Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires .22 bolt rifle

So, what are the members' thoughts on the CZ 455 American? I am wanting a walnut stocked, blued, .22 LR bolt action rifle for general use. I used to have a 77/22, and it was a great rifle, but it had one feature I couldn't live with....the bottom of the action was so square that it felt like I was carrying a 2 x 4 when I went for a walkabout with it. So I sold it. Handled a CZ 455 the other day, and even with the slightly past flush magazine, it felt good cradled in the hand. Price isn't bad either. I'm curious to hear from folks who have one of these rifles.

I had an early Combo gun (two barrels, .22 and .17). It never really shot like I thought it should. I sold it. The opportunity came up and I bought a 452 American, which DOES shoot the way I want.
Last year, I picked up a 455 Scout (youth model) and lo and behold, it shoots, and shoots well. It's outshooting the 452 with the current lots of ammo I'm using! It really shoots well. I've since bought a 455 Stainless, and it too is shooting well. By "well", I mean under 3/4" nearly always.
The early 455 I had was an "A" prefix gun, the two latter 455s are "C" prefix. Dunno what that means, except they are shooting better than the first gun. I like the 455s a lot, though that first one made my teeth gnash more than once. Maybe they are getting all the bugs gone now. I'd even bought a .22WMR barrel for it, but none of the three barrels shot worth a hoot.

WIth the right ammo, I'm sure the 452 will outshoot both the Scout and the Stainless gun, but with the common HV stuff (CCI MiniMags and Aguila HV), it's nip and tuck, and usually the Scout wins. Not by much, but it wins.
All three rifles have similar glass, so it's not an optics thing. The little sucker just SHOOTS.
I let the older gun go with a Boyd's stock on it, and kept the American stock for it. I dropped the Scout into the American stock, so it handles better. It makes for a short, light and handy little gun.
I can't seem to get the photo to attach, but it's a cute little thing.

Thanks for the info, ratsmacker. How are the triggers? I wasn't able to check that out.

I've seriously considered a Ruger American Compact in a 22 Mag several times. I know it's a cheap rifle and the stock is flimsy, but it actually feels pretty good in the hands and the action is smooth and the factory sights are pretty good. And I like the flush mount mag
I'd probably snatch one up if I found a deal on a used one. I actually like the short barrel and short length of pull. Would make a nice boat gun/pack rifle.
But I already got an 883 which is also pretty slick despite it's toy-like bolt handle. And I might be in the minority that I appreciate the tube mag on this rifle also, and the stock shape is very nice fitting and feeling also. Although with it's walnut stock and 22" barrel it's closer in size to the 455, and a good bit longer and about a pound heavier than the little Ruger compact.

None of this probably helps much. But if you like the CZ then get it. They have a good rep for accuracy and usually a decent piece of lumber, and I'm sure a nicer bolt handle than the Marlins. Although I don't much care for that type of magazine on any rifle, but that's just me.

The 455 has a different geometry than the 452, it's somewhat better on the 455s. If you're really fussy about the triggers, you can swap springs and stuff, and they get pretty good, or use a Timney. I am satisfied with the triggers as-is, they are plenty usable. The Stainless 455 has the best trigger of the three CZs I have now, it was great straight out of the box, but the Scout is pretty decent. The 452 could use a YoDave kit (springs and shims), but I can make it work for now. I sure notice the difference, though.

Again, thanks for the info! Dollarshort, I too like a tube magazine, dropping cartridges in that cartridge shaped slot and hearing them drop takes me back to being a kid again! My grandpa had a Marlin 39 with a 24" barrel and a tubular magazine that held, I think, 18 .22 LR cartridges! But, in the modern bolt action world, I guess I have to settle for a handful of magazines.

I also have two of the Rugers, one is the Predator in .22LR (green stock, stubby barrel) and one of the newer stainless .22Mag. (same stock/barrel configuration in black). To be fair, they shoot fairly well (under an inch at 50 yards, usually), but the CZs outshoot them pretty consistently, in my hands (again, with the same type optics as the CZs), to keep things "fair".
I like the way the Rugers, in that configuration, handle, and with the plastic stocks, I don't care if I take them out in the rain, either. The Rugers are good rifles, but I think the CZs outshoot them, at least with the lots of ammo I'm using now.
Next year's ammo buy might change things, but I doubt it.

I don't doubt the CZ's are good shooters. They mostly have a stellar rep for their accuracy. And nice looking to boot.

The "geometry" as you put it, is the reason I was willing to let my 453, a really fine shooter, go and buy my little Ruger RSI. It just felt awkward to me in shooting position. My new 455 SS is much better, and looks to be a better shooter than the 455 I bought when they first came out, which was mediocre with both barrels. My old Luddite nature prefers the 452 with its neat locking lugs, but they're not often available, and never in SS. Guys on RFC chatter about dinking with the barrel setscrew torque, but I'm letting this one be.

Might spring for the walnut stock at some point, and possibly the nifty DIP trigger guard, but also maybe not.

I have 455 in Varmint and Fullstock configs. I have bedded and played with the trigger on the Varmint. I would be a very grouchy and unpleasant individual if somebody tried to take them.

Too much wood is a problem easily rectified.

i loved the ergos of the old remington 504. they just had a peculiar accuracy reputation. the kimbers were the creme de la creme.

I bought a 541S from a member here and will pick it up tomorrow or Monday, depending on when it arrives. Even though I'm left handed and it isn't, I'm really excited to see what it will do.

Bought my younger son a CZ 452 ZKM[?] Scout years ago. That damn thing is a shooter! I've been eyeing a CZ 455 "Trainer". Should be pretty good with that 25" barrel. The CZ's are awesome guns.

I almost feel sorry for guys that never had to build a house, and pack a little lumber, or otherwise work with their hands. For if they had, bishing about the 'feel' of a .22 rifle stock would be way down the list of reasons to have to sell it.....

Have a 455fs. Real accurate, nice handling. Nice trigger, too.

Oneminute, I could have taken off a little wood on that 77/22 stock, but the Ruger rotary magazine is wide enough that I didn't think it would help enough. So, when I got a good offer, I sold it! Everything is a tradeoff....the Ruger rotary is a great magazine, but does necessitate a wider profile to the bottom of the stock. I will happily trade 5 rounds of capacity for the ease of carrying.

And Huntsman22, I farmed and ranched full time till I was nearly 30. We fed with square bales, that I made and stacked and fed. I still made and stacked square bales till I was in my early 50s. I cleaned cattle sheds in the spring with a wheelbarrow and manure fork, and loaded oats on the truck with a grain scoop, and after getting them rolled, unleaded with the same scoop....a #12b. Used a #10 when shovelling wheat to the auger from the bottom of the grain bins, cause as soft as I was a #12 was just too much . I am a schoolteacher now, but still help on the farm in the summers, though we make round bales now and clean the sheds with machinery. What my personal tastes in rifle ergonomics have to do with my "soft life" is a connection I can't quite make.....and I choose not to criticize you for a life I know nothing about. I will keep the rifles I like and sell the ones I don't without consulting with you to see if the choice is a character flaw. I hope that doesn't cause you any loss of sleep or inability to digest your bourbon. And the word "bitching" is correctly spelled with a t and a ch, not an sh.

I have a 455 Lux, which now means a short barreled rifle with a European style stock and American style open sights.
Mine is an excellent shooter with an excellent field trigger - it would have to be a bit lighter and crisper to Ben's serious target trigger.
With target ammo it will shoot tiny little groups at 25 yards. Screwing around with some R50, it shot what was essentially a 1 bullet diameter group at 25.
Never a feeding, extracting, etc problem.

If I were to buy again I would get the American though - its tricky to properly mount a scope on a Lux.

If you can, look at the test target before you buy. I'm not sure if it is simply a function test or an accuracy test, but if you see a good group then the gun is clearly capable.
Mine has an excellent test target but I wasn't able to see it before I picked up.

sav, you missed my point. If you really pushed as many wheelbarrow loads of chit as you say, your hands wouldn't care what the ruger stock felt like. In fact, a feller would think they'd welcome it as an old and familiar friend......grin