get over how accurate that pre-64 375 you sold me is, damn thing thinks it's a varmint rifle!

270gr TSX's [tested]
285gr Grand Slams [tested]
300gr Partitions [hunting soft]
300gr BBW #13 solids [hunting solid]

I even done a safari on the 20 old 270gr Bitterroot bonded cores you sent, how's that for easy load workup, then zero, then still have enough for 5 animal kills in Africa? smoked the other two animals with 750 grains of cast lead flat nosed bullet from my 50-90 Sharps.

All 1/2 moa in the rifle, as a matter of fact, the factory rollover/flipover barrel sight is dead on at 50 yards with 300gr solids at 2700 fps, just needed to tweak it a rch to the left, what an ALL game hammer that rifle is, steenbok to elephant to whitetail deer to American buffalo, it's all covered from 5 to 400 long yards.

Yep, that rifle sure shoots great. When I talked to bobin about it, he said all pre 64 375's he's seen have been tack drivers and very easy to load for. My old retired gunsmith told me the same thing. Im glad you took that rifle to Africa, it was made for that kind of hunting.