CZ 457 22LR American Barrel Length
- Thread starter Total_eclipse
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With CZ rimfire rifles, barrel length doesn't determine accuracy.
Shooters choose a model that meets their needs, taking into consideration how it balances among other factors. Different CZ models have barrels of different lengths. For example, among the 455 precursors, the 452 American has a 22.5" pencil barrel. The heavier 452 Varmint barrel is 21" while the 452 Lux is 24.8" and the 452 Ultra Lux barrel is 28.6", both with iron sights.
All are potentially equally accurate without regard to barrel length. The same is true for newer 455 and 457 models. Choose the model that meets your needs and balances well.
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I have owned various CZ and Brno rifles from their Military trainer, Brno 2, Brno 4, 2-455s with barrels ranging from almost 30" (Brno 4) down to a 20" super-match. Accuracy and precision are virtually identical. The long barreled Brno 4 gave an extreme sight radius for diopter sights, but with a scope, indistinguishable from the 20" super match.
Technically 16-18" should optimize velocity in .22 LR, but based on my experience with these rifles, style of shooting and how they fit and balance is more important than barrel length.
there must be some logic as to why the different lengths
does a longer barrel settle a round down more, less sd/es than a short one for the same ammo?
long tubes seem quieter, but maybe thats just the difference in distance to the hearing device
does a longer barrel settle a round down more, less sd/es than a short one for the same ammo?
long tubes seem quieter, but maybe thats just the difference in distance to the hearing device
I suspect that a faster twist would contribute to more spin (gyroscopic) drift than to wind drift, but these considerations are probably less critical for .22LR than ammo variation.
Differences in trajectories from one round to the next -- caused by such factors as MV differences and center of gravity variation -- will affect results downrange more negatively than any advantages or disadvantages of various twist rates. And this only gets worse as distance to target increases.
It may be surprising but there's no evidence published that proves long rifle barrel length causes SD and ES numbers to be lower than in other rifle barrels. The quality of the ammo is key to SD and ES.
In addition to being quieter, long barrels have the advantage of an increased sight radius which is important for shooting with iron or aperture sights but unimportant for shooting with optics. Long barrels also have the advantage of adding weight or inertia to a rifle which can be important for helping with aiming/shooting.
For those using a barrel tuner, barrel length and diameter are important considerations as short, heavier barrels are often less responsiveness to the tuner.
From the CZ site:
If we were to pick one thing that our previous rimfire platforms were lacking, it was an American-style push-to-fire safety — something Hunter’s Education instructors and 4-H shooting coaches have begged us to incorporate for years.
Quite amazing who is listened to. So what happened to the field hunters who want a shorter or standard barrel in the traditional 20.5 (+ or -) or is it a deviation towards "someone will buy it because it is new"?
But there are other models with shorter barrels.
If we were to pick one thing that our previous rimfire platforms were lacking, it was an American-style push-to-fire safety — something Hunter’s Education instructors and 4-H shooting coaches have begged us to incorporate for years.
Quite amazing who is listened to. So what happened to the field hunters who want a shorter or standard barrel in the traditional 20.5 (+ or -) or is it a deviation towards "someone will buy it because it is new"?
But there are other models with shorter barrels.
Longer or heavier barrels can also give you a shift in balance, for example, most like a gun to balance Infront of the magazine if shooting from a bag. In bench-rest, longer/heavier barrels can stabilize the rifle making for faster target acquisition after a shot.
Jaguar has a 28 inch barrel
Keep in mind that sometimes the reason isn't obvious either. CZ made a 16" barreled 452 designed for suppressor use in countries that allow them, the addition of a "can" it brought that 16" barrel to about the length of a standard barrel without one. In Canada, it looked like just a cool/uncommon model with a threaded barrel.
In general terms, I look for barrel lengths to be more or less "standard" or "short". CZ tries lots of stuff, the 457 Jaguar has a 28"+ barrel? Nobody would scoff at that barrel length on a 12ga 870, but on a small rimfire action it looks pretty odd.
