The newest bolt guns from CZ.

P

Pond James Pond

New member
Seen them?
Handled them?
Bought them?

I'm talking about rifles like, for example, the CZ 557 which appears to have replaced the CZ 550.

Two caught my eye personally: One is the 557 Varmint which looks very slick with a sculpted and stippled stock (with cheek weld). It has an integral picatinny rail and a standard 10rd mag. It also has a 1:10 twist barrel.

By comparison, my own Varmint only has a 4rd mag, no rail beyond the CZ dovetail scope mounting system. It also has a 1:12 twist which might explain why my heavier bullets have not performed as well as the lighter ones. Inexplicably, for a rifle with no irons fitted my Varmint has a flat top stock which always lined up my line of sight with the barrel, not a scope's plane!!

Another that I like the look of is the new "Range Rifle". Again a picatinny, but also irons with what looks like a FO on the front. It has three sling mounts and, yet again, a 10 rd'er. It looks like CZ's answer to the Steyr or Ruger Scout rifle.

I like them, but do you?
Do you like the look of any others?
 
Is this the rifle you are talking about?

Interesting. The changes seem to be the unusual stock, a short action and a faster twist over the 550 model. If they would chamber a fast twist 243 this would be very interesting.

I wonder if it uses the same 10 round magazine that the 550 uses? That 10 rounder is stout and reliable.
 
What calibers are these things in?
Click to expand...

Both the guns are chambered in .308 only, it seems. Perhaps they are testing the waters before opening up more calibres, but I would imagine that the receiver is unchanged as it was good to begin with, so I'd have thought that barrels made for the CZ 550 line would fit.... Who can say for sure? Not me!

hope they didn't drift to far from the traditional offerings.
Click to expand...

They still offer a number of the 550 range with more traditional lines: a Lux, a full-stock etc.

See for yourself. Click on the "Medium" tab to see.

Is this the rifle you are talking about?
Click to expand...

One of them, yes.

You can also see the Range rifle in the link above.

The 10rd'er which is standard with the 750 Precision rifle (which works on the 550 receiver) does appear to be different from the 557 design so I have no idea what the build is like for the new one, but the fact the new Varmint comes with one is a real selling point along with the other improvements (the weight not being one of them: it seems even heavier than the old Varmint!).

Let's just say that, with a clean slate, I'd be sorely tempted, but my own 550 was a good price, in good condition, and is now well set up for me and the 4rd mag makes it hunting legal here.

In the case of the Range rifle, the 10rd mag, whilst a nice feature again, would mean a new mag is needed for hunting here and it is far more of a hunting rifle, given the size and weight. I still like it, though.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for pointing this out. It has long been a question in my mind why CZ doesn't make a short action. I wonder if it still has controlled round feeding, or if they changed to a push feed bolt? With the right stock and good sights that could be a great cross the course rifle.

From my reading of the description, this is no longer controlled round feeding.
 
Thanks for pointing this out. It has long been a question in my mind why CZ doesn't make a short action. I wonder if it still has controlled round feeding, or if they changed to a push feed bolt? With the right stock and good sights that could be a great cross the course rifle.
Click to expand...

My pleasure: I just seem to like the CZ mid-sized range. Even the "Lite" 527 range appeals, but I have no use for one...

I have no idea if short/long action is optional on a .308, though. My bolt on my 550 is about 6-7" long.... Is that long or short action?

I'd guess it is long.
 
The 557 is replacing the 550, with some 550 variants left.

The 557 is a push feed.
The one I worked with last year was decently accurate in .30-06.

If you want a closer in-depth look with descriptions, photos & performance, get on Amazon & pick up the Kindle "Surviving With CZ" book.
 
So the 557 is a 25.6" heavy-barrel push-feed that weighs 11lbs?

I like CZs, have several, but CZ should've stuck with the venerable Mauser-claw 550 action.

Sounds like they caved in to the Chi-Com business model of "cheaper production values." :rolleyes:
 
Of course not ALL 557s are that long & that heavy.
The 557 is & will be available in a number of configurations, just like the 550 was.

They're all push-feeds, though.
Denis
 
The 550 uses a Mauser-style controlled round feed. Each cartridge is grabbed & controlled by the large extractor from the point where it leaves the magazine till it's fully chambered.

The 557 uses a push feed where the extractor is much smaller, does not grab the case in the mag, and the bolt only pushes the cartridge up & forward into the chamber.

The Mauser version is widely considered to be more reliable.

Again, if you can access that Kindle book, it shows & explains the difference between the 550 & the 557 quite clearly, in much more detail than there's room for here.
Denis
 
I don't like the new push-feed CZ models. - They just lost a customer.

Fortunately we still have Zastava who makes and markets a genuine 98 Mauser at a reasonable price.

Note that Mauser still makes brand-new sporting 98 Mausers too - but they ain't cheap, no sir!
 
When I was working on that book last year & found CZ was phasing out the 550s, I bought the FS before it disappeared with the new 557s replacing the controlled-feed line.

The 557 shot as well, but I prefer a CRF design & I like the quality of the 550.
I also picked up some spare parts to keep that FS going indefinitely.

They are a holdout to older quality & I was not happy to see the 550s being dropped.

If you like the CRFs, buy now, if you can find one.
Denis
 
Thats heartbreaking... i was also curious of the 557 and felt like it might be a cheaper version ala 455 I was very excited to see the counter snipers return. Im a sucker for short guns since im small.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top