new CZ550 in, needs bedding?

[Karhumies]

So i got a new CZ550 and upon inspection it wasnt floated, made strong contact with the tip of the foreend. Then i noticed loosening the forward action screw "fixes" it, the acion very clearly rocks up and down when i play with the front action screw.

I assume this is a problem (never encountered it on my Sakos) but how do i fix it? what exactly do i shim or bed? playing with the rear action screw doesnt really affect mutch. My first instinct is to put some shims under the action in front?

 

[Essexsussex]

If you tighten everything up, how does it shoot?

 

[Karhumies]

If you tighten everything up, how does it shoot?

if i tighten everything up The bolt becomes almost impossible to operate so i havent tried yet. it seems to actually bend the action

 

[NP435]

Sounds like you are on the right track with action shims, my 550 had terrible fore end bedding i just sanded out the humps and resealed it. You might shorten the action screws just a few threads. No need to tighten so far as to cause bolt binding.

 

[Karhumies]

Sounds like you are on the right track with action shims, my 550 had terrible fore end bedding i just sanded out the humps and resealed it. You might shorten the action screws just a few threads. No need to tighten so far as to cause bolt binding.

i use a torque wrench and i do it quite loose. I see The whole barrel moves up and down when i tighten. not just at the last bit, it moves a full centimeter at the foreend tip when i tighten the front action screw. i almost feel like there needs to be a bedding block like in the old tikkakoski rifles

 

[NP435]

i use a torque wrench and i do it quite loose. I see The whole barrel moves up and down when i tighten. not just at the last bit, it moves a full centimeter at the foreend tip when i tighten the front action screw. i almost feel like there needs to be a bedding block like in the old tikkakoski rifles

Ok yes you seem to need a shim under the recoil lug., I would shim until the barrel is free floating, sand and reseal the forend. If both screws snug and don't bind the bolt quit worrying about flex at the tip. If I recall, there should be space under the recoil lug for a spacer. This will free float the barrel.

 

[Karhumies]

I dont worry about flex, what i worry about is that i cant even snug my front action screw without making the action nosedive. I think i have some Sako floorplate shims left somewhere, maybe those fit. I have also cut shims out of beercans before.

Is this a common issue on these rifles? the inletting on this particular one seems terrible for it to have so mutch movement

 

[NP435]

I dont worry about flex, what i worry about is that i cant even snug my front action screw without making the action nosedive. I think i have some Sako floorplate shims left somewhere, maybe those fit. I have also cut shims out of beercans before.

Is this a common issue on these rifles? the inletting on this particular one seems terrible for it to have so mutch movement

My bedding issue on my 550 was hills and valleys in the forend no other issues. I would be inclined to bed under that recoil lug with leather.

 

[Karhumies]

My bedding issue on my 550 was hills and valleys in the forend no other issues. I would be inclined to bed under that recoil lug with leather.

hilla and valleys wouldnt affect mutch, there is alot of clearance when the action sits straight. There appears to be a high spit in front of the rear screw.

if i only tighten the front screw the whole action pivots forward and the Tang comes up.

if i only tighten the rear screw the barrel points up and it takes alot of force to push it back straight.

both somewhat snug and the action nosedives, that seems to be its neutral position.

its not a stock warp either because i can the action itself tilts forward as well.

2 Sako shims fixed that il go shoot it and see how it does

 

[HonestJohn]

I think you need to do a proper bedding job of the action and first parallel section of the barrel. It’s pretty easy, a good tutorial from Nathan Forster MatchGrade Bedding Compound Instructions

 

[Essexsussex]

I’m surprised at this from a new rifle that it doesn’t come ready to shoot. My savage just worked. Never had another new rifle though perhaps it’s normal.

 

[HonestJohn]

I’m surprised at this from a new rifle that it doesn’t come ready to shoot. My savage just worked. Never had another new rifle though perhaps it’s normal.

It’s not normal, it’s a reflection of the dramatic decrease in quality standards from what used to be a very respectable manufacturer

 

[Essexsussex]

It’s not normal, it’s a reflection of the dramatic decrease in quality standards from what used to be a very respectable manufacturer

That’s appalling
Always heard good things of them
Sad times for anyone buying them having to mess around like this to make them shoot. Do they even send a test target out?

 

[Karhumies]

The barreled action is actually flawless and surprisingly smooth cycling. But the stock looks like an afterthought. Iam considering making a bedding block like on the tikkakoski m65. Those came with a handfitted steel insert in the lug recess. I keep finding online that there should be space under the lug but i cant think of a good reason why so long as the lug sits tight to the back of the recess.

glass bedding is an obvious option but if i can achieve it with bedding blocks that feels more durable. those Tikkakoski are superbly accurate with the steel block in there

 

[Jagged77]

Quality issues to one side, I’d look to pillar bed as a matter of course on a wood stocked hunting rifle.
It’s an involved process but easy enough to do by yourself. Once it’s done you then have peace of mind that whatever the weather (or method of supporting the rifle) it’ll be on target.

 

[Karhumies]

Quality issues to one side, I’d look to pillar bed as a matter of course on a wood stocked hunting rifle.
It’s an involved process but easy enough to do by yourself. Once it’s done you then have peace of mind that whatever the weather (or method of supporting the rifle) it’ll be on target.

never needed it in Sakos but since this isnt a Sako i think il look into that this summer

 

[Jagged77]

never needed it in Sakos but since this isnt a Sako i think il look into that this summer

Must admit on all the wood stocked CZ’s I’ve had they’ve all been great. The only centre fire I had was a .22 hornet (the rest rim fire) and I didn’t bed that and it shot brilliantly. However I do think on rifles that shoot great pillar bedding is a belt and braces approach but on a poor fitting stock it can be transformative.

 

[Karhumies]

Must admit on all the wood stocked CZ’s I’ve had they’ve all been great. The only centre fire I had was a .22 hornet (the rest rim fire) and I didn’t bed that and it shot brilliantly. However I do think on rifles that shoot great pillar bedding is a belt and braces approach but on a poor fitting stock it can be transformative.

i literally only owned Sakos, 1 tikkakoski and 1 CZ 527 wich wss butchered by a previous owner. So i dont really have a reference for how it "should" fit. So far i can get it sitting straight by either shimming under the lug or carefully tightening the screws a turn at a time to snug, this balanced it on the pivot point so that cant be good. however if i can identify the high spot the solution may just be removing a little bump with the dremel.

it seems the issue with shimming is wether the lug sits flat against the stock. but i tested that and if the action sits straight so does the lug, the bottom of the lug actually digs into the wood and pulls the action forward when i tighten down.

option C: maybe iam looking at it wrong and i should try a shim behind the lug.

For now iam just thinking of stuff to try out. If i get it to shoot well from a repeatable setting il leave it alone. Right now there is no way its repeatable because the action balances between the screws without good contact in front of the trigger area

 

[Karhumies]

luckily its just a stock issue. easy to work with and easy to replace.

 

[Lloyd90]

I’m surprised at this from a new rifle that it doesn’t come ready to shoot. My savage just worked. Never had another new rifle though perhaps it’s normal.

I have seen / experienced it in several CZ rifles, had one myself.

Buy Tikka now.