Liking and Looking at the CZ 457 American, chambered in .22lr or .22 magnum

[Rio2019]

Hey folks! I have convinced myself that one way to become better precision shooter is to shoot more....big surprise right. However, I am finding that the 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition is becoming almost, "a bridge to far", to shoot as much as I would like. Even if I decide to start reloading again, it is still a big investment to buy reloading equipment and supplies, even if I buy good used equipment. So, one option is to invest in a .22 lr or .22 magnum, which would allow me to shoot hundreds of rounds versus a couple of 6.5 Creedmoor boxes on range day. Of course, you folks know that I really don't have any interest in owning a new toy, I'm just trying to be more economical. Seriously, I have been thinking on this possibility for a while now.

I have searched around, and read some of good reviews, and have come to the conclusion that picking up a CZ 457 American would be a great investment and give me much more trigger time. In addition to your views on the CZ, or other options you like, or think I should consider, I still must decide on either a .22 lr or .22 magnum. I've tried to be brief because most of you veterans have already passed this point long ago. As an old pensioner, it's getting harder to chase those 6.5 Creedmoor rounds, and more, and more expensive! I would very much appreciate any wisdom you could provide to help me with my decision, or confirm it's reasonableness.

EDIT: Thanks to great suggestions, I am now focusing on the Varmint MTR!

 

[bllistc]

I have the CZ 457 varmint pro tactical. I think it costs a little bit more than the American but has a bull barrel and I like the stock better because of the more vertical grip. Either way, IMO it’s a great tool for working on fundamentals of marksmanship and I think it’s definitely made me a better shooter. I shoot .22 LR personally. It’s a bit cheaper than .22 mag and I get sub 1/2 MOA with SK standard.

 

[justin amateur]

As long as you understand going in, the 22wmr is not a precision target cartridge.
It's bulk hunting ammunition intended for center of critter out to 75 yards.
Large variations in mv, visible problems with bullet seating and crimp tension.
Irregular cartridge dimensions can make it hard to close the bolt on one,
and another will slide in with room to spare.
Expect 2 moa average accuracy at 100 yards, some a bit better, some much worse.

 

[Rio2019]

As long as you understand going in, the 22wmr is not a precision target cartridge.
It's bulk hunting ammunition intended for center of critter out to 75 yards.
Large variations in mv, visible problems with bullet seating and crimp tension.
Irregular cartridge dimensions can make it hard to close the bolt on one,
and another will slide in with room to spare.
Expect 2 moa average accuracy at 100 yards, some a bit better, some much worse.

Thank you, Justin, I honestly did not clearly understand the difference, but then again, that’s why I put my dilemma out there.

 

[Tiger_Shilone]

Most steel rimfire matches will not allow 22magnum as it will damage the targets. Also, as Justin all ready stated there is no match Grade 22mag ammo. Third, finding 22mag can be difficult and when you do it is a lot more per round then 22lr, in some cases it is cheaper to shoot centerfire then 22mag.

EDIT add: if you do get a cz457 get a heavy barrel profile model. CZ barrel lottery chances improve a lot with the larger diameter, most of the people I have heard bitch about cz455/457 accuracy have been the lighter profile barreled rifles. My 455 varmint is consistently more precise then my lighter barreled 457 scout at 50+ yards. The 457 has a lot of improvements over the 455 series.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Most steel rimfire matches will not allow 22magnum as it will damage the targets. Also, as Justin all ready stated there is no match Grade 22mag ammo. Third, finding 22mag can be difficult and when you do it is a lot more per round then 22lr, in some cases it is cheaper to shoot centerfire then 22mag.

EDIT add: if you do get a cz457 get a heavy barrel profile model. CZ barrel lottery chances improve a lot with the larger diameter, most of the people I have heard bitch about cz455/457 accuracy have been the lighter profile barreled rifles. My 455 varmint is consistently more precise then my lighter barreled 457 scout at 50+ yards. The 457 has a lot of improvements over the 455 series.

Good knowledge shared above from Tiger.
If you are NOT going to compete in the NRL22 Base class or something similar, then I’d favor either the Varmint At-One for stock adjustability. If beautiful walnut is your thing and the stock fits you well, the Varmint Match with the tighter chamber may be a better choice. Some say that the Match rifle may be a tad more accurate, but difficult to find shooters who can shoot well enough to show a difference.

YMMV and happy shooting.

 

[Rio2019]

Thank you all for providing such informed comments and suggestions. I have much more focus now in my search. I really appreciate you taking the time!

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Rio,
The challenge will be finding the heavy barrel CZ 457 that’s in stock at a reasonable price.
There are some on Armslist at or above MSRP.
I bought my 457 pro varmint from Hobbytime sports and they were easy to deal with with fast shipping.

YMMV, happy shooting

 

[isofahunter]

I have a CZ's in 22LR and Mag. I love my 22 mag but it is not a plinking rifle it is a critter getter while roaming around. Plus ammo is 5x what plinking LR is during normal times.
I think 22LR is a better choice for what you are doing.

 

[eightyeight mag]

I purchased the pro varmint earlier this year and love it. great rifle.
I recently picked up a 20" varmint profile factory barrel in 17hmr to swap out with the 22lr barrel.
Shoots great and is easy to switch barrels back and forth.

 

[Rio2019]

Well gentlemen, I have been having the best damn time reviewing the various model of the CZ 457, and I think I have fallen in love with the Varmint MTR. Great wooden stock, heavy barrel, and a nice trigger which breaks at about 3 lbs, and is adjustable. Down side, the cost. I have seen them listed at $700-$800. I may have to wait until the holiday season and, perhaps, catch one on sale. Do any of you fellows have any experience with this rifle. Best, Rio.

 

[natdscott]

Most steel rimfire matches will not allow 22magnum as it will damage the targets. Also, as Justin all ready stated there is no match Grade 22mag ammo. Third, finding 22mag can be difficult and when you do it is a lot more per round then 22lr, in some cases it is cheaper to shoot centerfire then 22mag.

EDIT add: if you do get a cz457 get a heavy barrel profile model. CZ barrel lottery chances improve a lot with the larger diameter, most of the people I have heard bitch about cz455/457 accuracy have been the lighter profile barreled rifles. My 455 varmint is consistently more precise then my lighter barreled 457 scout at 50+ yards. The 457 has a lot of improvements over the 455 series.

I think the sporter barrel is fine.

The issue is expectation, and maybe ammunition testing.

I ran 13 ammo types through mine in testing for Rimfire Sporter. 4 ended up in the running, and per usual, an Eley ammo groups the tightest and most round for a 20 round string.

The CMP Eley “ Standard” has been spectacular in these 457 chambers. My Sporter 457 hits about MOA at 50 yards, without fliers, provided I use SK RM, Eley Standard, or (gasp) Eley Match (Black). Club (Orange) and Target (Yellow) shot fine, but oddly not as fine as Standard (White CMP). Eley Edge was excellent, but I only had about 2/3 of a box left, so hard to say I have a rigorous sample.



But much bigger is that guys somehow expect Anschutz accuracy out of a sporter barreled CZ. That’s just asinine.

Sporters DO move a little more. They DO string vertically a bit with some ammo.

The sporter barrel phenomenon is NOT limited to CZ. If you stare at a bunch of Anschutz test targets, nearly all of the Sporters shoot larger groups with more vertical than even the average bull rifle...and I’m talking about $2,000+ 1712 rifles.

That said, except the triggers, I would run my 457 Sporter head-to-head with an Anschutz 54 Sporter, and it would be damned dicey for the Annie.

The trigger in the 457 is good, and I worked mine a bit, but it’s not gonna be elite. It’s not a limiting factor for much though.


Ejection and feeding on my 457 have been spotless. In probably 2,000 rounds so far, I cannot recall a single failure to feed or eject. Ejection is positive and as a fixed pin setup, is able to be manipulated by the shooter. More than I can say for my 54.18.

Bolt manipulation is excellent. The bolt smooths out a good deal in 200-300 cycles...no time at all.

It is extremely important to have the bolt handle full locked down on firing. Some rifles are more/less sensitive to this, and with experience, I can tell you the 457 will fail to fire if it isn’t DOWN.

 

[Rio2019]

Natdscott, this is really good information. Thank you very much! Best

 

[Rio2019]

A final note! Yesterday I found a CZ 457 Varmint MTR for a fair price and pulled the trigger. At least, I hope to pull the trigger. For those who already have a MTR, I would appreciate recommendations on the best performing ammunition you have tested, as I understand that the bolt will not close when using some ammunition. This has been a fun experience for me, made better by all of your recommendations. Thank you again! Best Rio

 

[Rio2019]

For all the folks that kindly responded to my post, I wanted to share with you that I found a pretty sweet deal on a scope for my CZ 457 Varmint MTR. Europtic has a Nikon 1000, 4-16X50, FX-MRAP FFP scope on sale for $369.99, list price $649.99. Sadly, Nikon seems to be pulling out of the precision scope business, but from what I have read on the Hide, this appears to be a fine scope particularly for the money and perfect, I think, for my MTR. Thought you folks might like to know. Best

 

[BLJ]

I purchased the pro varmint earlier this year and love it. great rifle.
I recently picked up a 20" varmint profile factory barrel in 17hmr to swap out with the 22lr barrel.
Shoots great and is easy to switch barrels back and forth.

I'm picking up a 457 .22lr this week. Your saying all I have to do is take the. 22lr barrel off and bolt a .17hmr barrel on? No other changes. Thanks.

 

[soymilk]

yea, you're gonna have to take the action outta the stock, and loosen two set screws. The allen keys should come with the rifle.

 

[eightyeight mag]

I'm picking up a 457 .22lr this week. Your saying all I have to do is take the. 22lr barrel off and bolt a .17hmr barrel on? No other changes. Thanks.

Remove the pin holding the mag block so the new magazine fits and your golden.
Very easy

 

[BLJ]

Thanks for the info.

 

[flatland1]

Rio - Just make sure whatever scope you buy for your new MTR has the ability to focus the parallax down as close as 15-25yds. Some of the 22RF matches I've shot had targets as close as 25yds, and if you find yourself wanting to shoot at an indoor range during winter months, it's better to be able to focus a bit closer than that.

I got the hots for a 457 American sporter after seeing photos of them in some of the initial ad copy when they were first announced to the public. I liked the stock design/profile, and of course, when they picked one out of the rifles they had on hand, it was probably the one with the nicest stock. CZ uses Turkish walnut for their wood stocked rifles, and some of the blanks they use are really quite attractive, especially for a mid-range priced 22RF. The guys on the CZ forum over on RFC are always talking about someone winning the wood lottery after they post a photo of their CZ with a nice stock. A pretty stock is a nice bonus, but the barrel lottery is more important - I ordered in two 457 Americans, kept the one with the pretty stock, and put the other one up for sale. My 'pretty' rifle didn't shoot worth a hoot though, even after I pulled the factory bbl, dialed the muzzle in on my lathe, and cut a fresh, precision 11* crown to clean up the fugly mess that the factory had done. That made a very minor improvement in accuracy, but it still failed to average under 1-1/2" 'groups' at 50yds, so I pulled the OEM bbl and replaced it with a Shilen ratchet that I did some contour work on, and chambered with my EPS match reamer. I wasn't about to screw around cutting the grub screw divots in a really good custom barrel, so cut the tenon to be a snug fit in the 457 bbl socket, used a slitting saw in my mill to cut the extractor slots and mill the flat to fit the feed ramp, shot it with a mix of tungsten/graphite black CeraKote, and then glued it into the action socket with fresh Loctite #609. I finished it at just under 24", and now have a rifle with a pretty stock that shoots at least as good as it looks...

I've bought a couple more 457s - a Varmint MTR, which shot about as good as I expected after reading about them, and a 24" VPT in the Manners PRS1T stock, which shot ok at 50yds, but fell apart when I backed off to 100-200yds with it after putting 400+rds through the factory bbl. This rifle now wears another Shilen, so my limited experience with CZ's hammer forged barrels has been 2 out of 3 being 'stinkers'. I feel you'll be ok with the accuracy out of your MTR, but only time will tell...

 

[redmist222]

Hi l bought my first CZ in Dec. Tis a 457 Varmint in 22Mag. Walnut stock/20'' barrel, its shooting 5 shot/1'' groups @100yds. The factory 5shot/50meter target measured 12mm(1/2''). Pretty close to what l'm getting off my bench after around 150rds thru the barrel. CZ target was shot with CCI 40gr.. l was shooting CCI 30gr TNT ammo. l'm no benchrest shooter, but a 1 inch grouping varmint gun is all l need for ground squirrels or Prairie Dog pups in early season

 

[flatland1]

redmist, I think you got an exceptional rifle. That kind of accuracy is quite a bit better than about 90% of what I've seen posted for 22WMR rifles.

 

[TurboTrout]

One of my first rifles (still have it) is a 22WMR, damn accurate with Winchester rounds at 100ish yards, MOA, and carried some power for its size, also fucking expensive round compared to a 22LR, and will destroy 22LR targets, if you go try to shoot some NRL 22 targets they won’t be happy with you.

I’d recommend the 22LR

 

[redmist222]

Flatland. l wish l could show you the 5 shot group. Outside was actually 1.17''. Subtract .224'' puts the group under an inch @ .946''. Five shot group for 100yds. l wish l knew how to post pics

222

 

[WeeHooker]

I have six different CZ 457's in .22 LR. ( Custom V MTR, VPC, AT-One, THB, American, and a Royal) Other than the custom VMTR, all have factory barrels with homespun trigger jobs. All will shoot SUB MOA ( with non-MTR factory barrels) at 50 yds with good ammo. So far, SK Match and CenterX is "good ammo" in all of them.

 

[flatland1]

I was impressed with the new 457 action immediately when I started shooting the American - fed 100% reliably & smoothly, extraction/ejection was also 100% reliable, and I really liked being able to adjust the factory trigger down to just over 1lb and still be safe. And I liked the walnut American stock - mine doesn't have any fancy figure, but it's still a nice & attractive stock, especially considering the price point. But I never did find any match grade std vel ammo that shot worth a damn in the OEM bbl. Maybe I should've tried some of the old Win Super-X hi-vel ammo in it? But I tried some of all the known good lots of SK Std+, Rifle Match, Long Range Match, as well as several different lots of Eley Target Rifle & Match, and all of it shot like crap out of this bbl. So the Shilen ratchet blank was purchased, slight bit of contour work done, fitted, chambered, slotted, and glued in - which made it a completely different rifle, still 100% reliable, and very accurate, while only being 1/2lb heavier than with the OEM bbl. I did have to sand the bbl channel out a bit for this bbl to fit - man, is that Turkish walnut hard stuff! But this is one of my favorite 22RF sporters, and I have no intentions of selling it, even after buying a very attractive Kimber Super America & as NIB Browning marked 52C repro sporter.