Someone in another thread mentioned how the longer barrel of the American adds balance to the short receiver and they weren't wrong. It's really a good feeling rifle when shouldered, not nearly as muzzle heavy as their Varmint model and the pistol grip is more hand filling. This might be a bit heretical but it feels better to me than my old Kimber of OR Model 82.
Mine isn't as accurate across multiple brands of ammo as a 20" Tikka T1x but with the stuff it likes it shoots right along with it. The Tikka will shoot most brands a tenth or two better but with the ammo it liked - Federal Automatch of all things - the American actually shaded the best group of the T1x by a few hundredths. It's not a bench rest competitor but isn't meant to be, and we're still talking 10 shots at 50 yards around a half inch for most ammo, .3's or .4's with the favorites.
The only thing I changed on mine was putting in a lighter trigger return spring but the easy change barrel offers all sorts of opportunities in that area.
Good post Jim. Do you have any targets to share with the crowd? I'm really liking my new rifle. It feeds so smoothly, it surprises me. Reminds me more of my new to me Winchester 52 sporter than anything else. I'm still trying to get used to the funky plastic magazine though. I think I'll eventually buy a steel mag or 2 for mine.
A lot of good posts in this thread, but minimum targets posted. I also like how your rifle shoots the Federal Automatch ammo very well. Mine is doing the same, which is exactly what I look for in 22lr. I'd rather a rifle shoots the cheap stuff real well, than have one that doesn't. Mostly because ammo like that is much easier to find at the local Wally world. I know some guys bad mouth Automatch, but it's some of my favorite plinking ammo. It's turned in some damn impressive groups in all of my rifles. The Kidd barreled 10/22 has shot it into the .3's, the new Winchester model 52 sporter has shot it into the .5's, and the Savage's love it.
It seems like there have been many guys say they just got one of these, but with no targets posted, except for mine the other day. This CZ 457 is actually pretty well thought out. I like how you can switch barrels, and even go to 17 HMR, HM2, or 22WMR. That is pretty dang ingenious on their part, and beneficial to its customers.
Later today, I'm going to work on the barrel channel on mine, a little more. The barrel is not perfectly centered, and I want to make sure it's totally freefloated. Enough that when I put a bi-pod on it, that the stock does not slap the barrel.
