CZ 600+ Rifle: Switch-Barrel Fruition

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Several years ago, CZ introduced the 600, a new bolt action replacing the beloved and well-respected CZ 550. I shot a prototype 600 at a media event prior to its introduction, and apart from a few criticisms I thought the company had done a decent job with its new baby.

However, that initial model never fulfilled its promise. It was intended to be a switch barrel, but prior to launch the company discovered a design issue, and when the 600 was actually introduced, the switch-barrel capability was not a feature on the new rifle.

Now, with the new 600+, that capability is back. The 600+ is available in several versions: synthetic-stocked Alpha; classic wood American; the Lux, with a Bavarian-style stock; the Trail chassis model; and the Range.

I tested the Range, which features a target-style laminate stock. This stock plus a 10.4-pound bare weight and its 24-inch, stout-contour cold-hammer-forged barrel make the 600+ Range either a competition/long-range plinker or a heavy hunting rifle for blinds and stands.

Design

My sample was in 6.5 Creedmoor. CZ classifies this as a medium action—size II in its parlance—and you can switch it to .243 Win., 6mm Creedmoor or .308 Win. simply by changing barrels. Want a 6.5 PRC? All you have to do is swap barrel and bolt head.

The Range is also available with a long (size III) action. This cartridge group includes .270 Win., .30-06, .300 Win. Mag. and 8x57 Mauser. Only the .300 requires a new barrel and bolt head; the rest just need a different barrel.

The system is designed to be easy for anyone to make changes. To swap the barrel, unload the rifle, remove the action screws and pull the flat-bottomed barreled action from the stock. Loosen the two screws in the left side of the receiver and press the receiver liner outward. Remove the old barrel and install the new one.

When you get the new one in correctly, you’ll feel the barrel recess lock into a pin inside the receiver. Tighten the liner screws to 45 inch-pounds. CZ does provide a Torx T25 L wrench, but you’re best off using a gunsmithing torque wrench and T25 bit.

Operation and Ergonomics

For the bolt, a pictogram on the side of the shroud shows which way to turn it to release the firing pin and spring. Then push the ejector button forward to release the bolt head. I found a small non-marring tool worked best for this.

Reverse the process to reassemble, and you’ll probably want to make use of the handy bolt tool CZ provides in order to compress the firing-pin spring sufficiently to place the bolt shroud in the correct position. I’d also point out here that CZ has done a nice job with illustrating the key points of all assembly/disassembly processes. These number-keyed color illustrations are found on the insides of the owner’s manual cover flaps.

The 600+ features a controlled-round-feed action that can also be single loaded, and the bolt has three lugs—in twin sets at six, 10 and two o’clock. It has a short 60-degree throw, and the Range model features a straight bolt handle and an oversize bolt knob with grooves around its circumference.

The 600+ also incorporates a slick locking mechanism for its double-column polymer magazine. In its unlocked position, pressing upward on the magazine release drops the mag. But if you’re in the field and want to be sure the magazine is secure, push the release forward to reveal a white mark and lock the mag in place. Maybe it’s not a big deal with the Range model, but for the hunting-centric versions it’s a nice feature to have.

Crisp Trigger

The rifle’s trigger is a cut above. While some other companies outsource triggers for their premium rifles, CZ simply builds on its tradition of excellent factory triggers. A single-stage, it adjusts to four distinct positions—nominally 1.4, 1.9, 2.5 and 3.1 pounds—with a turn of the provided Allen wrench, and you don’t have to disassemble the rifle to do it.

As received, the trigger on my sample was set on position one, the white mark lined up with a single dot. That yielded an average pull weight of one pound, two ounces. I shot it that way for a bit but eventually found it too light, so I moved it to position two for a one-pound, eight-ounce pull. It’s super crisp and completely creep free. While it does have a bit of overtravel, overtravel doesn’t bother me, and I think this is one of the best factory triggers I’ve used.

When I shot that prototype CZ 600 rifle years ago, I wasn’t a fan of the safety. It’s a vertical crossbolt on the tang, and it seemed to me it was different just for the sake of being different. And when rapidly shouldering and firing the rifle, as you might do in the field, the middle finger on my firing hand would occasionally push the safety upward to Safe and prevent the rifle from firing.

That’s not an issue with the Range because the bottom of the safety doesn’t protrude beyond its inlet in the stock. At the same time, it’s easy to place it on Safe. The serrated top of the safety sits fairly flush with the tang, and I did operate it with winter gloves to be sure it fully depresses without issue. It does. The bolt is locked on Safe, but you can unlock it for loading or unloading by pressing the sliding bolt release on the receiver’s right side.

Stock and Barrel

The 24-inch barrel on the Range is a heavy contour with a fairly straight taper, starting at 1.06 inches at the receiver to 0.88 inch behind the 5/8x24 threads. Like the steel receiver, it is finished in black BobOx, a proprietary process that promises durability and corrosion resistance.

The Range’s target-style laminate stock gives the rifle a distinctive look, and it features a nifty tool-less adjustable comb. A half-moon folding lever sits in a circular recess below the comb. To adjust, flip the lever out, loosen it a quarter-turn, raise or lower the comb to the desired height and retighten.

You can get about 1.5 inches of adjustment, but there are no witness marks. I marked the stainless steel stems with a Sharpie so I could return it to the same position after moving it down in order to remove the bolt for cleaning.

The stock is flat on the bottom from the wrist on back, and it has a large relief cut in the belly. A soft polymer five-slot bag-rider rail sits at the toe. The recoil pad is not too squishy, not too firm. It’s just right. There are QD sling sockets on either side.

Handling?

The stock’s beefy wrist has a rough texture and a palm swell on the right side, and it flares subtly at the base. While it’s comfortable, I found the proportions too large for my medium-size mitts. You’d want to put your hands on it to see if it’s right for you.

The fore-end is flat-bottomed. You’ll find three oblong holes for a bit of weight reduction, along with twin sling-swivel studs that are of the wood-screw variety and thread directly into the laminate. There are QD sling sockets on either side.

Depending on what you want to do with this rifle, CZ may have missed the boat here. While I do think a lot of today’s stocks go overboard with M-Lok slots and such, most modern long-range shooters prefer options other than old-school bipods that attach to a sling-swivel stud. A single M-Lok slot for attaching a rail section would be a worthwhile addition.

Fortunately, I was able to steal my wife’s Spartan Precision system, which has the wood screw necessary to install the Spartan adapter on the Range’s fore-end in place of the forward sling-swivel stud. That in turn allowed me to use Spartan’s magnetic bipod and tripod for practical shooting.

Bench Testing and Accuracy

First up, though, was bench testing. I borrowed the new Vortex Viper HD 3-15x44mm, which I installed in Vortex Pro medium rings. The Range’s receiver doesn’t include an optics rail but rather is drilled and tapped for Remington 700-footprint scope bases.

The Range comes with a 0.75 m.o.a. accuracy guarantee for five-shot groups at 100 yards with match ammo. Unfortunately, the original plan was not to test the Range but rather one of the hunting-centric models, so I ordered only hunting loads. Instead it was the Range that was available in time for this issue, so I proceeded with the ammo listed in the chart plus some Hornady Match I had on hand.

As you can see, while they were three-shot groups, most of the hunting loads did meet the guarantee. The rifle didn’t care at all for Fiocchi Hyperformance or Hornady Precision Hunter, which is odd since both of these loads have proved accurate in plenty of other test rifles. I didn’t include those results because I don’t think they’re indicative of how this rifle typically shoots.

With Hornady’s Match load I spun on a Banish 30 suppressor and changed to five-shot groups instead of three-shot in order to test to the accuracy standard CZ set for the Range. The Range did not make that grade here, but to be fair it’s the only match-type load I tried.

First Round Hits

After bench testing, I moved to the steel range with the Spartan system and suppressor installed. The 600+ Range really came into its own here. It was rock solid with the Spartan bipod, and I got quick first-round hits from 400 to 700 yards.

Next I shot off two different positions from a barricade, and I found the rifle to be stable and well balanced. I didn’t do as well off the tripod, but I think that was a function of how far forward it was mounted, and to be honest I was running out of ammo by that time and wasn’t able to experiment enough to get a truly solid position.

Bolt cycling was silky smooth, and feeding and ejection were flawless. Breaking good shots consistently was a breeze thanks to the excellent trigger. In short, when my position was good, the steel was ringing.

Where does this rifle fit in? As I said earlier, it’d make a fine hunting rifle for a ground blind or elevated stand, although due to its length you might find it a bit unwieldy—especially with a suppressor. But with a good solid tripod or other support, it certainly has the accuracy to get the job done.

Its Niche

The 600+ Range would not make the grade for NRL Hunter Factory division because it’s too heavy. With the Vortex scope aboard—hardly a hefty optic by today’s standards—the rig is exactly at that division’s 12-pound weight limit, and a bipod and/or suppressor would put you over. The rifle would, however, make weight for Open Heavy, which has a 16-pound limit, but then you’d be competing against customized guns.

The Range would, however, slot perfectly into PRS’s Production division, which is governed by price. The Range’s $1,600 price tag is well below Production’s $2,500 limit, and I think that makes it a great entry point for someone looking to take up the sport because it also offers several big advantages.

First, since it’s a switch barrel, it would be a snap to replace a barrel that gets worn out from high round counts. CZ didn’t have an estimate on the price tag for replacement barrels at press time, but a rep told me the company expected good availability.

Two, I don’t know where you’re going to find a better trigger, and it couldn’t be simpler to change the pull weight to suit you. Last, I think the weight and balance are pretty ideal, and while there are stocks out there that offer more adjustability, comb height is the biggie, and the Range has you covered.

Ultimately

True, it did not fulfill the accuracy guarantee, but again, I tried only one match load. I have no doubt that some experimentation with factory loads or judicious handloading would yield the kind of accuracy you want. It’s certainly plenty accurate for hunting, if that’s what you want to use it for.

CZ has always been known for dependable, accurate rifles. The new 600+ stays true to those roots while delivering some worthwhile advancements, and whether it’s the Range or one of the other models, it’s definitely worth checking out.

CZ 600+ Range Specs

• Type: switch-barrel bolt-action centerfire
• Caliber: .243 Win., 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor (tested), 6.5 PRC, .270 Win., .308 Win., .30-06, .300 Win. Mag., 8x57 Mauser
• Capacity: 5+1 (as tested)
• Barrel: 24 in. heavy contour, 1:8 twist; threaded 5/8x24
• Overall Length: 45 in.
• Weight: 10.36 lb.
• Finish: BobOx chemical/thermal black
• Stock: varnish-finished laminate w/adjustable comb, bag rider, QD sockets, 2 fore-end sling-swivel studs
• Trigger: 4-position adjustable single stage; 1 lb., 8 oz. (position 2; measured, as tested)
• Sights: none; drilled and tapped on Remington 700 footprint
• Safety: bolt-locking vertical crossbolt
• Price: $1,599
• Manufacturer: CZ, CZfirearms.com

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