CZ 550 American 416 Rigby

[gearguywb]

Simply Awesome! Definitely on my short list!

 

[Luvthunt]

You are very lucky on the feed issue. Many CZs jam as previously stated. Can be fixed with knowledgeable smiths.

 

[Nhoro]

Very nice rifle- my brother has a 416 and i have a 458. My stock is very similar to yours. If i may suggest a few things- take the action out and check how the main recoil lug is bedded. Mine had a crummy plastic bit so i bedded the barrel lug and main recoil lug with epoxy. I also stripped the finish and refinished with boiled linseed oil- beautiful. Mine was relieved at the tang already. I also polished up the action and bolt and detailed the work on the sight her with a couple of threads.

 

[BJH65]

Congratulations you have a fine rifle, but I am biased as I have the same. I put a McMillan stock on it to get a better length of pull. I had it Cerakoted in Midnight Purple when they made the colour. Looks like a deep English blue in the sun. Apart from pigs and Camels in Aust I have taken Elephant, Wart Hogg, Blue Wildebeest and Cape Buff with it. It has not been treated gently but the metal work has no scratches or wear marks yet.

All bullet types seated out as far as they would go functioned all right but I had the feed rails and ramp polished up and they rounds cycled very smoothly. These included the Woodleigh Hydros before they put the green cap on them.

What I would advise is some stock work. Have a cross bolt/pin put through the wrist and have about a playing card thickness of wood behind the rear tang removed. Also good bedding will help stop and stock splitting.

Does your mag hold 3 or 4 down?

Thank you and I appreciate the the advice. I believe Bell & Carlson still makes a synthetic Safari stock, but I believe I’ll stick with the wood stock for the time being. I don’t know if it’s been relieved behind the rear tang? I included some photos, but there appears to be playing card thickness room behind the rear tang. The mag only hold 3 rounds. I can snap a 4th round on top but it won’t go down far enough to slide the bolt over, so just a 3 round mag plus a round in the chamber. I continue to chamber 3 rounds and function test it and it feeds and ejects perfectly. My plan is to run this rifle through its paces with much practice and some local hunts for wild pig, Aoudad and Nilgai before Africa and Cape Buffalo. Would love to see a photo of your rifle, sounds like you set it up perfectly.

Regards,

Brendon

 

[PARA45]

Congrats, I had been drooling over that rifle, but couldn't make it happen. Enjoy!!!

 

[BJH65]

Very nice rifle- my brother has a 416 and i have a 458. My stock is very similar to yours. If i may suggest a few things- take the action out and check how the main recoil lug is bedded. Mine had a crummy plastic bit so i bedded the barrel lug and main recoil lug with epoxy. I also stripped the finish and refinished with boiled linseed oil- beautiful. Mine was relieved at the tang already. I also polished up the action and bolt and detailed the work on the sight her with a couple of threads.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will pull the action and see how it’s bedded. Someone else mentioned about relieving wood behind the rear tang. I attached some photos but there does appear to be playing card thickness or more room behind the tang.

 

[BJH65]

You are very lucky on the feed issue. Many CZs jam as previously stated. Can be fixed with knowledgeable smiths.

Thanks. I didn’t really give this due consideration like I should have! I’ve owned a CZ 550 Kevlar 9.3x62 for many years and it’s been 100% reliable sure as the sun rises and sets every day. But after several AH members clued me in, I’ve researched this and have found some have had feeding issues especially in the 416 Rigby. I guess the hunting gods looked down upon me and smiled. I’ve been extremely lucky with rifles, I’ve never bought a used or new rifle that ever had any issues, all have been 100% reliable. Not so with my brother, he’s bought more than a few BNIB with issues. I guess sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good!

 

[BJH65]

Congrats, I had been drooling over that rifle, but couldn't make it happen. Enjoy!!!

Thanks! I hope you can get one soon.

 

[Rule 303]

BJH65 I only went for the synthetic stock for the longer length of pull. Looks like yours has been relieved behind the tang.

Just for info, CZ used 3 different mag box's in the 416 Rigby. Those marked for the 375H&H and 458(from memory hold the 4 down) the rest hold 3 down.

My old photo hosting sight has changed, when I work out how to post photos again I will put some up. My avatar shows the rifle with the wooden stock. Not a good shot of it as taken with about 5 minutes of what light there was left.

 

[BJH65]

BJH65 I only went for the synthetic stock for the longer length of pull. Looks like yours has been relieved behind the tang.

Just for info, CZ used 3 different mag box's in the 416 Rigby. Those marked for the 375H&H and 458(from memory hold the 4 down) the rest hold 3 down.

My old photo hosting sight has changed, when I work out how to post photos again I will put some up. My avatar shows the rifle with the wooden stock. Not a good shot of it as taken with about 5 minutes of what light there was left.

Great photo regardless! Appears to be a lot of blood and sweat involved! An excellent bull! My CZ 416 Rigby seems to fit me perfectly, haven’t measured my LOP, I’m 6-3 with a 76 inch reach.

 

[krish]

Great photo regardless! Appears to be a lot of blood and sweat involved! An excellent bull! My CZ 416 Rigby seems to fit me perfectly, haven’t measured my LOP, I’m 6-3 with a 76 inch reach.

That is over 6 feet of reach ? Are you talking about over head.
Krish

 

[Andrew62]

WOW WOW WOW!! Beautiful rifle!!

 

[BJH65]

That is over 6 feet of reach ? Are you talking about over head.
Krish

In boxing terminology my friend, arms outstretched, middle fingertip to fingertip, 76 inches, or 6 ft 4 inches.

 

[krish]

In boxing terminology my friend, arms outstretched, middle fingertip to fingertip, 76 inches, or 6 ft 4 inches.

Ok. Ididnt know.
Krish

 

[Rule 303]

The photo: Hunting in the hot season, and dusty. We had been through a lot of close scrub, butt crawling, normal crawling bull shot with 10 minutes till dark. Didn't have time to get cleaned up for the photos.

I am 6'2" but have a long neck so a 15" length of pull is good for me.

 

[BJH65]

Just sighted in the CZ 550 American 416 Rigby at 50 yards with Barnes 400 grain TSX. One inch group, albeit at 50 yards but that’s the furthest I can shoot on our property. Later, I’ll go to my neighbors place where I can shoot at 100-300 yards.

I shot over the hood of my pickup using an old dog bed as a rest, it’s rock solid though! Recoil was very tolerable, less than I thought after firing a total of 8 rounds. It’s way more comfortable to shoot than my lightweight 375 RUM without brake!

Feeds and ejects flawlessly. Now I can put this rifle through its paces with practice off shooting sticks, various shooting positions and local hunting before Africa and Cape Buffalo.

 

[ACM]

Gorgeous wood, flawless feeding, and a shooter. You hit the CZ550 Jackpot! Nice rifle and happy hunting!

 

[Buck51]

Congrats! Krish is a great guy to deal with.

That is infinitely nicer wood than what I received on the "fancy grade" new in box CZ550 I bought sight unseen from a liquidator a couple years ago. Caveat emptor if you're not putting eyes on the rifle, of course, but I was expecting something like what you have there and received quite possibly the plainest walnut stock I've ever owned. Don't know if it was CZ or the liquidators, but I think someone was just applying fancy grade stickers to every box at the time.

Beauty. Should be a pleasure to carry on your buffalo hunt!

I too bought a fancy grade a few years ago and received a plain stock. I think you are right about the stickers. Seen better wood on a 10/22.

 

[Rule 303]

I too bought a fancy grade a few years ago and received a plain stock. I think you are right about the stickers. Seen better wood on a 10/22.

I am not real keen on fancy timber, just not to my liking normally. This is just me. What I do look for is or the grain flow through the wrist. I want the grain flow to follow the wrist lines and straighten out to flow through the butt stock, particularly in hard/sharp kicking rifles.

 

[BJH65]

I am not real keen on fancy timber, just not to my liking normally. This is just me. What I do look for is or the grain flow through the wrist. I want the grain flow to follow the wrist lines and straighten out to flow through the butt stock, particularly in hard/sharp kicking rifles.

As usual, your logic is sound. I’ve no doubt a McMillian fiberglass stock as a first choice followed by a Bell & Carlson are imminently more practical, but alas, I must have wood! Due to the stain, the flow of wood grain is not readily apparent, but appears to flow in the correct direction? I have two years to put this CZ 416 Rigby through its paces before Africa and Cape buffalo, if the stock fails before then, I shall replace it with a synthetic, but I am hopeful it shan’t splinter into pieces!