I started "precision rimfire" in 2018 with a CZ-455, put it in an MDT LSS-22 chassis, mounted a rail, dinked with the trigger... It was ok. Purchased a first-gen Vudoo in MPA BA Comp chassis in 2019. Have been competing with it since. I built a Rim-X late in 2022... it's in an MDT ACC Premier chassis.
I compete in a dozen or so rimfire matches each year.
With that said, a few thoughts to you as a newbie:
- It's pretty easy to find MDT and MPA chassis on the used market well below the everyday street price. A "good deal" would be 30-40% UNDER the everyday street price.
- The CZ-457 is a very capable platform. If you buy a CZ-457, you buy a well-respected, very capable factory rifle. You may well be very happy with it. But it is not and never will be a Vudoo or RimX. As was written above, if you buy an expensive chassis for the 457, the 457 is most likely the only thing that will ever fit it.
- Conversely, Vudoo and RimX (and Bergara) are R700-footprint actions that can drop into any R700-footprint stock or chassis, and you have a plethora of R700-footprint triggers to choose from. Far easier to sell (or buy) R700-compatible bits on the used market (Full disclosure - I had no trouble selling my MDT-chassis'ed CZ-455 when I upgraded to Vudoo).
- If you go with Rim-X, you buy an action to which you attach a barrel (prefits abound for RimX), trigger and stock. Should be easy peasy. But if it doesn't shoot, you'll have to lead the troubleshooting. Zermatt will help... but they sold you an action, not a complete rifle.
- If you go with Vudoo, they'll sell you a complete rifle. If it doesn't shoot, they'll be right there to troubleshoot and correct.
Having owned both Vudoo and RImX, I will probably sell my RimX barreled action when convenient and repurpose the trigger, chassis, and optic to another build to play with. I competed with both rifles last year... each has its pros and cons... [shrug] I just like the Vudoo a wee bit better, and I've had a long and very positive relationship with Vudoo as a company. Conversely, I have two buddies who owned both and ended up keeping their RimXs and selling their Vudoos. PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
Bottom line: You might want to find a local rimfire match or other opportunity to put your hands on a Vudoo or RimX before committing, if you have the luxury of time (and budget). The CZ-457 build you're looking at appears to be fairly priced, based solely on what you presented here.
Good luck.