Worthwhile Upgrades to Savage Mark II - CZ 457? Something Else?

thegazelle

thegazelle

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
63   0   0
Location
Ontario
I had a hoot teaching my daughter to shoot the Savage Mark II yesterday. The magazine gave us problems, and I don't see too many non-Savage magazine replacements (certainly nothing aftermarket). I also won't lie - I enjoyed shooting that old Savage more than I thought I would. Maybe it is sentimentalism, maybe I enjoy the simplicity of a bolt action, which I never thought I would enjoy again. So this got me to thinking if my magazine options are limited and I have heard nothing but good things about the CZ452 (which I understand is discontinued) - currently it appears the CZ457 is the standard for .22LR that CZ has.

There seems to be a few different varieties, and while I can look on Youtube and get some insight, I always prefer some more localized real life feedback. I will also canvass your opinions as to whether the CZ457 is a worthwhile upgrade from the Savage. Full disclaimer - aside from the Mark 2 and the Ruger 10/22, I don't have much experience with rimfires. Looking potentially for something that has better magazine support, good accuracy (especially when we move to longer distances) and something that can accommodate a good scope (and recommendations please if you have one). I found a gorgeous Canadian-influenced theme red 457 from my LGS, but just want to get some feedback from owners as to whether there is a sub model that is better for our needs (target shooting), can be handled by a 5' 2" teenaged girl, is not picky about ammo (or if it is, what ammo works best with this gun), and most importantly my two big questions which are again, the reliability of the magazine and whether it is a significant upgrade from the Mark II-G.

Thanks in advance for your input.
 
Glad to hear more folks are getting in to the 22LR bug! More so when you get there kids involved in the sport, right on!

So if you already have a 10/22 you could always get a Ruger American 22lr bolt gun and keep the mags simple and plentiful. But if you ARE open to another make and not shy on value, I always recommend CZ or Tikka. Quality goes a long way IMO. I recently bought a CZ I'm so glad I did, the fit and finish is amazing and now I've got the bug to modify it.

If you wanted to keep the Savage they are awesome little rifles, and Canadian made too with I'm all about! Mags though, not anything you can do about it, kinda stuck on that aspect. They get sticky when dirty, and they sometimes stabbed me. You can change the stock for something more comfortable or appealing. Optics are always flexible, you could re-barrel, but that's always pricy. I honestly don't know anything about the Mark II G line, so I couldn't tell you TBH


Wes
 
I had fun reading you, thats exactly what i did, i bought a mk2 fvsr that is very accurate but was a bit disapointed about the clip and extractor, so, after some research i got myself a cz mtr, a real cadillac of a 22 lr, accurate and smooth to operate but a bit difficult about ammo, she like match bullet best so i kept my savage mk 2 when i whant to plink with cheaper ammo.
 
Hardhammer said:
I had fun reading you, thats exactly what i did, i bought a mk2 fvsr that is very accurate but was a bit disapointed about the clip and extractor, so, after some research i got myself a cz mtr, a real cadillac of a 22 lr, accurate and smooth to operate but a bit difficult about ammo, she like match bullet best so i kept my savage mk 2 when i whant to plink with cheaper ammo.
Click to expand...

Ah, good to know I am in good company. So you got the 457 MTR Varmint?

What match rounds did your gun like? I am pretty sure I am going to grab the 457 just want to know what ammo stock up in advance (this may seem weird but I get a real high buying ammo for a gun I don't quite have yet...lol)
 
I also started with a Savage MKII. Pretty accurate rifle, but overall feel was kinda "cheap". CZ is definitely a step up in terms of overall manufacturing, fit/finish. Accuracy is not guaranteed, as is the case with pretty much any mass produced rimfire. If you do end up with a dud barrel, swapping it out for a match grade drop-in (IBI and Lilja offer) is quick and easy. CZ's can be turned into some really sweet shooters, it's a great base action to work off of. Their factory mags are reliable, there was one smith in the states who would even convert some of his Anschütz builds to take CZ mags.

As far as ammo, every rifle is going to be different. Take two random CZs (or any brand) off the shelf, one could be picky about ammo, the other not so much. What shoots well in one gun, may shoot horribly in another. Take a specific brand/type of ammo, Lapua Center-X for example, and different lots are going to produce varied results. You can't rely on one brand/type of ammo always shooting well, so when you come across a lot that performs well it is always advised to stock up on it. Popular ammo choices are SK Standard Plus, SK Rifle Match, RWS Club, RWS Target Rifle. They usually give good results without breaking the bank like Lapua Midas + would.
 
Just so you're aware the 5 and 10 round mags for CZ's are sold out almost everywhere. There are still 25 rounders available.

I love my Savage MK II BTVS and my CZ 452, 455, and 457's. If you're looking for a benchrest upgrade you'll likely be happier with a CZ. But if you're looking for a rimfire that isn't picky with ammo I've found that my Savage will run just about anything well.
 
Last edited:
My MTR likes SK long range, Lapua center x, Eley tenex. I also Have the Canadian which I run CCI sv through with pretty darn good results. I have other rimfires that don't get in on the rotation because I like the feel of the CZ's so much. Magazines come in polymer and steel, I stick to the steel as the polymer ones just feel cheezy.
 
I have a Savage A22, a CZ452 Varmint, a 457 MTR Varmint and I owned a Savage B22. Although the B22 shot well and looked not too bad, it wasn't as nice as the CZs for fit and finish. I like wood and because of that, have not tried the Tikka. SK Rifle Match seems to work well in my CZs... I sold the Savage to free up some space for an Anschutz.
 
I’ve had a few mark iis pass through my hands. My son currently has a cheap MKII-F and I have a fancier target model. They’re both supremely reliable with no magazine feeding issues. I’m fact, it’s the same for all the ones that have passed through my hands. I would submit that your magazine issues may be specific to that one sample.

I have noted that the receiver drilling and tapping is not very well done, even on the $850 model. Easily compensated for though.

I also have experience with the cz457. It’s pretty nice. I will say that the dovetail on the receiver was aligned perfectly! I recommend the warne 11mm rings and avoid the leupold which cant off to the side and are defective by design in my opinion. The alignment was so good that with the warne rings, I was able to put an optically centered scope on with no adjustment and put a round down range and 50m. Of course, the elevation needed to come up, but let me tell you, the Windage was dead center. The rifle still hits dead centre without a single adjustment needed L or R. That’s some really fine manufacturing right there!

The accutrigger in the mkii has a little creep but is fairly light. The trigger in the 457 is very good but also has a tiny amount of creep. Contrary to what you may hear it is not a perfect trigger. It is very good though.

In terms of accuracy, the 457 will easily print sub moa with the right ammo. Magazines are kind of hard to come by. I find even the cheap MK-II-F to be even slightly more accurate, believe it or not, with the $850 fancy one being not much better.

Just remember, while the cz-457 may have a Canadian edition with a red stock featuring maple leaves, the Mark II actually IS Canadian. Made in Lakefield Ontario.
 
Last edited:
ALBERTA BOY said:
Just remember, while the cz-457 may have a Canadian edition with a red stock featuring maple leaves, the Mark II actually IS Canadian. Made in Lakefield Ontario.
Click to expand...

This is a very good point. I was pleasantly surprised many moons ago to find out that the Savage was made in Ontario. I didn't know that till I read through the documentation that came with it. Never had a problem with the Savage nor the magazine until this past weekend.

I have an affinity for buying Canadian whenever possible, so thanks for that good reminder.
 
If you are looking for something that is accurate and cycles well then the CZ 45X models are all great options. I will agree with another poster that extra magazines have become like unobtainium and are very hard to come by right now as all vendors seem to be sold out except for the 25ers. But both the steel and polymer mags work great and the polymer are nice and light. The Canadian model is a true beaut and scoped would be a great target/varmint rifle for a youngster to learn on. If you are looking for something with iron sights, I'd go for the trainer model that has great tangent sights and a slim profiled stock, although not the best stock to use if you are going to mount a scope. Either way CZ is a solid choice.
 
I bought a cz 457 synthetic with a 16” barrel and put an Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50 gen 2 on it for CRPS/ORPS production division. I have zero regrets. It cycles everything I’ve fed it and is very accurate so far. I made a kydex cheek riser for it and it now fits me perfectly.
 
I had a Savage MkII Btvs that was a nice shooter and i liked it very much. Like many , i read about the quality of the Cz firearms. I don't remember which of the 550 Medium Lux or the 452 Varmint was the first to find a place in my safe , but i know that those rifles are well built and shoot great.

The 452 is so good and got all my attention that i sold the Savage. I installed a Wolf stiffer striker spring and a Yodave trigger kit. At 12 oz the light trigger is a dream for target shooting.
Along the road , came a lovely 452 FS and a 452 American . I wasn't very found of the beech stock and that last one went away.

The 452 and 455 have the 90 degrees bolt who can interfere with the large eyepiece of some scopes. High rings are needed sometimes to have a good fit.
I went with a Sightron rimfire on the FS and i was able to keep the scope low enough while not interfering with the bolt.

The 457 model came with some refinements.
CZ corrected the akward safety and make it works as expected in NA.
The bolt throw is now 60 degrees and give more room for scope.
There is a cocking indicator.
A new trigger guard replaced the old stamped metal one.
A new bolt removing button.
A quite good new adjustable trigger. ( Not as good as my 452 though )
Some models have a match chamber. ( Can be picky on some ammos ).
Same ability to change barrel as on the 455.

All this made the 457 highly desirable to me.
When i first saw the MTR , i was hooked.
I jumped on the first one available for shipping.
The ergonomy fits me perfectly.
No malfunction to report.
I love my 457 MTR and it's definitely a keeper.

Somebody would be very well served with a Varmint ( Heavier ) or American ( lighter) ( or Canadian ) model able to eat a wider menu of cheaper ammo , sporting a more classical stock for scope use ( Bavarian types are more open sights oriented ).
For hunting on a budget...457 Synthetic is a lighter option.

Lapua , Sk and CCI shoots fine in my rifles.

The CZ are difficult to beat in their price range.

You won't be disapointed with them.
 
Last edited:
That is a fantastic endorsement everyone, of the 45x series. The 457 seems to be the model to get - I have been looking at a Varmint MTR one. Good to know it shoots CCI fine.
 
Savage mk11 I used doubled springs on the extractor and stay away from blazer because of wax or whatever is on it.i also take a q tip with me shooting if I'm firing more then a 100 rounds and give the bolt face a lil touch up and were the shell touches the face of cylinder.thats if in the below freezing that it gets stuck.
 
ALBERTA BOY said:
I'm sorry, but there is not.

There is a cocking indicator which will appear whenever the rifle is cocked. It does NOT indicate if the rifle is loaded.
Click to expand...

You are right. I just didn’t found the right term at the moment. Thanks for the head-up. I will correct it.
 
Last edited:
Had both for a while, Kept the CZ .

184117135_10159543422763552_146311920432900338_n.jpg
 
I used to have the mkii . I left it with my parents . A few years ago I bought the Marlin xt-22 off EE . Excellent rifle for $170 . I found magazines no problem at bass pro and vendors here for between $19-22 each . Accurate rifle too . Still no scope on it , I may get a 4x32 one day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom