Hello
aminkus;
I am assuming that on a .404 you will mount a low magnification straight tube scope, but should you decide on a scope with larger front objective, you may want to look at the second part of this post. I had posted it in another thread (.375 H&H CZ 550 for dual DG/PG use).
If you go with a straight tube scope, the following thoughts come to mind:
- First rule is that the usual adage applies: buy the best you can afford, even if it takes you 2 years to pay for it. The usual guideline is that (barring some expensive custom or even factory - Blaser comes to mind - rifles) you should spend more money on the scope than on the rifle. It certainly applies to rifles like the CZ 550, Win 70, etc.
- Second rule: you get what you pay for. Yes there are fundamental differences between the market leaders and all the rest. Sure, even the cheapest Chinese scopes now uses BaK4 or even Schott glass, but there is more to it than just the glass. Polishing and especially coatings are critical, and assembly, including internal part materials, are paramount. With brands like Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, Schmidt & Bender, you are eliminating most risks. I would add Leupold on the US side; their coatings may not be as good, but they know how to make scopes.
- Do not fall for the "unconditional lifetime full replacement warranty" used as primary selling argument. It does not matter that they replace your scope after your safari if the scope failed you during the safari, what is important is that it does not fail. My personal experience with Vortex leads me to believe that they are great for casual use at home, but not quite up to par with expedition/safari hunting best-in-class competitors. Others may have had better luck, or maybe I am too picky, but minor flaws such as binocular collimation (not so minor a flaw when you glass a full day!), reticle alignment, etc. matter. I can live with that, punching steel at home, but I have little patience for it on a $XX,000 safari.
- A 30 mm tube is advisable because it gives you a larger objective (typically 24 mm) which will allow more light transmission. It will also give you more internal elevation and windage, which can occasionally come handy to sight the scope if for whatever reason the rings are not perfectly aligned with the bore (unlikely on a CZ550, but classic on other brands if the scope base holes are not perfectly aligned with the threads or the face of the action).
- There is no need whatsoever for magnification above 4x on a DG rifle, and the fantastic 8x zooms found on Swarovski Z8 or Zeiss V8 are, in my opinion, wasted on DG scopes. I would also suggest that the 6x zooms (Swarovski Z6 or Zeiss V6) fall in the same category, but modern marketing has me soundly defeated... An argument is sometimes made that V8/Z8 have a 95% light transmission, V6/Z6 92% and V4/Z3 "only" 90%. This is all a question of return on investment (ROI) and whether a few % increase in light transmission, that typically only lab instruments can measure, is worth doubling the cost of the scope. To each their own according to their judgment and their financial means. After decades of flattering myself with buying the absolute best from Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender, Leica and Swarovski, my personal ROI is now with Zeiss V4. To each our own, but I would rather be in Africa more often and longer...
- An illuminated reticle is useful at dusk and dawn, even if it does not quite double as a red dot during the day (red dots are typically a lot brighter and bigger).
I think that the Zeiss V4 1-4x24 with illuminated A4 or Plex reticle comes close to being the best compromise between all considerations, including the financial one, but it is now about impossible to find in the US, and you do not want one with the Z-QAR "tactical" reticle on your DG rifle. But keep an eye on eBay, a few used-as-new / demo units with hunting reticles pop up from time to time and they are less valued than their tacticool brethren, generally staying below $1,000...
Yes, I fully understand that one can get a Sig Sauer, Vortex, Leupold, etc. 1-4x24 or 1-6x24 for $300 to $500 but these AR-type scopes are not designed with the recoil of a DG rifle in mind. Enough said...
If a Zeiss V4 1-4x24 proves elusive, the Leica Amplus 1-6x24 (currently $1,300 on Amazon) would be my next recommendation. Then the Zeiss V6 1-6x24 (currently $2,000 on Amazon), then the Swarovski Z6 1-6x25 (currently $2,150 on Amazon), and for the Leupold lovers, the VX-5HD 1-5X24 (currently $1,200 on Amazon) but I find its BDC turret a nuisance on a DG rifle.
I hope this was helpful.
A few words of caution regarding bell-objective scope selection for the CZ 550...
I’m looking at buying one of these and I’m looking for comparisons. The Model 70 will be a current production in Safari Express or some of the earlier ones with the CRF action. I’ve seen more 550s for sale than 70s. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
www.africahunting.com
Regarding scope mounts, the double square bridge of the CZ 550 has a dovetail machined into it. You need neither swing mounts nor claw mounts, nor extra bases, etc. The strongest, tightest and safest scope mounts - detachable with levers, or not - (also the cheapest at $100) are those that clamp directly into the dovetails. Warnes are good but I prefer Talley. The rear ring recoil lug is located at the front edge of the ring on the Talley, so the Talley ring does not overhang over the magazine from the front face of the rear bridge, it is flush with it. The recoil lug is located in the middle of the ring on the Warnes, so the rear ring's front edge overhangs a bit over the bolt and the magazine. It has no bearing on strength, but I find the Talley mount a little cleaner.
The other big advantage of NOT adding swing or claw mounts, etc. to the CZ 550, and using the bridge dovetail for the rings, besides strength, is that it keeps the scope low over the bore.
However, there is a difficulty with true magnum-length actions. They are too long for the traditional 1.5-6x42 scopes. The length of the action bridge is longer than the section of 30 mm tube on these scopes, and the scopes do not fit over the bridge; they are too short. I will spare you a lot of time and frustration by sharing this little drawing I put together regarding the scopes requirements for the CZ 550 magnum-length action:
If the tube length "B" is not at least 5.31”/13.5 cm long, the scope is too short to mount over the CZ 550 magnum-length action with rings that clamp directly into the bridge dovetails. If the objective bell length "C" is longer than 4.9”/12.5 cm it will collide with the rear iron sights, with 1/2" high rings that keep the scope low over the barrel as desired. If the objective bell diameter "D" is wider than 2.25”/57 mm it will collide with the barrel, with 1/2" high rings that keep the scope low over the barrel as desired. If the ocular length "A" is significantly longer than ~4”/~10 cm, the risk increases for the scope to hit you under recoil.
The classic way to eliminate the challenge is to mount a straight tube scope that does not have an objective bell at the front, they all fit, but until recently, these scopes did not offer more than 4x magnification, with is a little low for the .375 H&H when used on PG. Variable scopes now exist with straight tubes and 1x to 6x variable magnification, so this solves this problem, however, and more importantly, straight tube scopes have by necessity very narrow objectives (typically 24 mm) and their light-gathering capability is minimal at dawn and dusk when a 42 mm objective is much preferred.
Based on my research, among the still affordable (but by no mean cheap!) scopes, desirable scopes with light-gathering, large diameter objectives for the CZ 550 magnum-length action include:
