Three open sights (two hinged) feature white center lines under broad Vs for quick aim.
In fact, the CZ's substantial weight made bench shooting comfortable and may have contributed to the rifle's fine accuracy. The beefy stock and broad butt-pad help mitigate recoil, and the straight comb babies my cheek at the shot, then puts my eye quickly in the sights for a follow-up.
My handloads, 300-grain Herter softnose bullets accelerated to 2,420 fps in front of a charge of H4831, printed inside 11/4 inches. In fact, the CZ shot the smallest groups and the most consistently of four .375s I had on the range that day.
By no means svelte, the 550 American Safari Magnum is a solid rifle with an utterly reliable extractor and sights sturdy enough for any safari. The heft assists with offhand aim when you're out of breath from keeping up with your PH and the trackers. A single fixed leaf filed for an 80-yard zero would suit me, ensuring point-blank hits from the muzzle to just over 100 yards with big bullets. An open-sighted .375 need not reach farther.
Accuracy Results:
CZ-USA AMERICAN SAFARI MAGNUM
Bullet
Bullet Weight (gr.)
Muzzle Velocity (fps)
Avg. Group (in.)
Hornady SP-RP*
270
2,610
2.4**
Federal Vital-Shok SP
270
2,700
1.7
Herter*
300
2,415
1.2
Speer*
300
2,440
1.8**
Hornady Heavy Mag InterBond
300
2,705
1.6
*Handload
**Iron-sight group 50 yards, expressed in m.o.a.
Accuracy figures are the average of three-shot groups at 100 yards unless otherwise noted. Herter handloaded chronographed with Oehler 35 with screens set 15 feet from the luzzle. All other velocity figures are published data. Abbreviations: SP, softpoint; SP-RP, spire-point recoil-proof
