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Accurizing a CZ 452 varmiint in 17HMR

I got my new CZ 452 varmint 17HMR and my first range session went, well just ok. I have already ordered the YoDave's trigger kit which should help the trigger. My initial groups had a lot of vertical stringing. I was advised in rimfire central to give the gun time to break in and see how it goes with a better trigger. For me, it just ain't that simple, I have to get the gun accurized to the fullest. Anyone have experience with tuning these guns for better accuracy and know someone who works on these guns?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dave T
 
Accurizing a CZ 452 varmint in 17HMR

Float the barrel, from the factory they are notorious for less than ideal pressure points both side and bottom. A deep socket of the appropriate diameter wrapped with sandpaper. Give yourself enough clearance for swelling from humidity and rain.
 
Make sure to re-seal the wood after you sand the barrel channel to ensure a free floating barrel.

Where the break-in process is concerned, the only rimfire cartridge I have experience with is the .22LR. Considering the fact that the rimfire .17's use jacketed bullets, I would suspect that a .17 HMR would respond to a centerfire style shoot and clean break-in routine. The folks on rimfire central can probably give you more solid information on the tendencies of the rimfire .17's.

If you are not getting the desired accuracy after you free float the barrel, get through the break-in routine, and work on the trigger, I would advise that you experiment with different ammo and glass bed the action.

Because the CZ452 is built like a centerfire rifle, you should have no trouble finding a smith to do work on it if you decide to go that route.
 
My 452 .17 HMR benefited from floating and bedding. I also installed the trigger kit. Its a bit spongey, but workable. It shoots very good with Fed ammunition. It really began to shine when I replaced the Swift with a 6-18 VXII.
 
Try the 20gr gamepoints in Hornady or CCI, my CZ shoots best with them, at 100yds., less than 1 inch groups and sometimes in the .5 inch range if I'm on that day. Cleaning helps when accuracy starts to degrade. Also +1 on MrMajestic. My barrel was touching the forend & accuracy improved when I sanded the channel for a true free float. Incorrect action torque is another gotcha. Keep that consistent if you have to remove the action from the stock. Good luck with it, they are great guns. Hog
 
I got the 22 and I don't know if the 17's are made like the 22's with 1 action screw and a barrel lug screw or not. but what I did was ,
1. I went and bought a box of every thing I could find in reasonable driving distance but limiting it to 5$ a box I ended up with about 200$ in ammo.

2. removed the lug, made a pillar out of one of those threaded tube from inside of a lamp (carefully measured and cut then filed for final fitting) and bedded the action with JB, floated the barrel and put one of Erick Brooks trigger kits in it.
I couldn't get a perfect enough fit between the trigger pin and sleeve and ended up making a pin out of a drill bit shank that was a perfect fit for the sleeve and polished the sleeve. Trigger is nothing short of outstanding!

3.Polished the bolt and the inside of that rotating bolt handle sleeve thing with lapping compound then ground and polished that hump down a little where the bolt locks into the little divet when you cock it. I can work the bolt with 1 finger now easily.

I wasn't satisfied with initial results and after quite a bit of research I began experimenting with a pressure point near the tip of the fore end. This showed some promise but was inconsistent. What I ended up doing was hogging out a space near the tip of the fore end and drilled a hole through the stock there. In that hogged out space I epoxied a nut that had that rubber locking ring built into it. Then i ran a nylon screw up through the hole in the bottom through the locking nut for an adjustable pressure point in the barrel. If you do this it is very important that it is perfectly lined up with the center of the bore so as to not put any side pressure, only vertical.

4. I began testing , I only shot over wind flags and on decent days. I put on a 36x B&L scope I got weaver bases made for the 11mm dovetail and Burris Sig. Zee rings.
From each box I would plink with the first 20-25 to season the bore with each brands lube then shot 5-5 shot groups and averaged them. When I made my ammo choice of coarse some of the most expensive ammo shot best. I went a couple steps down the ladder for ammo that only shot a little worse but was a lot cheaper and bought a case.
I ended up going with the PMC Zapper.
Then I started playing with the pressure point.
I am still not satisfied because It doesn't start grouping well till you get four or five shots down the barrel, no good on a squirrel gun.
If I had I had it to do over again I would have gotten the AMerican as owners of that rifle were reporting out of the box accuracy that took me a lot of time and work to achieve.

Ammo test results below.


ELEY STD .421 (very old brown box)
PMC Match Rifle .460
WLF ME .531
PMC ZAP .545 38G HP
FED 712 .562
PMC MOD .589
Rws Geco .616
FED CLASIC .641 (unknown load#)
WIN PP .643
CCI SGB .659
ELEY P100 .662
FED 711B .709
Fed 710 .710
WLF MT .720
CCI GT .731
REM Sub .738
FED AE22 .769 American Eagle
CCI MM .774
PMC SM .785
REM GB .850
PMC Target22 .863
RWS TargetRifle .881
WIN SupX .913
RWS SUB. .922
WIN T22 .970
Fed 750 Bulk 1.011
REM TGT 1.016
Fed 714 1.057
Fed Champ. 1.206
 

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