CZ 550 in 6.5x55 for shooting 800-1000 yard shots?

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johnson_n

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Does anyone shoot long range with their rifle? US Optics sells a 20 MOA base but I would need to drill the receiver to mount it (4 screws). I don't anything about long range shooting but would like to get into it and was considering selling this rifle to get a new one.
 
As nice of a rifle as that is I would not try and make a LRPR out of it. I would sell (or keep and take hunting) and purchase a suitable precision rifle from the ground up. I would lean towards the .260Rem. for that role (but the 6.5x55mm could get the job done just as well).

:)
 
The CZ should be accurate enough in that caliber. I would do it, personally. Then again, I like straying from the beaten path on some things.
 
Actually, I was going to have a rifle custom built for 1k and the 6.5x55 was one of the calibers under consideration. If the twist will handle heavy bullets, there are lots of good ones available. Dunno is the rifle itself is accurate enough. The .260 Rem is a 6.5.
 
You're absolutely right Redneck, the round isn't the biggest limitation, it is the rifle and most importantly the bbl (not the correct contour for long target sessions). I just like the availability of the .260Rem. (in factory rifles) and the fact that it can do just about as good as the good ole' 6.5x55mm. If you go with a custom barrel the Swede wouldn't be a bad choice, slightly better ballistics, and good brass is available.

:)
 
You don't necessarily need a new base. Just shim the rear ring with a piece or two of aluminum beer can. The CZ uses proprietary rings and integral mounts, so you will be limited in aftermarket long-rnage rings unless you drill and tap, but there are numerous alternatives, with Weaver and Leupold among them

High-power silhouette is shot offhand at 500 yards for the rams. The 6.5 x 55 or .260 are the calibers of choice right now although the 6.5 x 47 is coming on very strong in the new builds.

If you want something significantly better than the CZ you will probably have to go custom or somethng that costs almost as much as a custom. Some of the guys get by with a SAKO in .260 or 6.5 x 55 but it will run you $1500 and only be marginally better than your CZ. The nut cases like me have a Rem 700 action in a Pharr stock with a Hart or similar barrel, Jewell trigger and Metalhead bottom metal, shroud and release. The F-class guys have something similar except with a McMillan stock. The rifle will run $2000-$3000 and you need a good scope - something in the $500-$1000 range like a Leupold FX-3 in 36x. By the way, my silhouette gun is in 6.5 x 55. The F-class guys are leaning toward a 6.5 x 284 which is hotter and will have a shorter barrel life by at least half.

Anyway, shim your rings, put on a good scope and see how you do. Around here the hard part is finding a 1000 yard range. I have to drive 3 to 5 hours to get to one.
 
you could even do a 243 AI, shooting 115 dtacs, and go out to 1000 yds. A dude recently at a major cometition, shooting the above, outshot two guys at 1000, one was shooting a 260, and the other was shooting a 6.5/284.
the 115 dtacs in 243 have outstanding b.c.s, even out to 1000 yds. plus...
http://www.6mmbr.com/243Win.html

cz used to make a highly tacticall'ed out 550, though not anymore, but I think they replace it with a 750, which would be a great rifle.
 
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One thing that you could do to retain the CZ is rebarrel it with a good heavy bbl (same caliber or something else with a favorable BC). I prefer Krieger barrels but there are many others that do exceptionally well. You will also need to fine tune your trigger and glass/pillar bed the stock very well (or find a suitable replacement, Mauser stock?), but overall you will probably end up with a nicer rifle at less money than a custom rig (and you can sell your factory bbl and stock). It will certainly set you apart from the average Joe in the tactical precision rifle crowd.

:)
 
Is this rifle accurate at the ranges you have shot? You ought to be able to get to 600 yards without a tapered scope base.

If so, shoot it. By the time you have worn out the factory barrel, you will be somewhat familiar with sight dope and wind judgement. You can then rebarrel and restock it into a real target rifle.
 
I echo Jim Watson's recommendation to just shoot it, if it is reasonably accuracy.

There's no reason to buy a new "heavy barrel" right off the bat if the current one shoots OK.

I would also counsel against investing a lot of time, effort, or money in a "non-standard" platform for long-range precision shooting, such as the CZ. I do not mean to say it won't work out, but going with a more common platform for such shooting will take less time, money, and you will have more options.

-z
 
And it makes resale easier if you decide to get out of the game or to change platforms. There is a fairly big learning curve to shoot at 800-1000 yards. I wouldn't worry about top of the line gear for a little while. The CZ in 6.5x55 will be able to get you into the game to start working on that learning curve. Once you get the hang of it you will probably see what you want to improve from the CZ and will be looking at custom rifles. So get some ammo for the thing and go shoot. Learn what's going on at those distances and enjoy yourself. Once you really get the feel for it is when I would worry about new equipment.
 
That rifle should outshoot your ability to use it at this point. Bring what you got and focus on your reloaded ammo quality and your scope and practice-
 
Hell, any rifle can be used for really long range shooting.

One night out in the desert in Utah I used my 45-70 Martini to take several shots at the moon. Isn't that 93,000,000 miles? Or is that distance to the sun? No matter, it was a really long shot!

I think I missed.

Need to get me one of those 20x scopes...
 
you know, what with the earth rotating at about 1k, and traveling it's path at about 17k, per hour? A hornet won't quite get you there...
:p

But that is some great advice given above; who knows , you could do quite well the the cz in that
cal, and darn right they are going to shoot very , very good. and if you handload, that is only going to get better. After you shoot it for a while, and learn as much long distance stuff as you can, then you may decide to drop some major bucks, for really top stuff.
 
it can do just about as good as the good ole' 6.5x55mm
Click to expand...

I have a new CZ550 American in 6.5x55. It will shoot the 130g Berger into five shot groups that average less than 1 MOA at 200 yards. Will it shoot the same bullet to 1000? Of course. Having said that the CZ550 is not the rifle I would select as a 1000 yard rifle.

Rather than settle for the "just about as good" why not go with the good? That would be the 6.5x55 SE. The .260 does nothing that the Swede doesn't do better. Personally I would put a high quality 6.5x55 barrel on a Savage action and be done with it.
 
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