CZ 455 American

[BEN243]

Anybody own and/or shoot one these rifles ... Any reports on them would be appreciated. Ben

 

[Fotheringill]

I have two CZ 452's, essentially the same as the 455 except 455 has interchangeable barrels and two action screws.

They are accurate shooters, but not at the higher end of benchrest competition by a long shot.

 

[drover]

Actually there is quite a bit of difference between the 452 and 455 CZ. The 452 may or may not have two action screws depending on model, the 452 Varmint has one action screw and another screw on the barrel, which screws into a dovetail inletted into the barrel, I have had success using this to tune the rifle. The 452 American has two action screws. I no longer have the 452 Varmint but I seem to recall that it had 11mm scope mounting rails rather than the 3/8" that the 452 American has.

But there are many more difference than that between the 452 and 455.

452 - the bolt has two locking lugs.
452 - the barrel is threaded and screwed to the receiver.

455 - the bolt has a single locking lug.
455 - the barrel is a slip fit to the receiver and held in place by two allen screw so that different barrels can be user interchanged.

In other words they are two completely different actions with two different design approaches.

Which is better? Right now the tide seems to be in favor of the 452, I am basing that on the pricing - the 452 was selling for around $325 - $350 new, until it was announced that the 452 was no longer going to be available in the US and that the 455 was going to replace it, since then the prices on the 452 are now more in the $450 to $500 price range for a good used 452. It seems that folks are voting with their wallet.

IMO for plinking, shooting squirrels etc., their is not likely any significant difference between them. Although I have read some complaints of a lack of fit and finish on the 455.


As far as grouping - after some trigger work and a glass bedding of the action, my 452 American shoots as well as any sporter 22 rifle I have owned, and that includes some fairly highly rated 22 rifles.

drover

 

[djdilliodon]

Out of the box a 455 will shoot .5" to 1" groups at 50 yards for 5 shots. With some tweaking (pillar bedding, glass bedding, trigger work ect) groups can average .5" consistently with some groups even better. Add a lilja barrel with the supporting mods and you will have a rifle that will shoot in the .2's with some groups better with match ammo. I've done a lot of them and have 2 myself. They are excellent rifles!

 

[CarolinaChuck]

The CZ's have a group of followers, like the Savage MKII. I own the Varmint in .17 HMR. It is a 1 MOA $400 dollar rifle that will need a little trigger work and pillars. You can get into Anschutz money with the Lilja barrel and stock work, something to just consider.

What the 455 has over other rifles in its price point is the slip in barrels, and I went the CZ route because of this feature. The .17 was nice when .22 ammo was hard to find, but I'll switch to .22LR someday. In hindsight I should have bought the combo.

Chuck

 

[strut64]

I agree with what Carolina Chuck said. I have a 455 American with a 22 LR barrel. Feed it ammo it likes and it shoots just fine. 1/2" groups at 50 yards with decent target ammo. ( wolf M&T or SK plus). One of the best cheap ammo was American eagle either 38 Gr HP or 40 RN. Ordinarily better than 1" at 50 yards. Now if I could only find any of those selections for sale I wold be OK. For a moderate cost sporter weight rifle for hunting or plinking I am very satisfied.