CZ457 MTR Bedding

[skeeljc]

I was checking out the bedding on my CZ457 MTR. The action sits on the two non-metallic pillars. The action is flat where it sits on the pillars. The sides of the receiver contact the stock starting about an inch behind the front of the receiver. There is considerable space around the front part of the receiver (the inletting is squared out with no contact except the pillar). See photo below.

I was thinking of bedding around the front part of the receiver and maybe the first 1" to 1-1/2" under the barrel.

Has anyone bedded a CZ457 MTR?

 

[rimfireshooter]

I'm getting ready to put some aluminum pillars in mine and pillar bed it.
Those factory pillars are spongy on my rifle and the front one is cracked.

When I torque the action screws and hold the wrench to the torque value it drops, I torque again, it drops, I torque again... the screw keeps spinning until finally, torque value is reached.

A couple other things to check while you have it apart.
Make sure the recoil lug isn't too long. Mine was hitting the bottom of the receiver. It was holding the receiver up and off of the rear pillar.

I'm not really sure how that recoil lug works. Is it suppose to fit tight or loose ?

Also check your action screws aren't too long. The bottom of my firing pin, was dragging on the rear action screw if I torqued it 25 in/lb. Which is CZ spec.

Yes, I got a lemon from them and its now my project rifle.

 

[Schutzen2]

Maybe not a lemon but just a very poor design. When I took mine apart and the recoil lug just fell out I couldn't see how it functioned as a recoil lug. If I would have left it in the wood stock it came in I would have installed aluminum pillars and epoxy bedded the action but probably not the barrel. Mine was going into a chassis from the get go so I didn't have to mess with any of that.

 

[skeeljc]

I'm getting ready to put some aluminum pillars in mine and pillar bed it.
Those factory pillars are spongy on my rifle and the front one is cracked.

When I torque the action screws and hold the wrench to the torque value it drops, I torque again, it drops, I torque again... the screw keeps spinning until finally, torque value is reached.

A couple other things to check while you have it apart.
Make sure the recoil lug isn't too long. Mine was hitting the bottom of the receiver. It was holding the receiver up and off of the rear pillar.

I'm not really sure how that recoil lug works. Is it suppose to fit tight or loose ?

Also check your action screws aren't too long. The bottom of my firing pin, was dragging on the rear action screw if I torqued it 25 in/lb. Which is CZ spec.

Yes, I got a lemon from them and its now my project rifle.

What is your plan for the loose recoil lug and the grub screws that hold the barrel when you bed it. The grub screws could become captured by the bedding compound.

I did install hardened action screws which had to be shortened to fit properly. I will check the recoil lug fit (length).

 

[Topwater]

Maybe not a lemon but just a very poor design. When I took mine apart and the recoil lug just fell out I couldn't see how it functioned as a recoil lug. If I would have left it in the wood stock it came in I would have installed aluminum pillars and epoxy bedded the action but probably not the barrel. Mine was going into a chassis from the get go so I didn't have to mess with any of that.

If I may ask, would you please post the chassis you’ve used ? I’m about as frustrated with my MTR as I can be. CZ service reps certainly have been no help with my issues.”Rimfireshooter“ and I have had similar experiences.

 

[Schutzen2]

If I may ask, would you please post the chassis you’ve used ? I’m about as frustrated with my MTR as I can be. CZ service reps certainly have been no help with my issues.”Rimfireshooter“ and I have had similar experiences.

PDC G5LE. Reasonably priced and he has some nice options depending on how your going to use your rifle. I think he is still a one man show and his lead times have increased dramatically though. I would email him to see what it is currently if it interests you.

 

[Schutzen2]

This color is cast iron.

 

[skeeljc]

If I may ask, would you please post the chassis you’ve used ? I’m about as frustrated with my MTR as I can be. CZ service reps certainly have been no help with my issues.”Rimfireshooter“ and I have had similar experiences.

I have been checking out the bore on my CZ457 MTR. The bore has some tight spots as my coated .22 caliber Dewey rod will not pass through the bore. A SS .22 caliber rod that is about .005" smaller will pass through. There is a spot in the bore where you can still see the hammer forging marks. I don't know it that hurts accuracy.

 

[rimfireshooter]

What is your plan for the loose recoil lug and the grub screws that hold the barrel when you bed it. The grub screws could become captured by the bedding compound.

I did install hardened action screws which had to be shortened to fit properly. I will check the recoil lug fit (length).

I am only changing out the pillars.
There are a lot of YouTube vidz that show people using clay, to plug the receiver openings, shoe polish, Hornady one shot and others as a releasing agent. I dont think I'm going through the trouble to bed the entire action.

I have no idea about the recoil lug, it makes no sense that its loose.

 

[skeeljc]

I am only changing out the pillars.
There are a lot of YouTube vidz that show people using clay, to plug the receiver openings, shoe polish, Hornady one shot and others as a releasing agent. I dont think I'm going through the trouble to bed the entire action.

I have no idea about the recoil lug, it makes no sense that its loose.

My thought on the recoil lug is to epoxy bed it into the stock. Mine is tight in the action. I would bed it in the stock without release agent (permanently).

 

[rimfireshooter]

I have been checking out the bore on my CZ457 MTR. The bore has some tight spots as my coated .22 caliber Dewey rod will not pass through the bore. A SS .22 caliber rod that is about .005" smaller will pass through. There is a spot in the bore where you can still see the hammer forging marks. I don't know it that hurts accuracy.

View attachment 1283481

You'll see all kinds of things in the factory barrels.
Some people run some JB Paste through the barrel to smooth things out.

These CZ barrels are suppose to be lapped , per CZ they use a hydraulic machine to lap the barrels.

 

[skeeljc]

Re the CZ457 recoil lug: the lug is loose in the stock and in the action. I measuted the depth of the pockets in the stock and the action and compared them to the height of the lug. My measurements indicate they are almost equal, the lug being only a few thousands less than the total of the pockets. When I set my action in the stock with the lug there is almost no movement fore and aft. This is because the action is trapped between the front of the action and the inletting and the recoil lug. The recoil lug is doing its job by preventing the action from moving rearward relative to the stock.

 

[skeeljc]

After examining the OEM bedding further I think I will replace the plastic pillars with aluminum ones. I will post my progress here when I do it.

 

[Appalachian]

I have been checking out the bore on my CZ457 MTR. The bore has some tight spots as my coated .22 caliber Dewey rod will not pass through the bore. A SS .22 caliber rod that is about .005" smaller will pass through. There is a spot in the bore where you can still see the hammer forging marks. I don't know it that hurts accuracy.

View attachment 1283481

CZ recommends a .20 caliber rod. That’s what I use. A .22 rod is too tight.

 

[gkgeiger]

I started with Dewey .22 coated rods but found them too tight (I think it has something to do with the extractor), they are around .205 dia. switched to the Bore Tech which is about .195 dia. they work great.

 

[mrh1958]

I have bedded 2 MTR's , I shortened the factory pillars and bedded right over them, full length, I also epoxied the recoil lug into the stock and left the barrel fully free floating. The bedding really didn't help accuracy much that I could tell, accuracy was so-so, not terrible but not great either, others seem to have better luck than I did with mine.

 

[rimfireshooter]

Pillars replaced.
The factory pillars are soft, and compress when torqued. My rifle wouldnt hold torque value for the action.
When I drilled mine out, I kept feeling soft spots in them. They definately were not of consistent hardness throughout.

That recoil lug is a head scratcher, It dont even fit tight in the slot.

 

[skeeljc]

My MTR holds 35 in/lbs torque. The loose recoil lug keeps the action from moving rearward and the inletting at the front of the action keeps it from moving too far forward when the screws are loose. I just snug the screws by hand and thump the butt on a hard surface before I torque the action screws.

 

[rimfireshooter]

CZ recommends no more than 25 in/lb
Probably due to the pillars, among other things. The action will start to compress into the wood.

 

[ROBARRC50]

I torqued my MTR 30 inch pounds in march when i got it. It has never loosend in 7 months. So my stock and factory pillars must not have compressed. I also never played with action torque settings. I dont think the recoil of a 22 rimfire needs a recoil lug to hold the action in place anyways. I am a believer in if it shoots leave it alone. On my rifle i can not see it shooting any better if it was bedded or aluminum pillars were installed. If you like tinkering on stuff for fun. By all means install some aluminum pillars and bed that action in the stock.