Hi
Gunnie,
Congrats on a good purchase- looks excellent.
I started with a CZ550 in .375 H&H.
Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 win mag.
Then I bought a CZ550 in 458 Lott.
Guess I must be due for my next one...
Ado
Hi Ado,
I too have several CZ 550's and think they are the best buy for today's new in the box hunting rifle.
However, be warned that even though the several main-stream/plain Jane Model 550's I have in assorted calibers, all worked perfectly right from the get-go, the one and only 550 I ordered from CZ's so called "Custom Shop", in .500 Jeffery, brand new in the box, for WELL OVER THREE THOUDAND US DOLLARS, would not feed live Kynoch factory ammunition, not even a little bit.
I called CZ's so called "Custom Shop" and spoke with their so called "Gunsmith" who proceeded to tell me that Kynoch ammunition was probably out of spec and likely so were my A-Zoom brand snap caps/dummy rounds (I'm probably the dummy for not simply demanding my money back) that also would not work in this beauty.
I told this character that my friend Cal Pappas (
www.calpappas.com) has no less than an original August Schuler, Pre-War Mauser, marked ".500 Schuler" and it worked butter smooth with both my Kynoch ammunition as well as my A-Zoom snap caps.
I added that since August Schuler was the inventor of this cartridge, I was leaning toward the CZ being out of spec.
With that the man asked me to send him the rifle, my live ammunition and my snap caps so that he could have a look at them.
Since he was at least part of the crew that sent this jacked up rifle to me, obviously with no function test before letting it out the door, I declined.
Seems to me that if those goobers are that shruggy shruggy about function testing a dangerous game rifle, I did not want them screwing around with it any more.
This is not to mention what a Hazardous Material Shipping Permit costs to send live ammunition from Alaska, through Canada, just to get it to Scamville Missouri or wherever their razzle-dazzle shop is located (perhaps in a tent at the County Fair).
I paid a real Gunsmith here (Andy Hawk, in Anchorage, Alaska) to fix it and he did a real fine job of it.
Feeds like a pig now.
So, if looking at another CZ 550 rifle, beware of their so called "Custom Shop" scam.
I was considering eventually getting one of their .404's, one of their .300 H&H's and one of their .425 Westley Richards caliber versions.
But after that rather surreal experience on the phone with that diversion expert, I swiftly decided that I will keep my money and they can keep their so called "Custom Rifles".
I have made up some unprimed and empty .404 cartridges, loaded with 400 grain Hornady round nose bullets by full length sizing new Hornady brass and seating the bullets to proper depth.
Some day when I find a good price on some used .404, (CZ or otherwise) I plan to run these through it before plopping my money down.
Also, I have one regular CZ 550 magnum that I bought 2nd hand for cheap that I can have converted to either .404 Jfry, or .300 H&H, whichever, one of these days when I get the cashola together.
I may have fallen off a turnip truck but I didn't land on my head.
"Custom Shop" my azz.
Cheers,
Velo Dog.
and absolutely "just knew" that I could hunt anything in Africa with it
.... Enter Matt 
Then Royal chimes in because he was over on the dark side already 
for these guys
and then before you know it your one those guys 
. the CZ 550 or better yet the Winchester M70 are both available in this fine cartridge and ammunition is priced reasonably. the step up in recoil is noticeable but still very controlable and you will learn to love it as i have. while its true the 375 H&H is legal for all DG, it is the legal minimum and its performance falls short of most other DG cartridges when it comes to bringing down large and dangerous animals such as cape buffalo. the 416 on the other hand will give you both a greater frontal surface area and better penetration on heavy boned animals on those difficult shots.
