CZ 455 standard barrel vs CZ 455 bull barrel (varmint)?
- Thread starter cdncowboy
- Start date
I would be curious as too why that is. Ive never been a fan of fluting. Just picked up a 455 varmint... Wonder if its the 452 vrs 455 or if its fluting vrs non fluting....
As for normal vrs bull, bull is more rigid and disperses heat better. Making it a better shooter, at you would assume all distances.
There is no reason to believe that in the hands of a mere mortal the sporter barrel on the American will be less accurate than the bull barrel on the Varmint. The Varmint model has a slightly wider fore stock and so rides the bags a little better and the weight of the barrel makes the rifle heavier. But it is important to keep in mind that the CZ 455 is a sporter rifle, not a match rifle. To be sure, it can be crafted into a fine shooter, but the diameter of the barrel will not be an overriding factor making a difference. If you were to get a Lilja barrel perhaps there might be a measurable difference between the standard barrel and the bull barrel. This is the experience reported by shooters on RFC, where there are a lot of CZ shooters posting.
damn, If I didn't hate the thumbhole stock so much I would have went with that... O well hahaa... (17hmr not 22)
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As mentioned above, normally a bull barrel provides less vibration under pressure and heat but is there really any added advantage at a .22LR caliber? The standard barrel seems to have a larger OD then many .22LR's on the market.. so beefy enough in it's own right. So with the small pressures of a .22LR load, does the added material of the bull actually have a positive influence on accuracy over the standard CZ barrel?
Heat dissipation at least. So maybe over a long shooting day.
The 22LR cartridge does not generate enough heat to be of any concern . So , why flute the barrel ? Mainly cosmetics . A side benefit might be slightly reduced barrel weight . Fluting exposes more surface area so potentially aids cooling , but , this is a non issue . Fluting does not add any increased stiffness . On a 22LR , it's just cosmetics . A heavy barrel does add considerable stiffness compared to a light taper barrel though . This stiffness offers very different barrel harmonics . Potentially , this can be very beneficial to accuracy . Harmonics are a very sensitive thing and even with a heavy barrel can be tuned . A simple rubber X Ring deresonator on a heavy barrel can completely ruin accuracy if placed in the wrong spot on the barrel .
On different days, my American might beat the Varmint.
The American is for carrying; The Varmint is for lying down beside and shooting gophers.
Considerable Ammunition research is required: Pillar Bedding, Firing pin reshaping, a heavier spring, a YoDave trigger kit and finding the scope that meets your needs are areas to be considered.
Since the 455's are designed to fire long rifle and by switching the barrels you can go to magnum rimfires I bought into the theory. Working with a chronograph might show improvements
Reshaping the firing pin should give better ignition. The reshaping creates a strike inside the outer part of the rim versus crushing brass that is the make up of the outer rim.
These strikes show what is desired:
There are so many variables and finding the correct one(s) might not happen quickly if ever.
Recently I read an article about lapping the barrel and you can accomplish that by shooting 300 lead bullets and cleaning after every 100. Lead only, no copper washed, and brand of lead bullets makes no difference. Will you ruin your barrel shooting copper . . . I don't know but perhaps I read the article after shooting lead and MiniMags.
The difference between a 5 pound trigger and something around one pound is huge.
Many will advocate a 2 - 7 power scope. That is okay if you limit your shots to short range.
Try 3-9, 4-12, 4.5 - 14, 6 - 18, and 2.5 to 16 which where I am at with my American. The Varmint wears a 4.5-14. What is a reasonable criteria as to how much power you need and how much field of view suits your needs. Seeing a gopher's eye and being able to make a head shot given the limits of the ammunition pretty much answers my needs.
On any given day the American may outperform the Varmint. While I regard them both as gopher guns the experimenting continues. Both rifles have shot under an inch at 100 yards. Stretching the range out to 200 doubles the pleasure . . . doubles the fun.
The American is for carrying; The Varmint is for lying down beside and shooting gophers.
Considerable Ammunition research is required: Pillar Bedding, Firing pin reshaping, a heavier spring, a YoDave trigger kit and finding the scope that meets your needs are areas to be considered.
Since the 455's are designed to fire long rifle and by switching the barrels you can go to magnum rimfires I bought into the theory. Working with a chronograph might show improvements
Reshaping the firing pin should give better ignition. The reshaping creates a strike inside the outer part of the rim versus crushing brass that is the make up of the outer rim.
These strikes show what is desired:
There are so many variables and finding the correct one(s) might not happen quickly if ever.
Recently I read an article about lapping the barrel and you can accomplish that by shooting 300 lead bullets and cleaning after every 100. Lead only, no copper washed, and brand of lead bullets makes no difference. Will you ruin your barrel shooting copper . . . I don't know but perhaps I read the article after shooting lead and MiniMags.
The difference between a 5 pound trigger and something around one pound is huge.
Many will advocate a 2 - 7 power scope. That is okay if you limit your shots to short range.
Try 3-9, 4-12, 4.5 - 14, 6 - 18, and 2.5 to 16 which where I am at with my American. The Varmint wears a 4.5-14. What is a reasonable criteria as to how much power you need and how much field of view suits your needs. Seeing a gopher's eye and being able to make a head shot given the limits of the ammunition pretty much answers my needs.
On any given day the American may outperform the Varmint. While I regard them both as gopher guns the experimenting continues. Both rifles have shot under an inch at 100 yards. Stretching the range out to 200 doubles the pleasure . . . doubles the fun.
Funny but after all the bragging about 17 HMR accuracy none have showed for the 100 Meter Rimfire Bench Rest at Mission.
Funny Peculiar . . . not Funny Har Har!
Im across the country or id love too ! lol Have been looking into setting up my own amongst my friends... Would be easy to weld up a "know your limits" target.
This is from an old 17hmr savage... Hoping the CZ455 bull barrel in 17hmr delivers as well... (already don't like how high the optic is though, bolt throw is so high needed high rings, now I need to find a way to raise me cheek weld.. New stock ? This ones too pretty to mess around with.)
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- Location
- Barrie, Ontario
travels faster, less exposure to wind... Less drift... It will be better...
there must be some sort of problem, 3/4" @ 25 yards is pretty horrible isn't it? what ammo were you using???
I actually bought CanadianKeepers CZ 455 Canadian with a sporter barrel and it shoots better then 3/4 @ 50 yards easily with a bunch of non-match ammo...
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Three-quarters of an inch is indeed a poor result at 25 yards, even with bulk ammo.
I just got a CZ varmint a couple of days ago. So far I've only had the chance to zero my scope in my 12.5 yrd. basement range. The bullets hits where the crosshairs are pointing but whether or not I can hold them on the dot I'm aiming at is not nearly as consistent.
So why did I choose the bull barrel? I'm obsessed with accuracy and if it gives me a thousandth of an inch advantage then why not. I have no doubt though that even someone that's a slightly better shooter with win out over me with the standard barrel.
Sorry to be a little off topic but I'm new to powder burners. How often do I clean the barrel?
