Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only CZ 550 SAFARI MAGNUM VS NEW M70 SAFARI EXPRESS?

Thanks for the review 405wcf. I've a Kelvar-stocked American Safari CZ 550 .416 Rigby on order, it should be in this week!

The stock is the Express New. I did discuss with D'Arcy and McM and also compared the drop numbers to land on what I did. It works very well with both the Wisner open sights I installed and the fairly low Scherz bases and Talley QD rings.

One difference is that you can hand load the 416 Rigby to perform more like a 416 Weatherby. I now load 100 grains of 4350 routinely, which is above the @ 90 grain limit in the books, and below the @ 105 of the Weatherby.

This is a bad idea and I suggest you don't follow my example. when doing this you will be glad your CZ is hefty.

416 Rigby ammo/brass is expensive.

With well over 250 rounds through it, about 40 of them in a lead sled, and 40 of them the 100 grain loads with 400 grain bullets, my CZ has had NO problems with the stock.

It is the European stock, and while looks are subjective, I think it is an objective fact that it is a great stock design for offhand shooting. I think this stock design is an advantage over either companies American style.


I am a big man with big hands, and had the bolt modified so it would not rap my knuckle, the gunsmith charged me $10.00.

I don't know the Model 70 at all. The one pre 64 I have is a safe queen. I would not hesitate to own and use one.

When it comes to choosing one rifle over another, I too am torn most of the time, but recently my mind was made up when I shot a buddies CZ 550 Safari Mag in 458 Lott.
It just felt right, so I ordered one myself. I was going to build one on a Win model 70 classic stainless action I have here, but I decided I liked the CZ more for this cartridge, I also sold my old 602 in 416 Rigby and bought a new CZ 550 in 416 Rigby, the best part of these 2 new rifles is the new safety that is oriented the correct way, forward for fire!
I too have a Win Model 70 classic stainless in 375 Weatherby, it is tweaked and wears a HS Precision stock, can be 'switch barreled' to 416Rem Mag or any other belted mag if I bothered to buy a barrel. Although I have a 416 Rem barrel, I rarely ever use it, I just prefer the 416 Rigby. I can't put my finger on why, but I think it's more of a nostalgia issue than anything else.

Cheers.

Pick the one that you like best. I chose the CZ in 416 Rigby and I really like it a lot a very easy gun to shoot, accurate and functions flawlessly. I had it beded by a top smith and life is good.

I like the 416 Rigby and its rich history. The picture in Rourk's book of Harry Selby with the caption "Harry Selby and his mighty 416 Rigby" perhaps influenced my decision on cartridge selection

I've got CZ 550s in .375 and .416 Rigby and have shot and hunted the hell out of them. Buff, elephant you name it. I polished the actions on both, bedded them, changed the safety to a M70 style, put in cross-bolts, and changed recoil pads to something that was good for something. Between the two I easily spend the price of a M70 in mods.Maybe more. If I ignored the too high mounted scopes and the overly complicated triggers that needed constant adjustment I was happy enough. Kinda. Sorta.

Then they started making the M70 Express again. If I had to chose between mine and my CZs I'd stand the CZs in the range burning barrel and wander off with my M70 .458 without even looking back. There isn't a thing about that rifle I don't like and it came out of the box that way.

Having said that, there is a certain appeal to a 7 shot .375, so I'd likely dash back and grab that one.

Model70Guy,

That's interesting about the wandering triggers. I bought my CZ .416 Rigby in 2000 and my 9.3x62 in 2002. Adjusted the primary pull on both, and then hunted with the rifles considerably since. I just tested both pulls and they're they same as they were when I adjusted them back then.

Haven't done anything to the bedding on the .416 except Acra-Glas the forend stuff in place. Polished a couple sharp edges on the action of the .416, but not the 9.3x62. The safety and bolt handles are factory. CZ didn't provide rings with the rifles back then and I got Talleys for both, which aren't near as high but work with the 3x Leupold I sometimes use on the .416 and the 4x Leupold that's been on the 9.3x62 since I mounted it in 2002. Each has worked flawlessly, and the 9.3x62 hasn't just been to Africa but Alaska and Canada.

My rifles :
CZ 550 synt. stock cal 9.3x62 Mauser
Scope Hawke Endurance IR 1.25-4.5x24 . Short range Zero @170 yds max.
Quality OK but polish it !!!!! the trigger is with a stetcher ..
It's a tool!

Winch 70 Safari Express cal .375 H&H Scope Leup. VX 2 3-9x40
Quality Very, very good Winch is back! Zero @ 200yds 300grs more than with 270grs "open sight" included. Operationnal out of the box

Winch 70 Safari Express cal .416RM Scope Leup VX 3 1.5-5x20
Perfect, quality is very, very good and the ammos are cheaper than .416Rigby, same balistic. About high pressure,.416RM vs .416 Rigby that's not a true problem , powders are quite OK!!

Problem : the balistic of the .416RM is closed to the .375 H&H ..
Now it's easy to find .416RM 300grs !!!
So Monday I want to keep the both, Thuesday I want to sell the .375 H&H ... week after week ...
My opinion the quality is with Winch, CZ a good tool ..