C.W. Richter
AH legend
That's an awful lot of writing to contradict what others on the forum have reported.Hmmmm............. Fascinating.............
Unless you mean something entirely different from what you write, what you seem to be wanting to communicate is:
1) scope bases machined directly into the front and rear square bridges of a CZ 550 action "cause scopes to rip off";
2) scope bases machined directly into the front and rear square bridges of an action are inferior to "older CZ m98 style that uses conventional bases and rings";
3) "to know more about (CZ 550), (I) must immerse (my) hands in it otherwise (I am) just talking conspicuous consumption";
4) good handloading should apparently result in over pressure and stuck cases.
I am just going to say hmmmm.................., again............
There is nothing mechanically stronger than scope bases machined directly into the front and rear square bridges of an action - it is certainly stronger than the mechanical strength of four 6-48 or even 8-40 screws attaching bases on top of it! - and I cannot fathom how a scope properly attached to a CZ 550 receiver with appropriate hardware could "rip off", unless of course it was attached by someone who is as good at basic mechanical tasks as at reloading overpressure and getting stuck cases...
Note: by the way, C.W. Richter, I observe that several of your rifles wear Talley mounts and rings, which are precisely the ones I use on my CZs, so I expect that you trust their mechanical strength, which I do, and that none have "ripped off" for you, but pray do tell how the 4 small screws holding the bases on your rifles are stronger than solid forged steel integral bases milled in square bridges (be they CZ, Mauser, Heym, Rigby, etc.)...
As to the advice about immersing my hands in CZ 550 matters rather than just talking about it, this has got to be one of the best jokes of the year on AH
It seems I have gained quite a reputation for knowing, working on, and advocating for CZs. Rest assured I have more than a passing knowledge of CZs and currently own 4 of them (.270 Win, .300 Wby, .375 H&H, .416 Rigby) on which I personally installed Timney triggers and 3 position bolt-mounted safeties; tuned up feeding rails and ramps; adjusted extractor tension; etc., so yeah, I kind of "immersed my hands" in CZs and I guess that my "white gloves" are plenty black of CZ upgrading, tuning, stoning, polishing, etc.all of which came at a cost as judiciously observed by BeeMaa...
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Oh well.............................
I will only repeat - and show - what the R8 does for me that the CZ 550 cannot do:
CZ 550 + Krieghoff Big Five = 2 calibers to Africa in a rifle case <50 lbs. and <62" linear...
Blaser R8 + Krieghoff Big Five = 3 calibers to Africa in a rifle case <50 lbs. and <62" linear...
The above is a fact, and I amicably challenge anyone to get a light, medium and heavy caliber in 62" and 50 lbs. with conventional rifles. It HAS TO BE a R8 or a M03, which regrettably is not available anymore.
(A very few interchangeable barrel rifles others may qualify too, but any system with individual forearms attached to each barrel takes too much space and weight).
I am on record for finding Blaser R8 "safari" offering grossly over priced ($4,500 steel receiver Pro stock vs. $1,500 alloy receiver Pro stock, and $2,000 to $3,000 safari profile barrels vs. $1,000 standard barrels) and I maintain my position in this regard. I too have a bit of industry and business experience and I speculate that marketing to a perceived wealthy segment market explains these prices rather than production costs. But it is a free supply & demand economy, and I guess that as long as they sell at this price range they will continue...
It was not until I realized that one could actually mount any caliber barrel on the alloy receiver Pro stock and that a standard profile .375 H&H barrel cost $1,000 than I transitioned to Blaser.
A $8,000 R8 PH (steel receiver & Selous barrel) .375 H&H was a joke to me. A $3,000 R8 Pro (alloy receiver and standard barrel) .375 H&H, plus $2,000 for .257 Wby and .300 Wby barrels made eminent sense to me, for my specific purpose: going to and returning relatively easily from Africa through 8 airports each time with a 3 calibers battery.
As wisely observed by Red Leg, value is a very individualized proposition. The joy of using .257 Wby on Vaal Rhebok, .300 Wby on Kudu, and/or .375 H&H on Eland or as backup surgical precision rifle to my .470 double on Buffalo and Elephant is, TO ME, well worth my Blaser investment.
I fully respect that others may have different rationales for their different choices, but I really fail to see how using derogatory writing enhances their points........................ Oh well again............................
PS: I too must have missed all the advertising, because it sure would have helped me sort out the Blaser offering. In the end, I reached the conclusion that its complexity is its richness because possible configurations are almost endless...
