Thoughts on the CZ 600 Series?

[Northern Shooter]

I have a feeling that the 550 line will never be topped, but I would be supportive of a "premium 600 Lux Magnum" that came with a finer cut of wood, higher quality touch points, Magnum length action etc.

 

[mark-hunter]

Magnum length action etc.

This will not happen. But I would be supportive as well!

 

[MS 9x56]

It won’t matter they have sold their soul to the bean counters now. Their guns will be soulless plastic stocked garbage just like the current crop of American produced crap. Tis a pity, and all hunters are the losers.

 

[Milan]

I am not the owner of new cz600.
To me they are simbol of overall decline of once great factory.
They changed design of rifle (from CZ550) due to having all robotized new machinery in factory.
First line of production of new CZ 600 had a safety recall, with some issue of exchangeable barrels.

CZ 600 Recall

www.czub.cz

This by know should be fixed.
Next, this was the first rifle in long line of the factory designs, in which they phased out a dove tail as a base for scope mounts. In my opinion this is due to production cost cutting and thus reduction in overall quality by reducing another great feature.
They reduced number of available calibers.

On a separate note, for heir new marketing policy: They phased out practically all break action rifles / guns as well - remaining only redhead break action shotgun in production. Another point in new marketing and economic production of the factory.

Undoubtly this rifle (CZ600) will be accurate. But now it is just one of the plethora of budget push feed rifles on the market. I would say, nothing special, except for attractive pricing, which was the target of design in a first place.

Personally I would go for tikka t3x, for a bit higher price. In last decade tikka made its name to become a legend of factory budget rifles. I own one tikka for last 20 years.
Recently I tested browning a bolt, in 30-06, another of budget rifles on the market, this is another one I can suggest to take look into. Metal magazine, battue sights, fine checkering, palm swell on the stock grip, accurate.

While I'm a huge and biased pro-CZ fan, I have to agree with the above and with all those disappointed.

I liked the CZ600 Trail in 7.62x39 but never got to buy one as only the .223 was available and we are not allowed to hunt deer with that. Then I considered the CZ600 Ergo in 8x57 (because one can never have too many 8x57s). Then I started digging into details.

The sights have been getting worse on CZs ever since they went away from those soldered on barrel bands on the front and machined dovetails on the rear. They also got taller and more in the way on all models due to producing some models with straight comb stocks. While great for scopes and recoil mitigation, they take away from the front sight use. Europeans still like their sight even if they use scopes now more than ever. Bigger scopes were the reason to move the rear sights more forward, thus shortening the sight radius. Now popular short barrels shorten the radius even further making it rather ridiculous. Might as well just go with "american style" bare barrel.

CZ 455 was a cheaper version of ZKM452. Only one recoil lug instead of two, no bolt handle retention ball bearing, barrel just held in by grub screws instead of screwed in, those same horrible sights as on CZ 550, etc. CZ 457 cheaper still. Plastic parts as part of firing pin assembly, firing pin just stamped out of piece of flat steel, etc.

CZ600 is full of innovative features but the lug recesses are in the barrel, rather than receiver. Good luck getting the barrel changed to some custom one. Some receivers made out of aluminum, etc.

Everything basically optimized for production, higher production volume, higher profit. Personally, I feel the decline started when they stopped producing Brnos 21/22 and then VZ24. So, they can all go stuff themselves with profits. All good Czech stuff killed by trying to make bigger profits. Guns, motorcycles, cars, trucks, tanks, tractors, sewing machines, tools, machining industry (leighs, milling machines, etc.), etc., etc., even beer. Privatization is not always good. But it is more about the people running things anyway, regardless.

Wow you did get me going again...This site is not good for my health in more ways than one.

 

[mark-hunter]

Wow you did get me going again...This site is not good for my health in more ways than one.

I am also CZ fan, but its becoming like historian.

I have ZKK 602 (vintage 1985) 375 HH, CZ 452 - 22lr, and customized CZ75B (Sport 2) 9mm - long slide 6'' bbl, for bulls eye shooting.
Older models are just fantastic. With 452 I won few medals on 100 meters competition. Same as with my 75 on 25 meters bulls eye shooting.
New models? I dont see much difference between any budget rifle and CZ 600 (new) but I still have high hopes for CZ Shadow 2 pistol. There are some rumors from IPSC community, of how shadow - has gotten worse, and what could be better. I did shoot Shadow, but I dont own one, so I dont have enough experience to comment on that, so I still have high hopes for it.

 

[Milan]

I am also CZ fan, but its becoming like historian.

I have ZKK 602 (vintage 1985) 375 HH, CZ 452 - 22lr, and customized CZ75B (Sport 2) 9mm - long slide 6'' bbl, for bulls eye shooting.
Older models are just fantastic. With 452 I won few medals on 100 meters competition. Same as with my 75 on 25 meters bulls eye shooting.
New models? I dont see much difference between any budget rifle and CZ 600 (new) but I still have high hopes for CZ Shadow 2 pistol. There are some rumors from IPSC community, of how shadow - has gotten worse, and what could be better. I did shoot Shadow, but I dont own one, so I dont have enough experience to comment on that, so I still have high hopes for it.

I have Shadow SP 01. Excellent pistol. Reliable, easy and comfortable to shoot. Heavier than the plastic guns but less muzzle rise. Very accurate. I think Shadow 2 is even better. Lighter slide but the weight at the front was put in the frame to keep muzzle jump to minimum. Even better balance, more accurate and easier to shoot.

 

[Milan]

While I'm a huge and biased pro-CZ fan, I have to agree with the above and with all those disappointed.

I liked the CZ600 Trail in 7.62x39 but never got to buy one as only the .223 was available and we are not allowed to hunt deer with that. Then I considered the CZ600 Ergo in 8x57 (because one can never have too many 8x57s). Then I started digging into details.

The sights have been getting worse on CZs ever since they went away from those soldered on barrel bands on the front and machined dovetails on the rear. They also got taller and more in the way on all models due to producing some models with straight comb stocks. While great for scopes and recoil mitigation, they take away from the front sight use. Europeans still like their sight even if they use scopes now more than ever. Bigger scopes were the reason to move the rear sights more forward, thus shortening the sight radius. Now popular short barrels shorten the radius even further making it rather ridiculous. Might as well just go with "american style" bare barrel.

CZ 455 was a cheaper version of ZKM452. Only one recoil lug instead of two, no bolt handle retention ball bearing, barrel just held in by grub screws instead of screwed in, those same horrible sights as on CZ 550, etc. CZ 457 cheaper still. Plastic parts as part of firing pin assembly, firing pin just stamped out of piece of flat steel, etc.

CZ600 is full of innovative features but the lug recesses are in the barrel, rather than receiver. Good luck getting the barrel changed to some custom one. Some receivers made out of aluminum, etc.

Everything basically optimized for production, higher production volume, higher profit. Personally, I feel the decline started when they stopped producing Brnos 21/22 and then VZ24. So, they can all go stuff themselves with profits. All good Czech stuff killed by trying to make bigger profits. Guns, motorcycles, cars, trucks, tanks, tractors, sewing machines, tools, machining industry (leighs, milling machines, etc.), etc., etc., even beer. Privatization is not always good. But it is more about the people running things anyway, regardless.

Wow you did get me going again...This site is not good for my health in more ways than one.

I meant ZG 47 not VZ 24. VZ 24 is of course excellent too.

 

[crackerman]

I was looking for something else and this thread was in the search so I wanted to comment.

I returned from my first safari last month and one of the guns I took was a CZ600 Lux in .30-06. I bought it last year as I was practicing with the gun for nearly a full year before my safari and it worked flawlessly on my trip.

I took 2 guns and wanted a wood stocked rifle to satisfy my inner Hemmingway. When I walked into my LGS the counter monkey who know me to well pulled this off the wall and into the cart it went. I like the cross bolt functional or not and the Bavarian stock called to me. Through my practice and safari the gun worked flawlessly with Barnes 180gr TTSX. It does dent the case neck on ejection but can't figure it out and don't reload for .30-06 so I don't care.

My purchase was post recall, but the stock doesn't seem soft or crappy finished at all. As shown it was sitting in the rack and there is no worse for wear to the finish. I did change the Euro swivels to a Spartan precision mount upfront and an American swivel in the back and it carried perfectly all week. THe bolt ran flawlessly for me and I had no feeding problems. The irons worked just fine for me when practicing out to 50 yards but it is built for a scope.

The one complaint that does make sense online is people not realizing that the .223 micro action while spaced for Rem 700 bases can not use a short action or long action 1 piece or picatinny rail as stated in CZs marketing videos. I think that is on the user for not doing enough research.

Overall it ran great for me for 3 animals and gave me 3 for 3 one shot stops.

 

[mark-hunter]

So, generally speaking, the rifle is usable, with few points to be debugged (like casing extraction), for more demanding user.
I suspect it is a post recall model?
Do they still have exchangeable barrel option?

Congrats on the trophies!
And pictures are awesome!

 

[crackerman]

As stated it was a post recall gun but I don’t plan to take it apart to conform.

Extraction works just fine and launches them when I run the bolt hard but the buggered case neck is every shell with factory Barnes PPU brass. I need to try some of the Federal Trophy copper I have but I would take it Africa again.

The fact it looks like a big bore was quite fun over there. A safari is for hunting but it did look stylish.

 

[mark-hunter]

The fact it looks like a big bore was quite fun over there. A safari is for hunting but it did look stylish.

Yes, it looks awesome on the pictures!
In fact, it is hard to find more classic looking rifle then this in various modern productions.

 

[CoElkHunter]

The Lux Model is the only one that appeals to be.
View attachment 650594

Nice looking rifle but at 8.6lbs unscoped is too heavy for a PG rifle for ME.

 

[mark-hunter]

Nice looking rifle but at 8.6lbs unscoped is too heavy for a PG rifle for ME.

Common elkhunter, you almost made me feel sympathy! Hard to carry 8 plus pound rifle! Imagine!
What this world has come to!

ww2 garand rifle was 9.5 pounds at start!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Common elkhunter, you almost made me feel sympathy! Hard to carry 8 plus pound rifle! Imagine!
What this world has come to!

ww2 garand rifle was 9.5 pounds at start!

Well, I would carry my 10.5lb scoped CZ550 hunting in the MOUNTAINS here while wearing a BACKPACK if I HAD too. But I don’t. My Browning A Bolt or X Bolt at 8.5lbs scoped works just great for ME. BTW, real men would carry a Browning 1918A2 at 19.8lbs when climbing mountains with a WW2 military rifle. LOL

 

[AZDAVE]

Well when Bean counters get involved and are making decisions, the engineering gets dumbed down and the quality products go the way of the do-do bird.

They want to sell in volume and most of us here on AH are not their target audience. So we will treasure our BRNO's and CZ's from the old school and skip/ignore the new entry level equipment.

 

[crackerman]

Y’all did make my drag out my luggage scale and the rifle and scope without 5 rounds was 10.1 pounds. Easy enough to drag through a couple of miles but my Fix is only 8lbs fully loaded. Much more walking and stalking rifle.

I am in the hunt for a Model 70 or CZ550 for my .375, using one older than me for my buff showed me the value of vintage.