Worthwhile Upgrades to Savage Mark II - CZ 457? Something Else?
- Thread starter thegazelle
- Start date
shoot_to_kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Luskville quebec
I put a boyds stock on my savage mark 2. I torqued the action screws. The only other upgrade i will eventually do is a 20 or 30 moa base/ rail. Mine shoots well cci standard and sk standard.
What do you mean by "with ease"? What's the criteria?
Walk a target out to 200 yards, walk 200 yards back to firing line, shoot target. bullets make holes and group within a couple inches, some better, some worst. Its not a world championship, there is no criteria except relaxing on a Saturday morning
Since you note the walk all the way there and back, that must be the part that's not with ease.
More to the point, I asked because of the inexplicit way it was put and because one guy's "with ease" can be another's frustration. It's interesting to know you get some sub-2" groups at 200 yards, world championships or not. That's quite incredible.
Haha yeah, the walk is the hardest part. I've done alot of research but just started getting into rimfire this year. I haven't even tried 300 yards yet.
Its very satisfying when things work and I've been fortunate to get advice from great shooters to help get me up to speed quicker.
Long story short and not to take topic off the rails, the cz 457 platform is performing very well for the price point in my experience. One just needs to find the ammo it likes and have some fun. Ill post my own experiences separately when I have enough data collected
Just because the 452 series is no longer being built is no reason not to buy one. In fact, it might be a good investment if you don't spend a fortune buying a used one.
Some don't like buying used guns, and that's fine too.
The Tikka T1x is, in my opinion, a more accurate rifle than most CZs, which is a statement I'm sure will cause some flame
.
Having said that, the Tikkas have had a few issues with poor feeding and ejection, so it might not be your best solution. It is sold in a synthetic stock only, though it will accept many other stock options. Mine is currently sitting in a walnut T3 Hunter stock, which I quite like.
My Tikka has given me no grief with either feeding or ejecting, but it's definitely not as smooth feeding as my CZ 452 Varmint. Very few .22s are, for that matter.
I have well over 7000 rds through the CZ now, and I can't remember a single fail-to-feed event. I'm still on the original 5 round polymer mag too, so they're durable.
My 452 is as smooth as silk, accurate, strong ejection.. very nice rifle overall. It's definitely one of my keep-it-til-I-die rifles.
You can pick up a used 452 Varmint on the EE for about $550ā$650, they show up fairly regularly.
The Varmints are not light rifles, however. By the time you add a scope, rings, and a bipod you'll be around 8 lbs or more. Good for prone or a bench.
The 452 American, Lux, or Trainer would be comparable to the weight of the Savage.
As someone mentioned, the "hog-back" stock on the Lux and Trainer are best suited to iron sight use, the CZ irons are excellent.
For scope use, the American or Varmint stocks are best. A higher comb puts your eye where it needs to be to see through a scope. The Lux and Trainer stocks are usable with a scope, many have been set up that way, but they're not designed for it.
I'm less enamored with the 455 series, and the 457 has never appealed to me. It shares the same interchangeable barrel system the 455 has.
Some don't like buying used guns, and that's fine too.
The Tikka T1x is, in my opinion, a more accurate rifle than most CZs, which is a statement I'm sure will cause some flame
.Having said that, the Tikkas have had a few issues with poor feeding and ejection, so it might not be your best solution. It is sold in a synthetic stock only, though it will accept many other stock options. Mine is currently sitting in a walnut T3 Hunter stock, which I quite like.
My Tikka has given me no grief with either feeding or ejecting, but it's definitely not as smooth feeding as my CZ 452 Varmint. Very few .22s are, for that matter.
I have well over 7000 rds through the CZ now, and I can't remember a single fail-to-feed event. I'm still on the original 5 round polymer mag too, so they're durable.
My 452 is as smooth as silk, accurate, strong ejection.. very nice rifle overall. It's definitely one of my keep-it-til-I-die rifles.
You can pick up a used 452 Varmint on the EE for about $550ā$650, they show up fairly regularly.
The Varmints are not light rifles, however. By the time you add a scope, rings, and a bipod you'll be around 8 lbs or more. Good for prone or a bench.
The 452 American, Lux, or Trainer would be comparable to the weight of the Savage.
As someone mentioned, the "hog-back" stock on the Lux and Trainer are best suited to iron sight use, the CZ irons are excellent.
For scope use, the American or Varmint stocks are best. A higher comb puts your eye where it needs to be to see through a scope. The Lux and Trainer stocks are usable with a scope, many have been set up that way, but they're not designed for it.
I'm less enamored with the 455 series, and the 457 has never appealed to me. It shares the same interchangeable barrel system the 455 has.
regarding the best ammo for accuracy, you may have to try 10 brands to get it. even with a great gun like the cz457. gunblue490 on YouTube did a review of the 457. his target at 60 yards shows he only found one exceptional ammo for it. it's a long video, but at 33:47 he shows the target. at the beginning he mentions which ammo he's trying.. he's worth watching btw.
https://youtu.be/jnQKUgqgT4Q
so it depends more on how much you want to spend to find that ammo. i have one gun that loves only a certain ammo that I haven't found (till now LOL) for almost 40 years. it's been a long search for that rws hv hp ammo. it allowed me to hit gophers consistently well past 100 yards. i think at this point I'll pass on it, at 12$ a box.
regarding savage vs cz, the savages' sheet metal mag design will always relegate the savage to the "lower class" gun category, even if they are a close match accuracy wise. btw, by that token the ruger american has that excellent 10 shot flush mag, also much better than the savage. my experience with the american is that the synthetic stock feels a little cheap, but it's otherwise a beautifully blued gun that is pretty close to the cz in accuracy. so if you choose that direction, perhaps the wood stock version would be a better choice. But again it really depends more on how you fare in the search for the best shooting ammo for the gun you finally choose.
finally, a plug here for my personnel favourite bulk plinking ammo cci ar tactical. it shoots well in everything I've tried it in. also for gophers/critters i like the winchester 222/333/555 stuff. good luck!
btw, if you love the red 457, buy it. it is more rare and will retain its value and maybe go up when they are no longer available.
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Thanks Larry, I will check out the video. Thanks also for the CCI AR Tactical plug. I was thinking of buying that ammo just to try out and you have me intrigued enough I will place an order next week.
I agree with your assessment of ammo. It is kind of like golf balls - I can read and watch videos of what works for others and what the industry and reviews say but I never get the same result (probably my lack of skill) and the best golf balls that work for me accuracy wise are a brand that has been long discontinued, are considered on the budget side but I consistently get excellent results.
I have never seen as much overwhelming consensus towards a model of rifle than the CZ 45x series. I am probably going to buy one shortly, to have a secondary .22 bolt action plinker. I have seen these in the stores, and the wood finishes for these are just gorgeous. The fact that these are viewed as highly accurate and problem free is a huge bonus.
Thanks everyone for the great feedback.
you're welcome. please check out this article if you haven't seen it.
https://gundigest.com/gun-reviews/rifles-reviews/cz-457-the-rimfire-worlds-darling
it gives an honest summary of the cz evolution and why the 457 is a great gun. personally I'd go for the 28.5 inch jaguar version. the similar 452 ultra lux is an awesome gun.
https://gundigest.com/gun-reviews/rifles-reviews/cz-457-the-rimfire-worlds-darling
it gives an honest summary of the cz evolution and why the 457 is a great gun. personally I'd go for the 28.5 inch jaguar version. the similar 452 ultra lux is an awesome gun.
The Jaguar is long and nose heavy, but a very nice gun for high velocity ammo (designed for it); standard ammo the barrel is a waste, and will eve result in lower velocities. I have owned 3 CZs, the one I have kept is a Brno #2 Lux; beautifully feather grain walnut and a lighter profile barrel. Perfect ballance for me, stupid accurate with good old CCI Std Velocity. Any of the CZs are great, just find the style and type that suits your needs.
