Opinion of CZ or Bruno rifles

**RyanD** · 14-01-2009, 19:18

I have an option on a Bruno .375 I have not identified it as a desirable (Was looking at a winchester mod 70 or Ruger) but I would like some input from you all.

DS · 14-01-2009, 20:06

Great working rifle, very good "secure" action.

The new CZs have become rather expensive lately due to Euro/Rand exchange rate.

I don't lke hogleg stocks and hopefully this one does not sport that type of European stock

I prefer straight comb stocks and feel they facilitate a reduction in the felt recoil - others may differ from my opinion however and they are welcome - I base this observation on a CZ 375 with hogleg stock I had and shot a lot, a Ruger 375 with straight comb I have, a Tikka 9,3 with straight comb I have, a Steyr 9,3 with straight comb I have and a 458 Lott with straight comb I have, and a friends Bruno 375 with hogleg that I have shot .

**Corné** · 14-01-2009, 20:25

I have never really heard anything bad about these rifles and they seem to be good solid workable options with a relative good reputation. they might not be top of the range but they are surely not the bottom of the pit. I base this reply not on personal experience but on what I have gathered from other people over the years that have used these rifles.

**RyanD** · 14-01-2009, 20:30

Thanks Men

Khumba did you prefer your current Ruger over the CZ you had in .375?

Corne thanks for taking the time to reply.

Ryan

DS · 15-01-2009, 08:58

Ryan - x 10 times more.

The Ruger has a heavier barrel and is much better built and finished. I like the stock a lot more.

Here is a quote from a post on another forum:

The CZ 550 is a rough and unreliable POS! I won't own another one. Here were the problems I had with mine. First it had a horrendous feeding problem that nobody could seem to figure out.

The wood fit was primitive at best, sloppy at worst. The sights are crap the barrel is to long and thin. They took the worlds most reliable safety system off and replaced it with a POS Weather by style safety that tends to slide on in recoil and the best part, mine started to split the stock around the magazine box the after 25 rounds.

Now with all that said the CZ action is a great starting point for a really neat Mauser action custom gun or the CZ can be \made reliable in it's original form with some gun smoothing. But by the time all the stuff that has been done that needs to be done to make the rifle a reliable hunting gun you might as well have just gotten yourself a Ruger RSM and saved some money.

Now keep in mind that he is talking about a CZ not a Bruno - the CZ replaced the Bruno.

I do not agree that Bruno/CZ is unreliable - there are many hunters who utilise the Bruno/CZ AND ARE VERY HAPPY!

I had no operational problems with my CZ except broken scope mount. A friend of mine had little problems with accuracy he could not get resolved but he had good hunts with the rifle.

I would agree on the fit and finish comments but the Bruno might be better finished than the CZ.

I would absolutely vote for the Ruger especially if this was your "THE" rifle. Ruger RSM is more expensive than CZ but if you hold the rifles you will understand why. If you do not intend to spend R15k on a rifle (new = around R24k) then the Ruger is not for you - the Brunos and CZs can be had for quite a bit less - they are good working budget rifles.

I also have a friend who has CZ 9,3 x 62 and I can honestly say that My Tikka T3 Hunter is much better finished than the CZ and so is the Steyr - infinitely more so.

My history - had a CZ 375 - UPGRADED to a Rug er 375 (still have it) - then changed caliber to 9,3 and got a Tikka (still have it) and then upgraded to Steyr ,3 = now happy!!!

My friend - had Bruno 375 which he sold and got a Steyr 9,3.

On the 9,3x62 issue my honest opinion = that for general hunting in bushveld areas and up to 200 or 250m the 9,3 is as good as the 375 , it is lighter to carry and it has less recoil. Both my 9,3s are superbly accurate and very easy to reload for. Ammo is cheaper if you are not going to reload and you do not need the very best of premium bullets for the 9,3 if you reload.

Anything up to Buff can be hunted and has very successfully been hunted with the 9,3 - go ask "Doctari" Kevin Robertson in Zim.

The 375 has passed the 9,3 in notoriety during the last world war because the German stuff did not get manufactured and exported to Africa and ammo was scarce.

The 9,3 is steadily making big inroads into the position held be the 375 for a long time.

I have a very good friend in the USA who comes to hunt for a month every year in SA and Zim - he has all the rifles and all the calibers (really) and he has over the past 25 years of African Hunting come to the conclusion that the 9,3 is the single best bushveld caliber there is and it can successfully be utilised for anything up to Buff. Americans are not big fans of European calibers due to not knowing much about them, availability - so it something that he chooses the 9,3 above all others as his #1 bushveld caliber.

**RyanD** · 15-01-2009, 17:00

Khumba thanks for the time you have taken to post, you make a compelling argument but I have wanted a .375 for as long as I can remember. I have found a rifle It is an old Bruno and in good nick. Comes with a set of Dies and 100 brass cases and various bullets, scope included. Below is an extract of the description. I have spoken to Alan Henry and he recommends I grab the rifle and that is a great recommendation to me. Price is R 5500.

"Anyway, the rifle is in very good Nick and it is the Magnum Std version with ZKK action. The action I had polished and the ramp as well. Cartridge feeding thus a smooth action as that was always a pain with BRNO's. As said, it is scoped with Tasco wide angle 2.5 to 6 zoom (this is a magnum scope specifically for the harder kick) and the basis are Lynx which is the better type as well." end Quote.

As for my "The" rifle, I have used it - it is as a .375 made made by Holland and Holland and it is lying in my Uncles safe. I love that rifle and have used it to hunt Eland. Any way chances are slim that I will ever own it.

I intend to customise the stock of this new rifle to fit me and get the weight distribution correct. I also like a dark stock that is Matt in colour, no varnish. Perhaps a shortened barrel ?

Any way what do you feel about this deal I have before me?

Thanks
Ryan

DS · 16-01-2009, 07:36

All said it is a sweet deal at the price.

My firend sold his for R7.5k rifle only.

**RyanD** · 16-01-2009, 09:47

Hey Khumba, thanks for the feedback, I think it is a Monte carlo style stock but I am waiting for a image.

Thank you
Ryan

**RyanD** · 20-01-2009, 14:43

Have been reading up a bit and it seems as if the old ZKK 602 series had a safety that was hated by all for being the wrong way around, does any one have any experiences with replacing the safety on the 602 action?