CZ Yearbook 2019 /eng

70 | | 71 ular and well-established Brno brand. Thanks to the top quality of manufacture, customersmost likely didn’t know that these rifles weren’t in fact manufactured by the Zbrojovka Brno factory. The ZKK 602 model allowed the user to use extremely power- ful hunting cartridges with an overall length up to 95 mm and with the diameter of the base up to 14 mm. Gradually, calibres popular amongst hunters of African big game were made available, such as 375 Holland & Holland, 358 Norma Magnum or 458 Winchester Magnum. Later, there were also 7 mm Remington Magnum and 300 Winchester Magnum. The ZKK 602 became very pop- ular amongst biggame hunters and with a few short breaks, it was manufactured until 1999. In total, more than 26,000 of these “magnum” rifles were made and many of those are still do- ing a great job, despite their advanced age. Magnum-style CZ 550 Thanks to the manufacture of ZKKs, CZ gained a lot of expe- rience, which they put to good use from the late 1970s during the development of modern hunting rifles. Their first attempt, called the ČZ 531, wasn’t a great success. On the other hand, the CZ 537 model did much better, here the company explored the possibilities of CNC machining. A major turning point came in 1995 with the introduction of the CZ 550 series. The CZ 550 is a truly universal hunting and sporting weapon, in which Česká zbrojovka put to good use everything it had learned until then in the devel- opment and manufacture of rifles using the tried and tested Mauser system. This has been reflected in a huge success in sales and in the fact that the 550 rifles of Medium category have been manufactured for more two decades, with countless var- iants appearing in the process. Where theMagnumcategory is concerned, CZ originally didn’t even consider it. Luckily, in 2003, thanks to the initiative of the CZ-USA subsidiary, the origi- nal plans were reviewed. On the basis of positive feedback from African hunters and their professional guides, and with regard to the high demand for rifles using powerful “magnum” cartridges, the production pro- gramme Safari Classics was launched in 2005, primarily fo- cusing on US customers. At first, the original CZ 550 Sa- fari Classics were available in the 450 Rigby and 505 Gibbs calibres. Gradually, these were complemented by further es- tablished cartridges, such as 375 Holland & Holland, 416 Rig- by or 458 Lott. The company also offered custom-made models. The customers were therefore able to order their ri- fles in other calibres or with be- spoke engravings. It was one of the reasons why only 150 “mag- num” rifles were made in this programme every year, as they were made in an external gun- smith’ workshop in the USA by carrying out highly demanding conversions of the Czech-made CZ 550 barrelled actions. Second generation Even though the CZ Safari Clas- sics fulf illed the expectations, after some time, Česká zbro- jovka decided to look at these models in a new way and move them to an even higher level of quality. Thus, the CZ Safari Clas- sics II concept was born. The main difference between these series is the actual manu- facturing method. The rifles are still made in a gunsmith’s work- shop, but in the Czech Republic. In addition, themanufacture no longer involves the conversion and complicated modification of f inished barrelled actions. The gunsmith receives precise individual semi-finished main parts without surface f inish which he then works further, polishes them and f its them together manually. Nevertheless, other modif ica- tions were carried out. The orig- inal CZ 550 trigger mechanism has been replaced by an im- proved one borrowed from the CZ 557 model. This has made the trigger travel consist- ent and fully adjustable, as well as making the operation of the safety very quiet. Moreover, CZ uses their own, cold hammer forged barrels. Only bar- rels for the 300 Holland & Holland and 404 Jeffery calibres are pur- chased from the renowned Ger- man manufacturer Lothar Wal- ter, due to a different technology. The steel parts are treated with the DLC surface f inish, which has replaced traditional bluing. This surface finish is extremely strong, durable and resistant to damage. Also, the rifles can be finished in matte or high gloss, with both finishes retaining the same properties. And we must not leave out the chief feature of the rifle’s beauty – the high-quality wal- nut stocks. Where CZ 550 Safari Classics II rifles are concerned, the stocks are made of grade 5 Turkish walnut in colour version dark ++. The stocks for the high gloss models are varnished with a shellac-based varnish, in matte models, CZ decided on oiling. However, both of these tradition- al finishes beautifully emphasise the unique grain of this wood. In connection with the stock de- sign, there is an important ele- ment inthe formofbedding. Bed- ding a rifle is a method whereby epoxy resin is used to provide the correct fit between the wooden stock and the steel receiver. Once set, it ensures the stability of con- tact surfaces during changes in temperature or dampness. Con- sequently, bedding improves the precision of the fit of the barrelled action in the stock and increases its lifetime. Beautiful and practical The CZ 550 Safari Classics II rifles thus constitute a perfect combi- nation of modern technological processes and traditional gun- smithing skills. The result is an accurate and, above all, reliable rifle that is simply befitting the African plains and thick vegeta- tion full of dangerous buffaloes. Taking into account the various types of hunted game and desti- nations, the current offer includes the following calibres: 404 Jeffery, 416 Rigby, 300H&HMag., 375 H&H Magand485 Lott. Allowing for the differences in the individual stock blanks and the diameter of the barrels, the rifle weighs between 4.1 and 4.5 kg. It might seem rath- er high to those used to dealing with common European calibres, but quite on the contrary. When using high power chamberings such as the 458 Lott or 416 Rigby, the weight of the rifle significantly helps to cope with the recoil. So, where CZ 550 SAFARI CLASSICS II are concerned, the hunter can admire not just the appearance but also appreciate the practical aspects and lengthy heritage that these great rifles offer.