CZ 550 American - Opinions?

[lgm270]

Discovered the CZ 550 American and am impressed by its appearance.  Would appreciate any comments from owners, users, etc., about their experiences, impressions and results with this rifle.  I'm into .270/30-06 type rounds, although the 6.5x55 chambering is very appealing. 

Thanks. 

[wareagleguy]

I have on in the 6.5 X 55.  With the old federal classics it will do a little under one inch at 100 yards.  Fit and finish is about as good as it gets.  Considering price it is a bargin.  I did take a nice doe with it a few days before thanksgiving (at 384 YARDS!).  The only thing I consider negitive about the gun is weight.  It is a little on the heavy side.  After I have had it a while I still consider my Tikka 30-06 a better gun.  However, I don't think my CZ is going to sit in the back of the safe either.

[nasem]

I am in the process of ordering a 416 rigby in CZ550 american magnum.....  I was gonna get a 338 win mag only because I sold my only one I had and now.... Instead of replacing it with another 338.... I decided to get the CZ.

[lgm270]

Thank you both for your thoughtful and courteous responses.

nasem:  Best of luck with your 416 Rigby. Please let us all know how it works out.  I really look forward to a "range report" from you.


brdavis:  I love the 6.5x55 and did notice that CZ chambers for it.  That was a great hunting story.  I've done a lot of target shooting with the 6.5, but have never really hunted with it.  Perhaps one day I will.

Merry Christmas to you both. 

[hunt127588]

I have a 550 American in .243 Win. It is a great gun for the money but has its Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- All steel
- Single set trigger
- Mauser action
- Accurate
- Comes with rings

Cons:
- Magazine cannot be top-loaded (i.e. magazibe must be removed in order to be  loaded..this is on short action cartridges only as they are the only ones with a magazine)
- Long Length of Pull
- Heavy
- Stock feels very "square"
- Limited ring choices
- Long action used (even for short actions like .243 and .308)

I gave $490 for mine a couple years ago...After having it bedded and a trigger job, here is what I was able to accomplish with handloads:

[7x57mm]

I own a CZ 550 American in 7x57mm. I bought it in 2000 to replace a Ruger Mark II in 7x57mm. I think CZ offers the best bang for the buck going in the firearms industry today. The wood-to-metal finish was good, the barrel was freefloated and the stock was very pretty under that goop CZ calls a finish. I took the original finish off and re-finished the stock using GB Lindspeed Oil. I then glassbedded the action area of the stock using Probed 2000. With my handloads I can get half inch groups at 100 yards using Hornady 162 Grain SST bullets, H414 powder, Federal primers and Remington cases. Overall, I am very impressed with the rifle and I especially like the single-set trigger feature. The trigger is also highly adjustable. I have it set to break clean at 3# and left the factory setting of 12 ounces on the set feature. I had a gunsmith polish the bolt handle to a bright nickel finish and then do a small herringbone pattern jewell on the bolt body and extractor. I topped the rifle with a Leupold scope and Talley Rings. My hunting is limited to stand hunting, so the rifle's weight (Nine pounds even with scope and fully loaded) doesn't bother me at all. The thing is pretty with its Turkish Walnut stock and deep blue metalwork set off by the polished bolt handle and jewelled bolt. All in all, it is perhaps the best rifle I have ever bought and that includes rifles from Ruger, Savage, Winchester, Remington and even one semi-custom Model 98 Mauser in .284 Winchester with a Herters French Walnut stock years and years ago. The attachment is my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm and the kind of groups I can shoot with it. Tom Purdom

[hunt127588]

Tom,
That stock really looks nice...I would love to see a closeup of the herringbone pattern.

[7x57mm]

Hunt: This may be way too large to download here, but I'll give it  try. Please keep in mind that a lot of the jewelling has been worn off by my constant cycling of the bolt. Anyway, I'll try it. Tom Purdom

[one eye joe]

Tom,

Did you remove the trigger for the bedding operation? If so, is it one piece, or several as I have heard? If not, can you explain how you got around it?

Thanks,
Joe

[7x57mm]

Hunt and One-eye: I tried another photo of the bolt which, I hope, better shows the small herringbone jewell pattern as well as the polished bolt. Now, as to the trigger unit, I left it in the rifle and used carnubla (I know I screwed the spelling up on that bigtime) floor wax that I melted and brushed on the trigger mechanism. I then made doubly shure by molding clay pressed on the mechanism. That molding clay was a booger to get out. I took a boatload of q-tips and rubbing alcohol, but it came out. I think it would have been much better to just remove the trigger assembly. On my bedding job, I bed the front of the receiver area from about one and one-half inches up the barrel to the back of the receiver ring. I then put a dab on the rear tang and anchor the top half into stock with surgical tubing stretched slightly to press the action into the bedding compound. Cinching down the action screws, in my opinion, just repeats the very problem I was trying to eliminate. I skim bedded the bottom metal front and rear tang areas, so there was little possibility of compromising the trigger mechanism in the first place. I hope this helps. Put your cursor on the photo below and left click your mouse and it will blow the photo up. Tom Purdom

[kenjs1]

lgm270, I got one in 270 a few years ago when CZ's were not so well known around here.   Here is my rundown:
First off, the problem with not being able to top load will not effect you because only the short actions offer detachable magazines.  I can assure you the 270\30-06\6.5's will top load.  Dad needed very little persuading to order himself a CZ after shooting mine and I convinced him the 6.5x55 was the way to go.  The caliber will depend on what you wish to hunt and the distances you predict.  I will say that you will be pleasantly surprised at how the rifles handle recoil.  They come with pachmyer decellerator pads - which I prefer over all others including Sims.  The rifles are a bit of a throw back with the huge claw extractors in the mauser actions and they have a little more weight to them than most modern rifles.   They come with very stout steel rings that are bullet proof and again weigh more than some might prefer - but they are rock solid mounts.  I can tell you that even heavy loads in my 270, with those rings and meaty scope, plus the pad make recoil a non factor for even the most squeamish of shooters.  If you would like to shoot Elk then get the 30-06 and you will have one of the softest shooting bangers going.  The 6.5x55 is a super sweet round and will recoil in this gun about like a 243 in most others - honest!  Great round for deer\pig and even elk - though if very long distances for elk were involved I would lean to the '06. IF mule deer and whitetails aer the agenda then perhaps the 270 - but you asked about the rifle not a caliber recommendation so I won't say any more on that.  Lastly, the set trigger is a wonderful tool at the range. Holy cow is it fun.  It can also be used while hunting from a stand if you have shots that needn't be hurried.  Hard to imagine a better suited rifle, cost included, for stand hunting.  I had my rifle bedded but it was not needed from an accuracy standpoint as it shoots most factory fodder very well.  The actions tend to be a bit rough but will smooth out over time - or can be made smooth by cycling with some lapping compound.  So overall pick a caliber and buy one - you will not be disappointed.  Just look and see if you can find any negative comments on them - it will be a long look before you do.  Probably the best rifle value going.

[kenjs1]

one more thing - too bad but cz stopped exporting the 7x57 to the US last year.  Luckily the 6.5x55's seem to making some ground in the market place of late.

[Buckfever]

I have a 9.3x62 in a Full Stock.  It is a beautiful weapon.  It is also very accurate.  I got it for bear and moose.  With a recoil pad added I can easily handle the 285gr bullets.  This is a firearm that a little extra weight and strength is welcome.  Looks real good in my gun case.  I wish Remington or Ruger made guns like this, for what they sell for and the quality you get.  The trigger is just awesome.     Buckfever

[DC]

The 550 is a lot of gun for the money.  I have two, a 416 Rigby and a 458 Lott. The Rigby is actually the european version with the hog back stock. 
Both rifles shoot better than their owner me.  I can get incredible groups with iron sights with the Rigby and the recoil isn't bad either. 
The CZ's occasionally need a little work but still are a great value.  As indicated above, all I have are the Safari Magnums so I can't speak to the other smaller rifles.  Over all, I would buy them again.  In fact I would love to have a 505 Gibbs....if I save my pennies

[Redhat]

I have a CZ 550 Premium in .270 Win.

The wood has that famous CZ Gorilla snot finish, but I don't care as it's a working gun not a wall hanger.

The rifle will shoot 139 gr Ballistic Silver Tips into 3/4" for 3 shots.

On the Premium model, the bolt is jeweled, and according to CZ the action is hand fitted and lapped. All I know is it's smooth as butter!

This is the first year I've been able to take it hunting. So far I have one wild boar and one 8 pt buck in the freezer. Hog was lased at 160 yds and the Buck at 120 yds.

Nice rifle, and all the talk about them being heavy is bull IMO! According to the CZ web site, the 550 weighs 8lbs. but you have to take into account that it has a longer barrel than the normal Remington /Winchester / Savage hunting rifles do.