CZ Not Producing any firearms over 300 Win Mag and Winchester has a 6 month wait. Approximate delivery time is late May, early June 2025

[franzfmdavis]

Unfortunately most companies seem to be eliminating their safari chamberings - it's very disappointing situation - in particular the CZ-550

Fortunately, Rigby is still producing all of the medium and big bores! Of course, they are expensive, but hold their value it seems! My friend and Rigby dealer, Gentz Sporting Arms, is now a sponsor of this site too - he has been able to procure things for me at times and can for you too (a shameless plug)!

 

[Ridge Runner]

I saw a 1971 M70 458WM at my local gun shop yesterday. PM me if you want details.

Thanks for the info I'll be PMing you shortly with questions.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Another website to peruse is gunsamerica

GunsAmerica Buy Guns Online and Sell Guns Online - Gun Auctions

GunsAmerica.com is a leading online marketplace for buying and selling firearms, accessories, and collectibles. With a large selection of guns available, including handguns, shotguns, pistols, rifles and hunting gear, in addition to gun reviews and news, GunsAmerica.com is the perfect...

www.gunsamerica.com

Yes, one of the other sights I have been lurking on.

 

[Ridge Runner]

The trouble with manufacturing big bore rifles is that there are many, many available in the second hand market. Let's face it, most of these never get shot enough to wear out any parts. That is true at least for quality made rifles.

Here are a couple of mine that need to find new caretakers...

1. CZ 550 Magnum modified by Matrix Engineering and rechambered to .458 Lott. Barrel is marked .458 Win Mag and .458 Lott (Laser Engraved). It will of course feed and fire the .458 Win cartridge also. I've mixed Win and Lott dummy cartridges and this rifle feeds them from magazine to chamber to ejection like warn butter! It has better sights, 23" barrel, 3-position M-70 type safety, straight bolt handle, sling stud on barrel, and Bells and Carlson composite stock.

View attachment 636278

2. Voere M98 .458 Win made in Austria about 1970. Tang safety, 25" barrel.
View attachment 636268
View attachment 636277

If the OP or anyone else is interested, please PM me.
I will post these in the classified forum when I can take better photos.

Thank you Mark. I read your PM/DM.

I'll be responding momentarily with questions about these rifles.

 

[Ridge Runner]

This has been trend with big bore rifles for a while now. I do wonder what ammo availability will look like in 10 or 20 years? It’s already disappearing for several big bore calibers. For my 450 Rigby it appears Norma is the last manufacturer. Hornady and Nosler have both stopped producing it and taken it off their line up. I stocked up anticipating it will disappear.

Fortunately I have done the same for the 458WM so I'm pretty much set for the next several years with plenty of brass. Primers, bullets, powder will always be needed (wanted) as my current supply work in multiple other calibers I have.

 

[deewayne2003]

How many Ithaca Mag 10 shotguns have you seen lately?

Because they we're replaced by the Benelli SBE 3.5"...... You see plenty of those around and I believe both Remington & Browning still make 10ga guns.

Point also being their are still dedicated waterfowl hunters, and with what I spent on my first Safari I could pay for years of waterfowl hunting which I have in my back yard; but the American population that can afford both the money and time away to hunt Africa, especially for Dangerous game is shrinking by the day.

Hence the decline in sales and lack of .375+ Rifles on the production market; however the fine gun market seems to be doing just fine.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ruger ~ M77 ~ .458 Win Mag

Ruger ~ M77 ~ .458 Win Mag for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

I saw this 458 WM for sale on Guns International. Rugerr M77 for 1700.00 Bass Pro/Cabelas in Colorado. You would have to contact to see if they still have the rifle.

I seen this and I'm a bit apprehensiveable. I like Ruger firearms and it would match my Ruger Model 77 22 Hornet.

Can anyone share their experiences with Ruger big bores above the 375 Ruger and 416 Ruger. Comparatively with 375H&H, 458WM, 416 Rigby, 404J calibers. Specifically durability and quality.

 

[sestoppelman]

Another website to peruse is gunsamerica

GunsAmerica Buy Guns Online and Sell Guns Online - Gun Auctions

GunsAmerica.com is a leading online marketplace for buying and selling firearms, accessories, and collectibles. With a large selection of guns available, including handguns, shotguns, pistols, rifles and hunting gear, in addition to gun reviews and news, GunsAmerica.com is the perfect...

www.gunsamerica.com

Sadly they have the dumbest search engine of all the sites. It used to work pretty well, but they changed it and no matter what you type in, you will get 5 billion hits to wade thru, I hardly ever look there anymore, GB and GI.

 

[sestoppelman]

I saw a 1971 M70 458WM at my local gun shop yesterday. PM me if you want details.

Push feed gun.

 

[sestoppelman]

I seen this and I'm a bit apprehensiveable. I like Ruger firearms and it would match my Ruger Model 77 22 Hornet.

Can anyone share their experiences with Ruger big bores above the 375 Ruger and 416 Ruger. Comparatively with 375H&H, 458WM, 416 Rigby, 404J calibers. Specifically durability and quality.

Nice rifle, but it also is a push feed rifle and those kick like a retarded mule. Ask me how I know.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Sadly they have the dumbest search engine of all the sites. It used to work pretty well, but they changed it and no matter what you type in, you will get 5 billion hits to wade thru, I hardly ever look there anymore, GB and GI.

That was my problem searching their sight. I typed in all sorts of search information and pretty much received the same response question /answer with an array of everything but what I am looking/ searching for, just to find out None Available or No Matching Search Results.

 

[John A Flaws]

Ruger makes a solid rifle and unlike Remington and Post 64 M70s they are control feed rifles. Having bought firearms from Cabelas online before they are generally easy to deal with. You can call and ask whatever questions you have and being a used firearm you have three days to return the rifle. So once your FFL dealer receives the rifle you can look it over and send it back if you are not satisfied with the firearm. I have also included a link from Guns International for a FN Sporter Deluxe 458 WM just under 4k.

FN SPORTER DE LUXE - 458 WIN MAG - 24

FN SPORTER DE LUXE - 458 WIN MAG - 24

www.gunsinternational.com

 

[Ridge Runner]

Nice rifle, but it also is a push feed rifle and those kick like a retarded mule. Ask me how I know.

I don't need to ask.

All my firearms used to be 22 LR and 30-06 caliber and above, 12 gauge and 10 gauge shotguns, 50 cal and 60 cal ML rifles, all have recoil. Now any caliber in between those listed I tend to flinch, momentarily delay, between shots waiting for the recoil signal to reload.

Prior to acquiring: 22 Hornet, 32- 20, 38-55, 44-40, 410, 28 and 16 gauges, every caliber except the 22 LR caliber rifles have a kick, and I'm fully comfortable with them. Heavy recoil isn't really a problem. I can't really tell the difference between CRF and PF recoil or in the way the cartridges feed during reloading.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ruger makes a solid rifle and unlike Remington and Post 64 M70s they are control feed rifles. Having bought firearms from Cabelas online before they are generally easy to deal with. You can call and ask whatever questions you have and being a used firearm you have three days to return the rifle. So once your FFL dealer receives the rifle you can look it over and send it back if you are not satisfied with the firearm. I have also included a link from Guns International for a FN Sporter Deluxe 458 WM just under 4k.

FN SPORTER DE LUXE - 458 WIN MAG - 24

FN SPORTER DE LUXE - 458 WIN MAG - 24

www.gunsinternational.com

Thanks John for all the information.

I like the Remington 700 in the typical North American hunting cartridge calibers. But a 700 in a DG big bore cartridge IMO isn’t quite strong enough to handle the amount of shooting I like to do, which is often 100 rounds per range session, per weapon, with at least 10+ big bore session per year, not including trying /testing different loads and hunting.

 

[Hunter4752001]

Unfortunately this is not new, nor in respect to CZ, has it got nothing to do with the Ukraine war. The decision to discontinue the CZ 550 line occurred years ago due to the more complex machining required. They decided to make a new CNC friendly design system. Many of the final 550 were simply assembled from on hand parts. When the new CZ 600 series came out it was very limited in calibres but there was a half claim that safari calibres would be added latter. Never happened and there are questions about the new actions. Similar story with other rifle brands, even with brass manufacturers. During the period of the great American ammo hoarding, why make limited production runs of special calibres when you can have sell pallet loads of .223 faster than you can make it.

 

[Safari Dave]

Used .458 Winchesters are quite common in the USA.

I don't mind being on the lookout for one, if you would like, and you are in the USA.

 

[krish]

Used .458 Winchesters are quite common in the USA.

I don't mind being on the lookout for one, if you would like, and you are in the USA.

Thank you. I can only ship in USA. THAT TOO NOT ALL STATES DUE TO REGULATIONS.
OP has asked ffor more pictures and specs. I did not verify his residency through him. Thanks for mentioning it..
Sent him a PM regarding the country of residence.
KRISH

 

[Ridge Runner]

Used .458 Winchesters are quite common in the USA.

I don't mind being on the lookout for one, if you would like, and you are in the USA.

Thanks for your assistance Safari Dave.
I'm in Tennessee.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I live I've Northeast Tennessee, USA.

Apologies on my part as I thought my profile listed my location.

 

[uplander01]

There are more “African safari magazine rifles” for sale on gunsinternational right now than ever before. Albeit they cost more than ever before too, but there are lots of rifles out there. Last year it seemed like there were really good prices being listed every week.