Hi all just got a new to me cz452 varmint and while looking it over and cleaning it I noticed the barrel is not free floating. My question is in others experience will it shoot better if it is? I’m waiting on rings to be able to shoot it and won’t do anything until I see how it shoots but I assumed it would be free floating. The barrel doesn’t seem to sit straight in the barrel channel so it touches on one side part way down.
Cz 452
- Thread starter fwm
- Start date
I found this thread on RFC - they have a whole section of threads on 452s. http s://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/i-would-like-to-float-my-barrel-of-my-452fs.186786/#post-1455163 This is authored by one of the mods there, and the gist of it is to test fire first before you change anything. Especially if it's pre-owned, the 'other guy' may have felt it's good. This thread gives a method for floating if that's what you want, but try w-o floating first. And shoiot from a really solid rest so you know the gun is stable.
AND Mike has a point, it could have been NOT seated properly when the action was tightened. I've seen advice that it should be torqued around 25 i-p so as to not squash the wood, but you may find other opinions on that. I think jaia was the one who said 25.
Good luck
AND Mike has a point, it could have been NOT seated properly when the action was tightened. I've seen advice that it should be torqued around 25 i-p so as to not squash the wood, but you may find other opinions on that. I think jaia was the one who said 25.
Good luck
They have a lug and a screw under the barrel.
From factory, there is play between the action and the stock.
I would loose all the screws ( except the trigger guard wood screw ) and re-align and tight everything.
You may also want to try different torque settings to squeeze the most accuracy out of it.
Those rifles usually shoots very very well. There is a couple of them that made the 1/2 inch challenge.
From factory, there is play between the action and the stock.
I would loose all the screws ( except the trigger guard wood screw ) and re-align and tight everything.
You may also want to try different torque settings to squeeze the most accuracy out of it.
Those rifles usually shoots very very well. There is a couple of them that made the 1/2 inch challenge.
As ben777lemay points out, the CZ 452 Varmint has a barrel lug. While the 452 American doesn't, so too does the Lux, perhaps also other models. On these models the front action screw attaches directly to the barrel lug. As a result the barrel is never really free floating. It's possible that the stock touches the barrel in the barrel channel. This can be remedied with some judicious sanding of the stock, refinishing with a sealer.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I do not have extensive experience with the CZ's but some rifles / barrels, for sure - want some "up" pressure at the forearm tip - I had a 7x57 Ruger #1 that was like that - I noticed much better groups with a bedding pad at front forearm tip than when that barrel was "free floated". It was maybe all in my head, but typically holes in targets do not lie. I am not sure that contact on one side and not the other is a very good thing - but, my own experience is that "up" pressure - "bedding" pressure - on a barrel can be really good. I have very old - circa 1900 - rifles that are in full length contact between barrel and entire stock - must have been a touchy and skilled labour intensive thing to do to get "even" all the way - and then very much subject to bedding going "sour" with any distortion from moisture gain or loss within that wood stock, or whatever. I suspect that "free floating" is cheaper to do and takes less skill - and results about the same. But is not "slam dunk certain" that free floating gives best groups - you have to fire it to see what your's wants.
Thinking - might be also about your need - my concern was mostly about hunting - so my concern usually where would first, maybe second or third shot go - was not a concern for me about first 5 shot group versus 4th 5 shot group - and that may alter what works well.
It may or may not be relevant - the British Army standard called out .030" free float for the barrel within the hand guard and fore arm for the No. 4 Lee Enfield - but solid bedding at the knox form and "up" pressure near the front sight. But those rifles were made to be capable of sort of 3 MOA or so, so maybe not a thing today - but, to be fair - also had to serve as a bayonet handle, so maybe is more involved than simply "best design" to fire rounds. I believe 1950's and 60's target shooters improved that with "mid-bedding" and sometimes a "packing" within the hand guards - so is "sort of" an example where a more or less "free floated" barrel was made to shoot better, by adding more bedding, at more or less precise points along the barrel length.
Is also the "silk purse" versus "sow's ear" thing - from target shooters, I understand that despite best efforts - some barrels do not shoot well - can be made to shoot better, but not "best" - why barrels are often changed out - another barrel often resolves their issues. Is way beyond anything that I have tried, but I read that some buy three barrels at a time - try each one - select the "best" of them as their target barrel - even when barrels made sequentially in same plant, are apparently different, one to the other.
Thinking - might be also about your need - my concern was mostly about hunting - so my concern usually where would first, maybe second or third shot go - was not a concern for me about first 5 shot group versus 4th 5 shot group - and that may alter what works well.
It may or may not be relevant - the British Army standard called out .030" free float for the barrel within the hand guard and fore arm for the No. 4 Lee Enfield - but solid bedding at the knox form and "up" pressure near the front sight. But those rifles were made to be capable of sort of 3 MOA or so, so maybe not a thing today - but, to be fair - also had to serve as a bayonet handle, so maybe is more involved than simply "best design" to fire rounds. I believe 1950's and 60's target shooters improved that with "mid-bedding" and sometimes a "packing" within the hand guards - so is "sort of" an example where a more or less "free floated" barrel was made to shoot better, by adding more bedding, at more or less precise points along the barrel length.
Is also the "silk purse" versus "sow's ear" thing - from target shooters, I understand that despite best efforts - some barrels do not shoot well - can be made to shoot better, but not "best" - why barrels are often changed out - another barrel often resolves their issues. Is way beyond anything that I have tried, but I read that some buy three barrels at a time - try each one - select the "best" of them as their target barrel - even when barrels made sequentially in same plant, are apparently different, one to the other.
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After reading articles on accurizing the 452 Varminter, I did mine and got tremendous results.
The articles are still in my computer and an email address will get them to you.
Free floating the barrel is the first step, secondly you want to freeze the dovetail to the barrel, and lastly bedding the action.
With the 455's, reshaping the firing pin produced positive results but that information was not available to me when I had the 452's.
Disassembly of the bolt was also helpful information.
The articles are still in my computer and an email address will get them to you.
Free floating the barrel is the first step, secondly you want to freeze the dovetail to the barrel, and lastly bedding the action.
With the 455's, reshaping the firing pin produced positive results but that information was not available to me when I had the 452's.
Disassembly of the bolt was also helpful information.
I have an older Bushnell Legend 4-12 that I'm going to start with. May upgrade. Now is a tough time to experiment with ammo but I have a good supply of CCi std velocity that is usually decent. I have a part box of SK rifle Match and a part box of Eley so I can play a little.
Yup, mine was one of those 452 varmints that made the 50 yard challenge. These are very accurate rifles, generally speaking. To the OP, I wouldn't make any changes until you've tried it out, and especially if you can try it out with a quality match ammo. You mention that you have some Eley on hand; that's the ammo that I shot my 1/2" challenge with. That'll show you its potential.
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I have the same rifle and feel the exact same way hahaha
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
I'll never sell my 452 Lux and 452 Scout units. I had a 455 for a few years, then sold 'er. Decent it was, but not as good as the 452 series.
I agree !
I really liked all my 452's.
I recently bought a Scout to go along my American... Damn this rifle can shoot !
First 15 shots ever, using BBM ammo ( RWS Semi-auto HV ) at 50y with a 6X scope.
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