Cz 550 Roulette

[JPbowhunter]

Whatever you do don't buy the PPU stuff unless it's just for target practice.

About 1/3 of the ones I have have failed to go off on the first firing costing me a couple of deer before I retired them for range work.

They certainly knock deer down but the penetration is lacking. I've had no exits even side on shots on does at 30 - 50yds. One medium Spikey took three before going down. Too soft.

Yeah Can't see myself using them on game other than maybe roo culling, thanks for the advice on their performance.

I'll save oryx for hunting providing i can get them

 

[bruce moulds]

paul,
did you flinch at the misfires?
bruce.

 

[DmacD]

Whatever you do don't buy the PPU stuff unless it's just for target practice.

About 1/3 of the ones I have have failed to go off on the first firing costing me a couple of deer before I retired them for range work.

They certainly knock deer down but the penetration is lacking. I've had no exits even side on shots on does at 30 - 50yds. One medium Spikey took three before going down. Too soft.

Wow, I knew they were cheap, but that is terrible performance on game. I have only used them for target practice, but I never would have given it a second thought to use them for hunting if I ran out of the premium stuff. I wonder if the performance of the PPU is the same for other calibers as well, or just specifically bad in the 9.3x62?

 

[BeeMaa]

Whatever you do don't buy the PPU stuff unless it's just for target practice.

About 1/3 of the ones I have have failed to go off on the first firing costing me a couple of deer before I retired them for range work.

They certainly knock deer down but the penetration is lacking. I've had no exits even side on shots on does at 30 - 50yds. One medium Spikey took three before going down. Too soft.

I'm using the PPU stuff in 375 for target practice as well.
Sticking with Swift A-Frames for shots on game.

 

[PaulT]

Hey Y'all. I have absolutely NO experience with PPU in any other calibre other than 9.3x62mm. The rounds that I did buy I bought basically because I had no intent on keeping my x62mm for very long and so I didn't want to invest in dies etc for a rifle that I was going to be selling soon.
My local gun-shop owner almost gave me the PPU stuff to try out and report back on performance.

To be fair, the rounds that have gone off on firing have absolutely pole-axed the deer I am shooting at but the recovered slugs are almost a round ball having expanding dramatically (most shots have been between 60 and 80yds).
From a total of around 80 rounds fired I have at least 15 that have not gone off on the first firing.
Note; my experience is only from one small batch sample in only one calibre .

My 9.3x62mm is now for sale and as it is so much effort to create a shooting opportunity with Sambar deer I have no given them the flick for hunting with.

 

[Nhoro]

I think all manufacturers produce the odd bad egg. I watched the Zim hunters test a few years back. A whole variety of actions gave trouble. However the CZ can be close to perfect with work as well as the Winchester action. I had problems with my 458 win mag with short (480 gr Hornady) flat meplat solids. Longer solids were great ( monolithics Peregrine 450 gr and up and 500 gr Hornady). The rifle is a solid performer now. I think all DG weapons need to be tested like your life depends on it. At funny angles and with shakes/wobbles/bumps. I used dummy rounds and tried everything. Lon talks about trigger and safety but I am OK with CZ because of the way that I use it. Carry on an empty chamber-only load chamber when needed. My trigger is good, I polished the trigger surfaces with 600 grit sandpaper.

 

[JPbowhunter]

After some issues with the gun shop forgetting to send the rifle then fluffing around with the paper work the rifle finally made it. Lighter than i expected though it shoulders beautifully well and the factory seem to suit me well.

Tomorrow is the long weekend here so I'll take it out for a shot and get some better pics!

 

[HWL]

yes you rarely see 9.3x64 rifles for sale.
reason for this?
could be owners want to keep them.
they have more to offer than x62 in performance, and can also be loaded back to x62 levels if you wish.
cases can be obtained in oz.
bruce.

Sometimes they come easy....

http://www.egun.de/market/list_items.php?mode=qry&query=9,3x64&wheremode=and&plusdescr=0&cat=72&x=16&y=12

HWL

 

[marcosfal]

Nice score! I just shot my 550 FS a few days ago. I wanted to shoot it pretty bad as I’ve had it for several months. No 9.3x62 in my neck of the woods so I ordered a couple of boxes of the Prvi 286 grain. I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy considering the rifle was brand new in the box. All of the 40 cartridges went off and other than being a little dirty, they seemed more than adequate for practice. I needed the brass anyway to make some slightly lighter loads for my 16 year old. She shoots .22, 5.56 and 6.5x55 now.
I only shot with the open sights, off sticks and at 75 meters. My girls were shooting their rifles and I didn’t want to disturb their time by moving the gong. Our bench is too low and it greatly exaggerates felt recoil so I felt standing or kneeling and sticks would be better.
I don’t know if I’ll scope it just yet. The only scopes we have are some very old Weavers and I have one Vortex 1-4 that is on my FN. The FAL handles much better sans scope but I really like the CZ’s feel without the scope as well. It’s definitely getting a rear aperture and going to RJ Renner for some stock work and red recoil pad. I may mill a clip slot in the receiver for stripper clipped rounds. There is enough room to do so. All of my other Mauser sporters have them and I just enjoy loading them like that.
I want another CZ 550 in 7x57 or 6.5SE.
Marco

 

[Fastrig]

Nice rifle!! Picked up a CZ550 300 win mag in premo condition a couple of weeks ago, and it's a shooter. Took my son to the range and he put 5 shots within a silver dollar grouping right out of the bag. Was going to be giving him my AR but he asked if he could have the CZ instead....he's taking the CZ and I traded the AR in on 308 win I've been eyeing to go along with my Mauser M12 9.3x62. The CZ is on the heavy side so it's going to a young buck to haul around, the old man is getting the lighter rifles

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Open to ammo suggestions from folks.

Woodleigh without a doubt, perfect in the 9.3

 

[Graham Hunter]

I have a CZ in 9.3. I just finished a hunt in SA with it and was more than happy. Simply bang flop with 286NP. Sable Waterbuck etc.

 

[Milan]

My 9.3x62 CZ 550 is one of the smoothest actions I have. I also use Norma Oryx 285gr when possible. Except for lighter game I do use PPU or S&B. Never had issues with PPU but have now had S&B, albeit in different caliber, with few misfires (the newer black boxed ammo). The old green& yellow boxed ammo was always a solid performer.

 

[MS 9x56]

Open to ammo suggestions from folks.

I highly recommend 250 grain Nosler accubonds handloading I get 2600 fps and they shoot 3/4" groups all day long from my CZ 550 FS in 9.3x62. I have range shot them to 300 yards and they only drop about 10" with a 200 yard zero. I think they would do well on your Sambar. I love my CZ and have never had any type of issue with it. Mine has the 3 position safety from factory and gorgeous wood on its Mannlicher stock. Good hunting with yours. I have no doubt you will grow to like it as much as your 275.

 

[Rob404]

Have and have owned a few CZs in Rifle and Pistol all are great Firearms

 

[Doug3006]

G'day fellas,

Curious as I've read lots of varying opinions regarding cz 550s. As people who followed my build would know i ended up with a cz 550 after never originally having an interest in owning one. Must say i love it and it performs flawlessly.

I have seen that many people have issues with them as well, mainly feeding and the bolt. I only ask because I've seen a 9.3x62 in 550 that has tempted me but i just don't know whether it's worth it.

By the time i buy it, brass, dies and projectiles it'd be the price of a flight to Africa. If I'm to go in 2021 like i hope i need to be strict on spending. Having said that i don't want to miss an opportunity to get a good medium bore rifle. I currently have nothing bigger than an '06.

It would be bought sight unseen which also makes me nervous.

So people who have had experience, what's your thoughts?

I’ve never heard of a 550 that couldn’t be made right with just a modest amount of smithing. Most of them need a bit of polishing to smooth up the action. Some need some feeding work. If it‘s a dangerous game rifle IMO you should yank the set trigger out and replace it with a good single stage. Since yours is a 30-06 that’s not necessary. They are good affordable guns that can made very good with tweaking.

 

[colorado]

JPbowhunter,

Of the multiple CZ 550 rifles I’ve owned, from 6.5x55, through .500 Jeffery, all but the .500 fed smooth and ejected empties flawlessly.

The .500 required a competent Gunsmith’s milling out a small bit of metal from the follower and a few minutes of careful hand filing on the rails.

Now it feeds like a pig, just like the others mentioned.

I would bet a large pizza that the 9.3x72 you are looking at will function perfectly with no work required.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Glad you worked out your feeding issues on your 500 Jeffery Velo Dog. They are great rifles. The 500 Jeffery is a difficult round to get to feed and function correctly. I love mine!