[hunt127588]

Guys,
Up until this point I have never had a gun that wouldn't shoot better than 1.5 MOA (and that's not a huge demand). However, I bought a new CZ 550 .243 Win. a few months ago and it has given me nothing but grief...I love the gun's craftmanship but can hit the broad side of a barn at 100 yards. My point of impact is all over the place. I have check my scope mounts (sitting in the rings is a Burris Fullfield II Bal. Plex) and everything appears to be tight. However, the stock is not free floated as stated. The left side of the stock is pressed pretty tight against the barrel and the right side is free floated. A $1 bill hangs on the left side everytime I try checking. Therefore, what in your opinion is it going to take to get this POS to shoot? Does the barrel channel need to be inletted some more? Should I have it glass bedded? How much am I looking at here in order to get it to shoot? I'm thoroughly sick as I wanted an accurance coyote gun and went with an off brand....I do love my CZ 452 .22 though. Anyone else having these problems with their CZ 550?

P.S. One last thing, one thing I can't stand when someone works on my guns, cars, etc. are dinged up screws, etc. Can I expect that if I take this to a decent gunsmith that it will still look as though it came from the factory? Any info. appreciated...

 

[George Foster]

If it were my rifle I would do two things to it. I would have the action bedded along with the chamber area of the barrel and then the rest of the barrel floated. Secondly I would have the barrel recrowned with a recessed target crown. It sounds to me as you shoot the barrel probably presses against the left side and shifts your point of impact. Whenever you have uneven pressure you are going to have shifting groups.

 

[Graybeard]

You are going to need to correct the bedding problems for sure. Bedding the action and recoil lug area properly can only help. Whether the barrel needs to be free floated or bedded is not as easy to know. If they said it was free floated but it isn't then I'd start by floating it.

I have no clue what kinda customer service they have but be aware that the things we're telling you to do most likely will void the warranty. So you might want to deal with their customer service first or just do it yourself or pay a gunsmith to do it depending on your skills and abilities to do it.

Bedding or some thing loose in the sighting equipment is the most common causes of such large groups.

 

[hunt127588]

Just got back from the gunsmith who is taking my CZ and is going to glass bed it. I hope this works as I hate the fact that I bought based on price/features and now it's costing me more in the long run. I guess I should have bought Remington if I wanted accuracy. I'll keep you guys posted....

P.S. What's the going gunsmith rates to glass bed with AcraGlass and relieve the barrel channel?

 

[Dave in WV]

If you buy a firearm that doesn't have an accuracy warranty you can end up in the same situation. Ruger, Remington, Winchester, and Savage don't have an accuracy warranty I'm aware of.

 

[George Foster]

Any gun you buy today you may very well have to get work done on if you want top accuracy. It is like the other poster stated there is no statement made about the accuracy of rifles by manufacturers other than Weatherby. My gunsmith charges $75 for glassbedding which includes floating the barrel and it is well worth it to me.

 

[Redhat]

Before taking it to get a bedding job, did you check the action screws for tightness?

I have a CZ550 and it is a tack driver. The first time out it put 2 touching at 100yds. Then when I went to sight it in at 200yds the groups started to scatter. Turned out the Millett rings which came with the rifle loosened and the scope and rings were moving on the receiver about 1/4" front to back. I got rid of them for some Warne rings, installed them myself and now she's a shooter...no bedding required, no recrown either. I would inspect the muzzle for any burrs though.

Good luck

 

[Grubbs]

The Tikkas sound better all the time don't they?

 

[hunt127588]

Simple answer....No. I'm beginning to believe that if you want true accuracy out of anything, it is going to need some type of fiddling with. There is a reason tactical rifles have blueprinted receivers, lugs lapped, face of the action squared, aluminum pillar bedding, etc. Bottom line, nothing is made with pride anymore unless it is built by a specialist of the trade.

The Tikkas sound better all the time don't they?

 

[Grubbs]

Hey hunt.....simple answer.......of the 3 Tikkas I own, and the other 6 that I've personally shot, all have the same conclusion......sub MOA with factory ammo. Are they perfect? No. Are they the best $500 shooters out there? Yes. It doesn't take a custom gun, or "fiddling with" to get great accuracy. Tkka proves it time and time again. I know there may be other factory guns that do the same, just not consistently.

 

[hunt127588]

Grubbs,
No offense to you or to the Tikkas but I did look at the Tikkas when I bought the CZ. One reason I went with the CZs were that they were all steel (including trigger guard) and were cheaper than other models out there. Granted, these things don't help them shoot better but I was tired of the stamped steel, metal injection molding and plastic found on most firearms today. I guess I'm paying for it now by needing the bedding job.

Hey hunt.....simple answer.......of the 3 Tikkas I own, and the other 6 that I've personally shot, all have the same conclusion......sub MOA with factory ammo. Are they perfect? No. Are they the best $500 shooters out there? Yes. It doesn't take a custom gun, or "fiddling with" to get great accuracy. Tkka proves it time and time again. I know there may be other factory guns that do the same, just not consistently.

 

[vernonp]

YOU PROBABLY WERE A LITTLE HASTY ON TAKING THE RIFLE TO A GUNSMITH. A PIECE OF ROUGH SAND PAPER AND A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AND YOU COULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE BARREL TOUCHING THE SIDE OF THE STOCK. I HAVE BOUGHT TWO CZ'S IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS AND THEY SHOOT OK. ONE IS A 223 THAT AVERAGES CLOSE TO .5 FOR 5 SHOT GROUPS AND THE OTHER IS A 270 THAT WILL STAY UNDER 1 INCH FOR 3 SHOTS.----I BOUGHT MY CZ'S FOR THE SAME REASON YOU DID. I AM NOT INTO PLASTIC AND I LOVE THE SET TRIGGERS.----I BELIEVE THE TWO MOST ACCURATE RIFLES OUT OF THE BOX WILL BE SAVAGE AND TIKKA BUT I DO NOT CARE FOR EITHER. IT DOES NOT TAKE A TACK DRIVER TO SHOOT ONE INCH 3 SHOT GROUPS FROM A HUNTING RIFLE AND MOST OF THEM WILL SHOOT BETTER THAN WE CAN SHOOT THEM AWAY FROM THE BENCH. I BET THE RIFLE WILL SHOOT TO YOUR SATISFACTION WHEN YOU GET IT BACK. I ALSO THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY DO THE SAME IF YOU FIXED IT YOURSELF. I THINK YOU MADE A GOOD DECISION ON THE RIFLE. LET US KNOW HOW IT SHOOTS WHEN YOU GET IT BACK.--GOOD LUCK--VERNONP

 

[pc]

The Tikkas sound better all the time don't they?

No.......my cz's I have 5 and a 6th on the way are shooters I hate all the plastic on Tikka Guns, they have sold there souls IMHO, there older rifles are works of art all metal and shooters, there new ones might shoot but there plastic pieces of dog scat.

But thats just my opinion :wink:

I just like steel in my hunting guns.