Auto Abuse Torture Testing the P-07 Duty How Much Can It Endure? Printed in U.S.A

KALAHARI AFRICAN SAFARI 550 MAGNUM

SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION 2011 SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION 2011

DEFENSIVE TIME TO HUNT BODDINGTON IN GREENLAND LINEUP .270 ON MUSK OX PLAINCLOTHES POWER RODRIGUEZ IN CONCEALABLE BIG-BORE BRITISH COLOMBIA 1911 V-BOB .45 ACP 9.3x62 ON BEAR BEDSIDE COMPANION A 1911 AFFORDABLE AUTO ...FOR COUGARS? 712 UTILITY 12 GA COUNTER SNIPER SUPPRESSOR READY 16-IN 550 UCS .308 AUTO ABUSE TORTURE TESTING THE P-07 DUTY HOW MUCH CAN IT ENDURE? PRINTED IN U.S.A. USA/CANADA $8.99 Display until 05/02/2011

From the Publishers of GUNS & AMMO Load up with one of Hodgdon’s 27 smokeless powders. Match your gun, your game, the weather – you’ve got it bagged. Phone 913-362-9455 • www.hodgdon.com

File: 155958_NAWP_1007_HODGCV3.pdf 05.14.2010 11:30 ADV: tjacobs Scale: % SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION 2011

4 36 Duty Ready V-BOB By Eric R. Poole By James Tarr Torture Test: CZ 75 P-07 duty in .40 S&W. 4 CZ offers up an All American. 12 24 42 Alice In Greenland Pick Perfect Pistols Dan Wesson Afield By Craig Boddington By J. Guthrie By Mike Schoby Muskox and reindeer under the midnight sun. Finding the right pistol is easy, but sorting A 1911 faces an unlikely opponent. through myriad options can be a headache. 20 48 Bedside Bargain 30 Long Range Accuracy By Richard Venola Bragging Size By Eric R. Poole CZ’s 712 autoloader is serious medicine By Greg Rodriguez The CZ 550 Urban Counter Sniper for home defense. CZ’s hard-hitting, mild-mannered medium bore. earns its name. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 1 PUBLISHER Kevin E. Steele

Editorial EDITOR IN CHIEF Eric R. Poole EXECUTIVE EDITOR Richard Venola MANAGING EDITOR Gloria Shytles EDITORIAL ADVISOR Jason Morton COPY CHIEF Kimberly Jo Dolbee ART DIRECTOR Sam Berkes SENIOR DESIGNER Luu Mai CATALOG DESIGNER John Podolanko GROUP ART DIRECTOR David Kleckner PRODUCTION MANAGER Terry Boyer COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Utley PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Anschuetz Sean Utley

Advertising Sales HUTCH LOONEY & ASSOC., Western Region Hutch Looney, [email protected] PH: (818) 990-9000; FAX: (818) 501-9787 DIRECT RESPONSE/NON-ENDEMIC: SMYTH MEDIA GROUP Anthony Smyth, [email protected] 48 PH: (914) 693-8700; FAX: (914) 693-8740 NATIONAL ENDEMIC SALES MANAGER, Jim McConville, 5430 Manning, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, email: [email protected] PH: (440) 327-3610; MOBILE: (440) 610-1009 72 EAST COAST STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Kathy Hughett, PH: (646) 225-6559 The CZ-USA Competitive [email protected] Shooting Team DETROIT STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER By James Tarr Don Schulz, PH: (248) 351-2662 CZ’s team stays on top in competition. WEST COAST STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Penn Jones, PH: (310) 598-6804 PATRICK BENTZEL, (717) 695-8095 [email protected] PAT BARTEE, (402) 463-4589 78 [email protected] ROB WALKER, (309) 679-5069 Kalahari Roundup [email protected] By Kevin E. Steele MIKE GARRISON, (309) 679-5054 Four species fall on safari with CZ’s 550 Magnum. [email protected] TERRY BOYER, Production Manager KATHRYN MAY, Advertising Coordinator 84 (309) 379-5085 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jeff Paro America’s Rimfire CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Andy Goldstein 56 Rifleshooter SENIOR VP, GROUP PUBLISHER, STAFF REPORT HUNTING AND SHOOTING Mike Carney CZ Stars CZ 455 American caliber convertible. VP, GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jim Bequette By John Fasano VP, GROUP PUBLISHER, FISHING Steve Hoffman Firearms from CZ light up the silver screen. VP, STRATEGIC SALES AND MARKETING Ted Gramkow PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VP, CONSUMER MARKETING Peter Watt CZ-USA 2011 is published by InterMedia Outdoors Inc., 512 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, VP, MANUFACTURING Deb Daniels New York: (212) 852-6649; FAX (212) 302-4472. VP, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER 62 Copyright 2011 by InterMedia Outdoors Inc. All Howard Stevens rights reserved under international and Pan SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION The One-Stop Shop American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction Connie Mendoza for Bigbores in whole or in part without written permission of FINANCE DIRECTOR Derek Sevcik the publisher is strictly prohibited. CZ-USA 2011 DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & SALES By Craig Boddington is published by InterMedia Outdoors Inc. under DEVELOPMENT John White CZ offers a baker’s dozen from .375 on up. license from CZ-USA.

www.cz-usa.com 2 cz-usa.com CZ 550

P.O. Box 171073, Kansas City, KS 66117-0073 |toll-free: 1 (800) 955-4486 | phone: (913) 321-1811 | www.safariclassics.com | [email protected] Duty Ready TORTURE TEST: CZ-USA 75 P-07 DUTY IN .40 S&W.

By eric R. poole I Photos by Sean Utley

www.cz-usa.com 4 cz-usa.com CZ 75 P-07

uite often, American law enforcement has depended on testing performed by federal agencies Qand the military to influence what it would issue lawmen. I have family and close friends currently serving or who have served in police work, so I take the issue of providing those on the home front with the best equipment very personally. Knowing that dependable function and accuracy are so vital to an officer’s survival, I decided to make my own determination and see if the P-07 Duty really deserves its name.

BACKGROUND CHECK The CZ 75 P-07 Duty represents a new era for CZ pistols. Launched in 2009, it combines the best features from the timeless ideas of Frantisek Koucky (CZ 75) with modern manufacturing processes and user simplicity. Modularity lends variety, and that is what today’s consumer market simply expects. The P-07 is based on one of the most copied (second only to the Model 1911) pistols in the world, the CZ 75. Development of the Duty was achieved in just three years, but its signature detail, the Omega trigger mechanism, dates back 10 years ago. It was first integrated into the CZ 75 B in 2008 and is just one component that distinguishes the P-07 from other service pistols. Seven nations have already chosen to place the P-07 Duty into the holsters of their respective uniformed officers. Even before this article, the Duty had been subjected to numerous torture tests, the most extensive being the lab work performed in Slavi ˇcín. It documented the performance of one new model and another that had just passed a complete lifecycle test. Before the Czech Republic’s police would adopt the new P-07, the pistol had to undergo a scientific evaluation that put the same two pistols through several series of operational tests under extreme conditions. The most demanding included a dusting of each pistol, both in and out of a holster (while free of any protective lubricant), shooting during and after simulated rain, firing under high and low temperatures, www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 5 Once it was clean of oil, I ran 10 magazines of 12 rounds through the P-07 with no malfunctions.

it, I looked closely and could only see that it appeared as though the bullet nose had somehow caught on the chamber during entry. But this wasn’t the time to pass judgment. The pistol was new, I had loaded the magazine to maximum capacity, and the only lubrication was what was put on at the factory. My conclusion at this point was just that it had to be broken in, and I didn’t experience another malfunction throughout the remainder of the accuracy test. The accuracy test revealed that this particular pistol seemed to favor the 180-grain bullet weights. I was a bit perplexed, however, that the 180-grain TAP load from The Duty completed Hornady, one of the the accuracy test best defense loads with a number of groups measuring ever, didn’t print two inches. This well with the P-07. particular test gun Functioning wasn’t favored .40 S&W a problem. Interest- loads with 180-grain bullets. ing also was that the cheapest of the loads I purchased functioning after being pulled TORTURED (the Remington UMC) rivaled the through sand and immersed in ACCURACY—This torture test began venerable Federal Hydra-Shok. The mud, and being dropped in several with an accuracy test at 25 yards. best group fired from the Federal ways to verify the dependability of Right out of the box, it fired and lot measured 1.98 inches, while the the safety systems. Aside from the jammed on the second round, which Remington UMC ammunition re- expected cosmetic damage, results was a Winchester PDX1. Inspecting corded a similar best of 2.01 inches. determined that the These two loads Duty passed without ACCURACY RESULTS also produced the any defects or Bullet Avg. Muzzle Avg. best averages after failures. But the P-07 .40 S&W Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Group (in.) five five-shot groups adopted by other na- were fired from 25 Remington UMC JHP 180 952 2.77 tions is chambered yards. Is the P-07 Federal Hydra-Shok JHP 180 912 2.28 in 9mm, while most accurate enough for Hornady TAP FPD 180 940 4.79 U.S. agencies issue duty? Certainly. Winchester PDX1 JHP 165 1,082 3.59 a sidearm cham- Magtech SCHP 130 1,177 4.3 bered in .40 S&W. Is FUNCTION- Speer Gold Dot GDHP 180 969 3.18 this new generation Keeping with the of pistols ready for Notes: Accuracy is the average of five five-shot groups fired at 25 yards from a tests performed by sandbag rest. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 10 feet from the service on American muzzle using a Shooting Chrony Gamma Model. that of the Czech streets? Republic, I followed

www.cz-usa.com 6 cz-usa.com the accuracy test with a function test after strip- ping all of the protective grease and lubrication from all parts of the pistol. Once it was clean of oil, I ran 10 magazines This P-07 Duty was of 12 rounds through the P-07 with dropped from five, then 10 no malfunctions. crevices. After time feet onto concrete from vari- Without oiling it, I moved on to a had passed, I removed ous angles and from all sides. A primed case was always in the cham- wet sand test based on a Torpedo a few inches of sand, then ber to sound a failure with the pistol’s sand mixture that was moistened pulled out the pistol and immedi- safety system. It never failed. and sticky. I buried the fully loaded ately began firing it. Interestingly, I P-07 and shoveled six inches of noticed that the surface of the barrel the mixture on top of it. Recalling a had already begun to rust. But there (much of the wet sand dried and fell number of military torture tests I had were no malfunctions after firing 10 off the pistol during function firing). once participated in, I decided to additional magazines of 12 rounds. Inserting another full magazine, I let it remain for 15 minutes to allow The following burial test involved buried the Duty in six inches of mud, moisture and fine particulates a mud enriched with peat. Like the wet let it set for an additional 15 minutes, chance to seep into the cracks and sand test, I didn’t clean the pistol then pulled it out and immediately

Triple River offers general gun repair, rebluing, restocking, refinishing as well as sales for firearms of all makes and models. We specialize in rebarreling, restocking and customizing CZ and Brno Triple River have offered their services as custom gun makers and rifles, general gun repair, rebluing, restocking, and refinishing professional gunsmiths for 30 years. Located in the heart of the firearms of all makes and models. Triple River is the only CZ-USA Ozarks in Warsaw, MO, Triple River’s gunsmiths bring over 80 years authorized warranty center for Safari Classics rifles. of collective experience to your gunsmithing project. Triple River is a federally licensed firearms manufacturer and Whether you are looking to repair your grandfather’s gun or if dealer. Rifles and shotguns can be shipped directly to our location for you want to have a custom gun built from scratch, we are here to services, and when complete, can be shipped directly back to you with satisfy your needs and desires. We take pride in every firearm that we no additional paperwork required. Our shop is open 6 days a week, have the privilege to work on. Monday - Friday from 8am - 4pm Saturday from 8am - noon.

Triple River Gunsmithing are custom gun makers and professional gunsmiths for over 20 years located in the heart of Ozarks in Warsaw, MO 619 Commercial St. Warsaw, MO 65355 • phone: 660. 438. 2004 • website: www.tripleriver.net • email: [email protected] Even with multiple impacts to concrete directly to the cocked hammer spur, it never went forward.

began to fire. As if the pistol were went under again and fired another trying to clean itself, mud sprayed CZ 75 P-07 Duty time before it malfunctioned again. everywhere the first few shots I didn’t continue with this test. I Type: Exposed-hammer, before I finished off 10 magazines of striker-fired centerfire semi- don’t know when in the line of duty 12 rounds. No malfunctions. auto an officer would ever expect to fire With the barrel steaming from the Caliber: 40mm Luger while underwater, but I suspect you combination of moisture and warmth, Capacity: 12+1 rounds could get away with a round or two Barrel length: 3.7 in. I continued this test by burying it before any pistol experienced a Overall length: 7.3 in. one last time in dry sand. I waited for Height: 5.1 in. malfunction. 15 minutes, pulled it out and began Width: 1.5 in. firing it as fast as I could. Magazine Construction: Polymer SAFETY—One of the most impor- changes were gritty, but still easy to frame, matte-black steel slide tant factors in determining whether Trigger: DA/SA with accomplish. I didn’t wipe sand off decocker (optional safety to adopt a new sidearm is to fully the gun or pick out the clumps from conversion supplied). DA evaluate the safety features. Safe- moving parts such as the hammer. I pull, 12 lb., 5 oz.; SA, 4 lb.,13 ties on this pistol include a notch on just pulled the trigger as quickly as I oz. the hammer, an automatic firing-pin could. Still—no malfunctions. Grips: Textured polymer block and the aforementioned Weight: 1.7 lb. Still degreased and without oil, the decocking or manual lever. The Sights: Drift-adjustable P-07 was then submerged in silted notch rear, dovetailed post mainspring housing also features a river water and left for 15 minutes. front lanyard attachment that helps pre- After just 20 seconds, air bubbles vent loss of control of the handgun, quit floating to the top, which indi- a feature that is currently growing cated that water had penetrated the the effects of running it without oil for in popularity in military and law pistol throughout. At the end of the so long combined with the submer- enforcement communities. waiting period, a light silt had built sion test were beginning to take a toll The safety evaluation started the up on the surface of the handgun, on performance. day the P-07 Duty pistol arrived at causing me to wonder what was The last function test involved headquarters. That morning, I en- building up on the inside. I reached shooting the P-07 underwater. It listed members of our staff to dryfire in, pulled it out and fired quickly as fired two times before it jammed. and decock the P-07 while working water poured from every orifice. At Pulling the pistol out of the water, I in their offices. By the time of this this point, the pistol’s slide sluggishly found that the spent case had failed torture test, the pistol had been returned to battery for every shot, but to eject. Clearing the malfunction, I dryfired 1,200 times and decocked

When thrown 25 feet onto a gravel surface, the P-07 landed on its After being dropped and thrown repeatedly, the only grip, breaking the lanyard loop and popping off the magazine’s significant damage was to the pistol’s sights. They floorplate. The floorplate, follower and spring were found and can be easily replaced. The cocked hammer never fell easily reassembled. The magazine never malfunctioned. forward onto the primed case resting in the chamber.

www.cz-usa.com 8 cz-usa.com 750 times. There were no issues with hammer spur, it never went forward. the pistol never fired. Notably, the the safety lever. At this point, witnesses were slide and frame fit wasn’t pinched To evaluate the other safety impressed and the safety test took (as I feared), and it charged as it did features, I pulled a bullet and many creative directions. The Duty under normal conditions. Even the emptied the case of its powder so was thrown 25 feet onto gravel. On magazine remained protected in the that I could drop-test the pistol with one of these throws, it landed on polymer frame. a primed case in the chamber. If it the mainspring housing, broke off discharged, the pistol failed. With the lanyard ring and popped off the ENDURANCE—The final stage in it loaded, I dropped it five times magazine’s buttplate, sending the this torture event was to subject the each with the hammer cocked and magazine spring and follower shoot- P-07 to extreme heat and cold, which decocked at every angle, on all sides ing across the test area. Surpris- it could theoretically experience in from a height of five feet. In addition ingly, the magazine was reas- to the polymer sights being heavily sembled and remained in use. abraided, the only damages ob- My test team then attempted Di d you know? served were scuffs and a few deep to crush the P-07 by driving Three variations of the CZ 75 have acquired NATO Stock Number (NSN) certification: scratches. The second day of torture over it on gravel with a vehicle CZ 75 B Army (NSN 1005160000064) testing, I repeated the procedure at weighting 3,072 pounds. It CZ 75 BD Army (NSN 1005160001552) 10 feet. Even with multiple impacts didn’t matter if the hammer CZ 75 D Compact (NSN 100516000861) to concrete directly to the cocked was cocked or uncocked,

NEVER Sacrifice Quality for Volume CCF Offers Custom Services on CZ-USA Shotguns

Competitive and Custom Firearms is owned and independently operated by Custom Gunmaker Pawel Janusz in a small town north of Chicago, IL. After moving to the United States from Poland at the age of seventeen he quickly became interested in American culture where he was introduced to our love of firearms. After spending many years in carpentry, small arms repair and industrial machining, Pawel has devoted his talents to custom gun work. Competitive and Custom Firearms Inc. offers standard gunsmithing services as well as advanced custom alterations to bring superior fit, function and performance to the customers of the CZ shotgun line. For a complete list of services and pricing information, please visit our website. Competitive and Custom Firearms, Inc. – Pawel Janusz, Gunmaker

Ingleside IL 60041 • 224.622.0887 • 224.595.4463 [email protected] • cz-usacustom.com

CCF is independently owned and managed. CCF is a CZ-USA authorized shotgun custom center. But in this case, I can attest that the CZ 75 P-07 chambered in .40 S&W is actually fit for duty.

the line of duty. It was baked at 160 155-grain loads. Some of those own ammunition, used readily found degrees for 30 minutes, then fired, rounds produced orange fireballs, materials and subjected the pistol to chilled at -15 degrees and fired again. and others seemed barely power- abuse beyond the way I’ve personally No malfunctions were experienced. ful enough to launch the projectile seen small arms treated in a combat Up to this point, no oil had been from the barrel. There were no other environment and on the range. I did used to improve functioning. Now I malfunctions. everything but maliciously attempt to disassembled the pistol and added destroy this pistol. Mil-Comm TW25 to the rails and PARTING SHOT Right now, I can take this P-07, put barrel assembly. I put it all back Firing nearly 2,000 rounds across new sights on it, replace the main- together and collected the left-over two days and subjecting a pistol spring housing and I’d be comfortable ammunition from the various brands through unusual testing procedures staking my life on it. I’m not suggest- I had been using throughout the two might not directly produce the results ing that no other handgun in the world days and mixed it in a box. Of the a lab or other controlled environ- would have passed these tests. In 1,780 rounds I had purchased out-of- ments would see. If anything, my fact, I think many modern handguns pocket, the only malfunctions during findings just expand on the passing would have. But in this case, I can the endurance test were from an grade already given to the P-07 by attest that the CZ 75 P-07 chambered older box of PMC Eldorado Starfire’s foreign agencies. Here, I bought my in .40 S&W is actually fit for duty.

E ND USERS THE CZECH REPUBLIC Brno Municipal Police BULGARIA Ministry of Interior SPAIN Municipal Police ISRAEL Protective Services and Security SOUTH AFRICA Protective Services and Security THAILAND Ministry of Interior PHILIPINNES Ministry of Interior

www.cz-usa.com 10 cz-usa.com PROTECT • HUNT • COMPETE

• COMPACT • CAPACITY 16+1 9mm 13+1 .40 S&W • CONVERTIBLE Safety or decocker CZ P-07 DUTY • 16+1 9mm, 12+1 .40 S&W • Convertable, safety or decocker • New Omega trigger system • Polymer frame with light rail • Two magazines

P.O. Box 171073 | Kansas City, KS 66117-0073 Toll-free: 1 (800) 955-4486 | Phone: + (913) 321-1811 E-mail: [email protected] | Website: www.cz-usa.com Alice In Greenland Muskox and reindeer under the midnight sun. By Craig Boddington

www.cz-usa.com 12 cz-usa.com CZ 550 american

irst morning, barely a mile from camp. We were on a low, rocky ridge overlooking a little depression of tall willows. Three shaggy animals were down there F feeding, just their backs occasionally visible over the tops of the leaves. Muskoxen, and our local guides assured us that one of the three was a big bull. Yes, there he was, viewed in brief glimpses, now the body towering above the cow and calf he was with, then the curve of a heavy horn, finally a frontal view that revealed his heavy bosses.

This was indeed a good bull, so We talked through it one more we shifted from rock to rock, trying time. The muskox is not an espe- to get a better view down into the cially wary animal—the hardest depression. Nothing doing. The best part is getting to the remote Arctic we could see was the top third, not environments where it lives—but it nearly enough for a clean shot. So we is a tricky shot. Although bulky and set up on the highest rock, waiting strong, the muskox isn’t nearly as for things to develop. The designated big as he looks. He has nearly a foot shooter was Alice Pulochova, presi- of hair above his shoulder hump dent of CZ-USA, and although these and sometimes two feet of long hair were the first muskoxen she had ever below his brisket. It’s easy to shoot seen, she was calm and patient. She too low and hit nothing but hair, and was also, undoubtedly, a little bit a high shot is equally disastrous. The bemused and a whole lot jet-lagged best shot is probably square on the on our first morning inG reenland. shoulder in the apparent horizontal The waiting game went on for center, which, discounting all the quite a while. Once, the animals hair, actually puts the bullet about a spooked and ran up into taller cover. third up into the chest—just right. The wind was good and there had One slow step at a time the bull been no sound, so I don’t know approached the narrow gap, and I what got them going. Now they were heard the click of Alice’s single-set completely hidden, offering just the trigger on her CZ Ultimate Hunting occasional glimpse of brown hair Rifle.H e stepped into the gap, and and unnaturally moving willows. we verified that he was indeed a After a bit they seemed to settle, bull, a good bull. Then he hesitated and after a bit longer they started for just an instant. Alice’s .300 to move back down. There was just Winchester Magnum went off, and one gap in the middle of the willows, her 200-grain bullet streaked toward and they might cross it at something the muskox. a bit beyond 100 yards. We put my The bull took the bullet hard, daypack over a flat outcropping, and clearly a perfect shot, then recovered Alice took a steady rest. and made it three steps into cover. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 13 The bull took the bullet hard, clearly a perfect shot, then recovered and made it three steps into cover.

That was as far as he sounded like fun, as well got. As he reached the as a good situation for willows, he stumbled and the television camera. went down, and that was I thought Donna might that, as pretty as you enjoy it, and as plan- please. Alice stayed on ning progressed, Alice the rifle while we waited a decided to join us. few moments to be sure, then we came off the WHO SHOOTS FIRST? rocks, crossed the creek Honestly, I didn’t care if and walked up to admire I took another muskox. a beautiful muskox bull, My primary interest was shaggy coat luxurious, reindeer. The European heavy horns curving reindeer is essentially down and turning up into Alice Poluchova checks the zero on her CZ Ultimate Hunting the same genus and sharp points. Rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum. species as our caribou— Rangifer tarandus—with SUMMER MUSKOX in 1981 and again a decade later. our caribou and their reindeer being We—Alice; my wife, Donna; and These were typical winter hunts, subspecies of each other. Greenland I—were in Greenland in early August conducted by traveling on snow had native caribou as well as musk- to hunt muskoxen and reindeer. machines and spike-camping on the oxen, long utilized by both the Inuit Videographer and field producer ice. The first time was inN ovember, natives and the Norse settlers, led by Conrad Evarts was with us, intend- when there were only a couple of Erik the Red in 980 A.D. In the more ing to capture the hunt for a couple hours of daylight and a long, cold settled areas of southern and western of segments of Petersen’s Hunting Arctic night. I got a great muskox, Greenland, the caribou were depleted Adventures television. Much about but it was a thoroughly miserable by the end of the 18th century. Rein- this hunt was unusual. experience. The second time was deer from Norway were introduced in The muskox, in Latin Ovibos in April, when everything was still 1900 and again 50 years later. They moschatus—“musky sheep-ox”—is frozen hard but there was long mixed with and overpowered the an incredibly long-haired, ox-like daylight. This was a much more remnant caribou, and today there are creature of the High Arctic region, enjoyable hunt, but it was still plenty tens of thousands of free-ranging native to Greenland and northern cold and miserable. I had no desire reindeer in Greenland. Canada, introduced into Alaska to ever do it again. As weird as it sounds, this was and a few spots in the Old World’s In 2009 I hunted reindeer in Iceland my primary interest. I hunted all Arctic. They were badly depleted with Bjorn Birgisson of the Icelan- the varieties of North American during the era of Arctic exploration, dic Hunting Club (huntingiceland. caribou many years ago, and in but with protection they rebounded com). He was also doing muskox 2009 I finally had an opportunity to dramatically during the second half and reindeer hunts in Greenland, take a European reindeer. I thought of the 20th century. I hunted them and my ears pricked up. The hunts it would be fun to take a reindeer in twice in Canada’s Northwest Territo- were done in the summer, glassing North America. The only other free- ries, once when hunting first opened along the shoreline from a boat. This ranging population I’m aware of was

www.cz-usa.com 14 cz-usa.com czc09[GA_fullbld]_v1.indd 1 11/20/2009 8:49:49 AM I shot again quickly, then he was in the herd, then down. My crew gasped as he started to roll down the rocky hill.

Donna Boddington and Alice Poluchova pulled a snappy double play on two fine reindeer bulls, taken at the eleventh hour on the last day of the hunt. Donna used a CZ 550 in .270; Alice used her CZ Ultimate Hunting Rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum. introduced into Alaska, but I also In any group where hunting must ful 10-year-old, taken on a lovely thought it would be a great adven- be done sequentially, as in from one summer day in gorgeous sunlight. ture to hunt in Greenland, perhaps boat with one set of Inuit guides, the The bad side: She didn’t have the the least-known and least-visited “who shoots first” game is tricky.I n chance to see and study muskoxen corner of our own continent. an unfamiliar situation it isn’t neces- before she shot, and that was a Neither Donna nor Alice had hunted sarily best to be first, as you have no shame because those opportunities muskox, a truly amazing and most idea what to expect, how much game weren’t forthcoming. There was, underrated game animal. I had no idea you’re likely to see and so forth. On however, fair turnabout. I had elected what to expect, so I figured it would be the other hand, you don’t know what myself first up for reindeer, which put best if they shot first on muskox, while the weather is going to do or if there me in the position of taking the first I would go first on reindeer. We would will even be any chance to shoot, let opportunity without really knowing hunt both animals on the islands and alone multiple chances. what was out there. fjords at the southwest corner of I must have a pessimistic bent, Greenland, but not in exactly the same because I thought Alice was get- MUSKOXEN BY THE HERD area, so if we ran short of time, I could ting a pretty good deal in taking the For some reason I had an odd forego the muskox and we could move first opportunity at muskox.T he impression that there weren’t many on to the reindeer area. good side: Her bull was a wonder- muskoxen in Greenland, probably

www.cz-usa.com 16 cz-usa.com because permits have been avail- on the table. Bjorn and the guides and clouds and temperatures into the able to outsiders for only a short insisted that we take to the boat, 60s, a far cry from the winter muskox time and very few Americans have using the long Arctic afternoon and hunting I’d done before. hunted in Danish-controlled Green- evening to hunt elsewhere. So we Apparently, the muskoxen land. Our guides had spotted Alice’s packed Alice’s bull down to the shore responded, because we saw herd muskox from camp, recognized it and walked away from two herds and after herd. I quickly gained both as a good bull, then we’d walked two mature bulls. This was the first respect and confidence in our out and shot it. The evening before, inkling I had that there were probably guides as they bypassed numer- we’d come in by boat from the a lot of muskoxen about, or at least ous bulls. They were actually aging airport at Narsarsuaq to the village our keepers believed there were. them, discounting this one and that of Ivituut, a mostly abandoned min- They were right, and I was dead one as seven or eight years old, not ing settlement. We had yet at its peak. I was also passed part of our hunting surprised to see that the area on the last part of the summer coats were still six-hour journey. We had long and luxurious, carry- seen no muskoxen along ing the incredibly long hair the shore, and there were and underlayer of wool only three in the group Al- that are as much a part of ice’s bull was taken from. a muskox trophy as their Everything I had seen so unique horns. far confirmed my belief We got Donna on a that there weren’t very huge bull with massive many muskoxen. In terms boss and horns that of industry relations, prior- dropped far down before ity to a hunter who hadn’t turning back up, possibly taken the species and the the best trophy we saw, The author used a CZ 550 in .270 Winchester with the tough good old rule of ladies 130-grain Barnes Triple Shock bullet loaded by Federal except that one horn first, it seemed a very Premium. The recovered bullet is from his muskox and tip was broken off. This good thing that Alice had shows typical Triple Shock performance. made for a tough call. taken this bull so quickly It was still early in the and easily. wrong. The coast of southwestern hunt, without full knowledge of how While we were skinning and Greenland is a patchwork of islands many muskoxen we were going to butchering her bull, we glassed two and deep fjords that run miles inland, see. This was a great bull, but that more herds in the same bowl above some all the way up the glacier that tip was clearly broken. With some our little village, with obvious trophy occupies 80 percent of Greenland’s misgivings we passed him, and a bulls in each group. Having it fixed huge land mass. All the animal couple of hours later Donna took a in my mind that there weren’t many populations are fairly close to the wonderful bull, by slight margin the muskoxen around, it seemed to me shoreline, making the boat an ideal best of our three bulls. that we should probably go after platform for moving and glassing. Then, finally, it was my turn. at least one of them as soon as the We caught a couple of days of mild With a couple of hours of daylight chores were finished.T his was not summer weather, intermittent sun remaining and the reindeer await-

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 17 For some reason I expected him to stand and wait for me to shoot him, at least for a second or two. Uh, not exactly.

be extremely careful. He was perfectly broadside, but he had a calf behind him. Then he moved a bit and was clear, but he was angling away—no good. Eventually, he turned, quartering to me, and I shot carefully for the point of the shoulder. He lurched right, stumbling, but headed downhill. I shot again quickly, then he was in the herd, then down. My crew gasped as he started to roll down the rocky hill. For a second I didn’t understand. With every roll he would get closer to the boat. Then I got it—broken horns—and I gasped, too. Two slow rolls and a long way to go—with a lot of rocks. One rock was big enough and held him on the steep slope. His herd made the defensive The author with his reindeer, taken with a quick running shot in the rain. circle, instinctive even though there He used a CZ 550 in .270 Winchester. have been no wolves in this part of Greenland for many muskox genera- ing us a couple of hours’ cruising wind perfect, and pitched up behind tions. They held for a while, then down the coast, we glassed a herd some rocks about 100 yards from broke and passed underneath us far up on a steep ridge. There were the herd. While the rest of us stayed at 20 yards. When they were gone, about a dozen animals, and from low, Einar studied the bull for just a we walked up to another beautiful the bouncing boat the bull looked few moments, then gave me a big muskox, as good as Alice’s, not big enough to me and old enough grin and a thumbs-up. A good bull. quite as good as Donna’s, with a to our guides, at least worthy of I picked out a suitable rock about wonderful coat, and a marvelous a closer look. We landed past the 20 yards ahead and duck-walked to vista, with the fjord stretching away herd to get the wind right, then it, setting my backpack over the top, below us. worked our way up a rocky chute then the rifle and slithering in behind. until we were above them. I was shooting a CZ American in REINDEER IN THE RAIN Our guides studied the bull for .270 Winchester, not just a light rifle During the muskox portion, we a long time, and then Einar, their for muskox, but well below Bjorn’s stayed in a comfortable and well- leader and local biologist, gave specific recommendation of no less appointed house in Ivituut, which, me a tentative nod. Yes, this one than .30 caliber/180-grain bullet. in my view, beat the heck out of a looked good, but we needed to I’d hedged my bet with the tough tent on the ice with caribou skins as get a bit closer to be sure. We Barnes Triple Shock bullet and had a floor. For reindeer we moved to a moved forward across the face, the plenty of confidence, butI ’d have to comfortable little hotel in the seaport

www.cz-usa.com 18 cz-usa.com ... or not. CZ rifles have the accuracy and reliability to make those long range shots happen. • Action forged from steel billets • Hammer forged barrels, lapped for accuracy and long life • Adjustable, single-set trigger system • Positive firing pin block safety • Over 30 models in over 30 varmint and big game calibers to choose from including Left-Hand configurations • Stocks available in Walnut, Synthetic and Laminate • Variety of varmint calibers including the .17 HMR, .204 Ruger, .223 and .22-250 • Detachable magazine in varmint calibers

www.cz-usa.com The second-largest bull was on the right side, open, and Donna dropped him in his tracks

of Narsaq, which also beat bedded together, but one of a tent on the ice, especially them looked just fine. since we ran out of luck We landed, jumped off with the weather. The and clambered up the ceiling came down, and hill, trying to get around it rained continuously for the wind. I could see the the remainder of our hunt, antlers—and only the not a steady downpour, antlers—of the biggest but a slow drizzle between bull when we were halfway showers, with low clouds up, so I took the lead with that reduced visibility to a Conrad right behind me few hundred yards when it with the camera. Another was drizzling, never mind 10 yards up and I could when it was pouring. sort of make out his body Bjorn had high expecta- through the brush. The tions for reindeer. I had distance wasn’t 50 yards, taken a good one the year so I should have stopped before in Iceland, and he right there and waited him expected to do better, out. If I could see him, he but we just couldn’t see. could see me. At last I Even with limited visibility wrapped into a tight sling we glassed quite a few and took a few breaths reindeer, but the big bulls before I moved a few more were scarce. We had two steps up the hill. and a half days, which For some reason I would have been plenty in expected him to stand and good weather, but we didn’t wait for me to shoot him, at have good weather. On the least for a second or two. Donna Boddington’s bull was the best of the three by a first day we saw one fair slight margin, with extremely heavy horns carrying lots Uh, not exactly. He stood, bull, excellent tops, good of mass through the curve. as did the rest of the group, bezes, miserable shovels. and in the same motion he Wanting one of these reindeer really afternoon, as we cruised past a little turned and ran. This wasn’t expected, badly, it was in my mind that I should knob I glanced up and saw a forest but I was as ready as I was going to have insisted. I bit my lip and kept my of velvet-covered antlers protruding get. I got the rifle up, swung with him mouth shut, and that was the only over the top. In good light reindeer— and took a quartering-away shot just marginal bull we saw that day. and caribou—shine like silver dollars, as he vanished over the ridge. I had The next day both the weather and but they’re lost in mist and rain. It my North American reindeer. visibility were worse. We saw a few was one of the few times on the hunt Note carefully that in my boorish reindeer between the clouds, but that I saw something first, and this manner I had taken first shot on rein- only cows and calves and a couple was a good one. The “forest” was deer, while not one, but two lovely of young bulls. And then, late in the actually a small grove, several bulls ladies (one of whom I’m married to)

www.cz-usa.com 20 cz-usa.com Almost 80 percent of Greenland is covered by glacier, and there are only scattered settlements along the rocky coasts. waited patiently. What goes around comes around. After I shot my reindeer it started to rain hard, and that day was over. The next morning, our last in Greenland, we had clearing skies, great visibility and a few hours to hunt before we sailed for Narsar- suaq and our flight toR eykjavik. “One, two, three” doesn’t work. with a half-dozen reindeer bulls In a repeat of the previous day’s Almost invariably, both will screw up, bedded 50 yards in front of her. The performance, we saw quite a few one from pressure and the other from largest was picked out before they cows and calves, then yet another muzzle blast. So it was Alice’s shot. stood, and when he rose from his forest of antlers above an outcrop- We would stalk the herd, she would bed, Alice dropped him in his tracks. ping. It was Alice’s turn again, this set up, they would stand, and she The remainder ran, and I moved a because we had not intended for would shoot the biggest bull. Then couple of steps forward and slapped Donna to hunt reindeer. In turn, Bjorn Donna would move forward and set my pack on a rock. Donna slid in had not intended to have a permit up, the reindeer would run a short over the top with the CZ .270, and available…but he did. There were at distance and stop, and she would they stopped at barely 100 yards. least two good bulls in this group, shoot the second-largest bull. Right. The second-largest bull was on the maybe more, so we imagined a No kidding, that was exactly the right side, open, and Donna dropped snappy double play. way it happened. We landed on him in his tracks as well. And, of Although such an opportunity is slippery rocks, scrambled ashore, course, both bulls were bigger than rare, I’ve seen it before. The concept clambered a couple hundred yards mine. This could only happen in of setting up two hunters and going, uphill and Alice rested over a rock Wonderland…or Greenland.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 21 Bedside Bargain CZ’s 712 autoloader is serious medicine for home defense.

By Richard Venola I Photos by Sean Utley

www.cz-usa.com 22 cz-usa.com CZ 712

hotguns trump pistols every time, and there is a plethora of ammo options to choose from. CZ-USA imports the 712 SUtility specifically as an affordable tool for home defense or pest abatement on the farm. Its 20-inch barrel makes it handy, and the gas action reduces recoil.

MECHANICALS It’s a conventional design with a single lug locking into a recess in the barrel hood. The controls are familiar to anyone who has used a gas-operated shotgun built since World War II. The 141/2- inch length of pull was a little longer than usual, but it came up naturally and felt like most semiauto shotguns I’ve used. The receiver is aluminum, the barrel hard-chromed steel and the stock synthetic. Everything is matte black except the action and an annoying white spacer in front of the recoil pad (is it still 1972 in Istanbul?). The gun is completely conventional. The only thing surprising about the 712 was its price, recommended at just $490. The savings left over from not buying the high-priced spread leaves a healthy budget for exotic defensive ammo or good, old-fashioned plated buckshot. The gas system and action feature twin barrel vents and a collared piston pushing dual action bars. The large single lug is cammed up to engage at the rear, hooking into a recess machined into the barrel hood. Upon disassembling the gun, I noted that a rubber O-ring helps seal the gas system. In many autoloading shotguns, the O-ring is critical for reliable operation. But in my Sarsilmaz Excel Auto, the O-ring turned out to be as necessary as the folded point on motel toilet paper. So I pulled apart the 712 and removed the O-ring, then tried it with a raggedy selection of 12-gauge loads straight from the gun bench coffee can. It only cycled about half the time, and the only ammo it would process reliably without the gas ring was some nasty Federal 00 Buck loads that hurt like hell. As CZ’s Jason Morton says, “The O-ring is definitely not an optional part of the action.” You might be able to find a suitable replacementO -ring in the fastener section of the local hardware store, but if I were to buy www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 23 CZ-USA imports the 712 Utility specifically as an affordable tool for home defense or pest abatement on the farm.

a 712, I’d order a couple from CZ directly ($3 each) and keep them in my range box. The CZ website says the 712 only comes with three stainless internal chokes, but the test gun arrived with five, including my favorite for ensuring domestic tranquility, Skeet/ Cylinder (five notches).T echnically, For home defense the author there is zero restriction on Cylinder recommends the Skeet/Cyl- and a .005 constriction on a proper inder five-notch choke. Skeet choke. The mangled sheet of paper you just pulled out of the copy made by Huglu in Turkey on state-of- heavy, but this is not a 27-yard Trap machine is about .003. Both Skeet the-art CNC machines and finished gun that will set you back a semes- and Cylinder have five notches, so by German-trained techs. Inside the ter’s tuition. In an adrenaline-soaked, the difference is largely academic. action I noted that where it mattered, pajama-clad encounter with thugs in In any case, my rotator cuff was fit and finish was excellent. Where it your hallway, you won’t notice if the pummeled by several boxes of slugs was of no consequence, it was a bit trigger isn’t exactly Perazziesque. from mixed ancestry, producing no ill rough—similar to the Russian firearms I fired the gun dry, and the action effects on the five-notch choke or the that won the Great Patriotic War. cycled perfectly with all loads, muzzle. And it didn’t knock off the including reduced-recoil slugs. The bead, which I’ve seen before when RANGE TIME gun patterned to point of aim. This firing a slug through a choke. The single-stage trigger broke would qualify it as a field gun rather This ergonomically friendly gun is cleanly at eight pounds, which is than a clays gun. Not that it mat-

The 712 is completely conventional, with twin action bars and a rear locking lug on the bolt top.

www.cz-usa.com 24 cz-usa.com ters—most club and public Synthetic stocks are perfect trap, skeet and sporting for bashing about in the back clays ranges require a of the pickup, and a hard- 22-inch barrel to keep down chromed barrel is corrosion resistant. noise. Hence, the 20-inch Utility comes up short for clay games. If you get a feel for the Util- ity, but decide you want to shoot clays for practice, CZ will sell you a 26- or 28-inch- barrel version with a walnut stock for the same price. The 720, a 20-gauge variant, is available with walnut stocks and 26- and 28-inch barrels, as is a youth version sporting a 24-inch barrel and a 13-inch length of pull. letter agencies in D.C. determined Alas, barrels are not sold sepa- that for defensive use in urban rately, but an entire 712 retails for buck-and-ball, Winchester’s PDX1, settings, plated No. 4 (.24) Buck was about the same price as a spare Hornady’s Critical Defense or the optimum. It would go through the barrel for traditional European or Federal Premium’s Vital-Shok. heavy oak doors of embassies and domestic autoloaders, so it’s not I had a box of the Centurion, which offices as well as car windshields cause to get one’s skivvies in a knot. has a .650 round ball backed up by and doors, with good pattern density six pellets of No. 1 (.30) Buckshot, all and little chance that the average AMMUNITION SELECTION leaving the tube at a smokin’ 1,300 surgeon could sew up 41 wound CZ-USA has been importing the fps. The ball acts as a spreader, but channels. The No. 4 can also be used 712 on and off for six years and at 10 yards it didn’t open up very in riots and mob attacks. Fire the promotes it as a tool for home much. At 18 yards the No. 1 pellets round onto a paved surface and the defense as well as an agricultural are about torso-wide, but consider- pellets will spread out and skim the implement. In the home, I’d keep the ing that the average home has 22 feet surface, taking out an attacker’s feet. Skeet choke in it and stoke it with from the bedroom to the front door, Plated shot deforms less on interme- some of the new defensive loads, you’re going to have to truly aim. diate barriers, which helps preserve such as Centurion’s Multi Defense The Winchester Supreme Elite terminal effectiveness. PDX1 boasts three 00 (.33) Buck pellets backed up by a slug. Open- PONDERINGS CZ-USA 712 Utility ing to almost seven inches at 10 The 712 Utility is an excellent invest- yards, this load was the huckleberry ment for home and garden, requir- Action Type: Gas-operated semiauto for home defense. ing minimal care and feeding and Gauge: 12-gauge 3-inch CZ also suggests the 712 as performing as well as guns costing Capacity: 4+1 suitable for bashing about behind four figures and up. CZ andH uglu Barrel length: 20 in. the seat of the farm pickup. For are both robust, financially healthy Overall length: 42 in. snap shots at rapidly disappearing companies respected for offering Length of pull: 14.5 in. Weight: 7 lb. coyotes, I’d keep it Full choked (one quality products, so you can count Stock: Synthetic notch) and use a fast load of 00 on long-term customer service. Let Finish: Matte black Buck. Federal makes a Power-Shok it gather peaceful dust under the Trigger: 8 lb. 00 load that pushes nine pellets out bed or use it to clear the North 40 Sight: Front bead at a hasty 1,325 fps. of jackrabbits every month—it’ll run MSRP: $490 Back in the ’70s, a bunch of three- when you need it to. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 25 Pick Perfect Pistols Finding the right pistol is easy, but sorting through myriad options can be a headache. By J. Guthrie

www.cz-usa.com 26 cz-usa.com CZ 97B

ust picking up a half-pound CZ-USA catalog gives you an idea of how many different pistols and features the company Jis producing these days. The number of sexy gun photos within is astounding considering that a decade or two ago, the number of variations could have been counted on two hands.

It’s not that design engineers and battery of questions that get me in factory managers have nothing to the ballpark of appropriate models for do but come up with new designs them. Will you be carrying this pistol and models. Producing even a concealed? Is it strictly a car or house slight variation is an expensive and gun? How much will you practice— labor-intensive endeavor for even a not just intend to practice, but actually nimble company like CZ. So why go take to the range and shoot? All these to the trouble of shortening frames, questions are aimed at picking first a lengthening a barrel or swapping frame size and caliber, then features out sights and safeties? Someone such as safeties, sights and fire out there, or a bunch of someones, controls. I think most handguns fit into wants that feature or barrel length for three basic categories—lightweight, a very specific reason. compact carry guns; midrange guns It is wonderful to have options, that will work anywhere but will most especially since the needs of a police likely stay in the car or house; and officer are vastly different than those pure home-defense tools that never of someone who is competing in leave the nightstand except for oc- an IPSC match or just defending casional trips to the range. hearth and home. Sorting through the options can be difficult for even GOING SKINNY seasoned shooters and almost Thank God for all the new carry impossible for the novice. Why laws that allow most people in most would I want a decocker instead of a states to go armed in public. Gener- standard safety? Why would I want ally speaking, there are just a few a heavy, full-size pistol when this caveats to this, the main one being compact feels great in my hand? If a that the pistol remain concealed at lightweight 9x19mm is fine for carry, all times. This necessitates a smaller There are dozens of different why wouldn’t it work as a home-de- gun for most of us. Shorter frames pistols in CZ-USA’s catalog, all fense pistol? And since a life can be and grips and a high-quality inside- with different features. Picking the right pistol is simply a mat- at stake, answering these questions the-waistband holster are going to ter of looking at what features correctly is more important than keep our guns out of the public eye like frame size and fire controls picking the perfect blender. in any season and in any clothes will best suit a given purpose. When my friends ask for help pick- (save a Speedo). People just love ing a pistol, I have a pretty standard little handguns, especially if they are www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 27 People just love little handguns, especially if they are carrying them around all day in a concealment holster.

Both the sub-compact 9 mm RAMI (top) and CZ 97 B in .45 ACP (bottom) are self-defense pistols, but they have very different applications. A shortened alloy frame and slide allow the RAMI to be concealed under almost any clothing with the right holster. The big 97 B is very powerful and more suited to night stand duty.

it off, but most of us need displaces just a touch more water something more appropriate. than the typical five-shot revolver. When it’s my butt on the line, I It does not take a genius to figure want at least a 9mm. With a short- out that a carry gun needs to be ened frame and slide, it’s easy to shorter on both ends, but sorting pack this much gun and still stay out the rest of its features can be concealed. If you can handle a .40 tricky. This is one of the very few S&W, all the better. One of the best- guns where I prefer a decocker, a concealed ultra-compacts around safety lever that drops the hammer is the CZ 2075 D RAMI, available in safely when swept downward with both calibers. The barrel is just three the thumb, and that is a pure function carrying them around all day in a inches long, and, perhaps more of application. A fight might include concealment holster. important, the overall height is just moving from cover to cover, opening But the catch is that, while small 4.7 inches. That’s 1.1 inches shorter a vehicle door, shepherding loved guns like all the new polymer-frame than a full-size CZ 75. A shorter slide ones from here to there, reholstering, .380s are great to carry, they gener- and an alloy frame mean less weight, even carrying a small child out of ally place severe limitations on your and the RAMI weighs a pound less harm’s way. Generally speaking, I ability to shoot accurately and under than its steel-frame big brother. don’t want to do that with a cocked stressful conditions, i.e. at night while But the RAMI is still a big small pistol in hand. I also don’t want to rolling around the alley with an as- gun. The double-stack magazine and have to put down my Surefire or take sailant. And little guns, despite huge grip extension still give someone with my eyes off a threat to pinch the improvements in ammunition, do not large hands plenty to grip and control hammer and let it down to half cock. bring much horsepower to the fight. recoil for fast follow-up shots. Ten Since the grip and frame are abbrevi- Sure, they are enough to get you by plus one rounds of high-performance ated, manipulating fire controls is in a pinch, but it is like showing up to 9mm self-defense ammo is a pretty that much more difficult. a formal party in jeans, a T-shirt and good start, and 8+1 of .40 S&W isn’t In steps the decocker, and most of flip-flops:S ome guys can pull too shabby either, all in a pistol that your problems are solved. The RAMI is a double-action pistol with a hammer, and the decocker drops the hammer to the half-cock position so any sub- sequent shots after a decock do not require the full, heavy trigger pull. The SP-01 Another critical feature is night and CZ 97 B, sights. The dots are actually tiny vials while chambered for differ- that hold a radioactive isotope of ent calibers and hydrogen called tritium. The tritium meant for different excites phosphor lamps at the front applications, have of the vial, causing them to glow similar grip angles and fire controls allowing a brightly for years, hot or cold, day or shooter to effortlessly night. When the sights started hitting swap between the the scene, law enforcement night- two pistols. time qualification scores doubled or

www.cz-usa.com 28 cz-usa.com A shooter’s ability to handle larger calibers is often directly related to the amount of range time and ammo burned. Don’t pick a pistol you can’t handle because of inadequate training and practice.

tripled in many cases. Criminologists figure that seven out of 10 shootings occur at night or in the dark, so night sights are a must, period. I put them on every self-defense pistol across all three categories. The latest generation of gun- mounted lights is pretty amazing, but I generally save them for bigger pistols, preferring to use a handheld torch instead. There are very few concealment holsters that are made to include a gun-mounted light, and it would make an already uncomfortable proposition that much more uncomfortable.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD If your finances only allowed for the purchase of one handgun, middle-of-the- road is obviously a pretty good place to go. A midsize handgun (it says “full size” in the catalog, but there are bigger guns around) such as the CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical is a great tool that can be pressed into service across a This RAMI is equipped with a wide range of applications. decocker instead of a standard, The SP-01 family can be con- two-position safety which is a feature that can come in handy cealed by bigger guys or those with during high-stress, dynamic lots of experience. I am on the lighter self-defense situations. side of the scale and have to wear a light jacket and a really good holster to carry the SP-01 concealed, but www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 29 But I’m very glad that CZ-USA works so hard to get the right pistols in the right hands.

The CZ-75 SP-01 is a very capable pistol that will work fine in a variety of self-defense situations. It’s a touch big for concealed carry, but will work. The SP-01 really shines as a dedicated truck gun. it can be done, at least in the fall grip. Just don’t tell the RAMI. will tell you that that inch makes a and winter months. I wish it were as This handy, full-size gun is really at huge difference even at close range. easy as listing my favorite holsters, home in my truck, riding between the Line up the sights, and you are more but since everyone is so different in seat and console in a Kydex holster likely to hit with the full-size gun. The terms of body shape and develops that is secured to the seat frame with extra inch of handle gives you more his own carry preferences over time, para cord. Up comes the threat, out purchase and control and adds eight selecting the right carry holster is comes the SP-01, and the holster stays more rounds to the magazine. That strictly a process of trial and error. put. And since it’s the Tactical model, extra pound of steel helps control Barrel length is not the problem, the assailant will see the light—120 recoil. In short, the bigger SP-01 is since holsters, even those with a lumens of LED from a frame-mounted just more shootable. severe cant or rake, run the barrel Surefire X300 light, to be exact.P ay down alongside your leg. It is grip the extra money for the Tactical model, POWERHOUSE FOR THE HOUSE length that causes most mid- to full- since it has rails machined into its I think a 75mm pack howitzer loaded size guns to print on midsize people. frame, giving you the wonderful option with about 10 pounds of buckshot Any motion that changes the back’s of a gun-mounted light. would be the perfect home-defense angle in relation to the waist will pull The obvious question here is Why gun if you knew exactly through which the covering garment tight and allow not just carry a RAMI, since it can do door or window an intruder would the long grip to print. Remember everything the SP-01 can do, with the enter your home. It would be cool to that thick catalog with all the sexy exception of mounting a light? That see the look on his face, except that pictures? One of those pictures is of extra inch of slide is another inch of it’s doubtful he could make out much a compact CZ 75 with a shortened sight radius, and just doing the math with a 500-lumen gun light shinning

www.cz-usa.com 30 cz-usa.com Realistic practice is simply not an Just like a pistol, accessories like this SureFire X300 should be run extensively. option, it is a must. A concealed carry, Even though a range might not allow night fire, learning to run the light’s con- truck or home defense gun should be trols will pay big dividends in a self-defense situation. shot from cover, weak handed and one handed since life-and-death situations rarely come at you head on. pistol is a large handgun, difficult touches such as having the same to master for some and physically hammer profile can make a huge impossible to shoot well for others. Its difference when training, as you are in his eyes. Obviously, the neighbors weight controls the recoil well enough, essentially spending time with all of and BATFE frown on this sort of thing, but the larger grip gives small-handed your pistols at the same time. so we are stuck using the biggest, shooters fits.T he key to shooting the Very few of us could head out to meanest, most kick-ass handgun 97 well is practice, and lots of it. Get the local gun shop and order a full possible for home defense if a carbine on the range and run this pistol from battery of pistols, one for every oc- or shotgun is not an option. the barricade and weak hand. casion. But staying inside a family of The CZ 97 B or, even better, the BD It may be big and heavy, but the 97 pistols like the CZ 75 certainly gives with night sights is one of my all-time B is accurate and deadly—perfect for you a tremendous head start after favorite pistols in .45 ACP. They are sitting on the nightstand. a year of saving your spare change astoundingly accurate, a combina- finally adds up to the price of that tion of good barrels, slide-in-frame ALL IN THE FAMILY new compact or house gun. construction and a barrel bushing What is really nice about all the My guess is that it’s a huge that is found on no other model. All great pistols in the CZ lineup is that hassle to catalog all those differ- three I have put on the bench man- you can have all three categories ent pistols in all those variations, aged to shoot just over an inch with and still have close to the exact each one with its own parts and good ammo, and function was 100 feel and function across the board. engineering challenges. But I’m percent with a wide variety of loads. Even when you jump from caliber very glad that CZ-USA works so When you take a big .45 ACP, one to caliber, grip angles are the same, hard to get the right pistols in the that holds 10 rounds and can pre- safeties and magazine releases sit in right hands. It is up to you to work cisely deliver 230-grain Hydra-Shoks the same place and require the same through the pages and pick the or Gold Dots every shot, you have a motions to operate. Bringing up a CZ right features, the right size and formidable tool. But there is always RAMI or SP-01 to a target presents caliber, then train with that pistol a catch, and the 97’s is its size. The a duplicate sight picture. Even small until you are proficient. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 31 Bragging Size hard-hitting, mild-mannered medium bore: 9.3x62mm. By Greg Rodriguez

www.cz-usa.com 32 cz-usa.com CZ 550 American

ike most serious African hunters, I’ve spent countless hours curled up on the couch reading classic works of Africana. Reading about those long, hard Ldays on the ivory trail and the trials and tribulations of the hard men who tamed the Dark Continent has caused countless other African hunters to develop a fondness for the classic metric cartridges that played such an important part in shaping Africa’s history. The sweet-shooting 6.5x55 earned a fine reputation among oldA frican hands on medium-size game, and the Boers used the 7x57 to teach the British how effective that easy-on-the-shoulder cartridge is in the hands of a skilled marksman. My favorite metric cartridge, the 9.3x62, had a well-deserved reputation in the early part of the last century as an efficient all-arounder capable of dropping everything from duikers to Cape buffalo with a minimum of recoil.

All three of the above-mentioned eminently practical (and affordable) cartridges are still wildly popular in Kevlar-stock Model 550 American I Africa and Europe, but 6.5x55 and recently tested. 7x57 sales are pretty tepid here in America. The 105-year-old 9.3x62 Timeless Features isn’t one of our most popular car- Like all CZ 550s, the American is tridges either, but an ever-increasing based on the company’s outstanding interest in all things African has led Mauser-style action. The 550 action to a renewed interest in this model has all the requisite Mauser features of efficiency.T hough savvy shooters such as controlled-round feed and of all stripes appreciate the 9.3x62, a robust claw extractor capable of small-statured and recoil-sensitive yanking free all but the most hope- shooters in particular select this lessly stuck cases. It feeds from a cartridge because it is the smallest five-round magazine with a hinged legal dangerous-game cartridge in floorplate.T he floorplate’s release is most parts of South Africa and in recessed into the triggerguard, which Zimbabwe, where many Bwanas cut is an integral part of its one-piece The author used this slick little their teeth. bottom metal. A two-position safety Kevlar-stocked CZ in 9.3x62 to Though its popularity has soared and integral scope-mounting bases take his best-ever black bear. in recent years, as evidenced by are also standard. He will also be taking this same rig to Zimbabwe for buffalo, Federal and Hornady recently The 550’s trigger is a single-set hippo and croc. adding 9.3x62 factory loads to their design. The standard pull is a lineups, few companies chamber single-stage affair that breaks at 21/2 rifles for it. Fortunately, CZ-USA pounds on my gun with a minimum offers several 9.3x62s, including the of creep. Pushing the trigger for- www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 33 The CZ 550 American’s Kevlar stock is a clean, relatively straight design with a trim fore-end and a slight cheekpiece.

ward engages the set-trigger mode, The Perfect Scope which breaks at a light one pound, I ordered the Kevlar-stock CZ for three ounces. hunts in W.O. for black bear and The American’s trim, sporter- Zimbabwe for buffalo, hippo and weight barrel is, like all of CZ’s crocodile. Though I wasn’t sure when tubes, hammer forged. It is 23.6 I ordered it which of the African ani- inches and has a 1:14-inch twist, mals on my wish list I’d use the little which is ideal for stabilizing the 9.3, I searched for a scope capable 9.3’s 286-grain bullet. Its crown is of handling everything from black recessed to guard against accura- bear to buffalo. Leupold’s excellent cy-robbing dings. VX7 1.5-6x24mm riflescope seemed The CZ 550 American’s Kevlar to fit the bill. stock is a clean, relatively straight I ordered my Leupold with a dot design with a trim fore-end and a reticle. Though it’s tough to shoot slight cheekpiece. The stock has tiny groups with dots, they are ideal an aluminum bedding block that for fast, close work on tough, big- contributes to its strength and bodied game. I mounted the scope accuracy. My test gun’s stock is in- on the CZ’s integral bases with letted, and the barrel is completely Talley’s rugged, quick-detachable free-floated.A black, one-inch scope mounts. Pachmayr Decelerator pad and The Leupold scope proved to The CZ’s two-position safety is a drastic improvement over the sling swivel studs are standard. be a perfect match for the Kevlar- original Mauser’s. stock gun. The scoped rifle comes

All CZ guns have integral scope bases. The author used Talley’s quick-detachable rings to mount his Leupold scope. The setup is almost baggage handler-proof.

www.cz-usa.com 34 cz-usa.com That robust claw extractor and controlled-round feed are why so many traditionalists and old African hands swear by Mauser-style actions.

to my shoulder quickly and points now that I’ve put a few miles on it. Shots Fired naturally, and the Leupold’s wide The scoped-and-loaded rig is light Though there are not a lot of fac- field of view makes acquiring enough to carry up the mountain or tory loads available for the 9.3x62, dangerous game up close a breeze. on a long buffalo track, but not so Federal, Hornady and Norma offer At 1.5X, the field of view is more light that recoil will be a problem. The enough loads tipped with quality bul- than generous enough to deal with trigger is also first-rate. lets that I was pretty certain I could charging game, while the 6X top Though the buttstock, like all find at least one or two that would do end allows me to take advantage of factory stocks, is a bit long for me, well in the test rifle.U nfortunately, I the cartridge’s versatility. the trim little rig points and handles couldn’t get any of the new Hornady beautifully. The fit and finish is very ammunition in time for my testing, First Impressions good, and the gun looks great, too. but I soldiered on with loads from I was satisfied with the CZ-Leupold I was very pleased with the overall Federal and Norma. combination. The action is a tiny bit package and anxious to see if it I zeroed the Leupold quickly, rough, but it is starting to smooth up would shoot as good as it looks. and it wasn’t long before I was

The author enjoyed carrying the Kevlar-stocked CZ on his W.O. bear hunt. Here, he gets ready while outfitter Abe Dougan checks out a big boar.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 35 The Leupold scope proved to be a perfect match for the Kevlar-stocked gun.

accuracy until I fired Federal’s ing TV with Abe Dougan’s Big Boar CZ 550 American new 286-grain Swift A-Frame Outfitters.B ecause it’s new and so load, which averaged .67 inch incredibly accurate in the test rifle,I Action type: Bolt action with a best group of .43 inch. decided to put Federal’s 286-grain Caliber: 9.3x62mm Capacity: 5+1 That is amazing accuracy for A-Frame load to the test on those Barrel lengths: 23.6 in. any factory gun, much less a big-bodied B.C. bruins. Overall length: 44.5 in. relatively light rifle with Cape Weight empty: 7.4 lb. buffalo-killing horsepower. Its First Blood Stock: Kevlar incredibly mild recoil and that The CZ 550’s light weight came into Finish: Matte blue Trigger: Single set trigger, great CZ trigger are at least play on the first day, when we hiked 2.5 lb./11.5 lbs partially responsible for the 11.4 miles and 2,000 vertical feet up Sights: Rear notch, front blade ease with which I was able to the mountain as we searched every MSRP: $1,100 shoot such small groups with sunny slope and grassy knoll we the low-powered Leupold and could find for a bragging-size bear. shooting some pretty impressive its large dot reticle. It was a frustrating day because we groups with the new rifle.N orma’s I quickly gained a tremendous worked so hard but didn’t see a thing 285-grain Oryx load averaged amount of confidence in the CZ until last light, when a sow with two right at ¾ inch for five three-shot Kevlar as I continued to practice cubs ambled by. groups, with a best of .587 inch. with it in anticipation of a bear hunt Day two was another physically I was pretty impressed with that for an episode of Petersen’s Hunt- demanding day, but it paid off in

Left to right: PTV cameraman Conrad Evarts, CZ USA’s Jason Morton, outfitter Abe Dougan and Cole Rodriguez with a nice boar taken by Jason with his CZ in 9.3x62.

www.cz-usa.com 36 cz-usa.com Accuracy Results That’s pretty impressive accuracy Velocity 100-yard Average best for such a powerful cartridge and Load (fps) accuracy (in.) group (in.) a scope with a relatively large dot reticle, but it’s a pretty average Federal 286-gr. A-Frame 2,344 .67 .43 group for the Federal load. Norma 285-gr. Oryx 2,381 .75 .587 All accuracy figures are the average of five three-shot groups fired from a Sinclair front rest and rear bag at 100 yards. Velocity is the average of 15 rounds measured 15 feet from the muzzle with a Shooting Chrony chronograph.

solid prone posi- pounds, despite not having an ounce tion and stuck the of fat on it. In the fall, it would have Leupold’s dot a third weighed well over 700 pounds. Abe of the way up and couldn’t believe that all three of just behind the near my bullets had passed completely shoulder. I saw the through the blocky bear, but I wasn’t bear drop at the shot surprised. The 9.3x62 has been and heard the solid dropping tough, big-bodied animals smack of the bullet like that since Otto Bock designed it striking home, but in 1905. it was up in a flash a big way. My son took his first and heading for the thick stuff. We Africa-Bound bear with a single shot early in the gave chase, and I shot it two more Because it’s so damn accurate, afternoon. We had just finished skin- times, but neither was necessary. Federal has two 9.3x62 loads that ning out his boar when we spotted The heart-shot boar was dead on are perfect suited for Africa. The a huge color-phase bear feeding a its feet, and it piled up when it hit 286-grain Swift A-Frame I used in meadow below. We raced down the the edge of the brush line. W.O. and a 286-grain Barnes Banded mountain to beat the dark and then Abe and I approached the fallen Solid load at the same 2,360 fps. belly-crawled the last few hundred bear cautiously, but we threw that I’ve decided to take the little CZ to yards to get within range of the caution to the wind when we saw Zimbabwe in a few weeks. Though feeding bruin. how large and unusual the bear was. some consider the 9.3x62 marginal, At 108 yards, I slipped into a Its coat was a beautiful chocolate it will be my only rifle becauseI have color with red tips— total confidence that theA -Frame my first colored will do the job on buffalo and that the bear and the only Barnes solid will drive deep enough specimen of that to reach the brain of my hippo. And color Abe had ever thanks to the 550 Kevlar’s incredible seen. It also had a accuracy, I have no doubt that I can tremendous head guide one of those A-Frames through and was easily a crocodile’s walnut-size brain if I get the heaviest, most the chance. massive spring Clearly, I have a lot of confidence bear I’d ever seen. in the 9.3x62 cartridge and Federal’s Using a formula new 9.3x62 loads. But I wouldn’t used by the game even think about tackling a Cape department to esti- buffalo or hippo with an admittedly Push the trigger mate weights, Abe small cartridge were it not for the forward to set. determined that superb accuracy of the Kevlar-stock the bear weighed CZ 550 and the unfailing reliability of no less than 450 its proven Mauser action. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 37 V-BOB CZ offers up an all-American.

By JAMES TARR I Photos by Sean Utley

www.cz-usa.com 38 cz-usa.com DAN WESSON V-BOB

t a recent industry event, I was introduced to some new products, including a few shotguns and rifles from CZ and several new 1911s from ADan Wesson. CZ-USA is partnered with CZ-UB in the Czech Republic, so many of its long guns are made overseas. At this event, one of the editors of Guns & Ammo magazine asked CZ where the Dan Wesson pistols were made. Were they Croatian or Brazilian?

“New Yorkian,” CZ’s Jason Morton at a price less than a true handmade answered, much to the editor’s sur- custom gun. Yes, many Dan Wesson prise. “All of Dan Wesson’s guns are models are more expensive than made in the United States, from the what you’ll see on the shelves from raw forgings down to the springs.” other manufacturers, but you get The guns are made in Dan Wes- what you pay for. son’s facility in Norwich, NY, and I While every manufacturer’s have no doubt that this fact contrib- 1911s have benefited from the utes to the consistent quality I’ve tight tolerances inherent in having seen out of Dan Wesson’s 1911s in frames and slides machined by recent years. The East Coast is full computer-controlled equipment, it of experienced machinists. It’s the is not just tight fitting that qualifies New York location that throws me a pistol as semi-custom, but overall off. If you’ve ever driven into New execution of a design. Every Dan York from any direction, the first mile Wesson I’ve handled lately has had or so of road is lined with official just the right combination of smart signage listing all the things you features to make it a keeper, and the are now required by law to do: wear Dan Wesson Valor Stainless Steel your seat belt, turn on your lights Commander Bobtail is no exception. if your wipers are on, apologize to That’s a helluva long name, but luck- your passengers if you’re not driving ily, Dan Wesson has a nickname for a Prius (the list keeps getting longer it—the V-BOB. every year). Given its political track For many 1911 fans, the Colt Light- record, I’m surprised that the state weight Commander was the ultimate of New York still allows firearms iteration of the design for carry, but manufacturing inside its borders, I’ve never been a fan of alloy frames but I suppose it is willing to turn a in a 1911, much less one chambered blind eye to any company still able in .45 ACP. Sure, they’re lighter to to pay its taxes. carry, and that’s not a bad thing, Dan Wesson produces what I will but if you’ve got a quality holster call semi-custom 1911s. It doesn’t and belt, the extra ounces of a steel use that term, but I will. “Semi- frame won’t even be noticed—until custom” means a gun that is nearly you pull the trigger, and then it will be custom in quality and workmanship, a good thing. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 39 If any part of a gun is going to poke your shirt out when you lean over, it’s the part they’ve cut off on the V-BOB.

The Heinie Ledge rear sight (right) has a vertical segment backed up with a lot of steel specifically designed to enable the user to rack the slide one handed. The sights also have tritium inserts front and back (below) idential to Heinie’s standard “Straight Eight” sights—place one dot on top of the other and fire.

Dan Wesson Valor Bobtail

type: Recoil operated Caliber: .45 ACP CAPACITY: 8+1 weight: 33 oz. Let’s face it, folks, the .45 ACP is wasn’t looking, I sud- Barrel: 4.3 in. the pistol cartridge against which all denly became middle- overall Length: 8 in. others are judged when it comes to aged, which means I height: 5.5 in. terminal performance. That stopping have a lot of experience width: 1.3 in. slide/frame: Stainless slide and frame power comes at a price paid in recoil, with the 1911 design. If finish: Natural stainless and not only do steel-frame guns I were going to design a sights: Heinie Ledge Straight Eight tame the recoil of a .45 more than Commander-length 1911 trigger: 3.5-pound single action aluminum-frame ones, they are more for myself, it would look safety: Thumb/grip durable in the long run. Sure, modern like the V-BOB. Stocks: Black G10 Price: $2,040 alloys are great, but they aren’t as Dan Wesson says the strong as steel, which is always a V-BOB is the realization factor if you’re going to be putting a of all of the company’s desires in the checkering on the slimline G10 lot of rounds downrange. The main a defensive-style 1911 and that it laminate grips. advantage to aluminum is that it offers you everything you need and The slide-to-frame fit on my doesn’t rust, which is why the smart nothing you don’t. I have to concur. sample, which was not handpicked folks at Dan Wesson built the V-BOB First, the V-BOB starts with a forged for me, was easily the equal of any out of stainless steel. frame that is checkered 25 lpi on custom 1911 I’ve ever handled. I I have virtually spent my entire adult the front- and backstrap, with an literally couldn’t get it out of the gun life armed, most of that time carry- undercut triggerguard. The checker- store without two of the employees ing a 1911. A few years back when I ing on the frame is aggressive, as is offering to buy it off me. There was

www.cz-usa.com 40 cz-usa.com no play between the slide, frame and a Commander-length gun designed sides of the hammer are narrowed barrel at all, and yet the slide travel for personal protection I feel they’re slightly, so it doesn’t rub on the slide. was buttery smooth. The trigger pull superfluous. The barrel mouth and While I have seen bobtailed 1911 was fabulous, breaking consistently the frame’s feed ramp are both highly designs for some time, this was the and crisp at 31/2 pounds, whichI polished. first timeI ’d had a chance to get consider perfect for a 1911—if you The V-BOB wears a single-sided serious one-on-one time with one. know what you’re doing. combat safety that is just big enough Frames for 1911s are bobbed for Some trainers and gunwriters who not to be missed when the adrenaline two reasons. First and foremost is have lawyers on the brain like to say hits. Ambi safeties are cool, but concealability. If any part of a gun that light triggers are unsafe for real- inherently weaker. Anyone who is going to poke your shirt out when world carry, but I think they’ve spent shoots a 1911 should shoot it with you lean over, it’s the part they’ve too much time around shooters who a thumb-high hold (the right thumb removed on the V-BOB. Second, just just aren’t safe. If you keep your stays on top of the safety during taking that little corner off the butt finger off the trigger until your sights firing), but even so,I appreciated the makes a significant difference in how are on the target, a lighter trigger just very positive clicks on the V-BOB’s the pistol feels in the hand. means it’ll be easier to hit your target safety offers both up and down. The When I first picked up the V-BOB, when the time comes. I was impressed at how People who can’t follow The V-BOB features a white outline Tritium-insert front small it felt. While the that simple rule are partly sight made by Trijicon, which makes finding the dot in front-to-back dimen- low light much easier. the reason some Glocks sions of the frame are have New York triggers. unchanged for most of the While there are no length of the frame, the markings on the barrel whole grip feels smaller. bushing, it looks suspi- This is a .45? I said to ciously like a King’s Na- myself when I picked it up tional Match bushing. This and immediately checked is a good thing. The match the magazine, as it felt at barrel is 4.3 inches long first like one of the 1911s and without a ramp, but it with downsized frames for follows John Browning’s 9mms. The V-BOB’s slim- original design. It was only line G10 grips help shrink it when I held the V-BOB up in the hand, but with all the to the light that I saw that aggressive checkering on the last half-inch of the the frame and grips it just barrel was very slightly doesn’t move under recoil. flared for a more precise Back when I first started lockup with the bushing. shooting 1911s, you Pushing down on the could get arched or flat barrel hood while the gun mainspring housings, but is in battery is the tried- today everybody seems and-true field-expedient to have forgotten that the method for checking arched ones exist. The barrel fit, and the V-BOB’s V-BOB feels and looks barrel doesn’t move when like someone installed an this is tried. arched mainspring hous- The V-BOB does not ing on something similar feature a full-length recoil- to but smaller than a 1911. spring guide rod. I don’t The end result gives me have anything against full- a very slightly different length guide rods, but on grip angle than a standard www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 41 The V-BOB wears a single-sided combat safety that is just big enough not to be missed when the adrenaline hits.

The bobbed mainspring housing There was nothing wrong with the of the V-BOB makes it feel much CheckMate magazines, and they smaller in the hand than a standard functioned flawlessly except for not 1911, without sacrificing caliber or locking back the slide once when capacity. The mag well is beveled for faster, smoother reloads. shooting off a sandbag, but they look very traditional, and the V-BOB does not. The sights on the V-BOB are Richard Heinie’s Ledge Straight Eight night sights. Anyone who has opened a gun magazine in the last 20 years has seen Heinie sights, but the Ledge design is a bit newer. This is not a cosmetic change in the design; the Ledge actually serves a serious purpose. If for some reason one of your hands gets disabled during a serious social engagement and you need to rack the slide of your firearmASAP (reload, jam, etc.), getting this accomplished can sometimes be quite a chore. Back when I was a rookie in uniform we practiced various ways to rack a slide one-handed, and by far the easiest way to do it is to hook your pistol’s rear sight against something and give a sharp push. Desk edge, window ledge, even the front of your belt or the edge of your holster will do in a pinch. This does not work if your rear sight is a no-snag variety. The Ledge rear sight has a vertical segment backed up with a lot of steel specifically designed to aid the user in this exercise. This technique is something everyone should practice, but don’t do it with a loaded gun, as you’ll find you’ll be pointing it in all sorts of unexpected floorplates drilled for basepads, but directions. I wish at least one of the magazines Both the front and rear sights have would have come with a basepad, tritium inserts, the front surrounded 1911 with a flat mainspring housing as they make a big difference when by a white ring. The rear insert sits (more vertical), but I don’t think most seating a magazine at speed. Actu- below the notch, and in low-light people would notice it. ally, I would prefer that the V-BOB conditions the user should position The V-BOB comes with two come with premium aftermarket the two dots in a figure-8, hence the hard-chromed eight-round maga- magazines from PSI ACT-Mag or name Straight Eight. Personally, I zines from CheckMate with their Wilson Combat (just to name two). prefer a plain black rear sight with

www.cz-usa.com 42 cz-usa.com Accuracy Results lost a fight with a cheese grater. Back in the days when I shot and carried Bullet Velocity standard avg Group Type (gr.) (fps) Deviation (in.) hand-checkered 1911s, I had cal- luses on the inside of all of my fingers Black Hills JHP 230 841 12 2.3 and the web of my hand. Black Hills JHP 185 989 15 2.0 The V-BOB did not experience one Glaser Pow-R-Ball +P 165 1,173 11 2.1 single jam during my testing, either Winchester PDX1 JHP 230 874 9 1.6 off the sandbags during accuracy Cor-Bon DPX +P 185 1,027 13 2.3 tests or during full-mag dumps in Groups are an average of five five-shot groups from a sandbag rest at 25 yards. Velocities are the field.A s I mentioned before, the an average of five shots measured 12 feet from the muzzle with anA lpa F-1 chronograph from Shooting Chrony. slide didn’t lock back on an empty mag once while using sandbags, but I might have bumped the slide the tritium front, but legions of gun that while aggressive checkering is release. Most ammo brands grouped owners swear by the design. Heinie’s good on a fighting handgun, when around two inches at 25 yards, and standard sight picture allows just the you have to put box after box of +P the Winchester PDX1 did better than right amount of daylight around the ammo downrange for accu- that. As personal protection pieces front post. racy testing, your hand can go, it would be hard to beat the At the range I relearned the lesson come to feel a bit like it V-BOB at any price.

With its sharp checkering, excellent sights, and tight fit, the V-BOB is an excellent choice for personal defense. And best of all, it’s 100 percent American made in Norwich, NY.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 43 Mountain lions offer handguns hunters a unique opportunity.

www.cz-usa.com 44 cz-usa.com Dan Wesson Af ield By Mike Schoby A 1911 faces an unlikely opponent.

Dan Wesson valor

ohn Browning’s famous 1911 pistol is often thought of in one of two ways, either as a competitive pistol for one of the many shooting disciplines or as a Jdefensive arm for military, police and civilians alike. Rarely is it thought of as a hunting gun.

In the truest sense of the word, it slow-moving, big, heavy probably isn’t a hunting handgun, bullet, energy tables but over the years I have found be damned. This past plenty of hunting opportunities season, I was to see where the venerable 1911 is just the firsthand how the 1911 right ticket. Off and on for the past in .45 ACP would 20 years, I have carried a 1911 in work on slightly the field and found numerous oc- larger game, namely casions to employ it, from coyotes mountain lion. and jack rabbits to ground hogs I met up with Alice and even one unlucky black bear. Pulochova, president The 1911 shines afield because it is of CZ-USA in Grand easy to carry and easier to shoot. Junction, CO. It was With the right load, it can serve mid-February, and well as a medium-size game gun, the snow fell in a quiet if the ranges are kept close. In my blanket as we drove experience, it has always worked toward the quaint to a T, and the real-world ballistic results overshadowed what the paper foot-pounds would suggest it Alice Pulochova of is capable of. As Elmer Keith knew, CZ-USA is passionate about hunting big cats. there is something to be said for a

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 45 This past season, I was to see firsthand how the 1911 in .45 ACP would work on slightly larger game, namely mountain lion.

Tracks through fresh mountain town of Rifle. Our plan was When we arrived and met Andy, snow—exactly what hunters look for, but good dogs can simple and straightforward. Alice I easily saw why my friend was so trail even relatively old cat and I were to spend a week chasing impressed with him. You could tell tracks well. mountain lions with outfitter Andy immediately that Andy was passion- Julius (970-379-6917). You could say ate about hunting lions. Covered Alice kind of has a thing for big cats. in dog hair from head to toe and She had taken a beautiful lioness looking slightly disheveled as well in South Africa back in 2005 and a as sleep deprived, he had been hard great leopard in Namibia the previous after cats for the better part of the year, but so far after three attempts past 48 hours. “You guys got here at mountain lion, she had gone home at the perfect time. We had a few empty-handed. Hence, we booked a inches of snow two nights ago, and trip with Andy. I had heard about him it has been clear ever since. The through a friend who knows good cats have been out making track. outfitters from bad. This friend had I have been up the last two days hunted with Andy a couple of times straight, taking naps in the truck and raved about him. That was good when I get too tired, looking for enough for me. good tracks, and I have a couple of big males isolated in two different canyons.” Guide Trend Snyder with Excited by the fantas- his favorite tacking hound. tic news, we hurriedly Trent keeps his dog on a unpacked our gear and lead until fresh tracks are found. got ready for the following day’s hunt. After our clothes were unpacked and sorted out, we headed out to the back of the lodge to the makeshift gun range. Opening up a small case, Alice withdrew a stainless steel, full-size 1911. On the side was written “Dan Wesson.” Being somewhat of an amateur competitive pistol shooter in my youth, I was familiar with the Dan Wesson brand, made famous by its revolvers with inter- changeable barrels, but this was the first time I got to fondle one of the company’s new autos. “When we decided to start building 1911s in 2005, we didn’t want to create just another ‘me,

www.cz-usa.com 46 cz-usa.com The mountains around Rifle, Colorado are steep and snow-covered making hiking challenging. too’ model. We wanted to build the it looked, I knew my checkbook was I grew up around mountain lions best 1911 possible. I think we suc- going to feel the bite. in my home state of Washington ceeded,” Alice informed me. Holding When I asked her if I could try it, and held a tag nearly every year the gun, I had to agree. Alice handed me a loaded maga- I hunted. However, I had never The slide-to-frame fit was precise zine. I inserted the mag in the bev- hunted with dogs, so this was a and tight, as was the fit of barrel eled well and cycled the slide. The first for me. Following Andy to the to bushing in front. The gun fit is round seated home with a precise top of a mountain on snow-packed Swiss-watch perfect, a mark of a snick. It is one thing to make a gun roads, we came upon his partner, quality build-up, one that involved tight; it’s a completely separate Trent Snyder, waiting in a truck, cup lots of handfitting. As I turned over thing to make a gun tight and of hot coffee in hand. “The track the gun, admiring it from every function well. This gun achieved is right over here,” he said as we angle, cool features just kept pop- both. The Heinie sights presented a pulled up. As we walked through the ping out at me. In fact, to a guy like clean image against the target as I knee-deep snow, the track of a large me who likes to occasionally build squeezed off the first round. Dead male mountain lion could easily be a 1911, it was almost dishearten- on. A few more rounds just en- seen. “It is a day old, but the dogs ing—there was really nothing left to larged the hole. Shooting a super- shouldn’t have a problem following customize. It appeared that every accurate .45 is a lot like shooting them,” he continued. With that, he 1911 problem had been polished out the red-star-target game at the fair got two dogs out of the box in the of the Dan Wesson line. Features with a bb-gun machine gun: The truck, snapped on their leads and such as Heinie sights, custom hole just gets larger as you see took them over to the track. The stocks, a precisely fit Ed Brown chunks of target disappear. Very dogs buried their noses in the first beavertail, a flared ejection port, pleased with the results, I handed track, went to the second and did a polished barrel throat, a slightly the Dan Wesson back to Alice with it again. By the third track, the lead extended slide release as well as a smile. After she checked the gun dog let out a long, drawn-out bawl, safety, a match barrel and a check- with a few rounds of her own, she and he had the track locked in his ered backstrap rounded out the holstered it and we were ready for mind. Unsnapping the leads, Trent package. If the gun shot as well as the following morning. let the dogs run. “Now comes the www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 47 Maybe next time I’ll pull the trigger, and if I do, you can bet it will be with a Dan Wesson 1911.

waiting. It could take anywhere from an hour to a day. It all depends upon how far the cat has traveled since yesterday.” We sat back, opened a Thermos of coffee and listened to the dogs work the trail up the valley. After an hour or so, the dogs were no longer in hearing range, so Alice, Trent and I headed out on foot to see if we could hear them. Andy and his son mounted snow machines and ATVs to cut some of the roads surrounding the valley to see if the dogs had followed the cat out of the area. We had walked for possibly an hour in deep snow and worked our way up to the head of the valley without any sign of the dogs when Trent’s radio crackled. Though his voice was garbled, you could hear Andy say, “They jumped the cat…. Hot on…trail… Heading over to the next drainage. Come down… mountain… Pick you up at the bottom… snow When a mountain lion is treed, but before the hunter takes the shot, the dogs machine.” The dogs could be heard are tethered to prevent them from charging in on a wounded cat. baying frantically over the airwaves. Smiling, we started off on the long hike to the bottom. The snow was deep and the hike was long, but at least it was downhill. When we reached the bottom, Andy was waiting for us, and we piled onto the snow machine and the trailer he was towing. It was a rough ride back to the top of the mountain and into the next valley, but it was much easier than walking. We got to the head of the next valley in a little over an hour. Once there, we stopped to listen. Way down in the next drainage you could hear the dogs barking. They had a cat treed. It was like music, and for the first time I understood what the allure of hounds was all about. We still had a couple of hours until dark. The sun was out, turning the Colorado mountains into a When the hunt is over, even the dogs seem to know it and quickly become winter wonderland of sparkling calm. Some even bed down next to the cat for a few winks after the long run. snow and blinding white light mixed

www.cz-usa.com 48 cz-usa.com with the reds and browns of the The author and Alice Pulo- exposed cliff faces and the verdant chova with her hard-won green of the evergreens. Colorado mountain lion. Taking it with a handgun Leaving the snow machines, we was a unique twist to the started to hike. By the time we got story that made the hunt close to where the dogs were baying, even more rewarding. the late-winter sun had lost its intensity and started its slide toward the horizon, skirting the surrounding mountaintops with its last rays and painting the hills in a golden glow. Suddenly, we saw the dogs under a gnarled, old juniper, barking and trying to climb the lone ancient tree. As we got closer, the cat could be seen. It was a large male, as we thought, poised just 20 feet off the ground. “Get ready,” Andy said. “In small trees like this, cats will often jump. Dogs can get hurt, and even if they don’t, we don’t have enough daylight left to tree him again.” Alice got in position and drew her 1911 from the security of her shoulder holster. Until now, I don’t think any of the cowboys in the party were too sure how she would handle herself with a handgun. But it was easy to see from her two-handed, rock-steady hold that this wasn’t her first rodeo. When the dogs were tethered away from the tree, Andy gave her the go-ahead. Her first shot hit a branch and deflected; her second shot hit home. The cat stiffened, froze and toppled out of the tree. A cacophony of dogs and hollering people ensued. One look at Alice’s face and you could see she was elated. I was elated for her. On a cat hunt, pulling the trigger is only a small part of the experience, and I felt that just by being there I was richer for it. The hard hiking, the tracking, listening to the dogs—it is there for everyone to share, and I was just glad to be along for the ride. Maybe next time I’ll pull the trigger, and if I do, you can bet it will be with a Dan Wesson 1911. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 49 Long Range Accuracy The CZ-USA 550 Urban Counter Sniper earns its name.

By eric R. poole I Photos by Sean Utley Field Photography by Derek McDonald

www.cz-usa.com 50 cz-usa.com Long Range Accuracy

A Leupold Mark 4 LR/T M1 is a proven companion to the CZ 550 UCS. The first-focal-plane scope permits 65 MOA of adjustment, more than enough to engage targets out to 1,000 yards.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 51 The CZ 550 UCS is built with a compact profile for maneuverability and is light to handle.

Each CZ 550 UCS rifle features a number of distinct features. The large, 90-degree bolt handle is easy to manipulate once it’s broken in. Mounting a scope requires a unique set of rings, the rear grab- bing an integral notch in the receiver. A Surefire muzzlebrake mini- mizes felt recoil and stands ready to accept a Surefire suppressor.

precision shooter A BUILDING BLOCK this article describes, in it he says needs the building Matt Hunter, a CZ-USA gunsmith, are some trade secrets that enhance blocks of accuracy: settled on the design for this this model’s accuracy. He says that A a good rifle, a good particular configuration back in the UCS firedH ornady’s 168-grain position and the consistent 2007. “I started playing about five TAP at an average of 2,373 fps, application of marksman- years ago and then progressed losing just 173 fps when compared to ship fundamentals. I’ll be from there,” he says. “It began as 24-inch-barrel velocities. “Shooting upfront about the fact that a varmint gun that I OD’d. I started a 168-grain A-Max load, we lost 238 I was a little hesitant to use shooting it with a 24-inch barrel and fps when shortening the barrel to 16 the new short-barreled 550 then considered what a rifle like inches, but that bullet still reaches Urban Counter Sniper (UCS) this could do with a shorter barrel. 2,410 fps,” he says. in a formal long-range preci- I didn’t see too much of a velocity The CZ 550 UCS is built with a sion rifle course. drop, and there was no change compact profile for maneuverability From range evaluations completed in accuracy at short ranges. But and is light to handle. If your mission during the weeks leading up to the as you know, a 16-inch barrel is has ever required you to set up with event, I already knew that it could loud. So I decided to put a Surefire your rifle in an elevated position, at meet the expectations of many law adapter and suppressor on it, one time or another you’ve probably enforcement agencies. I can easily which made a significant differ- had to ascend a room or building send 10 shots into a 100-yard group ence. Some of the law enforcement without the aid of stairs. So you, like measuring less than an inch. But is a agencies that I shot it with really me, can appreciate this handiness. 16-inch barrel long enough to help a liked it and recommended it for You might also be able to appreci- .308 reach out to a sniper’s accepted production.” ate the Bell & Carlson stock, which standard of one MOA at 1,000 yards? Hunter read some of the notes he utilizes a semi-benchrest fore-end. I wasn’t very confident. took during testing. Besides what It’s smooth but does settle easily into

www.cz-usa.com 52 cz-usa.com The 10-round box magazine keeps follow-up shots ready. It’s protected by a rubber sleeve that helps the mag fit tightly against the receiver when engaged. a bag or pack, as well as a field-ex- hand will be when you come off pedient flat fore-end. Underneath are the trigger to unload or reload. You CZ-USA 550 UCS two eyelets that will readily accept a just don’t have to think about it, it’s ACTION TYPE: Bolt action sling or bipod. I fixed a foldingH arris always right there. There’s a tech- CALIBER: .308 Win. bipod to the first eyelet and left it nique taught to snipers regarding CAPACITY: 10-rd., attached throughout training. how to quickly cycle a bolt action, detachable box The stock features an aluminum and a large bolt handle like this one BARREL: 16 in., 1:12-in. twist OVERALL LENGTH: 37 in. bedding block, a matte-black finish makes manipulating the 90-degree WEIGHT: 8.3 lb. covered with green strands that make bolt throw so much easier. The bolt STOCK: Kevlar, aluminum you think of hair. Just in front of the on my rifle was extremely tight to bedded block triggerguard is a 10-round detach- lock and unlock when the rifle was FINISH: Teflon able box magazine. It’s a sign of CZ’s new, but around my 200-round TRIGGER: Single set SIGHTS: None awareness that the modern sniper count, it became a lot easier to demands sufficient follow-up capabil- manipulate and much smoother. ity. A rubber sleeve wraps the mag, Clean and lube, clean and lube. minimal accuracy degradation at and whether it was intended or not, it The cold-hammer-forged barrel is distances out beyond 400 yards. dampens the metallic noise when the where my doubts were with this rifle At the exit of each 550 UCS mag is dropped. You can guess as to leading up to a trip to Washington, barrel is a Surefire muzzlebrake how I know. but CZ reminded me that using a that makes the rifle ready to My favorite feature of the 550 short, stiff, free-floated 16-inch accept a quick-detach suppres- UCS is the oversize bolt handle bull barrel with a target crown is a sor. It softens recoil and helps used to operate the dual lug proven benchrest principle. CZ-USA recovery after every shot is fired. Mauser-style bolt. The handle is asserts that barrel harmonics The unfortunate side effect in that perfectly positioned where your are more consistent and there is in achieving such effective recoil www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 53 Actual snipers will tell you to never rely solely on technology, but use it to supplement the fundamentals.

Students typically fire around 300 rounds during the Precision Long Range Rifle course. Targets are positioned from 100 to 1,000 yards, and students are taught core skills including how to interpret ballistic data and scope theory. reduction, the powerful blast is ger. Setting the single-stage trigger the two action bridges. The rear deafening to shooters sharing the removes the takeup and the added bridge features a notch that requires same firing line (unless the 550 pressure required to engage the a special CZ ring to engage the UCS is operating with the Surefire sear and release the firing pin, but notch. When they’re attached and suppressor), and the blast can active military personnel and police the flat-headed screws are torqued, certainly mark your position when officers with whomI train don’t the rings do a good job of keeping it kicks up everything around you. realize that the trigger has to be the scope in place. It spent a week of The barreled action’s olive drab- pushed forward to be set. I always honest treatment in the field recently, colored Teflon coating is extremely have to explain. With the trigger set, and I never had to rezero this rifle. To rugged. In four days this rifle was the rifle fires after about one pound this day, I’d still trust a shot out of it often being drug through abrasive of pressure. Touching the trigger after figuring dope. dust, knocked around and subjected in any way before actually taking Take note of one thing when to constant baking under mid-90- a critical shot in law enforcement configuring your own 550 UCS: You degree heat and sunlight. When I may draw department scrutiny, but do have to be careful which optic finally made it home from another the heavy pull required for standard you choose, because one with a arduous training event, I wiped down configuration might only appease short tube won’t permit enough fore the rifle and was surprised that there agencies that don’t trust officers and aft range of movement to allow still wasn’t a noticeable scratch on with lightweight triggers in the first proper eye relief to be set. the entire surface. place. CZ-USA can also install a To activate the trigger on the 550 conventional target trigger for this OPEN RANGE UCS, you have two options. You model on request. Evaluating a rifle that could be can pull the trigger straight through Like other CZ 550 actions, this one considered for use by our nation’s (which required about five pounds requires the purchase of proprietary law enforcement should include of pressure), or you can set the trig- rings. A dovetail base is integral on testing beyond a gunwriter’s local

www.cz-usa.com 54 cz-usa.com Instructor Calyen Wojcik served as the chief sniper to the Anbar Province in Iraq and participated in Operation Phantom Fury. Even today, Wojcik’s unique sense of his surroundings is evident as he tries to share what he sees with each student.

square range. For this reason, I needs the help of a spotter. steel target stands at 2.1 MOA tall chose to bring the 550 UCS with This course pushes students to es- and eight MOA wide. You’d think that me to a former Marine sniper’s new timate range, interpret environmental size would be more forgiving for small long-range precision rifle course factors, make wind calls, calculate errors, but at that range a .308 arcs sponsored by Surefire and held near dope, range and make first-round hits more like a mortar than the straight- Yakima, WA. out to 1,000 yards. There’s a consid- line missile you’d imagine. The bullet An expansive field in theP acific erable amount of math involved. The seemingly falls out of the air. Northwest serves as Central Cas- cade Precision’s training center. It’s surrounded by pine-covered moun- WITHOUT COMPROMISE tains and situated far from civiliza- Central Cascade Precision is owned and operated by Caylen Wojcik in the moun- tion. Instructor Caylen Wojcik (see tains of Selah, WA. Created in 2010, the four-day course is new to the world of sidebar) refers to it as a “sniper’s long-range marksmanship, but Wojcik is not. In 1999 this U.S. Marine became range.” There are no range flags and a sniper. He was selected to teach at the 1st MAR DIV schoolhouse in 2001 and more wind changes than a former would train more than 300 students before deploying to Iraq with 3/1 in 2004. Marine Corp Scout/Sniper School His combat experience permeates analogies he makes through each period of instruction, and his decorated chest lends humility. His effective service in instructor could ask for. Because discharging the enemy before they had the chance to kill his fellow Marines was the field sits in the bottom of a bowl, cut short during Operation Phantom Fury when an enemy rocket impacted nearby wind direction at the muzzle could and wounded him. Wojcik eventually recovered and worked as an instructor at fly nine to three o’clock, but at the the Special Operations Training Group (SOTG) before checking out of the Corps six target it can fly three to nine. Then months later. His attempt at transitioning to civilian life wasn’t easy considering the wind could suddenly fall apart. who he is, so he created CCP to teach what he knows best: marksmanship. Experiencing this underlined the For more information, visit ccptraining.com fact that a long-range shooter really www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 55 What seemed like a second or two later, the metallic sound of a first-round hit made it back to my ears.

The CZ 550 UCS proved itself quick to deploy and engage, even when having to shoot from soft supported positions such as over a pack. When you attend this type of training, be sure that cleaning gear, a data book, a spotting scope and rifle supports make it on your gear list.

After four days of gaining confidence in the CZ 550 UCS and my equipment, I had earned valuable pages in my data book on the rifle’s performance. At 100 yards, you can expect a sub-MOA group. At 400 yards, it only grows to 3½ inches, if the shooter does his part. I easily walked the rifle back to 1,000 yards, just in time for our known- and unknown-distance evals. Then my rangefinder took a dump. SoI had to rely on my spotter. distance portion during the last day I pushed the CZ’s set trigger Fellow gunwriter J. Guthrie was of a precision long-range rifle course. forward and waited for the spot- lying prone beside me and tuned With the target measuring .68 mils ter’s permission to fire. A pound my calculations. Actual snipers on the mil dot reticle with the Leupold after I heard “Send it,” the blast will tell you to never rely solely on set on 10X, I used my constants to from the Surefire muzzlebrake technology, but use it to supplement calculate and guess that the target was tore through the dry grass beside the fundamentals. I’m glad I was placed at 961 yards. Guthrie checked me and I caught an awesome paying attention and taking notes and rechecked his Swarovski laser glimpse of the bullet trace before it on Wojcik’s detailed instructions. rangefinder.I t read 939. Not too bad for finally splashed. What seemed like Looking at a white silhouette target a field formula that brought elevation a second or two later, the metallic washed with mirage, I depended on up 44½ inches. Guthrie made the wind sound of a first-round hit made it a classic mil-dot reticle to estimate call and had me push right 20 to com- back to my ears. Four shots later, I my last target’s range on an unknown pensate for wind speed at the target. had an eight-inch group.

www.cz-usa.com 56 cz-usa.com TRIGGER PRESS THE CZ 550 Urban Counter Sniper rifle features A Unique SET trigger. By John Fasano

The trigger pull is key on a precision rifle. It doesn’t matter how ger to a dramatically lower pull weight. Double set triggers have razor sharp your mega-buck 30mm-tubed optics or powerful literally two triggers. Pulling one of them sets the second to a your “tactical match” ammunition is, if the amount of pressure veritable hair trigger. Single set trigger systems, like the one that required to actuate a terrible go-button is too great or inconsis- comes standard on the .308-chambered CZ 550 Urban Counter tent, it will throw off the shot. In a police or military situation, Sniper rifle, are usually activated by pushing the trigger forward that could cost someone his life. until it clicks. At that point the trigger pull required may be While American rifle owners have for years gotten used to down to mere ounces. taking their out-of-the-box guns with heavy, factory-set, lawyer- Why do you want this feature? Having owned several field proof triggers to gunsmiths to have the fire control system and tactical rifles with set triggers, I can tell you why. Control. polished up or even replaced completely, the Europeans had The Urban Counter Sniper comes from the factory with a trigger another method. They built two triggers into one. that’s user adjustable for weight, creep (or takeup) and over- travel. The adjustment screws are accessible when the action is The Set Trigger removed from the Kevlar Bell & Carlson stock, but in the case of my test rifle that was unnecessary, as it emerged from the box The set trigger mechanism is a specific with an excellent, no, astoundingly clean four-pound pull with kind of rifle lockwork that allows the virtually no creep. shooter to manually set the trig- While the CZ Urban Counter Sniper’s standard trigger is one of the best I’ve encountered on a bolt-action rifle, The trigger must be pressed what if you are a police office bearing down on a hos- forward before the trigger tage situation or a hunter looking over crossed sticks set feature can be utilized. at that prize you’ve stalked for three days? Then the It reduces the trigger from set trigger can come into play. A forward press on the a conventional five-pound trigger blade and you now have a true match-quality draw to a one-pound set. trigger pull of less than one pound. In this mode the CZ SST (Single Set Trigger) will give you the absolute lightest, crispest trigger pull you can get so you can eliminate fighting the trigger from the equation of making a successful shot. Now, what if you’ve set the trigger on your CZ 550 Urban Counter Sniper rifle and decide not to take the shot? Simply engage the rifle’s safety, point the gun in a safe direction, then pull the trigger. You’re back to normal trigger operation. I took the Urban Counter Sniper to a private training facility near Los Angeles to evaluate the SST advantage. It was mounted with a Leupold 4.5-14x50mm Mark 4 Long Range Tactical scope in CZ 30mm rings, and targets were set up at 100 yards. A sup- ply of the consistently most accurate .308 ammunition on the market, Federal’s 168-grain Match, was loaded into the 550’s rubber-sided 10-round magazines. Once the scope was dialed in, the Urban Counter Sniper began printing sub-MOA groups off the Caldwell Tack Driver Shooting bag. Switching to the set trigger mode, I settled behind the rifle and began to work on my breath control. At 14X, you can see the effects of your breath, mirage, even your heartbeat. In a situation like that, you want a trigger that will go when the sight picture is perfect. Once I got used to the set trigger, the CZ began nestling the boattail hollowpoints into groups approaching ½ MOA – almost half the size of the groups fired with the normal trigger setting. This is impressive shooting considering that this rifle, with its 16-inch barrel, was designed first and foremost for law enforcement short-range urban sniping applications, where the average contact, according to FBI statistics, is within 75 yards. LE or military tactical marksmen may be called up to “thread the needle” and take a very precise shot into a relatively close hostage situation. They will need precise control over the rifle’s trigger, and the CZ 550 Urban Counter Sniper with the single set trigger system will give them exactly that. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 57 The ultra hot, mis-named hit woman “AK-47” played by Autumn Reeser lit up the screen—and the bad guys— with a pair of VZ61 Skorpion pistols in the killer sequel SMOKIN’ ACES II: ASSASSIN’S BALL.

www.cz-usa.com 58 cz-usa.com CZ Stars By John Fasano I Photos by Richard Edlund and Hollywood Screenland Firearms from CZ light up the SILVER screen.

CZ 75 Compact

ifles, pistols and machine guns manufactured blow back the slide, so in order by CZ are among the most reliable and rugged to make a CZ 75 pistol work with firearms in the world. They have reliably served blanks, we have to grind off the Rshooters’ needs, from European armed forces to locking lugs on the barrel and inside the game plains of Africa, for decades. It’s no wonder, then, the slide.” Basically, this requires that the world cinema is chock full of appearances by these them to take one of the world’s legendary firearms. most reliable pistols and make it less reliable on the set. Ouch! CZ 75 makes it one of the most dif- In spite of the difficulties of adapt- No less a firearms authority than ficult pistols to make fire blanks, ing it for movie F/X blanks, the CZ Jeff Cooper, the “father of modern limiting its use on movie and TV 75 in its various model incarnations pistolcraft” and founder of Gunsite sets. Pete Smith, armorer on the can be seen on the big screen in Academy, considered the CZ 75 to recent military action filmSniper: the hands of some of Hollywood’s be the finest combat pistol design, Reloaded, explained to me, “There biggest stars. Die Hard star Bruce and he used its “slide inside frame” are basically two different types of Willis is no novice with a firearm in as the basis for his Bren Ten 10mm semiauto pistols: straight blow- his hands, and he toted a pair of automatic pistol. In the field, they back, which means that the pistol’s CZ 75Bs in the 2006 action thriller are nearly bulletproof, and dozens of barrels are either fixed or floating Lucky Number Slevin, featuring variations have appeared not only in back and forward, and drop-barrel Pearl Harbor star Josh Hartnett and U.S. gun shops, but also on the big guns, in which the barrel actually Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu. Willis’ and small screens. unlocks and drops down to aid the professional assassin character, Mr. Ironically, while the pistols are cartridge feeding into the chamber. Goodkat, carries his dual CZ 75Bs more striking in appearance than In movies, we use blank cartridges fitted with suppressors and, in the many that get more screen time, that have powder and a lightweight current rage in movies, fires both the bank-vault action of the CZ 75 wad. They rely on gas pressure to guns simultaneously.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 59 Basically, this requires them to take one of the world’s most reliable pistols and make it less reliable on the set. Ouch!

www.cz-usa.com 60 cz-usa.com When Pierce Brosnan took over the role of James Bond in GOLDENEYE, Agent 007 found himself facing Old Cold Warriors and their CZ firepower.

Clockwise from previous page: CZ rifles and handguns guest When Ben Affleck took over the pistol-wielding, werewolf-hunting star with the cast of CBS TV’s role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan (origi- vampire Kate Beckinsale plays in the THE UNIT, Victoria Profecta nated by Alec Baldwin and Harrison Underworld films. InUnderworld: and her victim, and Chris Ford) for the Tom Clancy nuclear Evolution, Beckinsale’s Selene is THOR Hemsworth tote CZ-75 clones in the film CA$H, but bomb thriller The Sum of All Fears, blocked from escaping by Hungarian superstar Bruce Willis has real he found himself on the wrong side police wielding CZ 75s. Sadly, they’re twin CZ75Bs in LUCK NUMBER of the CZ 75s carried by Russian no match for a full-fledged vampire. SLEVIN and Gene Hackman agents. If you missed acclaimed In 2001’s Behind Enemy Lines, and Rebecca Pidgeon in David Mamet’s crime drama HEIST. playwright/director David Mamet’s Owen Wilson portrays an FA-18 crime drama Heist, check out the navigator who is shot down on a DVD. This tense thriller features reconnaissance mission during the Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and war in Bosnia. The soldiers trying Delroy Lindo, as well as the CZ 75B, to capture him are armed with CZ which figures in the intense final 75B’s, and Wilson eventually gets shootout scene. his hands on one as well. If you’re Edward “The Hulk” Norton is a going to be shot down in enemy ter- convicted drug dealer who has one ritory, the 75 is a good thing to have day left before he goes to jail in the as a sidearm. Spike Lee-directed movie 25th Hour, And while I don’t know if it’s a good and he wants to make that day count. idea to remake John Milius’ Cold His CZ 75 is along for the ride, so War classic Red Dawn, Hollywood is don’t expect a happy ending. Like- doing it anyway with Marvel’s mighty wise the 75BD Dane Cook uses to go Thor, Chris Hemsworth, replacing after Kevin Costner’s killer character, Patrick Swayze as the leader of the Mister Brooks, in the same-titled 2007 regular teenage citizens who take film co-starring Demi Moore. I won’t up arms against an invasion from give away the ending, but it’s a thriller. China. Considering Hollywood’s I don’t know about you, but I love track record with remakes, get to the the sexy, leather-wearing, dual- video store and check out the 1984

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 61 the firearms created by CZ continue to thrill and excite us at the local multiplex and in our own living rooms.

VZ-58V lets loose and original, where high school students International Arms Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas dealer Nicolas Cage Howell and Jennifer Gray take on doesn’t seem to like the sound of his own prod- invading Soviet troops toting CZ 75s. ucts in LORD OF WAR. If you’re one of the millions who tune in to USA Network’s “Burn Notice,” you can catch series star Jeffrey Donovan’s ex-spy Michael Westen carrying a multitude of firearms, including the decocker Roger Moore’s James Bond is surrounded by version of the CZ 9mm, the CZ 75BD. beautiful women and And if you’re younger than me, you’ll VZ-58s in OCTOPUSSY, come across the CZ 75 as the third- using one rifle to save a person handgun on video games particularly important part of his anatomy! including Wanted: Weapons of Fate, Grand Theft Auto IV and Resident Evil Survivor.

CZ 100 The 100, CZ’s earliest polymer gun, first produced in 1995, is double action only (DAO in 9x19mm Luger and .40 S&W). Its most notable screen appearance is in the hands of the Professor, Clive Owen’s cool hitman in The Bourne Identity. On television, it is the sidearm used by Patterson Joseph as one of the handful of survivors after an infec- tion wipes out most of the Earth’s population in the BBC miniseries of the same name.

CZ 52 and 83 A Cold War-era single-action automatic chambered for the bottle- necked 7.62x25 Tolkarev cartridge, the CZ 52 can be seen in the hands of Bosnian civilians in the Gene Fill your hands! Tommy Hackman filmBehind Enemy Lines Flanagan loves his and in several episodes of the new two chrome plated VZ-61 Skorpions in the “Battlestar Galactica” TV show, but original bog screen my favorite appearance of the 53 is SMOKIN’ ACES as the sidearm of Robbie (the giant Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies) Coltrane’s Valentin Zukovsky, colorful smuggler and James Bond’s “sort of” friend in the Pierce Brosnan movie Goldeneye. In a more serious turn, the 52’s

www.cz-usa.com 62 cz-usa.com little brother, the CZ 83 small-screen TV shows in .380, belongs to the into big-screen Hollywood treacherous Conklin, movies is second only to portrayed by Chris Cooper, comic book adaptations as Jason Bourne’s creator these days. Skorpions and and tormentor in the excit- CZ 75s abound in these ing 2002 version of Robert action films with European Ludlum’s spy page-turner, locations, like the Eddie The Bourne Identity. Murphy/Owen Wilson remake of the Robert Culp/ VZ 58 Bill Cosby TV series “I Spy” The independent Czechs and “Get Smart,” starring didn’t adopt the AK-47, “The Office’s” Steve Carell building their own VZ 58. as Agent 86. Comic book One was issued for combat movies are not left out of the scenes in the classic Full CZ picture, as members of Metal Jacket, as well as the the Joker’s gang in The Dark excellent George Clooney Knight, the vampire soldiers thriller The Peacemaker, in the Wesley Snipes sequel Behind Enemy Lines, Lord Blade II and Angelina Jolie of War and the crazed, Timothy Olyphant, star of TV’s JUSTIFIED, went all out as Fox in Wanted all did their as the shaved head HITMAN in the movie inspired by artificially intelligent fighter- the video game. nefarious deeds with the VZ plane filmStealth . 61 in hand. The VZ also plays a his enemy Merovingian’s henchmen Leonardo DiCaprio, star- major part in the action in many of in The Matrix Revolutions. ring as agent Roger Ferris in Body of the later Roger Moore’s James Bond Actress Richy Müller brings along Lies; resistance fighters in the cool films such asFor Your Eyes Only her Skorpion in the Vin Diesel action 1984-type world of Christian (Termi- and A View to a Kill in the control of fest XXX. nator: Salvation) Bale’s Equilibrium; the faceless guards trying to snuff A pair of Skorpions blasted up the and Alessandro Nivola as Pollux Troy 007’s candle. The most memorable place in Tommy Flanagan’s hands in Brian DePalma’s face-swapping Bond moment from this period is in (with a custom two-tone finish) when Face/Off love their Skorpions. Octopussy, when Moore’s super- he played Lazlo Soot in Smokin’ Fans of French action flicks secret agent is sliding down a banister Aces. In the sequel, Smokin’ Aces (yeah, they have them) can watch and uses the folding-stock VZ 58V 2: Assassin’s Ball, starring Tom post-apocalyptic gang members version he’s grabbed from a baddie to Berenger, two Skorpions—all blue slinging Skorpions in the knock-off shoot an ornate globe off the end of and without their wire buttstocks— of Kurt Russell’s Escape From New the banister that is about to smash in were now in Autumn Reeser’s York, B13, and its sequel, District his scrotum. hands. For some reason, Reeser’s 13: Ultimatum. These French films character’s name is AK-47, but she from the producer who did the three VZ 61 SKORPION prefers her two CZ machine pistols. Transporter films feature lots of Produced in .32 ACP, .380, 9x19 Ma- I always thought that your second gunplay and free running—that’s karov and 9mm, the Skorpion sub- gun was there to be faster than a when guys jump off buildings to get machine gun, with its wire foldover reload, but these movie assassins around cities (something I gave up buttstock, is one of the sexiest (there, drain both 9mms at the same time. when I got out of college). I said it) submachine gun designs I guess then they take cover and From historic battlefields to around, and it’s now available from reload two guns… science fiction futurescapes, from CZ-USA as a semiauto pistol in .32 On the small screen, the Skorpion James Bond to Jason Bourne, the ACP. The squirt-gun version graces machine pistol has been seen in firearms created by CZ continue to the big screen in Keanu Reeves’ “Battlestar Galactica,” “JAG,” “Star- thrill and excite us at the local multi- hands as Neo in The Matrix and with gate” and “The Unit,” but making plex and in our own living rooms. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 63 Baker’s Dozen CZ offers a ONE-STOP SHOP FOR BIG BORES from .375 on up. By Craig Boddington

The author and Bill Jones took this Mozambique buffalo with Jones’ .505 Gibbs. The big .50s aren’t easy to shoot well, but if you can handle them, they are marvelous for really big game.

www.cz-usa.com 64 cz-usa.com CZ 550 American

n Africa it’s referred to as the Bruno, a simple, straightforward Mauser that’s hell-for-stout and works every time. I’ve seen well-worn CZs from Brno all over the I continent—in the hands of professional hunters, game rangers and, yes, elephant poachers. More recently, I’ve seen quite a few of them (not so well worn) in the hands of visiting sportsmen and sportswomen.

Historically, the basic CZ sporter U.S. by CZ-USA’s custom shop. This has been chambered to the almost being the case, they will be happy universal .375 H&H. I’ve written to build you a CZ 550 magnum in before about a battered CZ that we just about any cartridge you desire. recovered from an elephant poacher Name your poison. Since I tend in the Selous. The stock was white, to like bigbore rifles, I think this the metal was rusty, and the action is great. But I don’t want to make worked just fine, digesting with no things more complicated than they problems campfire handloads made need be. After all, few of us have from recovered solids pounded enough use for bigbores to want more or less round and propelled one of each, so we have to make by powder and primers from AK47 decisions. Let’s take a closer look at cartridges. CZ’s baker’s dozen of bigbores. Today things are a little more complicated. The CZ 550 for dangerous THE BASIC .375 game is no longer a vanilla ice-cream In North America we tend to think .375 H&H—or maybe a chocolate of the .375 as a bigbore, and on chip .458 Winchester Magnum. In this continent it truly is. Only the the several various magnum models, bison and the walrus are big enough the CZ 550 is now offered in fully 13 to suggest the need for a larger bigbore chamberings from .375 H&H caliber. In Africa, however, the .375 on up. I am not aware of any other is traditionally considered a medium production rifle offered in this many bore. This is not damning with faint bigbore options. The 13 cartridges praise. Contrary to what is often writ- I’m speaking of are .375 H&H, .375 ten, the .375 is not the legal minimum Ruger, .404 Jeffery, .416 Taylor, .416 for dangerous game in all African Ruger, .416 Remington Magnum, .416 jurisdictions. Some countries have Rigby, .425 Westley Richards, .458 no stated minimum, and quite a few Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .450 dip down just a bit further, making Rigby Rimless Magnum, .500 Jeffery the popular European bullet diameter and .505 Gibbs. of 9.3mm (.366 inch) the minimum. This is not the absolute limit. Only It is, however, perfectly correct to the .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .458 Win- say that the .375 is street legal for chester Magnum and .458 Lott are dangerous game throughout the built in Brno as complete rifles. The African continent, and this is saying rest are barreled and stocked in the quite a bit. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 65 The CZ 550 for dangerous game is no longer a vanilla ice-cream .375 H&H—or maybe a chocolate chip .458 Winchester Magnum.

The .375 Holland & Holland In 1905 Holland & Holland tried a diameter of .532 inch, the same as Magnum, or .375 H&H, has long countermove with the .400/.375 Nitro the rim and belt diameter of the .375 been a traditional CZ chambering. Express. Although the first commer- H&H. This means that the cartridge Introduced in 1912, it is the most cial belted cartridge, the .400/.375 can be fitted into any .30-’06-length popular .375 (and probably the most NE was anemic, and it flopped. They action with a bolt face sized for popular cartridge above .30 caliber) tried again with the much more pow- belted cartridges. Thanks to its larger in the world. In the early years of the erful .375 H&H Magnum on a longer case diameter, the .375 Ruger, a joint 20th century the staid British gun case, and this time they got it right. Hornady-Ruger design project, actu- trade was getting nervous about the Today the .375 H&H uses a 300-grain ally exceeds .375 H&H performance popularity of new cartridges from bullet at 2,530 fps or a 270-grain by a slight margin. Currently loaded both Mauser and Mannlicher cham- bullet at 2,690 fps, both reaching well only by Hornady, neither it nor any bered in rifles a whole lot cheaper above 4,000 ft-lbs in energy. other .375 is likely to overtake the than the “British best.” One of these CZ also offers the relatively new .375 H&H in popularity. However, it’s worrisome cartridges was the 9.5mm .375 Ruger, an unbelted .30-’06- a neat little cartridge that I’ve used (.375) Mannlicher-Schoenauer. length cartridge with a rim and base quite often in recent years. It shoots a wee bit flatter than the H&H and delivers a little more energy, and because of its efficient case design, it is able to reach full velocity in a shorter barrel. The recent popularity of the .416s has made a lot of shooters question the adequacy of the .375 for buffalo and such. The .375 H&H is not a big gun on buffalo, but it is absolutely adequate. In fact, the bullets we have today are a whole lot better than the hunting bullets available in 1912, so I would say the .375 is more adequate today than it was in 1912. It is perfect for lion and the very largest plains game (eland). I consider it very marginal for elephant, especially in the thick cover where so much elephant hunting is done today. However, there should be no confusion here. The .375 may be a small caliber for elephant, but it is very much on the correct side of the margin. The real beauty of the .375, however, isn’t that it will perform adequately on the largest game. Rather, it’s that it performs so well on everything else. Its real strength as a medium bore is its wonderful versatility. On this continent the .375 is ideal for the biggest bears. It’s CZ’s Alice Poluchova used a CZ 550 in .450 Rigby Rimless Magnum to take this lioness in Zimbabwe. The CZ is probably the only non-custom a perfectly good moose cartridge rifle offered in this powerful cartridge. and wonderfully effective on elk,

www.cz-usa.com 66 cz-usa.com especially with lighter bullets loaded yards, a big kudu at 250 yards or an fast. However, it shoots flat enough, elephant at 20 yards. There is just yet hits hard enough to be used on one more thing that must be men- almost any game in the world under tioned. Milder .375s like the H&H and almost any conditions. This is espe- Ruger go about their business with cially endearing in Africa, where you calm efficiency, producing surpris- A HALF-DOZEN LARGE MEDIUMS never know what you might run into ingly mild recoil that almost anyone In the smokeless era, the British at any given moment. With a scoped can learn to deal with. This cannot be termed cartridges from .450 caliber .375 you can take a steenbok at 200 said of any larger cartridge. and upward the true bigbores. In his 1948 Classic African Rifles and Cartridges, John Taylor dubbed the cartridges between .400 and .450 as “large medium bores.” I think this is extremely apt. Cartridges in this class are unquestionably better for the really big stuff than smaller calibers, though this always depends on shot placement. You are better off with a .375 bullet in the right place than a .416 bullet in the wrong place. Provided you can shoot them equally well, the large mediums will be more effective on really big stuff like buffalo and elephant. The tradeoff is that they are not as versatile as the .375 for everything else. However, I like the “large medium” classification The author used a .375 H&H with 300-grain solids to take this problem elephant. because it still connotes some level The .375 is legal for all game in all African jurisdictions today, and while it is of versatility, which these cartridges not a large caliber for elephant, it is definitely adequate. definitely have. CZ offers a choice of six large medium cartridges: .404 Jeffery, .416 Taylor, .416 Ruger, 416 Rigby, .416 Remington and .425 Westley Richards. These cartridges are so ballistically similar that performance in the field will be more or less identical, especially with modern loads and modern bullets. This makes the choice fairly difficult. The .404 Jeffery is the oldest of these, introduced by W.J. Jeffery in 1909. At that time the rimmed .450/.400 (in both three- and 3¼- inch versions) was easily the most popular of the double-rifle cartridges, prized in both Africa and India for its versatility as well as its effectiveness. A standard left-hand CZ 550 in .375 H&H. Aside from the dependability of its Mauser action, hallmarks of the CZ are good open sights and a single- Jeffery’s intent was to replicate the set trigger, a great aid to accuracy when you have time to use it. .450/.400’s performance in a bolt- www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 67 In just a few years the .458 Winchester Magnum became the standard dangerous-game rifle all across Africa.

Alice Poluchova took this huge leopard with hounds in Namibia. As president of CZ USA as well as an active African hunter, Poluchova must be given much of the credit for CZ’s extensive bigbore offerings.

action rifle, so initial (and traditional) back, with both Hornady and Norma make shooting relatively simple out ballistics were identical: a 400-grain offering new factory loads. Although to 200 yards and change. bullet at 2,150 fps, yielding right at a big case, it can be crammed into Although a wonderfully effective 4,000 ft-lbs of energy. This is not most .375-length bolt actions (it’s cartridge, it was retained by Rigby as a powerhouse of a load. The case an easy fit in the CZ), whereas only a proprietary round, so relatively few capacity allows for more powder and genuine magnum-size actions can were actually made. Its popularity more velocity, so most modern loads house the larger-cased .416 Rigby. today is based largely on Bill Ruger’s are quite a bit faster. However, at its One drawback is that its bullet dream of having a big bolt action in original velocity the .404 Jeffery was diameter—.423 inch, or 10.75mm—is .416 Rigby, which he created in 1988 perfectly adequate for game up to not nearly as popular today as .416, along with Federal’s factory load. elephant (as is the .450/.400). so the bullet selection is limited. Today the .416 Rigby is probably the Rifles in this chambering were of- While the .404 Jeffery made the most popular large medium, and fered by many British gunmakers. For sales, the .416 Rigby got the glory. In- it’s certainly more popular than it reasons that are hard to fathom, the troduced in 1911, it has a case design ever was in the good old days. Its .404 Jeffery is no longer as famous as modern as tomorrow, and right drawback is that its extra-large case as the .416 Rigby, but in its day it out of the starting gate it was fast requires a full magnum-size action. was by far the most popular of the and powerful. The original load was a Factory loads are readily available large mediums. Thousands of rifles 410-grain bullet at 2,370 fps. Today a from Federal, Hornady and Norma were made, and the .404 Jeffery was 400-grain bullet at 2,400 fps is more (and specialty suppliers), although standard game-department issue in common. Either way, it develops a ammunition is more costly than for Kenya, Tanganyika and the Rhode- full 5,000 ft-lbs of energy. It is easily other options. There are plenty of sias. It is not currently as popular as adequate for elephant under any great .416 bullets available today. the .416s, but it is making a come- conditions, yet shoots flat enough to Many of the old British Nitro

www.cz-usa.com 68 cz-usa.com Express cartridges dropped by the ington Magnum at the same time. wayside after Kynoch discontinued The .416 Remington is almost the loading for them in the late 1950s and same as the wildcat .416 Hoffman, early ’60s. European ammo for the developed by the late George Hoff- .404 Jeffery was available through- man, one of few Americans to achieve out, but the .416 Rigby was kept success as an African professional shoulder is slightly different. I had a alive only by American handloaders. hunter. George used the full-length .416 Hoffman back in the early 1980s. In 1988 the Ruger/Federal project .375 H&H case for his cartridge. For those who still have them, .416 brought back the .416 Rigby, but Remington used instead its 8mm Remington Magnum ammunition will Remington introduced its .416 Rem- Remington Magnum case, so the chamber in .416 Hoffman rifles, but not the reverse. The .416 Remington follows the proven formula of the .416 Rigby: a 400-grain bullet at 2,400 fps, yielding about 5,100 ft-lbs of energy. The difference: It does it from a much smaller case that can be housed in any .375 H&H-length action. Because of its much larger case, the .416 Rigby develops quite a bit less pressure than the .416 Reming- ton. There are rumors out there that the .416 Remington has occasional sticky extraction because of its higher pressure. Yes, the pressure is higher, but it is no higher than a lot of

The .404 Jeffery was actually the most popular of the British large mediums. Today it is enjoying a bit of a comeback, with new factory loads available from both Hornady and Norma.

CZ’s baker’s dozen of bigbores, left to right: .375 H&H, .375 Ruger, .404 Jeffery, .416 Taylor, .416 Ruger, .416 Remington Magnum, .416 Rigby, .425 Westley Richards, .458 Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby Rimless Magnum, .505 Gibbs, .500 Jeffery. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 69 The CZ rifles are generally fairly heavy, and gun weight is unquestionably the best and easiest way to attenuate recoil.

This great Kenya tusker was taken in the early 1960s. The rifle is the original Winchester Model 70 African in .458 Winchester Magnum. These days the .458 Win. Mag. takes a lot of bashing, but it has probably accounted for more thick- skinned game than any other single cartridge. (Photo by John Dugmore)

I’ve found it very difficult to get it all the way up to the standard .416 formula of a 400-grain bullet at 2,400 fps, but it comes close enough that no buffalo will ever know the difference. It was a fairly popular wildcat before the .416 revival of 1988, and it almost made it into factory form at least twice. I other popular cartridges, including had one that I used in Africa just a few most of our belted magnums. I have years ago. It’s a great little cartridge, asked around all over Africa, and I but ammunition is only available from have never heard of a documented specialty suppliers such as Superior, case of extraction problems with the so it will probably appeal most to .416 Remington Magnum. My belief handloaders. is that this is a taste of sour grapes The .416 Ruger is just two years from traditionalists who prefer the old, created by necking up the .375 .416 Rigby. Aside from a smaller case Ruger case to take a .416 bullet. and the ability to be housed in more Slightly greater case capacity than the actions, the other advantage to the .416 Taylor coupled with increased .416 Remington Magnum is that the efficiency of its fatter case enables it ammo tends to be cheaper than for to achieve 2,400 fps with a 400-grain older cartridges such as the .404 bullet, so it is the ballistic equal of Jeffery, .416 Rigby and .425 Westley the .416 Rigby and .416 Remington Richards. Magnum but has the advantage of CZ also offers both the .416 Taylor fitting into a .30-’06-length action.A s and .416 Ruger. The .416 Taylor is a is the case with the .375 Ruger, at this wildcat developed in the 1970s by the writing Hornady is the only manufac- CZ offers three bigbore cartridges late Bob Chatfield-Taylor, a gunwriter turer loading the .416 Ruger. using the .458-inch bullet diameter. Left to right: .458 Winchester who introduced his cartridge in Guns The .425 Westley Richards is Magnum, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby Rim- & Ammo magazine. A simple neck- another old-timer, introduced by less Magnum. The .458 Winchester ing down of the .458 Winchester the British firm of WestleyR ichards Magnum is perfectly adequate for Magnum case, the .416 Taylor will in 1909, the same year as the .404 the largest game. The other two are faster and more powerful, but at a fit into any .30-’06-length action. Jeffery. At that time the rival firm of price in higher recoil. Because of its small case capacity, John Rigby had an exclusive ar-

www.cz-usa.com 70 cz-usa.com rangement with Mauser, so magnum are fine choices and might find favor Mauser actions weren’t available to with hunters who want something either Jeffery or Westley Richards. just a bit different. I have used all The .404 Jeffery is the maximum of the .416s on dangerous game. case that can be crammed into a They’re all great and genuinely equal .375-length action. The .425 Westley in performance, but just recently I classic Nitro Express cartridges: a Richards took a different tack. It is had a custom .404 Jeffery built. It’s 500-grain bullet at 2,150 fps, yielding the first commercial cartridge with a great cartridge, and I’ve always about 5,100 ft-lbs of energy. a rebated rim behind a very fat case wanted one, which seems a perfectly Winchester’s timing couldn’t have body, far ahead of its time, and it adequate excuse. been more perfect. In the late 1950s has a very long neck. These features Kynoch began discontinuing the big- combine to make it one of the most A TRIO OF .450s bore Nitro Expresses, so hundreds distinctive-looking cartridges ever The old-timers figured the large-bore of fine old rifles were shelved for developed. smokeless cartridges started at lack of ammo. In just a few years the The .425 Westley Richards actually .450 and worked on up. There were .458 Winchester Magnum became uses a .435-inch bullet diameter, a number of rimmed cartridges for the standard dangerous-game rifle but ballistics are pretty similar to double rifles between .450 and .500, all across Africa. It uses a .375 case the rest of the large mediums we’ve but, oddly, there were no bolt- shortened to 21/2 inches and necked discussed so far: a 410-grain bullet action cartridges until you got up to take a .458-inch bullet, with at 2,350 fps, yielding just over 5,000 to the .50s. So the .458 Winchester very little body taper. This means it ft-lbs of energy. Although pretty Magnum, introduced in 1956, was can be housed in a .30-’06-length much an exclusive with Westley a genuinely new development. It action. However, case capacity is Richards, the .425 was fairly popular. emulated the performance of the pretty small to get the cartridge up It was the standard game-department issue in Uganda, and it’s The author and PH Danny Bartlett took still offered by Westley this wonderful old lion at last light on Richards as well as CZ. the edge of Namibia’s Etosha National Park. Bartlett carried his “Bruno” in Its .435-inch bullets .375 H&H, a standard professional are unusual, but they’re hunter’s rifle all across Africa. readily available from Woodleigh. Ammunition is available from Kynoch, Westley Richards and custom loaders such as Superior. As to which of these to choose, toss a coin. Performance on game is too close to call. The .416 Rigby is probably the most universally available. For sheer economy, the .416 Remington Magnum wins. The smaller, lighter actions of both the .416 Taylor and .416 Ruger are appealing. However, both the .404 Jeffery and .425 Westley Richards www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 71 For the largest game, I do believe bigger is better, but only if you can handle the rifle. And only you can determine that.

to full velocity, especially with the who want a bit more or something dif- propellants available 50 years ago. A ferent, CZ also chambers its Magnum compressed load was required, and Express rifle, in the extra-large action, there were some reports of faulty to .450 Rigby Rimless Magnum. ignition and inadequate penetration. This is a very simple necking up of How widespread this might have the .416 Rigby case to take a .458- been is unknown. It did occur, but inch bullet. It was developed by Paul it should also be pointed out that Roberts, then proprietor of Rigby, in because of its timing, Winchester’s 1994. Paul and I used two of the first .458 almost certainly accounted for .450 Rigby rifles on safari in Tanzania more elephant, buffalo and rhino in September of that year, and per- than any other bigbore cartridge. formance was spectacular. The .450 To alleviate the powder compres- Rigby is powerful and fast, propelling sion, factory loads were quietly a 500-grain bullet at 2,350 fps. Recoil downloaded to 2,040 fps, yielding is considerable, but there are no flies 4,620 ft-lbs. This is a bit slow to on its performance. Factory ammuni- ensure penetration on elephant tion is now available from Norma in bulls, but with modern propellants its PH line as well as from specialty the .458 can be handloaded to suppliers, and of course it’s simple to slightly exceed original specs. There handload the .450 Rigby using .416 are modern factory loads, includ- Rigby cases. ing Hornady’s with 500-grain DGS solids and DGX softpoints, that do THE MOST POWERFUL PAIR exactly that. So although .458 bash- CZ also chambers its Magnum ing is popular, the .458 Winchester Express rifles to .505 Gibbs and .500 Magnum remains a sound choice, Jeffery. Both of these are real pow- with inexpensive ammo and the abil- erhouses, among the most powerful ity to be housed in shorter, lighter, cartridges ever harnessed in sporting cheaper actions. rifles. Both have made somewhat Gunwriter and rifle tinkerer Jack of a comeback in recent years, and Lott was one of the African hunters although both were famous in their who experienced problems with the day, they are probably more popular .458 Winchester Magnum. The car- today than ever before. tridge that bears his name was just The .505 Gibbs was developed by one of several .458-caliber wildcats The CZ 550, this one in a strong the British firm of George Gibbs in based on the full-length (2.8 inch) laminated stock. 1911, as soon as magnum Mauser .375 H&H case blown out to take a actions became generally available. .458-inch bullet. Lott developed it in ammo, whether for practice or in a It has a huge and imposing 3.15-inch the early 1980s using a straight case pinch, can be fired in a Lott chamber case, with its original load a 525- with slight taper and headspacing with no problems at all. grain bullet at 2,300 fps, yielding on the belt. Depending on who is In the early 1990s Hornady 6,190 ft-lbs of energy. Actual bullet doing the loading, his cartridge easily legitimized the .458 Lott as a fac- diameter is .505 inch. It is believed achieves from 2,250 to 2,300 fps with tory cartridge, with ammo readily that Gibbs made just 75 .505 rifles, a 500-grain bullet. Recoil is con- available. To my thinking, it is the but the cartridge was immortal- siderably more fierce than the .458 preeminent bigbore cartridge for bolt ized by Ernest Hemingway as his Winchester Magnum, but the velocity actions, able to be housed in a .375 fictional professional hunter’s choice is adequate to ensure penetration on H&H-length action, able to digest in The Short, Happy Life of Francis an elephant’s skull from any angle. .458 Winchester Magnum ammo Macomber. Norma includes the .505 A great advantage to the .458 Lott when desired and powerful enough Gibbs in its PH line, so ammunition is is that .458 Winchester Magnum for anything that walks. For those now more available than ever before.

www.cz-usa.com 72 cz-usa.com The .500 Jeffery was almost so with this cartridge one must be certainly developed by the German very careful to match the ammo to firm ofS chuler, with a European the rifle. CZ chambers to the original designation of 12.7x70mm. It was version with rebated rim, and that’s introduced in 1928, just before the the version Norma loads in both Great Depression. Original ammuni- solids and softpoints. The bigbores are not versatile. tion was loaded in Germany, never in If you want a cartridge that’s England, and pretty much vanished THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU? ideal for buffalo but might be used after World War II. It is believed that All 13 of CZ’s bigbore cartridges will occasionally for elephant, the large Jeffery actually made just 20-odd handle the largest game on earth. mediums are probably your most .500 Jeffery rifles, so until its recent Ammunition availability is a bigger sensible choices. On the other hand, revival this was a very rare cartridge. concern for some than others. if you’re serious about elephant hunt- The .500 Jeffery has a much more Although some of these cartridges ing, one of the bigbores is surely right tidy case than the .505 Gibbs, with are more popular than others, loaded for you. They are specialized tools, a case length of just 23/4 inches. ammunition is available for every one but if you need one, you may need it However, it was loaded considerably of them. So it seems to me that there really badly. hotter, with its .510-inch diameter, are two primary considerations to Except you must also consider 535-grain bullet at 2,400 fps yielding take into account. First, what do you the “R” factor, meaning recoil. We all 6,800 ft-lbs of energy. The original intend to do with the rifle? If you want have different levels of tolerance, and version has a slightly rebated rim. the utmost in versatility, then the .375s while it is possible to learn to deal Unfortunately, there is also a much are your best choices, and your only with higher recoil, every shooter has later version with a full rim diameter, other choices are the large mediums. a limit. Very few people can learn to deal with extra-powerful cartridges like the .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs. The .450 Rigby and .458 Lott are fairly unpleasant, but they’re not even in the same league as the two .50 calibers. The CZ rifles are generally fairly heavy, and gun weight is unquestionably the best and easiest way to attenuate recoil. With adequate gun weight, the large mediums are more manage- able. Reality, however, is that almost anyone can learn to handle a .375 of adequate weight. Not everyone can step up from there. So you have to be honest with yourself when choosing a bigbore. For the largest game, I do believe bigger is better, The author used a .416 Taylor to take this Mozambique buffalo in 2007. In the days but only if you can handle before the .416 Remington and the rebirth of the .416 Rigby, the compact .416 Taylor was a very popular wildcat. It’s still a fine cartridge, offered by CZ, though not the rifle.A nd only you can loaded by any major manufacturer. determine that. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 73 Matt Mink shoots the 2007 USPSA National Championships in Tulsa, OK. (Photos courtesy of USPSA)

www.cz-usa.com 74 cz-usa.com The CZ-USA Competitive Shooting Team By James Tarr CZ’S TEAM STAYS ON TOP IN COMPETITION.

competition

hile it may be true that In the U.S., Hobdell was one of everybody is normal the first professional shooters to use until you get to know him, certain occupations a CZ in competition. He first used Wtend to attract, well, unusually interesting folks. a CZ 75, then progressed to the Professional shooters are just that type of people. SP-01 when that was introduced. He currently competes with a new Angus Hobdell, captain of Team Hobdell runs CZ Custom (czcus- version of the design, the SP-01 CZ, got interested in firearms while tom.com), which does all the custom Shadow, which is available through he was living in his native England. pistol work for CZ-USA and any CZ CZ Custom. It has a few features Angus is originally from London, and or Dan Wesson owner who needs specifically designed for competition, he started shooting competitively or wants work done. Hobdell is well including no firing-pin block, lighter in 1986. In 1996 when the British known for his colorful personality, springs and upgraded features government decided to outlaw all and he’ll be the first to point out to including a new rear sight designed the “dangerous” guns, he suddenly anyone he meets that he doesn’t by Hobdell. found himself without a job, although have an accent. “The problem is that The story of how Hobdell met the government was nice enough to you’re listening in American, but I’m Matthew Mink, shooting for Team buy all the guns off of him that it had talking in English,” he likes to say. CZ since 2004, is classic. “I was just outlawed. He sold his house, Even though he now spends more shooting at the 2003 USPSA National shot in Spain for about a year, then time running a business than he does Championships with a Glock,” Mink wandered to the U.S., where he had as a competitor, Hobdell is still an likes to explain. He was a B-Class already spent some serious time avid practical shooter, competing shooter at the time, which is middle- shooting. He had been to Phoenix in IPSC matches all over the world. of-the-road when it comes to skill several times and really liked the He likes to travel and keep current level. “I shot the first day of the area, so he decided to settle down with what’s going on in the world, match like a B-class shooter, but there. He’s been living in Phoenix as well as ensure that CZ is properly then everything clicked. So after the ever since. represented at major matches. match I was looking at the final match www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 75 In the U.S., Angus Hobdell was one of the first professional shooters to use a CZ in competition.

results and couldn’t find my name, this was with a gun I knew nothing David Miller uses a CZ Sporter with because I was starting at 30th place about. All I did was shoot the sights an adjustable stock in Sporting Clays and FITASC competition. He uses an and going down, like usual. When and try not to miss.” The die was Improved Modified over a Modified I hit 100th place and still couldn’t cast—Mink ordered two SP-01s from choke on his 32-inch barrels. find my name, I quit. Next to me is Angus, and within a few short days this guy who’s violently, boisterously he was approached by Hobdell and complaining about this B-Class guy asked to come shoot for Team CZ. in third place, and I look up there, and Team CZ isn’t just about pistol it’s my name.” competition, and David Miller has Hobdell has no problem tattling been running a shotgun in competi- on himself when he does something tion for them for three years. memorable, and his version of the “I’ve been shooting Sporting Clays story finishes with him loudly yelling competitively for nine years and at out at the room, “Who the #@%& a high level for four,” Miller, a Master is Matthew Mink?” Mink, standing Class-level competitor, explains. next to him, raised his hand and He uses the CZ Sporter over/under said, “Um, yeah, that’d be me.” 12-gauge for Sporting Clays as well There weren’t necessarily any hard as FITASC, a European variation of feelings between the two, and they Sporting Clays. talked for some time. The next day, “That is probably the most fun you Mink went on to beat all comers can have with your clothes on,” Miller (including Hobdell) in the Shoot-off, says with a laugh about FITASC. “The which is completely unheard of for a B-class shooter. He didn’t stay B-class for long. The next year Mink and Hob- dell shot the Area 4 Champion- ship together (which Mink won), and at the end of the match he got a chance to handle Hobdell’s SP-01s. “I was just falling in love with it, it was awesome,” he remembers. “I liked everything about it, the way it felt in the hand, the sights, the trigger, and I knew Angus built it. I was thinking The gun that is an enhanced version of the original SP-01 design, with new sights and of switching away from the Glock, lighter springs. Available only through CZ as there were a lot of things about Custom. (Photos by James Tarr) it I didn’t like even though I could shoot it. “It just so happened that Angus was flying back to Phoenix the next day, and I was flying to Phoenix for a week to work, so we decided to go to Tuesday Night Steel at the Rio Salado Gun Club. I had no ammo or gun and asked to borrow his stuff when I got there. So I shot Angus’ Production gear, and the only guy there who beat me was [multiple world champion] Rob Leatham—and

www.cz-usa.com 76 cz-usa.com thing with Sporting Clays, it’s about Miller is a full-time CZ employee, our lessons, mount their gun to their managing your movement and not but he’s a lot more than just a profes- shoulder 500 times. I have them working hard to break the targets. sional shooter. “I work 50 hours a put a small flashlight inside a spent Let the targets do the work for you. week for CZ, but only spend 15 or hull inside the chamber. That acts The Sporter is a heavy gun, which re- 20 percent of my time shooting. All as your point of impact and casts duces recoil. Out of the box, the gun the sales reps who are in the U.S. a beam on the wall. It’s important weighs eight pounds. Mine’s got a report to me, and I’m in charge of when practicing with a shotgun to custom stock on it, so it weighs just a sales to all the big-box retailers in the have a vivid imagination, because smidge over nine pounds. Actually, I country. I was in the fitness equip- you need to visualize the target in have two, a main and a backup, both ment service and repair industry for your mind flying across the wall and with 32-inch barrels. The bottom 14 years prior to this, which is how I making your move to the bird with barrel has a Modified choke, and the have these relationships with these the least amount of erratic move- top barrel is Improved Modified.” big-box retail stores.” ment as possible. He’s put more than 35,000 rounds Miller also does guide work with “I have them mount and move and through his main gun in the past two his three Springer Spaniels and a swing to a break point, all the while years and loves it. Not only doesn’t little teaching as well. “There is a keeping, or trying to keep, that beam he have problems, he’s found that the way to practice for Sporting Clays of light on a straight line. It’s pretty Sporter is also not picky about ammu- without firing live ammo, but it difficult to mount and swing the gun nition at all. “I shoot whatever ammo is isn’t nearly as exciting. I have my while keeping it on a line, but it’s a available. If it goes boom, I like it.” students, if there’s a week between really good visual and training aid— www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 77 Team CZ isn’t just about pistol competition, and David Miller has been running a shotgun in competition for them for three years.

not nearly as fun as shooting, but it’s recognized me. He was a dangerous Neal also revamped the shotgun a lot cheaper.” guy, and he didn’t threaten me or training program for the Phoenix, Three-Gun matches (pistol, rifle anything, but he called out my name, AZ, police department, the home of and shotgun) have grown immensely and I was glad to be in my full CCW one of Team CZ’s newest shooters, in popularity in the last few years, mode. I’m aware of a case where a Sara Dunivin. and CZ has a presence there as well. prosecutor sent a guy to prison for Dunivin has been a police officer Kelly Neal has won a half-dozen 25 or 30 years, and when the guy got with the Phoenix PD for six years national matches in just the last two out, he went and found the prosecu- and is now a firearms training officer. years, using a Dan Wesson 1911, CZ tor and killed him. I’ve sent hundreds SP-01 or CZ Tactical Sport, depend- of people to prison, and between ing on which division he’s competing them and their family members…” in. He’s been part of Team CZ for almost four years. By day Neal is a Pinal County, AZ, deputy county attorney, and he’s put Kelly Neal uses this hundreds of felons in prison over his CZ Tactical Sport 14-year career. “I teach in 9mm at most of a lot of ‘introducing his 3-gun matches. prosecutors to guns’ classes,” he explains. “Most prosecuting agencies have little or no firearms training.” He finds that highly ironic. “I’ve had death threats in my job. I was off work one day and bumped into a person I sent to prison, and he

In addition to shooting for Team CZ, David Miller is responsible for all of the CZ/Dan Wesson sales reps in the U.S.

www.cz-usa.com 78 cz-usa.com Shooting competitively since 1999, teach them. It’s the officers who she uses a Dan Wesson 1911 for don’t care to learn.” THE CZ SP-01 Single Stack matches and a CZ Ironically, like most firearms The CZ 75 design has been around longer than most active competitors SP-01 Shadow in Production Division. trainers, Dunivin has to fight to have been shooting in IPSC. The CZ 75 Dunivin is a big fan of the SP-01 find time for herself to shoot, has not been around as long as, say, Shadow. “The double-action trigger and she dry-fires for a lot of her the Browning Hi Power, but it has some pull is nice. It’s not heavy, so you can training. “Dry-firing is so impor- similarities. Both are all-steel guns, have refine your sight picture while you’re tant, and I can take five minutes double-column magazines and were pulling the trigger. I think it makes me to dry-fire anytime, anyplace. reliable back in an era when that was the get better hits on my first shot.” You can do it first thing in the exception rather than the rule. The CZ, however, had a mystique all its own. This Regarding the officers she helps morning or last thing before you was due to it being produced in Czecho- train, it’s not the new recruits who go to bed, or in the middle of the slovakia, behind the Iron Curtain. A lot give her the most trouble and frustra- day. Dry-firing helps you become of people had heard of them, but almost tion. “It’s not the ones who don’t more familiar with your gun and nobody had seen one. CZ 75s held a lot know how to shoot, because you can the trigger press.” of rounds, featured excellent ergonomics and could be carried cocked-and-locked. The late Jeff Cooper loved the way the Angus Hobdell pistol, with its distinctive humpback grip, displaying com- felt in the hand, and he styled the grip of petitive agility. his legendary Bren Ten after it. In the U.S., Angus Hobdell was one of the first professional shooters to use a CZ in competition. When the SP-01 version of the pistol came out, with its fat tactical rail out front where the weight would do the most to reduce felt recoil, many competitive shooters naturally assumed CZ had altered the pistol to Hobdell’s specifications. Not so. He does his best to explain the history of the SP-01. “The people who think I designed it just don’t know how European companies work. They take two years to do anything. On January 1 they already know how many units of each gun they’re going to make for the year. Get- ting them to change their production schedule is impossible. They don’t have the flexibility to change the line, plus they’re selling to world markets. The only reason the SP-01 exists is that a special forces unit wanted CZ-75s with a tactical rail on the front and was willing to buy 750 units.” Whatever the genesis of the design, it has proven itself to be reliable and controllable, and in fact it’s the gun that wins the most worldwide in IPSC Production Division. The CZ 75 SP-01 is a reliable all-steel, 17-shot 9mm with a great trigger and sights that can mount a light and be carried cocked-and-locked. Best of all, it sports an MSRP much lower than you’d think. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 79 Kalahari Roundup Four species fall on safari with CZ’s 550 MAGNUM. By Kevin E. Steele

This fine zebra stallion fell to a single shot from Jason’s CZ 550 carbine chambered for the potent 9.3x62mm cartridge.

www.cz-usa.com 80 cz-usa.com CZ 550 Safari Magnum

he eland were as spooky as a virgin in a cathouse. By my count, this was our sixth attempt since sun- rise to position ourselves for a shot. We’d spotted Tand tracked half a dozen groups of eland across the red sands and savannah grass of South Africa’s Kalahari region. Unfortunately, our only reward for miles of walking had been brief glimpses of eland butts as they retreated into the bush out of range.

Professional Hunter Harry Claas- border. If the trackers told you the sens (harryclaassenssafaris.com) animals were walking, you stood a and I just couldn’t understand what chance. If the eland spoor indicated had gotten into them. I was dog tired they had broken into a ground-eating and ready to call it a day. trot, you were in for a long foot This wasn’t my first eland rodeo.I chase, as the 2,000-plus-pound had taken my first blue bull 11 years beasts were capable of sustaining before, and since then I had tracked this gait for miles. But if the eland them on several more occasions. began to really run, you were simply Once, in Zimbabwe, we followed out of luck. You’d never catch up to all the way into Mozambique before them before dark. realizing that we had crossed the I was in Africa with my buddy

On the sticks, Jason prepares to take a 250-yard shot on a red hartebeest bull. The 9.3x62 is a great choice for heavy, big-boned game out to 300 yards. www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 81 Pushing the safety forward, I took a deep breath, began to let it out and gently pressed the trigger.

Jason Morton from CZ-USA aboard the hunting truck for to film an episode for the return journey to camp. “Petersen’s Hunting Adven- Ten minutes into the hour- tures.” My rifle on this hunt long drive, Jason’s eagle was a CZ Model 550 Safari eyes spotted a lone eland Magnum chambered in my bull feeding contentedly in a favorite African cartridge, small valley that bordered the the .375 H&H. More African two-track. Nudging me with professional hunters carry his elbow, he pointed it out. this rifle than any other, and I immediately snapped my for good reason. Built around fingers for the truck to stop the cavernous magnum as Harry raised his binos for a Mauser 98-type action, better look. the CZ 550 Safari Magnum The bull was 300 yards comes standard with all the away amid open savannah bells and whistles that have and appeared unaware of proven themselves over more us. Slowly and quietly, we than 100 years on the Dark dismounted and Jason Continent. These include handed me my rifle from the controlled-round feeding via rack. I jacked a round into the a nonrotating claw extractor, chamber, and bending over fixed blade-type ejector and double to lower our profiles, a deep drop-box magazine Harry and I, along with Littie, capable of holding six rounds the tracker, moved along the down and an additional South Africa’s Kalahari region lays along the slope of a low hill that blocked one in the chamber. With border of Botswana. Savannah grass and sparse us from the eland’s view. trees and bush make it a wonderful area in its hammer-forged barrel, which to hunt plains game. Harry appraised the animal three-leaf express sights, with his binoculars. He was integral scope-ring dovetails an old bull with broomed on receiver ring and bridge, and to stand still long enough for me to horns, a deep blue-gray hide and single-selective set trigger, the CZ put a 300-grain Federal Premium a heavy dewlap hanging from his 550 Safari Magnum is accurate, Triple-Shock into him. And therein lay throat. The distinctive rufus-colored reliable and hell for stout. the rub. rough lay thick and shaggy on the I had all the right equipment. All As the late-afternoon sun began bull’s forehead. This was the one I we needed now was an eland bull to settle on the horizon, we climbed had come to hunt.

www.cz-usa.com 82 cz-usa.com With the light The author along with his good built around a .30- fading fast, we friend and fellow African adven- ’06-length action. closed the distance turer Harry Claassens, pose with With a 20-inch barrel, the author’s old eland bull taken to 200 yards. At at last light after a grueling day it is shorter and this point the bull of tracking. lighter than either spotted us, and we the Safari Magnum froze in position. The or the standard CZ do-or-die moment 550 American rifles. was upon us. Harry Extremely fast to the planted the shoot- shoulder, it balances ing sticks on the perfectly between rocky hillside, and the hands. I slid into position, Also of note was nestling the rifle’s the rifle’s chamber- fore-end into the ing: 9.3x62 Mauser. deep V of the sticks. More than a century The vertical line of old and in a class the Leupold VX-7 with the .338-’06 and crosshair was lined up on the front .35 Whelen but capable of throwing a leg, and the horizontal crossed the heavier bullet, the 9.3x62mm is what bull’s chest high on the shoulder. I would call a “pocket” .375 H&H. Pushing the safety forward, I took a Federal’s new Premium Safari load deep breath, began to let it out and launches the 9.3’s 286-grain bullet gently pressed the trigger. at 2,360 fps. With the 9.3x62 you get I was in recoil when I heard the the performance of the .375 in a rifle big bullet slap meat. The bull leapt with a shorter action and a lighter into the air and staggered forward with the trophy and the hard work overall weight. It’s a perfect choice as I worked the bolt to chamber that had preceded the final spot and for big, heavy-boned game out to a another round. I hammered him stalk. It had been a perfect day of range of 300 yards. again and watched as he fell heavily real hunting. In his unequaled African Rifles to the ground. The next day was Jason’s turn. He and Cartridges, John Taylor had This was a grand old bull. Too old had brought along a new version of this to say about the 9.3x62: “I to breed, he had been turned out the CZ 550 rifle, a carbine variant that have never heard any complaints from the herd. Alone, he stoically will be cataloged for 2011. Unlike my about the 9.3mm. Its penetration is awaited the inevitable. I was thrilled CZ 550 Safari Magnum, this rifle is adequate for anything. It has never

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 83 As Jason’s shot broke, I saw the middle bull react to the bullet strike and nearly simultaneously heard the bullet’s impact.

New for 2011, the CZ 550 Carbine junction. The zebra dropped stone is a light and handy rifle for the dead in its tracks. big game hunter that spends long A day later, Jason had a shot at hours carrying the rifle afield. a red hartebeest bull at a full 250- yards’ distance. Once again the shot went true to the high shoulder, dropping the bull in a cloud of red Kalahari dust. But it was later that same afternoon that we spotted Jason’s dream trophy. This was Jason’s fourth safari, and while he has taken everything from Cape buffalo to steenbok, he had yet to run into a trophy kudu bull. That all changed in a moment that is now frozen in my memory. It was late afternoon when had the write-up that certain other Jason gave chase. Following a short Harry suddenly spotted not one, but calibers receive from time to time. stalk, the zebras made the mistake of three big kudu bulls traveling together. Men just take it for granted, and it stopping in the open to look back at As the truck came to a halt and Harry goes steadily on its way like some what was following them. Seizing the and Jason dismounted, I watched honest old farm horse. In spite of moment, Jason drew down on the stal- the animals through my binos and all the more modern magnums and lion and let a bullet fly.A t 160 yards the marveled at the sight of the bulls, ‘supers,’ the 9.3mm still remains the 286-grain Swift A-Frame hit the stallion whose horns were nearly identical in favorite medium bore of many experi- high on the shoulder, breaking bone length, differing only in that two were enced hunters.” and shattering the spinal and shoulder wide and one was narrow. Jason’s intent was to find out just Jason and Harry moved in for how well the 9.3x62 performed the shot. The bulls had seen us in action. and were on the alert, staring His first opportunity intently in our direction. presented when we Harry made the call on the came upon a group bull he thought was the of three zebra. best and planted the One of them was sticks. The kudu were a fine old stallion, standing broadside and Harry and just at 200 yards with

www.cz-usa.com 84 cz-usa.com their lower bodies screened by blackthorn bushes. As Jason’s Jason’s kudu bull measured fifty-three shot broke, I saw the middle bull inches and change. Once again on this react to the bullet strike and nearly safari, the 9.3x62 cartridge proved itself capable of tackling anything in the simultaneously heard the bullet’s African bush. impact. All three went into high gear and disappeared into the bush and long grass. Trackers Matthew and Musinga took up the spoor with Jason and Harry following. It wasn’t long before the trackers found lung blood. Soon thereaf- ter, the bulls separated, with the wounded bull breaking off from his two compadres. Matthew and Musinga stuck doggedly to the track, even when it was crossed by a herd of hartebeest. Displaying their skill, they made ever wider circles outward from the confused jumble of hoof prints until the lone kudu track once again became visible. We found the bull resting beneath a stunted camel thorn tree. As he tried to rise, Jason put a finisher into him. He was a dream bull indeed, with horns measuring more than 53 inches in length. Our safari was an unqualified success, and you can see the action for yourself on this year’s season of “Petersen’s Hunting Adventures” on The Sportsman Channel. In the meantime, if you are planning a safari, be sure to acquaint yourself with the rifles most used by African professional hunters, CZ’s 550 series.

www.cz-usa.com cz-usa.com 85 CZ’s Versatile Plinker CZ 455 American: THE NEW GENERATION OF SMALLBORE

STAFF REPORT I Photo by Sean Utley

CZ 455 American

Caliber: .17 HMR, .22 LR, .22 WMR Barrel: 20.5 in., 1:16-in. twist Weight: 6.8 lb. OverAll Length: 39.3 in. Length of Pull: 13.7 in. Stock: Walnut Trigger: Adjustable, 3 to 5 lb. Sights: None Mag. Capacity: Five rounds

he CZ 455 American is replacing the respected CZ 452 and is built on standardized dimensions across all rimfire models. The best part?I t’s a switch-barrel Tthat will accept .17 HMR, .22 LR and .22 WMR.

Tighter dimensions carry closer The CZ 455 utilizes action screws .22 WMR. tolerances, and as the name sug- that distribute strength, and a For 2011 the 455 gests, the new 455 features a more 20½-inch barrel extends the effective is available in a Lux American appearance. range of most rimfire cartridges. The version also. The .22 LR “CZ’s modern manufacturing trigger is adjustable between three barrel with adjustable iron sights techniques are allowing us to and five pounds, and its switch- from the 455 Lux version is also build better guns and keep tighter barrel design gives Americans what available separately as an accessory. tolerances,” says Jason Morton of they love most—choices. Besides the barrel, the other CZ-USA’s Marketing/Media Rela- The CZ 455 barrel is still cold component necessary for a caliber tions. “The new design makes things hammer forged, gauged, stress change is the magazine. The maga- function a little easier and creates a relieved and lapped by the hands zine for the CZ 455 is a little longer for smoother-working action. The main of experience artisans in the Czech the .17 HMR, but the .22’s mags are attribute is that this smallbore rifle Republic. The receiver touches the the same as the ones used in the CZ will easily convert between three shoulder of barrels in different cali- 452. They are of polymer construction calibers. Switching out the barrel on bers in the same way and without de- and hold five rounds. A single-shot the CZ 455 is straightforward, and viation. This is partly credited to the adapter is available along with five- besides the barrel, all you need is an modern machine facilities brought and 10-round spares on CZ-USA’s appropriate magazine.” to CZ’s manufacturing capabilities. online store for less than $30 each. The American influence means A barrel (caliber) change is quick When handling the 455, it’s obvious that its stock has a straight comb and accomplished by removing two that it was designed for the field—it’s and a barrel that’s without open screws. Currently, the 455 American quick to throw into the shoulder. Utiliz- sights. Stocks are laser checkered is being offered in a two-barrel set ing the rifle’s studs at the fore-end and the weight without a scope with a .17 HMR and a .22 LR barrel or allows you to attach a bipod without remains at less than seven pounds. individually in .22 LR, .17 HMR and making it cumbersome.