CZ 452 or CZ 455?

2

27-T

Member
Gentlemen- I'm looking to buy a CZ rifle for fun match's and paper punching at 50 yds. and 100 yds. I've been looking at a CZ 452 American and a CZ 455 Varmint heavy barrel. I plan on scoping the rifle but thats about it, other than possibly a trigger job or replacement trigger in the 2 oz. to 10 oz. range. Now, I've heard that the 455 needs to have the bolt worked on to be competitive. Is that true? What is involved? I haven't heard anything about the 452 American.

What I'm looking for is some learned advice on choosing the correct rifle for my purposes.

If you can offer any information for me I would greatly appreciate that information. I will not be hunting with this rifle, but only paper punching target shooting. Since I am also a centerfire benchrest shooter with a 6mm PPC benchrest rifle with all the goodies, I'd like to pick a .22 rimfire rifle with the 50 yd. accuracy potential that I have become accustomed to with the 100 and 200 yd. PPC.

Again, if you can offer any suggestions, I am most interested in your advice.

Thanks for your help,

27-T
 
My choice

I would look at a annie, cooper first. If cost was not part of consideration. I've owned all three. Part of the choice would be the rules.
 
I own a 452 and it is a very nice rifle. While it is accurate, it is not benchrest accurate. I think you may be disappointed if that's what you're looking for. I would lean to the Annie as has been suggested.

Ken
 
CZ 452 0r CZ 455

Thank you, Gentlemen, for your input.

Are there any particular Anschutz models that you would recommend, again, based on my intended use? Here again, I am new to .22 rimfire target shooting and the various Anschutz models. I will be shooting off of a front target rest, with sand bag, and a rear sand bag, and a scope.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. My e-mail is jpmlholian@aol.com if that is needed by you.

27-T
Jim
 
I don't own a 452, but do know several who shoot and like them. I have a 455 which I bought as an experiment in "cheap" benchrest. I bought the cheapest 455 model available, added an off the shelf Lilja prefit barrel and a semi-inlet stock from Don Stith. bare, it wasn't anything to write home about, but with a factory adjustable sear and a tuner, it would really shoot (0.2" at 50). Won several local club matches with it, but the trigger was never what I was looking for. The fact is that even with a lot of work the CZ trigger was never a target trigger. The big reason the 452 was so popular had a lot to do with the set trigger available on the 453. This has been removed from the market. I believe there is a new one available, but it's not much.

A new day has dawned, so to speak, with the CZ Fly trigger. It is $120 or so, and the equal of a lot of benchrest triggers. I got one and installed it and found it was easy to get a good pull in the 2 oz range. Maybe the best buy in shooting sports.

For the money and what you want to do, a 455 Varmint, bedded, and with a Fly trigger could get you well started for a very reasonable price. Add a Lilja barrel and a tuner if you want to go farther, and a new stock if you want to get serious.

I see that as a good way to enter cheaply and pay to advance, so to speak. The thing is that this will never be a winner in a serious BR match. I you feel like that is where you want to go after trying it, your best bet would be to bail early and buy a good used ARA or IR 50/50 gun. You will eventually be dollars ahead and more competitive. However, as a starter or club gun the CZ may be a good choice.

I own several Annie's. My experience is that they pretty much shoot as well as you pay for. I own a couple of 1416's(one with the target 2 stage)which shoot OK but not great. I have experience with a couple of 64 MPR's, having helped tune them. They shoot well but cannot win club matches against 54s. My 54s shoot really well, but at the cost of a used ARA gun. However, a good used 54 may be the best entry option there is. I have owned more Kimbers over the years than I care to admit. I don't own any Kimbers and will never own any more. Nuf said.

If you are an experienced bench shooter, your best bet may well be a used target rifle of some sort. I own several old Anschutz 54, none of which I paid $1000 for, which have one of the best triggers in the world and will shoot less than 0.25" at 50yds with no tuner. I have bought very accurate ones for little money if the stock is mismatched or rough. In that case, you can modify and refinish the stock into a more BR compliant stock and not feel bad about it.
 
CZ 452 or CZ 455

Art - Thanks for the very good input and your perspective on different avenues to pursue. You mentioned a "fly trigger". You got me on that one. What are they, where are they, a nd so on.

In reading your very good reply, I guess you would have to weigh the differences on which way to go. The costs sound like they may just end up near equal. Then, I guess one has to ask how important .050" might be, if they wind up being that close to each other.

Again, I appreciate your thoughtful input very much. I would like to know, just as a point of information, what that fly trigger business is. I'm certainly old but not too old to learn something new.

Thanks again,

27-T
Jim
 
Cz 452

Eric Brooks made a trigger kit few years ago that I used, kit consisted of springs and shims for trigger
which worked well............Don't know if an after market trigger ever became available. Might check Rimfire Central .
 
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