New CZ 550 FS Owner

[ccoyle]

Closed the deal today on a new (still in the box, never been fired) CZ 550 FS in 7x57 Mauser. I have loved the look of this rifle for years, but couldn't afford one until just recently. After much research on-line, I had decided on 6.5x55 SE for the caliber, but just a few days ago I discovered one being offered for sale in 7x57. So I did some more research. I learned that CZ had made a limited production run of 7x57 550's some years back. Since the two calibers are ballistically similar, and the price was right, I decided to go for it. So, now the rifle is on its way to Kalifornistan, where of course it must languish for ten days in my dealer's shop before I can take it to the range. Really, really looking forward to putting this beauty through its paces and lining it up on some local game. Would love to hear from other 550 FS owners about your experiences with this rifle and your favorite scope options for it.

[atakacorp]

Congrats you'll like it alot. I have Cz550 in 300 win ,more than a 100 years of hunting rifle making, beautiful walnut stock,Mauser action, how can you go wrong with that setup

[Brujo]

I just recently purchased a 550 FS in 308 from a fellow calgunner. Awesome rifle. You will have not regret the purchase. Mine has only been to the range once to sight in a scope. I put a Leopold 4-12x40 on it. Shoots better than 1 MOA with cheap PMC ammo. My only issue with it is the scope mounting system. Flat head bolt instead of hex heads. Once I had the rifle sighted in I started getting some fliers. Scope came loose. Ideally a scope that had a little longer eye relief would be better for me. I'm getting just the slightest bit of black on the edges of my sight picture in the 12x magnification.

Pic is from the bench at 100 with PMC bronze. Did I mention I love this rifle!
IMG_1561.jpg

[postal]

Brujo,

Most people say never use loktite on scope stuff.... but I always use a little bit of blue loktite...

Blue is easy to remove if you want to, but keeps things from working loose. No special procedures to undo blue- just unscrew it.

Red... well... I dont even own red.... that stuffs a nightmare.

Both of you... sweet rifles!!!!

[ccoyle]

I thought the wait would never end, but my rifle finally arrived today at the LGS and went into the mandatory 10-day lock-down. More waiting. **sigh**

20150214_194630_resized_2_edited_small.jpg

[Sutcliffe]

ccoyle

That thing is just begging for a butterknife style bolt.

[Timbob55]

That is a beautiful rifle! I love the Mannlicher stock.

[Nick Adams]

Nice rifle and love the old world caliber choice, just matches the rifle.

[bsg]

congrats.

[Whiterabbit]

I wish they made a mannlicher for the 550 safari.

You will love that cheek profile too, it's a dream for shooting irons. Your eyeballs somehow magically line up with the irons perfeclty when you shoulder the rifle.

And you picked the worlds most perfect cartridge. I'd say "call me when you decide to sell it", but I'm guessing that's gonna be a problem for your grandkid's children.

[ccoyle]

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, I was finally permitted by the Powers That Be to pick up my rifle yesterday (part of the wait was the 12 days it took for UPS to get it from Wisconsin to Kalifornistan - next time I see one of those 'What can brown do for you?' commercials, I will probably yell at my TV). A fiend gave me a loaner 4x scope to use, and Burris rings are on the way.

The fun part has been trying to find ammo. The LGS has a few boxes in the $30 neighborhood - ouch. I've signed up for various alerts for PPU 139 gr, but the stuff must be mythical, because no one ever seems to have any. I finally located some at another shop, but for $29/box, which is a huge increase over what it normally goes for online. When I called Alquist Arms, they said they have some for 17.99 (yay!!) - except it is 173 gr, the energy of which will push my new, mild-shooting rifle close to .270 recoil territory. Sigh -- guess I'm going to have to pony up for a box or two of the expensive stuff and shoot sparingly for now. I know S&B offers some cheaper stuff, too, but I've read so many negative comments about the quality of their brass that I thought I should probably wait for the PPU to be available again.

Update: I found a good deal on a lot of 100 rds of PPU 139 gr SP. That should last me a while.

[Whiterabbit]

I like that PPU 139 stuff. Pretty sweet shooting.you can also check on gunbroker. I bought 500 rounds or so this way, one nice fat box, and no mixed brass to deal with. I'm still reloading off that shipment today.

[ccoyle]

you can also check on gunbroker.

Yep, that's where I found it. Same-day ship, too, so I'm pretty happy with the deal.

[ccoyle]

First day at the range.

Took my new CZ to the range the other day. Started out shooting at paper targets at 25 yds. The first two shots went in the same hole. Hey, it's only 25 yds, but still something to be happy about. The loaner scope, a Shin Han 4x fixed, turned out to have a defective elevation knob. As a result, I did not get to try paper targets at 100 yds. But - took the scope off and shot over open sights just for the heck of it. Had no trouble ringing a gong target at 100 yds. The 7x57 caliber is easy on the shoulder, and the PPU ammo appears to produce very consistent results.

cz 550 1st target.jpgcz 550 2nd target.jpg

[Whiterabbit]

in my MarkX, the PPU ammo will produce cloverleafs till the barrel heats up. Can't complain at all.