CZ 550 .375 H&H Magnum

[M.E.Eldridge]

I want to get a .375 H&H and really like the CZ 550 rifle. I was wondering what the general thoughts about the guns are. Are they reliable? Accurate? And how much damage will a .375 do to, say, an elk or a deer? How about black bear?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

CZ 550s are well-liked. They are good, sound guns at a good price. They can benefit from a little polishing and tuning.

The .375 H&H is pretty much more gun than most people can handle. If you were hunting Brown Bear in Alaska you would want your guide to have one (in case he had to back you up) but a lighter caliber would do for the primary arm.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

.375 H&H is used to hunt dangerous game in Africa, so I think it would do well enough in North America. I've fired the round out of a Blaser R93 and found it controllable and not as fearsome as its reputation suggested. Having said that I tend to be of the opinion that a lot of recoil (at least in rifles) is mental and that blast or noise often makes people perceive recoil to be worse than it is.

Subjectively I thought the R93/.375 combo recoiled less than 00 or 000 buck in 2 3/4" 12ga fired from an 870.

 

[Infidel]

And how much damage will a .375 do to, say, an elk or a deer? How about black bear?

It'll likely kill 'em dead.

 

[Noban]

I've been spending a lot of time at range as of late, so I get the chance to shoot a lot of different guns. A few weeks ago I fired a few rounds out of both CZ and Remington rifles in .375 H&H. I have to say that the CZ soaked up the recoil a little better than the Remmington, but to qualify that it had a wood stock and the Remington was in a lighter, synthetic stock.

The fit and finish of the CZ were excellent, and it had the American market stock rather that the European flair. Overall, I give it high marks and if I ever want a .375, it would likely be the one.

Kev

 

[Steve F]

I shot 4 rounds of .375 H&H in a Remmington about 7 years ago,........it still hurts

 

[Turk]

The CZ's are excellent rifles. I have a CZ 550 FS in 9.3x62mm which I bought for elk and moose. It is a classic Bavarian style Mannlicher stock of Turkish walnut with a cheek piece, topped off with a steel muzzle cap.
It will kill anying breathing in North America and can be used in some African countries for dangerous game. The 375 is an excellent big game round and has less recoil as some of those ultra mag super duper lion killers. You might consider the 9.3 it's basically a slightly shortend 06 case with a blown out shoulder. My first three rounds out of the CZ from 200 yards (from the bench) were bullet to bullet. You won't go wrong with a CZ rifle.

Turk

Remeber to pray for our troops.

 

[Preacherman]

Another vote for the CZ. I fired one in .375 H&H in Africa, and found it very comfortable (although not so comfortable as my custom Musgrave - but then, that cost four times as much! ). They're very well-made rifles, and I rate them better than any big-name US rifle manufacturer's products. As for the .375 H&H chambering, it's my all-time all-round favorite cartridge. It'll take anything from duiker to buffalo to elephant, given good shot placement, and is a superb all-round performer. It would be my instant first and only choice if I was able to hunt Alaska. The recoil is entirely manageable, particularly if you use a good modern recoil pad to soak up the excess, and have a rifle weight in the 10-11 pound range. Those who complain about it kicking hard are often shooting it in a 7-8 pound rifle, and I agree that that might hurt! Add a bit of weight where needed (try a laminate stock for starters) and you're good to go.

(BTW, I find that most .338's recoil as much or more than a .375, at least in my subjective experience.)

 

[thatguy]

The .375 is way more than needed for the animals you listed. Why suffer the recoil and ammo cost paying for unneeded power?

But then, what do i know? I use my .375 H&H BRNO 602 for plinking.

 

[M.E.Eldridge]

It seems the feedback is good. I have a bonus coming soon and will probably put it down toward this rifle. I saw a show last night where a man shot a crocodile 2 times in the head/neck with a .375 and it still got away. Two more shots put it down. Wow! Those crocs sure are tough.

By the way, how flat does the .375 shoot out to about 150-200 yards.

 

[rbernie]

I seem to recall reading on the CZ boards that the stock has a tendency to split on the 375H&H rifles. Dunno for sure - you might mosey on over and do a quick search.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I have a CZ 375 H&H American Magnum. I am working up loads, but initial groups are 1 1/2" at 100 yards. The recoil does not seem too bad for the first shots, but after 20 or so you will start to feel it. I really like this rifle and recommend it. The velocity is high and bullets have good coefficients so it would be a great long-range cartridge for elk country. I had considered getting the action bedded to prevent stock cracks, but after shooting it I don't think the recoil is too severe. I may still do the bedding job, but don't think it is really needed.

 

[Bwana John]

I have shot deer and elk with my .375 H&H.
My .270 Winchester damages more meat.

 

[RecoilRob]

M.E.Eldridge,
The 300grn Sierra BT launched at maximum velocities pretty much matches the 30.06 180grn long range drop figures. Shouldn't be a problem hitting something at 150yds at all.

I agree that a good recoil pad makes the round seem pretty tame. My Ruger #1 Tropical had a hard rubber 'pad' and it would start to actually hurt after 6 or 7 rounds of 300grn max handloads. The Limbsaver pad I recently installed made a world of difference in shooting comfort. It still pushes you back a bit, but the concentrated impact on the shoulder is MUCH reduced. Highly recommended.

 

[Cosmoline]

The CZ 550 in .357 H&H is an excellent combination. I had one with the European style stock some years ago and was very pleased with it. It weighs near 9 lbs. even without a scope and that stock at least was designed to cope with the most powerful cartridges. It soaked up the hottest .375's with no problem. I would rate it FAR less abusive to the shoulder than a Mossberg 500 with magnum slugs. It was extremely accurate and well engineered. Pretty much impossible to damage, as well. The only drawback was its bulk and weight. And the $$$ of the ammo. When I get another one I'll tool up to handload.

 

[rangerruck]

i am a huge cz fan, i have 4 of them indiff calibers, and they never disappoint. mini mausers they are. their out of the box accuracy is as good as it gets, and if i remember right the 550's have the express style rear sites. very cool. also , they have the single set trigger, not that you would use it with a 375 , or dangerous game hunt, but it is very likey to have. i could go on about them, and not even talk about how their price smokes everybody, but even if they were more expensive, they would still be better than all , except your higher end/ custom jobs.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

It seems the feedback is good. I have a bonus coming soon and will probably put it down toward this rifle. I saw a show last night where a man shot a crocodile 2 times in the head/neck with a .375 and it still got away. Two more shots put it down. Wow! Those crocs sure are tough.

According to guys I know that hunt them, you pretty much have to put it in their tiny little brain or it doesn't have much immediate effect besides making them move. Reptiles are generally built pretty sturdy.

 

[Cosmoline]

Also, you have to watch what kind of bullet you're loading with the .375 H&H. If you put a penetrator in there it's liable to go through a crock or even lion without opening up.