Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Cz 452 American 22 lr

Have a chance to buy one. Do they have the backward safety? Is there anything I should know about them?

The safety is fine, I never refer to it as backward. It's just different like the tang safety on a Savage M99 is different from a M70 which is different from a M700.
Nice rifles, all of mine have shot fine and all of mine have gotten a 'Yo Dave's trigger kit to improve the trigger pulls.

The CZ 452 American 22 LR is a modern classic. If your budget allows, buy it. Mine shoots 1/2" groups at 50 yards with CCI standard velocity. The CZ 452 American 22 LR generates pride of ownership.

I really don't understand why it is referred to as a "backwards safety", it is different from what a lot of folks are used to but if they can't deal with that perhaps they shouldn't be handling firearms.

Just think of it - a 10/22 has a cross bolt safety in front of the trigger guard, Anschutz 1700 series until fairly recently had a wing safety on the bolt, Ithaca 37's have a safety at the rear of the trigger guard, some Savage lever actions had a safety at the forward end of the lever, various safety styles go on and on. Just think of the CZ 452 as being like a Winchester/Marlin lever action rifle or revolver when you pull it back it is ready to fire.

As far as what you need to know about them - they are generally very accurate and perform above their price point. I have owned, and still own, a 452, and prefer it above the 457 - "backward safety" and all. The Brno (CZ) rifles were built for decades using that style safey and they are generally revered throughout the world as being a totally reliable rifle so most shooters seem to be able to cope with the "backward safety".

drover

If a safety is push/pull, I prefer to push to disengage. That being, I waited for the 457. It is accurate and will shoot right along with my Ruger 77/22 and an Anschutz. I dislike safeties in close proximity to one's trigger, and don't own a single arm that's so configured.

Yes, it has a "backwards" safety. Meaning that you pull it back for fire, and push it forward for safe. That is backward from anything American made, in regards to safety manipulation. Now that we got that clear, they are nice rifles. Most times having nicer wood and finish than the newer 457's. There are, however, some benefits (like bolt lift) to the newer 457 rifles. If you found one for real cheap, I'd buy it and try it. I've seen some in the $350.00 neighborhood, but passed because I was holding out for a 457 American.

I bought mine when they were just out.. they were $200. Mine is the training rifle, so it has Mauser slide sights on it and a 25 inch barrel. Recently at a Campfire Gathering in Arizona, I took mine down there. I was shooting clays off the top of fence posts at 140 yds with it, using Federal Bulk ammo I bought at Walmart.

It was scoped, but finally got it dialed in and it was hitting a 3/4 inch high target at 140 yds, each time I pulled the trigger.
This rifle has over 40,000 rounds down the barrel. I wouldn't sell it, even if someone offered me a grand for it.

The safety is a non issue to me. They have an excellent action. Trigger can be anything you want it to be for cheap. They shoot very well. They look good. I had 3. Got "talked" out of two of them. I kept the pretty one.

I have 2 452's and a 453. The safety is only backwards to a model 70. I like the safety as it is simple and effective. I like that I can see what the safety is physically doing rather than just trust it is doing what it should. The safety is a very simple and effective firing pin block. I wish my model 70's worked the same. Regardless, it has never, and I doubt ever will be an issue even when switching back and forth between the CZ and model 70.

All my CZ's are about on par with my 64 action Anschutz for accuracy, which is to say damn good. The 453 is one of the most accurate rimfires I have ever used. It is on par with my Anschutz position rifle. It may not be as consistent, but it can produce groups just as tiny. We are talking 50 yard 5 shot groups the size of a number 2 pencil.

I would buy any CZ RF offered at a good price. All are solid, generally accurate. There’s some variation in action screws, dovetail size, etc. but nothing that renders any of them as unacceptable. A 453 was really accurate, but the trigger placement was uncomfortable for me, or at least that’s what I told myself when I sold it to buy something else, also gone now. It’s taken me a while to learn to leave well-enough alone…

OTOH, aside from one with truly exceptional wood or maybe a Mach2, I wouldn’t pay a big premium for one of the older rifles. They’re all good.

I own 2 452s, both stupid accurate. I'd buy a 3rd if the condition and price were right.

I own one. Put a Yo dave kit in it. It is my squirrel rifle. And it always will be. The safety doesn't take long to get used to.

Some shops are asking higher prices for the older CZ's, than they are the 457's. Then like I said earlier, there are other shops that are keeping them around $350-$400.00. I saw a couple really nice older ones (452's) for $700.00 a couple months ago. And was at one shop yesterday, where they were wanting $699.99 for an older trainer!!! It's like the 527's, they have a following.

The safety doesn't bother me at all either. It works as it should. My first rimfire was an old Marlin 25 that had the same safety configuration. Put many thousands of rounds through it.

Mine shoots as good as my Cooper JSR with cheaper ammo, better with some ammo, worse with others but generally neck and neck. I'm usually to cheap to spend big bucks for the "good" ammo and when I do I generally reserve it for the JSR. What little bit of TenX and Midas I have put through the 452 makes me think it still would hang very close to the JSR.

Dave 284 pretty much says it all IMO. I have owned numerous 452's and they all performed way above their price point as dave284 points out. My 25 year old 452 American will consistently shoot smaller groups than my new 457 American . If there is a possible downside to them it would be that they may require a Yo Dave trigger kit (about $10-$15). I have had a couple that did and a couple that didn't, it is dependant on how light of trigger pull you like.

I am a fan of the 452 safety because it totally blocks and retracts the firing pin, most rifles have trigger block safeties which can be misadjusted or fail to function properly because of grease or grime build-up in the trigger housing.
I must be adaptable because I have firearms with all sorts of different safeties and I have never found that going from one type to the other was an issue.

drover

buy it, I did as soon as a LH 452 was available. and have never regretted it.
The safety has never been an issue.
Agulia Cobaldi will not exit the barrel so don't use them, and some model's dovetails are different.

When you buy rings, just make sure they will work with either 3/8 or 11mm. Not that hard to do..

Oh, yeah, ........they are the answer to the Maidens Prayer !

I got it. Can't find a mark on it. CZ 452 American LH 395$. Traded my Henry single shot for it. Could not get over the drop in the stock n the Henry. The stock on the Henry was beautiful and the CZ is rather plain, but that's ok. Now to get some mounts and get a scope on her.

That CZ is prob junk. Send it my way and I’ll do my best to get by with it. 😂😂😂