CZ 550 Rings, are they pinch clamp like a 22?

[Redie Fredie]

I have looked at the CZ 550 a few times thinking purchase, one question I have; is the only scope mount possibility a pinch clamp ring like a 22?
that seems to be a deal breaker for me, have bumped scopes off of a 22 before.
Why did they go that route for heavens sake?

[LanceR]

Many rifles, including dangerous game doubles have been made with the same system CZ and others use.  The rear ring has a locking tab that prevents any fore and aft movement.  The rings clamp just like any other scope ring and the locking tab takes the place of the cross screw in a Weaver base or Picitinny rail.  Don't confuse them with the shallow cut domestic dovetail grooves you have seen.

I use a CZ 550 full stock .308 and since I had seen many mounts of this type while hunting in Europe I had no hesitation in buying it.

The supplied CZ rings are pretty much what we would call high height rings due to the shape of the bolt handle but you can very likely switch to lower rings.  I have a Burris 1.5-6x40 Euro Diamond on mine with medium rings and might even have had enough clearance to mount it with low rings.  I also suspect the high factory rings are partly a holdover from the fact that many European rifles mount much bigger objective lenses that US hunter use since they do a lot more twilight and night hunting.  Even in the '70s 50mm and 56mm scopes were pretty common.

If you begin mounting your scope and have 1/4" or more bolt handle clearance and 1/4" or more between the objective bell and the barrel or rear sight you can use lower rings.

Hope this helps.

Lance

[Redie Fredie]

Lance
Thanks for the info
It helps to pick the brain's of experienced people

[LanceR]

Fredie, if you are going to pick my brain cell you might want a good magnifying glass...

Lance

[His lordship.]

I had a CZ 550 in 30-06, I was skeptical of the mounting system too.  The 30-06 does have a hefty kick, and I had 2 scopes move on me and get scratched up, also there was an unexplained flyer every 5 rounds, I did handloading, and tried factory loads, this problem continued.    Another weird thing was the stock was a beautiful walnut, the gun overall was nicely machined and finished, and yet the right side of the stock near the ejection part of the receiver got all dinged up from the spent shell cases, too bad this mared the nice walnut up.
 
I found out that the the CZ company also sells this rifle in much harder kicking calibers than the 30-06, I don't know how they keep the scope from moving all over the place using a .22 rimfire dovetail scope mount design?  I sold off the rifle, won't buy another CZ 550.  I also noted that Sako uses a dovetail slot as well, but there is the option of using several hold down mounting screws like other rifle makers have.  Perhaps the 550 scope mounts needs to be torqued really heavily, but those small screws would surely strip if you did that?!    
 
   

[Brithunter]

Not so sure if the mounting is identical on the 550 but think it is but this is them on the fore runner ZKK 601:-








This is the Brnno scope mount holding the dedicated Zeiss Jena ZF4/N scope









The claw is a very snug fit. There is no slop and the mount cannot move.


Oh yes I relieved the stock by the ejection port as I did not like the very square shape it had. This bevelled bit is so much sleeker to my eyes at least.


Here is the same rifle but fitted with Hilver steel rings holding a 6x42 scope. Again the Hilvers have the recoil lug and cannot move although it's not such a snug fit as the Brno mounts claw.





Unless the scope and mounts are not fitted correctly I cannot see with this arrangement how it can move. I certainly have never had a problem with scope mounting, sighting or movement.