For CZ .22 Fans

[BB57]

Until you get into the expensive, real target ammo, I've found CCI SV is capable of surprisingly good accuracy in more guns than anything else remotely close to it's price range. I have a number of .22 handguns and rifles, and CCI SV is all I've bought for a good while now, always by the case.

I've tried lots of other .22 ammos. Many are a waste of money if you have any interest in decent accuracy. A bonus with the CCI SV is that it will function in most .22 auto rifles and handguns that usually need HV .22 LR to function properly.

Agreed. Just before the pandemic I made a trip back home to South Dakota and a sporting good store there had a couple pallets of bricks of CCI SV for $23.95 per per brick and they had new .50 caliber ammo cans as well. I bought 9000 rounds, 6 bricks and 3000 rounds per ammo can.

That was a much better deal than the $3.49 per box of 50 I was paying for CCI SV at Wal-mart, although I bought about 5000 rounds that way as well.

I also buy SK Std Plus in quantity as well, usually 2000 rounds per order, with 10,000 or so rounds on hand at any given time for small bore rimfire practice. At pre pandemic prices it was $5.00-$5.50 per box, about twice as much as CCI SV but half the price of more expensive match ammo.

In my experience if a .22 LR won’t shoot CCI SV or SK Std plus well, it just won’t shoot well.

With Lapua SK ammo, it’s all made on the same machines with the same components. It’s boxed as SK Match, or SK Standard Plus, or canned as SK Magazine based on accuracy testing.

I’ve noted I can shoot a clean 200/200 prone score with SK Rifle Match. With SK Standard Plus I can shoot a 196/200 as I get a couple of obvious flyers out in the 8 ring. With SK magazine it will be around 192/2000 as there are a couple morel flyers per box.

I’ve noted the same thing with CCI SV and CCI Green Tag. For twice the price, you get maybe 1-2 fewer fliers per box.

 

[Rodan]

I'm also a big fan of CCI SV. It's accurate in my accurate guns, runs all my semi-autos, and is as quiet through a suppressor as any of the fancy "suppressor" ammo. And it's reasonably priced.

With my T1X (haven't yet shot the 457 enough to make generalizations), I've seen fewer flyers running the more expensive Eley, Lapua and SK ammo, but otherwise the CCI SV is right there with them. And since I'm not competing for $$$, it just doesn't make sense to spend $20+/box for the really good stuff.

 

[Ameshawki]

I have a 452 with the Mannlicher stock. Even with the short barrel and full stock this is a laser beam.

 

[rockquarry]

A couple months ago, a friend bought a CZ 457 AT-One. Got to shoot it last week, and I was impressed.

I have a bunch of .22 rifles, but nothing really that is a dedicated target gun since I sold my HB Mossberg target rifle. Lately, I have been spending more time at the range, and rifle shooting for groups off the bench. I don't pretend to be an F Class expert, but I enjoy my feeble attempts. Figured I would get some use out of a good bench .22, so on the hunt we go.

Turns out CZ has about sold out of these rifles, with another shipment maybe late summer. But, I found a new one locally, don't you know, and below retail.. I mounted a Vortex Strike Eagle 4x24x50 scope in Talley rings, and hit the range today.

From the bench, I tried a variety of .22 lr ammo, from bulk Remington to the good stuff, like Federal Gold Metal Target & Match, Eley Match. Worst 5 shot groups at 50 yards was Winchester bulk high speed - 1.7 inch groups. Remington Thunderbolts about the same. But, it took a shine to CCI standard velocity, as well as the Federal Gold Medal stuff, which I luckily have almost a case of. With ammo it liked, it was a sub 1/2 gun at 50 yards, with some groups impressively smaller if I did my part. Not bad for a new gun, 1st time shooting it.

Quick note about the rifle & glass. The Vortex Strike Eagle 4x24x50 was bright and clear, with accurate and nice feeling click adjustments. It is a second focal plane scope, illuminated reticle, and one heck of a deal at $299.99 on closeout at Euro Optic. The new, FFP version just introduced is like $800.00.

The rifle is usual CZ quality, which is to say well made, smooth, and accurate. The adjustable, laminated stock is supplied by Boyd's, and according to what I have read, is better finished on the CZ guns than the version Boyds sells at retail. The 16 inch bull barrel is stiff and accurate, as well as threaded at the muzzle.

I read somewhere guys down south were spraying white paper plates with a sugar / water mix, hanging them up on backstops, then getting back about 50 yards, and shooting the resulting flies for score. Gonna have to try that.

Larry

Have you noticed any advantage in having the short barrel vs. a longer barrel?

 

[Fishinfool]

Have you noticed any advantage in having the short barrel vs. a longer barrel?

I have a CZ 452, as well as several other "accurate" .22's with longer barrels. I really haven't noticed any real advantage with one length over the other when it comes to accuracy.

Looks, balance, and portability differ though. I know a lot of folks shooting the .22 action games like a muzzle heavy gun as it settles better on the bags when taking impromptu rests. There is also a slight velocity difference some people might find important.

Larry

 

[Rodan]

I bought the 16" version of the 457 because I shoot it almost exclusively suppressed, and wanted the shorter overal length with the can mounted.

 

[BB57]

Have you noticed any advantage in having the short barrel vs. a longer barrel?

It’s a hot button topic in general.

CZ wise they’ve played with the length and profile of their “varmint” barrels over the years. With 21” and 20” barrels on the 452 and 453, and 20.5” on the 455 Varmint, and 24” on the 455 Varmint Heavy/Varmint Precision Trainer.

My 24” 455 Precision trainer shoots better groups than my 20” 453 Varmint, but then my 20” 453 American shoots as well as my 455 Precision trainer, so it’s just normal variation in barrels.

—-

In general, based in years of velocity testing on various .22 LR 16” carbines, 20”-24” rifles and target rifles with barrels up to 28” in length, I see a slight increase in velocity in the longer barrels (despite the internet myths that .22 LR slows down in barrels longer than 16”, thanks largely to junk data based on 3 shot samples used by the BBTI folks).

More importantly for long range .22LR shooters, I see lower standard deviation in velocity in longer barrels which improves consistency and long range accuracy.

 

[Rodan]

I recently swapped a Timney trigger into my CZ457. I tried adjusting the factory trigger, but couldn't find a combination that was much of an improvement. The Timney trigger was an immediate improvement.

A friend picked up a Ruger Precision Rimfire, and I took him out yesterday to zero it, so I took my 457 along. I'm still only around 200 rounds into it, but it's starting to come together...

50yd 5 shot group with CCI SV:

Gotta say I wasn't that impressed with the Ruger... 1.5-2" groups at 50 yards. Hope it settles in with some more rounds down the barrel.

 

[KalamazooKid]

I have a 452 with the Mannlicher stock. Even with the short barrel and full stock this is a laser beam.

Same here! I have a bunch of various CZs but this one is off the charts. I regularly shoot 20-30 shot groups off my 50 yard bench and 90% of the time, a quarter will cover the group.

 

[diyj98]

Have you noticed any advantage in having the short barrel vs. a longer barrel?

Everyone has their own opinion, but I always preferred shorter, stiffer barrels. You'll see various barrel lengths in the benchrest competitions, but 20" seems to be about the most common.

 

[smithra_66]

They are good guns. I bought one of the last 452 Americans before they discontinued them. They were, to my knowledge, the last fixed barrel 22s they made.

I have it paired with a 527 American (also discontinued, grrrr) in 22 Hornet. A nice combo for everything from chipmunks to coyotes.

 

[Fishinfool]

Rodan - Agree about the 457 triggers. They are nice compared to many others out there, but could be a little better when trying for real bench rest accuracy. I am going to try a replacement "Yo Dave" trigger spring kit first, as I have read numerous good reviews.

Another factor in barrel length / weight is barrel vibration. You wouldn't think it would be much of a factor with a lowly .22 rimfire out of a short, stiff heavy barrel, but it is, and can vary enough to cause accuracy issues with ammo the gun doesn't like. Maybe more pronounced with longer, thinner barrels? Seeing guys attach "Tuners" that change barrel vibration patterns to their heavy barreled guns, and subsequent better groups, especially with loads the gun didn't like before, clarifies this.

A note on ammo testing - Yesterday at the range I tried a box of RWS R50 ammo. After fouling the barrel, I got a consistent number of .275 / .325 inch 5 shot groups. Rifle likes this ammo. But at $21.00 a box of 50, the search continues. So far Federal GM Target and CCI SV are the cost effective go to's.

Larry

 

[jc2721]

I bought a used 457 at my favorite LGS a while ago. It had the plain-jane birch stock plus a 4x Leupold RS scope.

I rarely save or photograph my targets but I kept this one: this group was literally shot within the first 25 or 30 rounds downrange with CCI SV. If I ever decide to sell this rifle, this target will justify the $1,000,000.00 price tag, LOL.

 

[Gamecock]

For that kind of money, I'd get a Steyr Zephyr II. You simply cannot get a better .22 rifle.