Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires CZ 457 American

I finally couldn't stand just looking and ordered a CZ 457 American in 22lr. I've heard a lot of great things about the 457 and decided I needed to find out for myself. I've already ordered some parts to help the rifle out. Different trigger spring, although I have Wolf spring kits I normally use for triggers, an extra used trigger to play with, a steel cocking indicator, and some upgraded screws. I'm sure I'll replace the plastic pillars with aluminum ones we use in the shop, and of course a bedding job.
Next will be a Varmint stock unless I can find a 17HM2 sporter barrel.
So, who to blame for this addiction. Not me of course. bsa?, Penndog? Drover? and a host of others.

You will love your new play toy.

I was afraid of that. LOL

Just broke in a 457 MTR. Now makes tiny ragged holes at 50 yards.

Best accuracy you can buy for the money.

I like hearing that.
Thinking about buying a 17 cal. blank from Green Mountain and contouring to match the factory CZ sporter barrel. It would be one way of getting a sporter 17HM2 barrel.

Why not just buy a CZ 452 in 17HM2? Mine is very accurate, especially with the Eley 'holy grail' ammo...

K22: When I heard about the CZ 457 and it's "corrected" safety lever system - I knew I had to have one!
Mine is a heavy barrel model in 22 Magnum and I am happy as pie with it.
Its accurate, functions flawlessly, trigger is excellent and the stock is not only pleasing to look at it works well afield off of all types of improvised rests.
I hope you will be as happy with your CZ 457 as I am with mine.
Keep up the good work CZ.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Bwahahahahaha. I was happy to see this thread. Cant wait to hear how she does for you. Did you get the heavy barrel, or the sporter? Either way, I think you will have a great rifle. I've been wanting to go this route for a while, but never could do it. Started to read about bolt shims, barrel shims, this and that. I should probably just buy one because I like to tinker. I know you will give us an honest report on this one. Keep us posted buddy!!!

Thanks VarmintGuy. This is going to be fun.

I thought I could resist but I'm to weak. LOL
No, no heavy barrel for me. I find it more fun to get a sporter weight to shoot right along with a heavy barrel. I was shocked that no one offers a sporter weight in 17HM2, so I'll have to make one. Geesh! I would like to return one of my Sako's that's running a 17HM2 barrel back to a 22lr. so I'll be turning the CZ into a 17HM2 at some point, well, at least that's the plan.


MT DD FAN,
Those 452's do shoot very good but man, they have 3 strikes against them in my book. A 90degree bolt throw, a safety that goes the wrong way, and a trigger that looks very similar to the chinese SKS trigger.
I had one in 22mag. several years ago. Changed the trigger to a Timney, pillar bedded the action and a couple of other small improvements, all before I shot it. What a stupid mistake that was on my part. It wouldn't feed. Tried different magazines.....nada, adjusted the mag. follower, nada, so off to CZ it went. Now the 2 main reasons I bought it was 1. I needed a 22mag for Coyote to fill in for my 164M Anschutz and 2. the stock was a beautiful tiger stripe.
Got the rifle back from CZ and the first thing I noticed was it looked like they dragged the stock across a cement floor, plus they ramped the back of the barrel to get it feed. It's a rimfire. Hell I could have ramped it with a dremel myself. Anyway, they would not take care of the stock nor replace the barrel. I traded it even up for an old Browning A Bolt 22 mag. that was rusted from one end to the other and the stock was scratched up. Swore off of CZ's from that point on.

Here's a picture of it before I even shot it. LOL

If your CZ shoots really good, you could always sell your 541 to me. ha ha..

K22: That WAS a lovely stock on your old 452!
To bad it went haywire.
I have relayed this before on this site.
My good friend and Gopher Hunting buddy Don Griffis (who sadly passed on last week at age 85) owns/owned a CZ 452 heavy barrel Rifle in caliber 17 Mach2.
It has a Leupold 6x18 variable scope on it. Anyway he and I were out to our local range one spring day sighting in (double checking) our Gopher Rifles.
Using the above mentioned "Eley" 17 Mach2 ammunition I saw Don shoot a 5 shot group at 100 yards (in dead calm air) that measured just a "hair" over .250"!
We were both super impressed with that accuracy by the CZ 452.
Don't give up on the quest for a CZ in 17 Mach2.
Man the woods look "thick" down there in western North Carolina! Never been to either of the Carolinas myself - hope to someday.
Again best to you and the CZ 457.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

There's a new CZ 457 at our house this holiday season too - a simple walnut stocked Varmint 22LR with a Nikon Tactical scope.

Was waiting to up grade the trigger spring, possibly a new heavier stock, some monster 5-25 56mm scope some day down the road when someone offered up a like new CZ 457 LRP stock with extras thrown in for a very good price.

So now my .22 457 20" heavy barrel rests in an even heavier LRP (long range precision) stock and I wait for this snow storm to pass so I can get top the gun range.

I am seriously considering getting a 457 American sporter in 22 LR, a local farm store has a new one priced at $600 and have 10% off sale going on.

I have looked at the 457's numerous times and two things have kept me from buying one yet -
#1 is the horrible mud colored finish on the stock and #2 is that I can't believe that it will group as good as my Tikka T1x MTR. I also am not a fan of the nearly 25" barrel.
But, I keep telling myself that it would give me a project for the winter. I am going to take another look at it on Monday, maybe by then I can convince myself that those things are not really important.

drover

For a .22LR, most loads begin to slow down after 20" and some at 16". That's one of the reasons why all of my .22s wear a 16" barrel and all but one are heavy/bull/target barrels.

……can’t blame me I only have a Premium, Jaguar and AT-ONE 😁. K22 you’re going to be happy in your decision - what’s not to like about a rifle that puts them all in the same hole!! Can’t wait to hear your range report!!

PennDog

Oh, but it's not checkered yet and some rounds are hard to extract because of that tight D52 chamber. I would feel like I cheated you and that would make me feel soooooo bad.

Thick? You got that right.
If I want to shoot more than 100yds. I'd have to set up on Main st. or go down to the airport.

What! You have 3 of them Penndog? Lucky you.

I looked at the Premium and the Jaguar. I'm a sucker for those European style stocks ever since buying an Anschutz 164M.

drover,
You should really take a hard look at them. The longer barrel may create velocity loss, but sure would make a round quieter and the subsonics quieter even more. What's not to like about that.