900-1k budget for 22lr.
I do not want to spend more than $900- 1k total to have the rifle in my hands ready to shoot. I have rings and scope already.
Leaning towards b-14r right now. Only 2 must haves are threaded barrel and LOP needs to be at least 14.25 but prefer a little more. Don't care if it's heavy and don't mind used. I don't mind piecing together
Thanks
I have a couple of both the B14R's and CZ 457s. One each are pretty much stock. One each have been restocked and or notably modified. Here are my thoughts:
Stocks: I really like the mini chassis on the B14 over any offering I've tried on the CZ 457. It's functional, stable and good looking. Many of the CZ's use wood which can create it's own issues ( My walnut VPT MTR seems pretty stable though.). There are some nice aftermarket stocks/chassis for either though. The B14 uses a Rem 700 action footprint so those replacement choices are near limitless.
Triggers: Both have good triggers that can be brought down into the 1# range with little effort. Both have aftermarket triggers available (although there are more choices on the B14 since it uses rem 700 parts)
Action: I like the 60 deg bolt throw on the CZ and the fact that it takes less effort ( and resulting recital movement) to cock for follow up shots. The B14's 700 action is nice and doubles as a trainer.
Barrels" I'm not a fan of 16" barrels (which seem to come on most CZ's these days) and prefer the Bergara's chunkier18" . The 20" CZ barrels are nice but don't come threaded (from the factory). Again, there are aftermarket solutions but they can get expensive fast.
Mags: Both mag systems work very well and cost the same. I can't say I've had ANY mag issues in factory or aftermarket stocks with either brand.
Accuracy. I'd almost call it a wash in my 100 yd testing and within the expected variances from gun to gun. It's all about feeding either ammo they prefer. If pressed, I'd vote that MAYBE my B14's have a slight edge in accuracy over my factory CZs..
Weight: The B14's (either carbon or steel) tend to be heavier than any of their CZ counterparts as they come out of the box. How good/bad that is depends on intended use.
Summary: I don't think I would be unhappy with either brand if I had to pic only one. That said, the B14 would be
my choice for a out of the box gun but a CZ 457 with aftermarket stock (and/or barrel if needed) would be a close second.
Your mileage may vary.
Disclosure: I'm not competing in NRL/PRS with these rifles. I'm just enjoying the quality and accuracy while informally competing against myself and buddies.
hth
