Colt Manufacturing LLC, the legendary American gun-maker, is being sold to CZ, the Czech firearms manufacturer. Česká zbrojovka Group SE (“CZG”) has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding equity in Colt Holding Company LLC (“Colt”), the parent of U.S. firearms manufacturer Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC as well as its Canadian subsidiary, Colt Canada Corporation.
CZG will acquire a 100% stake in Colt for $220 million in cash plus 1,098,620 shares of newly-issued CZG common stock. The deal will close in Q2 2021. After the merger, the combined group will become a global gun-making powerhouse with revenues in excess of $600 million USD.
CZG President/Chairman Lubomír Kovařík stated: “This merger is a strategic step for both companies. The acquisition of Colt, an iconic brand and a benchmark for the military, law enforcement and commercial markets globally, fits perfectly in our strategy to become the leader in the firearms manufacturing industry and a key partner for the armed forces. We are proud to include Colt, which has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. Army for over 175 years, in our portfolio. We believe in the successful connection of our corporate cultures, the proven track record of the current management team and the complementary nature of the CZ and Colt brands.”
Dennis Veilleux, President/CEO of Colt, agreed: Having completed a historic turn-around of the operations and financial performance at Colt over the past five years, this important next step with CZG positions the company to take advantage of significant growth opportunities. We are excited to join forces with CZG which will be a powerful combination for both brands and for our customers.”
With this strategic move, CZG will acquire significant production capacity in the United States and Canada and substantially expand its global customer base. Colt is a traditional supplier to global military and law enforcement customers. Colt is a long-term supplier to the U.S. Army and, through its Canadian subsidiary, Colt is a designated exclusive supplier of AR-type small arms to the Canadian military.
About Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC
Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC (formerly Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company) is an American firearms manufacturer founded in 1855 by Samuel Colt. It is the successor corporation to Samuel Colt’s earlier firearms-making efforts started in 1836. For over 175 years, Colt Mfg. has supplied civilian, military and law enforcement customers in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Colt is a supplier to the U.S. military, a primary supplier to the Canadian military* and it also supplies its products to other armed forces around the world. Colt firearms enjoy a reputation throughout the world for accuracy and quality. Colt pistols are carried by military and law enforcement personnel in numerous countries, and Colt handguns are popular with private gunowners throughout the world. In 2020 Colt released a new version of its vaunted .357 Magnum Python Revolver.
About CZG – Česká zbrojovka Group SE
Česká zbrojovka Group SE (CZG), together with its subsidiaries, is one of the leading European producers of firearms for military and law enforcement, personal defense, hunting, sport shooting and other civilian use. CZG markets and sells its products mainly under the CZ (Česká zbrojovka), CZ-USA, Dan Wesson, Brno Rifles and 4M Systems brands. CZG’s subsidiaries include Česká zbrojovka, CZ-USA, 4M Systems and CZ Export Praha. CZG owns a minority stake in Spuhr i Dalby, a Swedish manufacturer of optical mounting solutions for weapons.
Headquartered in the Czech Republic, CZG has production facilities in the Czech Republic and in the USA. CZG employs around 1,650 people in the Czech Republic, the USA and Germany.
*Colt Canada is an exclusive supplier of primary issue rifles for the Canadian military. Cadex and PGW Defense supply some bolt-action and sniper-type rifles.
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SHOT Business, an NSSF publication, has just revealed a host of new-for-2018 rifles. These new rigs will all be on display at SHOT Show in Las Vegas next month. These new rifles run the gamut — from muzzle-loaders to modern-day Tommy Guns. As you’d expect, there are AR-platform rifles, and modular PRS-type rigs. There is also an interesting new rifle from Savage that looks very Tikka-esque.
SHOT Business reports: “For what seems like a long time now, new rifle introductions at the SHOT Show have been dominated by variations on the AR15/AR10 platform. But times are changing, to paraphrase one of Bob Dylan’s most famous lines. For 2018, we continue to see line extensions to accommodate the 6.5 Creedmoor, but we’re also seeing the emergence of a new trend—dedicated long-range precision sport and hunting rifles. Yes, there are still a few new MSRs that will draw intense interest, but for the first time in a decade, the new rifles at SHOT are a balanced lot.”
Among the many new rifles to debut at SHOT Show 2018, here are three that caught our eye. Savage has upgraded its hunting rifle offerings with adjustable, internal-chassis stocks, Bergara continues to build a good reputation, and Mossberg has rolled out a new modular rifle that could provide stiff competition to Ruger’s popular RPR.
Savage — New Stocks for 110 Series
We are impressed with the New Savage 110 line-up featuring higher-quality, user-adjustable stocks. The all-new AccuFit system/stock allows shooters to customize length of pull and comb height. The new AccuStock features a rigid chassis embedded in the stock. Savage has a full line of revamped 110s with these enhanced stocks. For example, the Savage 110 Storm shown here features a detachable-box magazine, a stainless-steel barrel, and a gray synthetic stock. It is available in many chamberings from .223 Remington to .338 Winchester Magnum. MSRP: $849. Visit SavageArms.com.
Bergara — Upgrades to HMR
The HMR Pro is an upgraded version of the HMR, introduced in 2017. The new-for-2018 HMR Pro includes a Cerakoted stainless action and barrel with a threaded muzzle plus a upgraded TriggerTech trigger. All HMR Pros ship with a “proof of accuracy” sub-MOA target. Available chamberings are: .223 Remington ( 1:8″-twist), .22/250 Remington (1:9″-twist), 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor (both 1:8 twist, and .308 Winchester with a 1:10 twist. Weight range: 9.2 to 10.10 pounds. MSRP: $1,695. Visit BergaraUSA.com.
Mossberg T&T — Tactical and Traditional
The MVP Precision looks good. It has all-new chassis with a longer fore-end up front and a fully-adjustable LUTH-AR MBA-3 stock in the back. Every rifle comes with an LBA trigger, and 20″ or 24″ threaded and free-floated medium bull barrels are standard. The action features an oversize bolt handle with a Picatinny rail on top. Available chamberings include the 6.5 Creedmoor (no surprise) and 7.62×51 (.308 Win). Mossberg will also offer combo packages fitted with Vortex Viper HS-T riflescope. Visit Mossberg.com.
For fans of traditional wood-stocked rifles, Mossberg has added the 6.5 Creedmoor chambering to the top-of-the-line Revere model. This rifle features a high-grade European walnut stock with rosewood fore-end tip and grip cap. As you can see in the video above, the Mossberg Revere offers a lot of style and performance for the $823 MSRP.
New Rifles tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Ernie The Gunsmith Replacement Trigger Springs
Ernie Paull from California was an active competition shooter for many years. However, his eyesight has declined so he has turned his attention to providing components for shooters and gunsmiths. Through his Ernie the Gunsmith website, Paull sells a variety of useful products including gun trigger springs, pillar-bedding kits, Accu-Risers, and pillar installation tools. This Bulletin post focuses on Ernie’s trigger springs. Ernie offers springs for a wide variety of rifles: Browning (A-Bolt, A-Bolt 22), CZ (m452), Kimber, Remington (XR100, XCR, 7, 700, 722, 788, 7600 and more), Ruger (77, 77-22, LC6), Tikka (T-3), Weatherby (MK-V), and Winchester (M-70).
Springs start at just $6.95. Ernie also sells springs for the Rem-compatible Shilen Benchrest trigger, as well as Rem 700 ejector springs and trigger alignment springs. For Rem 700 rifles, Paull makes a spring that fits all Remington M-7 and M-700 triggers including the early X Mark-PRO triggers. Ernie says: “On average, installation of his Model-700 spring will reduce factory triggers’ weight of pull by 1½ to 2½ lbs with no other changes. The exact amount of creep, over-travel, and weight of pull are dependent upon the type and amount of tuning accomplished by your gunsmith.”
While there is more to a good trigger job (in most cases) than just a spring swap, you need to have the proper rate spring when adjusting trigger pull weight downwards. NOTE: For safety reasons, we recommend you consult a competent gunsmith before modifying factory triggers.
Why Replacement Springs are Better than Tweaked/Modified Springs
Ernie has observed that some gunsmiths try to lighten trigger pulls by modifying factory springs in questionable ways: “I have worked with gunsmiths in the past who, when the subject turned to trigger springs, preferred to clip them, grind them, heat them, bend them, smash them, or simply back out the weight of pull screw until there was no or almost no pressure on the spring. With any of these methods, you get a spring whose rate is rapidly rising as the trigger is pulled. As the trigger is released, the spring rate rapidly decreases as it approaches full or near-full extension. A more uniform weight of pull will be achieved when the trigger spring is compressed within its normal working range throughout the entire movement of the trigger. In the long run, the benefits of saved time, plus more uniform and reliable results, will more than offset the cost of these [replacement] springs. If you want a lighter trigger pull, you need a lighter trigger spring.”
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Any experienced varmint hunter knows the value of a good .17 HMR rifle, particular when used inside 150 yards on small critters such as ground squirrels. The .17 HMR is a great round, but for general plinking and target practice, we prefer shooting the venerable .22 Long Rifle. The .22 LR has less recoil and less noise. Importantly, .22 LR ammo (even with today’s shortages) remains much less expensive than .17 HMR ammunition.
Wouldn’t it be great if a single, affordable varmint rifle could shoot both .22 LR and .17 HMR? Well, CZ offers just such a rig — the CZ Model 455 American Combo, a versatile switch-caliber rifle priced at about $485.00 (MSRP is $531.00). The American Combo comes complete with both .22 LR and .17 HMR barrels, easily interchanged with a simple Allen wrench. As CZ explains: “The CZ 455 eliminates the need to spend the extra expense on a second rifle when you want to add another quality shooter to your rimfire battery”. For a bit more money, you can even purchase a .22 WMR barrel, making your CZ a triple-threat varmint-slayer.
Dave Miller, shotgun product manager for CZ-USA, recently set a Guinness World Record by hitting 3,653 clay targets in one hour. That’s one bird every 0.985 seconds for 60 minutes straight! Miller rotated through 30 shotguns, prepped by a team of assistants. In setting the new record at the first-ever Clays for Kids event, Miller raised more than $80,000 for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s youth shooting programs.
Miller maintained an astonishing rate of sixty clays busted every minute. To achieve that rate of fire, Miller developed a special style of shooting, firing from the hip rather from the shoulder. He also had 24 helpers loading his arsenal of CZ semi-auto shotguns (which held up to 16 shells each). Miller told reporters: “I had 30 shotguns that I was using. There [were] 60 feet of tables with 5,000 shotgun shells on top of them. They would load them, and just pass them up here, I’d empty them and they’d go back in the assembly line”.
CZ (Česká Zbrojovka), the Czech arms-maker, produces some fine, affordable rimfire and centerfire rifles, including the popular CZ 452 (rimfire) and CZ 527 (small centerfire cartridge). CZ-USA now has a new version of its CZ 455 rifle that is ideal for tactical rimfire games and small-bore cross-training. The new-for-2012 CZ 455 Varmint Precision Trainer (VPT) features a CZ 455 action, with .866″ diam. heavy barrel, in a rigid, high-tech Manners Composite stock. Rounds feed through reliable (and affordable) detachable magazines.
The 455 VFT’s list price is $899.00 but expect street price to go lower. This rifle is brand new, so you may have to wait a few weeks on delivery. Stock-maker Tom Manners told us: “We just delivered the first production run of stocks, and CZ is putting the guns together right now”.
The 455 VPT offers the same look and feel of a full-size tactical rifle. This 455 uses a Manners MCS-T4 stock assuring a rock solid platform for the 455 barreled action. The outer shell of the MCS-T4 is made with carbon fiber and fiber glass in multiple layers. The stocks can be custom-ordered with a heavy fill to match your current rifle weight to truly duplicate its feel. Only one color, Coyote Tan, is currently available, but we think this will be popular with most shooters.
Manners Rimfire Varmint/Tactical Stock Sold Separately — Special 5% OFF Promo
Tom Manners noted that versions of the CZ 455 VPT stock design can also be purchased separately and used with other barreled actions: “The 455 VPT stock is based on our MCS-T4 design. We offer this, fully inletted with pillars, for a variety of rimfire actions: Sako Quad, Savage Mark II, CZ 452, CZ 453, along with the 455.” Inletting is complete, so this will be a drop-in solution if you already own one of the listed rimfire rifles.
Tom says: “With this stock, some guys will bed the rear area of their action, but that’s not necessary — you can pretty much bolt ‘em in and go”. Regular price for the Manners MCS-T4 rimfire stock is $475.00. However, if you mention AccurateShooter.com, Manners Composite Stocks will take five percent (5%) off that price through the end of January. That reduces your cost to $451.25 before options.
Field-Testing in the Works We really like the thinking that went into the CZ 455 VPT rifle. We believe there’s a market for a very accurate varminter/tactical trainer in a high-quality modern stock optimized for prone and bipod work. We hope to do a hands-on test of the CZ 455 VPT at SHOT Show Media Day next week.
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Bargain Competition Air Rifle — Model 200 S
The new red and black model 200 S air rifle from CZ-USA is an excellent deal at $429.00 MSRP. Expect to find this at discounters for around $399.00. For that price you get a modern, ergonomic three-position stock, an nice adjustable 2-stage trigger with low pull weight, and a 4x32mm scope. The action also has dovetails to mount iron sights. Offering 16 Joules of energy from its gauge-equipped air cylinder, the 200 S airgun will launch .177 caliber pellets at 800 FPS. As Kelly Bachand explains in the video below, this rifle offers plenty of bang for the buck. Kelly says he has “spent a lot more money for an air rifle with far fewer features.” If you are looking for a training rifle for your club or organization, the CZ 200 S would be a good choice. Kelly feels this air rifle is a real winner for the price.
Perfect Fit — the CZ550 FS Mannlicher
As this website’s Editor, I see hundreds of rifles at SHOT Show. If there was one rifle I wanted to purchase and take home from this year’s Show, it was the CZ 550 FS (see video above). A 7.2-lb Mannlicher-stocked field rifle, with 20.5″ barrel, this gun fit me like a dream. Equipped with safari-style iron sights, the rifle mounted and indexed perfectly. The sights seem to align themselves. The instant I shouldered the rifle with my cheek on the rounded Euro-style comb, the front bead-tipped blade indexed perfectly in the rear v-notch. I could literally mount this rifle to my shoulder with my eyes closed, then open my eye and find the safari sights were perfectly aligned both vertically and horizontally. That’s remarkable. Watch the above video — the CZ 550 is covered in the second half.
The action is very smooth — much better than most domestic factory guns, and noticeably smoother than a Tikka T3. The top of the action has a 19mm dovetail for secure, low-profile mounting of scope rings. The 550 FS comes with a handsome Turkish walnut stock, fitted with proper sling swivels. This rifle has been very popular with owners, and I can understand why — it’s light, easy to handle, and it is one of the best-pointing hunting rifles I’ve ever shouldered. The model 550 FS is offered in a variety of calibers: .243 Win, 6.5×55, .270 Win, .308 Win, 30-06, and 9.3x62mm. Note, for 2011, CZ is offering a Mannlicher-stocked rimfire rifle chambered in .17 HMR, the CZ model 452 FS, priced at $514.00 MSRP. That would be a great carry-around varminter for squirrels and small game.
Most factory “short” bolt actions are designed to fit a .308 Winchester-sized cartridge. Such actions are longer and heavier than they really need to be when used with the smaller varmint cartridges. CZ-USA offers a very compact action that better suits small cartridges. The CZ 527 model has a true micro-length Mauser style action with controlled round feed and 3- or 5-round detachable magazine. Most 527 models sold in the USA feature a crisp, single set trigger. CZ offers various versions of the 527 chambered in .17 Remington, .221 Fireball, .22 Hornet, .222 Remington, .223 Remington, .204 Ruger, and 7.62×39.
Forum member Raidman owns multiple CZ and recommends them: “The CZ 527 American is a great choice in .221 Fireball for a walking varmint gun. They are inexpensive, great shooters and have a superb set trigger that is fully adjustable in both positions. I have 6 in different calibers and all shoot great.”
Award-winning Rifles Starting at $530.00
For centerfire shooters, CZ’s Model 527 has won more awards in the “light rifle” category in Europe than any other rifle…ever. Shown below are some of the variations of the model 527. The “street prices” of model 527s start at about $530.00 for basic models with synthetic stocks, and approach $800.00 for the desirable Varmint Kevlar model ($955.00 MSRP).
The CZ 527 Varmint (wood) model is chambered in .17 Remington, .223 Rem, or .204 Ruger. It features a 24″ heavy barrel, 5-round magazine, and an American-style Turkish walnut stock.
The CZ 527 Carbine is a great “carry-around” varminter, with back-up iron sights, and a 5-round detachable mag. Offered with a handsome Turkish walnut stock, it is chambered in .223 Rem or 7.62×39. Compact, lightweight, and versatile, this is a great multi-purpose “ranch rifle” for predator control.
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