Benchrest .22: CZ 455 vs. Savage MK II

Here is a pic of the preliminary ammo testing of the Anschutz MPR 64.

I shot all groups at 25 yards and all are 5 shot groups.

Top left is Federal Premium
Top middle is Agula Super Speed
Top right is Lapua Standard
Lower left is Lapua Center X
Lower middle is W-W Super speed
Lower right is bulk CCI Mini Mag.

The Mini Mag group is hard to wrap my head around. I either threw 3 in the berm or 4 went into the same hole.
 

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Taking my CZ 452 out yesterday and bench resting it, I had several groups that were nickel sized or smaller at 50 yards. However, I couldn't seem to get it on the X ring. So they were grouped well, but in the wrong location and it seemed to move constantly up and right, maybe as the barrel heated up. I was very happy with the groups but I need more time with the rifle to get it where I want it to be. For reference, at 50 yards, I was shooting smaller groups than the top middle in the picture above me, but not as good as most of the smaller groups. Wish I had taken a picture for easier reference.

EDIT: Shot with American Eagle .22, which I find to be pretty good ammo. Up there with CCI Mini Mags
 
The vagaries gun making are such that, for any brand x rifle there are brand Y rifles that are more or less accurate or functional or ???, and vice versa. Throw in the fickleness each rifle has when it comes to ammunition and the matter gets even fuzzier. The best solution would be to buy a couple dozen of each, test them with a large variety of ammo (and lot numbers, to be sure;)), then keep the best and dispose of the rest. I can barely afford to buy a single rifle and my ammo testing often takes so long to accomplish that I am limited to catalog numbers. Lot numbers sell out before I have enough data to choose one. (Sorry, but that is a bit fatuous: I am not doing anything worthy of that level of testing. I buy the cheapest clean shooting ammo I can find.)

In recent years I have bought a Savage MkII and a CZ 452 Scout for kids in my life. The Savage is slightly better than ½" at 50 yards with a variety of bulk ammo. The CZ, to my knowledge, has not been tested beyond the tin can level yet. The CZ is quite a bit more pleasing to the hand and to the eye, as expected in a rifle costing nearly triple the Savage's price, but I cannot say that one functions better than the other. YMMV
 
I've owned the Savage, and sold it after a side by side comparison with my CZ 452. The Savage, while accurate, does not hold a candle to the CZ. It's just flat-out a more accurate rifle. The fitment is more than acceptable from a price standpoint, at least IMO. Nickel and dime-size groups all day long at 50 yards. At 100, inch to inch-and-a-quarter groups, if I'm on my game. I haven't shot in any matches with it, but would expect good results from the rifle if I did. Outside of that, it's a squirrel-assassinating machine! One note: mine is the 452 Lux (24" barrel, hump-back stock). The stock aligns your eye very will with the sights. I see some people above note that the sights are in a bad location for a scope. Mine is without a scope, but the tangent sights are great. Very easy to look across. In fact, nicest irons out of all the rifles that I own!
 
Well I've done a little more looking into the rules for the .22 benchrest match.

There is a light and heavy class, the light class must be under 8.5 lbs for the full setup. The heavy or "open" class has no weight restriction and has the more dedicated, heavily modified, expensive target rifles competing. The Savage MKII FV with the scope I'd be using and the tacticool stock, would be over 8.5 lbs. So for that reason I'm giving the FV-SR with the 16.5" barrel and possibly the Boyd's SS Evolution stock a more serious thought.

Here's a link to last month's results listing the rifle and respective score to give an idea of the competition: http://www.wataugagunclub.com/Disciplines/Rimfire/BenchRifle/BR2014/26%20Jan%202014%20100yd%20Rimfire%20Bench%20Results.pdf

And a link to the rules: http://www.wataugagunclub.com/Disciplines/Rimfire/BenchRifle/100%20Yd%20Rimfire%20Bench%20Match%20Desc%202-2013%20Forward.pdf
 
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Hi all, first post for me.

I have a 452 Trainer with a Williams peep and YoDave trigger kit. I only shoot out to 50-75 w/ the peep and don't use a scope. I've tried Lapua Center X and Midas +, as well as CCI Standard velocity, and they all shoot about the same size groups (under 1" at 50-75m). I paid 360.00 plus a transfer fee to have it shipped to a local GS.

Those groups would be smaller if I used an optic and the difference between ammo choice would probably show more. From the research I did prior to getting the 452, it would be tough to find something that matches that accuracy while still hovering around the 400.00 price point. Plus, the 452 is a nice rifle and something that I'll gladly hand down to my son and daughter one day.

Just my .02
 
It is what it is !!

I have a 452 Trainer with a Williams peep and YoDave trigger kit.
Click to expand...
Have to doubt that you are rightly satisfied with your CZ and I would add that your don't need a replacement trigger kit, with a Savage .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
One other thing I'm wondering about is barrel length. Both CZ and Savage offer "suppressor-ready" versions with 16.5" barrels. I think theoretically this would give better accuracy because of the shorter, stiffer, less "whippy" barrel. Also less barrel time should be good for accuracy. 16.5" is about the optimum length for a .22lr as far as velocity is concerned, but is there any advantage with the longer barrel accuracy-wise? Maybe more stabilization and/or less velocity deviation? I'm sure somebody out there can school me on this.
 
Mechanical accuracy is a gun to gun wash. A longer barrel can make for a longer sight radius and improved shooter performance, but put a scope on the rifle and the point is moot.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that .22 rifles are picky about ammo. Don't assume that expensive match ammo is the best for your rifle. For my target 10/22, Aguila Superextra shot better groups than Eley. Of course, I had the liberty of buying 30 different kinds of ammo just for this purpose. With the ammo shortage, this may be a challenge.
 
Did you consider the CZ 453 with the single set trigger and heavier barrel or does that break the bank? I picked up a 455 two years ago for my daughter who's been kicking but at the 4-H weekly shooting matches. The 455 met the criteria for match use. Scoped it with a Weaver variable rimfire scope. The CZ and Weaver scope is a match made in heaven.
 
They don't make the 453 anymore and I'll probably buy new, but I'm considering some variation of the CZ 455 varmint. I'm actually leaning more in this direction now after considering the quality of the CZ vs. the Savage for not that much more money.

I reallly like the 455 tacticool suppressor-ready, but I don't know how easy it will be to find one. They are new-for-2014 and will be a hot item. If I can't find one I'll happily order a 455 varmint.
 
Just to update this thread, I decided on the CZ 455. I went to the LGS today and checked to see what they had. There was a CZ 455 Varmint in stock with the standard walnut stock and 20.5" heavy barrel. I was really impressed with the fit and finish of the rifle and it definitely felt like it was a cut above a Savage MKII. I'd really like to find the 455 Tacticool Suppressor-Ready version, and the shop owner just happens to be at a gun show in Phoenix, AZ right now so if he can find one down there he's gonna bring it back for me. If he can't find one I have them holding the Varmint model for me.
 
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