ZKK 600 Zbrojowka Brno .275 Rigby /7x57/

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

ZKK 600 Zbrojowka Brno /1968/ – New Life for an Old rifle.
Hi guys.
Take a closer look - this is my new baby: ZKK 600 'Bruno' in .275 Rigby /7 x 57 Mauser/.
I use cartridges 7 x 57 from RWS and from NORMA. My favorite bullets: ID CLASSIC 10,5g/162gr and ORYX 10,1g/156gr.
A brief history of 'Bruno'.
ZKK 600 was made by Brno Arms Company and was a Czechoslovakian improvement to timeless Mauser bolt design. Main change is the safety moved from back of the bolt to the right sight, where it doesn't interfere with a scope.
I like guns made of wood and steel. And this is a superb piece of the best Czechosloviakian Poldi Kladno steel and fine piece of walnut wood. Magazine is internal, double stack, which can emptied from the bottom.
This rifle, like countless number of other ZKKs 600, 601 and 602, was equipped with Carl Zeiss 4 x 32 scope. Picture is crystal clear and one can see fairly well even in darkness.
I use Schmidt & Bender 6 x 42 scope.
ZKK 600 /standard action/ was made in 7 x 57, 8 x 57, 7 x 64, 8 x 64 and powerful 9,3 x 62.
ZKK601 /short action/ was made 222 Rem, 243Win, 308Win.
ZKK 602 /magnum action/ 375 H & H, 458 Winchester Magnum and other.
Pictures of my rifle:

 

[greyfox]

Beautiful rifle, where can I get one?

 

[TokkieM]

Very nice example, especially like the pop-up peep sight, great working rifle. I am still looking for its older brother the ZG 47

 

[Royal27]

Beautiful!

Do you have any before pictures of the safety? I'm just curious as I'm not familiar with the positioning you're talking about. I'be only seen the 602, which has a safety as yours does now obviously.

 

[TokkieM]

Royal27, think he is referring to the standard M98 flag type safety. The ZKK range of safeties are similar to the current 550 models, only they worked in the opposite direction, back for fire and forward for safe. Nice rifle either way, except for the trigger,safety and bolt it is pretty similar to the 550, trigger adjustment was done by removing the bolt and adjusting a little screw in the 3rd lug recces, 550 dropped that.

 

[Royal27]

Royal27, think he is referring to the standard M98 flag type safety. The ZKK range of safeties are similar to the current 550 models, only they worked in the opposite direction, back for fire and forward for safe. Nice rifle either way, except for the trigger,safety and bolt it is pretty similar to the 550, trigger adjustment was done by removing the bolt and adjusting a little screw in the 3rd lug recces, 550 dropped that.

Got it!

My PH had the "backwards" safeties on all of his rifles and made the argument that it was quicker (by miliseconds obviously) to pull back and then move your thumb across than it was to push forard and then move your thumb. This made sense to me and in trying the safety on his rifle a few times I actually really liked it and could become used to it rather quickly I think.

And I definitely understand why he wanted the same safety across all rifles, especially one that moves in an opposite direction!!!!

 

[TokkieM]

I know one case were the PH had a converted safety on his ZKK to operate as a normal safety would, he was trampled to death and they only found out later the safety failed and reverted back to the original way of operating. No matter what you use I always want my rifles to operate the same way, no time to think when the crap hits the fan, stick with one type and use it when it comes to DG. The ZG47 has what I think the best safety system of all Brno rifles, would love to lay my hands on one of those as they are the last M98 machined actions Brno ever used, a true M98 system tunned to perfection

 

[sierraone]

Beautiful rifle. How much would it probably sell for in the U.S.?

 

[Mannlicher]

...., was equipped with Carl Zeiss 4 x 32 scope. Picture is crystal clear and one can see fairly well even in darkness.

The old GDR - Zeiss ? And all the ownwers of this type changed to newer rifle scopes because of the great quality of the Carl Zeiss - Jena ?

Mannlicher

 

[spike.t]

nice rifle and calibre, but looking at the drop on the stock i know i would be looking at the back of the bolt and not even the iron sights let alone the scope........

 

[Wheels]

Beautiful rifle. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Kano]

Quote from Royal27 : "My PH had the "backwards" safeties on all of his rifles and made the argument that it was quicker (by miliseconds obviously) to pull back and then move your thumb across than it was to push forard and then move your thumb. This made sense to me and in trying the safety on his rifle a few times I actually really liked it and could become used to it rather quickly I think."

I agree with that. With the original CZ/Brno safety, when you are in an iffy place you hold your rifle with your thumb on the safety, and in case of need it is an instinctive and fluid movement to pull it back while your thumb slides in position on the grip.

The only problem is that most other safeties work the other way round, and are twice wrong: 1) because you have to flick your thumb forward, then backwards, and 2) because for a right handed shooter the forward movement of the thumb should be on the LEFT of the bolt.

So, the biggest disadvantage of the CZ/Brno safety is that most others are wrong...

 

[sestoppelman]

I have owned a 600 with backwards safety and still contend it is backwards. No other safety of this type goes backwards that I am aware of and I am glad they finally got it right with forward off safe, its much more natural. As to a post above about the safety "reverting" back to backwards. I don't see how that's possible unless the job of making it forward off safe was completely botched by some ham hock of a shade tree gunsmith. A safety being a mechanical device does not have a mind of its own and cannot just revert to a previous method of operation. Not possible.

 

[TokkieM]

A safety being a mechanical device does not have a mind of its own and cannot just revert to a previous method of operation. Not possible.

The Brno/CZ safety has not changed in shape ot method of operation, only direction by relocating the cut outs on the cam of the safety, depending on how the job was done in the first place and wether the rifle had the original set trigger or optional straight trigger fitted I can see it being possible, especially with the set trigger setup on the old ZKK action. The CZ 550 in most Magnum calibers has a 2 position safety, others a 3 position. I do not know how the safety was modified, but having worked on several ZKK triggers I can tell you the ZKK set trigger was not a simple one in design.

 

[sestoppelman]

Then like I said. It was not done properly and the guy who did the alteration would have been sued for mass amounts of dollars in the states.

BTW, I meant to compliment you on the beautiful rifle. I think that is the most desired configuration, especially with the peep in the rear bridge, that's quite rare. Great caliber too. I have the later version CZ 550 Lux in that caliber, very similar rifle, but without barrel band swivel or peep sight, and it has the Euro style stock.

 

[Kano]

Hunthard, CZ had also to change the location of the camming surface lifting the sear, and the bolt lock: on the 602 the bolt locks while on safe through a protrusion on the bolt handle, which locks in the corresponding recess in the safety lever. On the 550, it's a locking lug on the safety that engages in a recess milled in the third lug on the bolt.

I don't see how one could convert these safeties from one way to the other, considering that they are cast/forged and heat treated parts with different basic shapes.

One thing that can happen with the 550, though, is that you can inadvertently put it on safe when opening the bolt, and it will stay so when closing... Shuck. Someone used to the 602 may not notice it, especially in a hurried situation.

The 602's bolt can't be closed while on safe.

The 550 safety can be modified so that it automatically goes on "Fire" if you close the bolt on Safe.

All this said, going back to Witold's rifle, that's a beautiful ZKK! Is the rear sight a factory sight? Looks like a 2 positions sight, very neat.

 

[sestoppelman]

That peep is factory, though rarely seen.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Yes, that peep sight is factory.
My ZKK 600 I bought in poor conditio. Gunsmith [ www.szymkowiak.eu ] gave a new barrel in .275Rigby and renowed wood.
Effect as the pictures.
The cost of buying an old rifle 200$.
The cost of repeir 1400$.

 

[Kano]

Yes, that peep sight is factory.
My ZKK 600 I bought in poor conditio. Gunsmith [ www.szymkowiak.eu ] gave a new barrel in .275Rigby and renowed wood.
Effect as the pictures.
The cost of buying an old rifle 200$.
The cost of repeir 1400$.

Witold, I'm talking about the sight on the barrel in picture No. 3. Is that a factory sight, or was it installed as a custom sight?

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Kano, sight on the barrel /picture No.3/ is a factory.