Another just for fun, what caliber to build thread

backyardsniper

backyardsniper

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Thinking about building another rifle and I've got a few unique specs so I thought I'd throw it out here for everyone to weigh in with thier 2 cents. On gunbroker right now there are a couple of CZ 550 actions for sale. It looks to me like they come complete with mag box bottom metal , trigger, and screws. Now I'm a big CZ fan and I already have a 550 safari in 458 Lott and I love it. I'm planning to do a safari in the next few years hopefully. Buffalo and Kudu and hopefully some other plains game if I can fund it..so I've got the buffalo covered with the 458 but I was thinking about grabbing one of these actions and building a hot rod plains game/elk/brown bear type rifle. The interesting thing is these are 416 rigby actions so that means they have a .585 bolt face, so we're in the 338 lapua, 30/378 weatherby, 30/338 lapua realm. I'm a big fan of the lapua, but with the heavy 30 cal bullets available now something in the 30 cal could be very tempting. The CZ action allows for a mag capacity of 4 or 5 I believe with these diameter rounds plus CRF which is a bonus and I love the CZ triggers so no need to change any of that. I've seen the CZ Kevlar stocks for sale in the $350 range and McMillan also makes one for this action which only leaves to to chose a caliber and purchase a barrel and find a Smith that works on CZ rifles. If you all have any suggestions in that arena please let me know. Also, just for curiosity sake I'm going to post this same thread on Africahunting.com and we can compare the different suggestions and perhaps the different ideas on what each group feels would be the best use of these components. Let me know what you think!
 
You have a few different things going on in your search.
The bolt face: if you're stuck with the .585 bf, then you're limited(using the term loosely) to the previously mentioned cartridges (norma+lapua based). Not a fan of the 30/378 wby.
If you go with a magnum bf: the sky is the limit. I'd take a 300 rum, provided the mag allowed longer COALs. If not, 30 nosler. The boring 300 wm has been delivering "dirt naps" for decades :)
Barrel twist and case capacity would be my priority.
 
I'd say you are right. The plain old 338 lapua is just hard to beat and no fire forming or headache with special dies or any of that stuff. They make that cz550 badlands in 338 lapua and I wonder if just purchasing one of those instead of building one might be the way to go
 
378 Wby...no brainer.

Or a Lazzeroni Saturn.

I personally wouldn't do a .30 cal...it would be a minimum .338 for me...but .375 if anything Africa or that can eat you is on the table.
 
backyardsniper said:
I've got a cz 550 in 458 Lott to handle the big stuff. Just looking for a fast flat hard hitting medium/ large game rifle
Click to expand...

A 215/230 Berger or 180 ttsx or 180/200 partition make great all around 30 cal bullets. Not much on the planet that could walk away from a solid hit with those options.
Fun option is the 130 ttsx at warp speed.
 
That's some incredible elephant rifles you have!
Of the ones you mentioned, the 338 Lapua does sound good. IMO, a good .30 cal that would complement your set would be a 300WSM.
 
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