Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires CZ 452 American - are they worth the money?

I've got an early 452. It was around $200 or less when I bought it no one knew what a CZ was. Fast forward several years friend of mine has a 455 versions and 457 versions pretty nice rifles but I still think the 452 is a truly Better Built gun and mine is more accurate than examples it has been shot side-by-side with. But as we all know searching for the correct ammo can change things

That floorplate price is almost as much as I paid for my first CZ - a 452 Trainer with the birch stock and it was only $169.00, of course that was 20 years ago.

drover

I get it, but still, on balance, the new one has the edge overall. Since I don't carry my MTR, the safety is almost a virgin. The old one didn’t bother me, but I remember others here pissing and moaning over it.

My 453 was, aside from the trigger guard, very nicely machined and finished, but the trigger was oddly placed for me, resulting in the bolt knob bearing on my finger. It was a solid shooter though with ammo it liked.

Hope they decide to make 457 leftys for the “afflicted”.

Yes. They bring the big bucks for a reason. Demand now as supply has diminished.

g

They are a Classic blued steel and walnut rifle (The American and Lux that is, the others are beech), if that is important to you I would say they're worth it for up to around $500 or ? The LH option is going to be harder to find, therefore may bring more. I don't know what else is available in this class for lefties. Like me on a lot of other guns, you waited a bit long... don't let that deter you.

I agree with some of what Drover wrote; They do 'require' either trigger work which can be as low as $20 for a Yo-Dave kit, up to around $100 for a replacement trigger. The bottom metal is a joke, about another $100 to get something to put some class to it (Dip products). The safety is backasswords, but I'm another person that doesn't have a problem with it, though it would be better if it worked like almost every other American made rifle (Forward for fire that is). Scope mounting is not an issue unless you like to mount Hubble sized scopes. With the Trainer model the rear sight can get in the way with a longer scope, but it is easily removed. I use in-expensive B-Square Sport Utility Rimfire Rings (low's) and have a Weaver 2-7X and 4X rimfire scopes on them. There are some 'nicer' rings available if that is important to you (Warne &/or Talley w/o looking).

Accuracy, some claim that they will outshoot their 54 actioned Annies, while others say BS? I can attest that they will shoot better than a Remington 581 (had three of those). They are a controlled round feed, I've loaded shorts in the magazines and had no issues chambering them... But like most LR's they are not accurate with them.

I presently have two, gave two to my son and tripped several.

Jerry

Not the best picture; but the Bottom rifle is a CZ 452 American that I put in a CZ Scout Stock, Middle Rifle is a CZ Trainer that I put in an American Stock, and the Top Rifle is a CZ Trainer that I practically stole at a local gunshop ($200 two years ago) Which I later put in a laminated Boyds stock and gave to my son.

The 452 was the pinnacle, the later models not so much

I'm not sure about that, I've got two 452s, an American and a Scout, the Scout regularly outshoots the 452 American with the same ammo, and with that same ammo, the six 455s I have will shoot equally well to the 452 Scout, and handily outshoot the 452 American. Scopes are all 3-9s, to keep things simple and fair. Same scopes, same ammo, and the American is outshot by the others.

I love the workmanship of the 452s, but as far as shooting goes, my 455s are every bit the equals of the 452s. I haven't tried the 457s, as I'm not a fan of their looks/styling, but I did plug a 457 .22WMR barrel into a 455 action (they are interchangeable), and it shoots like a sonuvagun (and even in WMR beats the 452 American in 22LR).

I had two and sold one to a friend. I think I paid about $360 back then for each and they were worth every penny to me. I use the one I kept for the later squirrel season. I built a 10/22 purpose built for late squirrel season but went back to the CZ because it is easier to shoot well .

Trigger work is an easy fix with spring and aluminum tubing.

I have a CZ 453 Varmint with fluted barrel in 17 HMR. It is the most accurate rimfire I've ever owned. Nice walnut, nice blue steel, excellent quality. Definitely worth the money.

CZ rimfires are all fantastic

Have 3 452's varmint 22lr,452 american 22lr and a 452 american , all are accurate and depable

Barry

Currently have a CZ 452 Ultra Lux, 452 Silhouette and a 452 Style. The latter 2 have synthetic stock with straight comb and the Style is satin nickel finish on the action/barrel.

I did have a 453 Varmint but it was ruined for me when I bought an Anschutz Model Match 54. Glass rod trigger and it shoots 0.2 groups at 50 yds with SK Flatnose Target.

Ive had 3 452s, still have one and wish I’d of kept them all. My Varmint in .22LR was the most accurate rimfire I’ve owned, after it had a shot or 2 fired first. First shot would be 5-6 inches off, second closer then from there on it’d would shoot tiny groups with cheap ammo.

Could not get that issue fixed to my satisfaction so sold it to a silhouette shooter who is still shooting and happy with it today. It was $300ish when I bought it new.

My current American shoots almost as well, and I’ll never get rid of it.

I go against the grain and prefer the 36 grain HP mini mags for all my .22LR hunting, they just seem to work better on game for me. My preference for CZs is that all of mine have shot this ammo as well as the expensive match stuff.

I think I gave $400 for this one new, and I’ll easily get 10x that value out of it in my lifetime.

I would not pay over 500.00 for one, I have owned a dozen or more of them over the years, some were great, some were not, factory rifles are a luck of the draw thing, even CZ's.....dont get me wrong I like them and they are decent quality, check the user name.

Sure, You can put $500 in your head as the top price you'd pay for a 452 American. Not one is ever going to appear in front of you at that price. Ever.

And for those wondering. No, the 457 American does not come in a Left Hand configuration.


My LH 452 American isn't going anywhere. As I've mentioned before, I had the barrel cut down to 18.5" and threaded and a trigger job, done by the CZ factory authorized gunsmith. It wears a DIP Products mount (Thanks, Big Stick) and a SS 12x42. One ragged hole accurate.

I’ve got a 455 American that I bought last year after realizing that I didn’t have a nice .22 - like you’re sorta alluding to as well.

Let me tell you - they are fantastic. Mine is wicked accurate with lots of different rounds and feeds smooth as butter on glass.

The mags are expensive so get ready for that.

I have had 6 or 8 452 Americans, and still have the best of the bunch. I have also had I think 3 452 Varmints and 2 455 Americans. Also two 452 American HMRs. I have seen a BUNCH of them on the silhouette line over the years, they are essentially the default starter rifle for most shooters.

In the last few years I see more 455s than 452/453s in the hands of new shooters as they are so much easier to source. The 455s shoot about as well as the 452s but I much prefer the older technology 452 with the sleeker contours, and the barrel threaded and screwed into the action like a real rifle.

They are routinely very unfussy regarding ammo and extremely accurate. Not Anschutz 54 accurate but close. If you shoot groups at only 50 yards you should expect ragged hole accuracy. As mentioned above though some are better than others.

My current American will shoot into a minute for 5 shots at 100 m / 110 yards routinely with Lapua Midas and not much worse with Standard Plus.

It’s interesting that my two most accurate 452s were 2006 production.

The heart breaker of the bunch was one with a stock out of a custom gunmakers catalog. It was however a DOG. It wouldn’t shoot into an inch and a half at 50 yards with good ammo.

The standard tweaks for me are of course the trigger, having a pad installed to lengthen the pull and make it non-slippery, and on my keeper I had Greydog massage the bolt so it will clear a low mounted scope.

Got a like new cz 452 lefty. I need to take it out and start enjoying this thing. It's definitely a full size 22lr made for adults and I'm glad I got one

I too am a fan of the 452's but I do feel the need to point out that the Anschutz 54 which you raise in accuracy comparison has a barrel that is pressed and pinned, not threaded and screwed.

drover