CZ 452 VS Marlin 39A Accuracy

No, I was wrong

"Still, CZs are far from junk, unless thousands upon tens of thousands of owners are all wrong, and skeeter is right."
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No, I don't know what the hell I was thinking (maybe too much gin). CZs are fine guns, and I wouldn't mind having a 452FS.

And to answer another question, the Marlin 39Ds were only made from 1971 to 1973, I believe. They're darned hard to find. If you can find one, expect to pay >$500 for it.

Either way, 39 or 452, both good and accurate rifles.

Although I haven't shot a CZ452FS (yet), I can tell you that I took out crow on a tree branch at a measured 100yds with a 39. Yes, Marlins are expensive, but I'm sure glad I have a couple.
 
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The last group I shot with my CZ 452 American in 22 Rimfire measured 3/16" at 50 yards.
There is no way a Marlin Model 39 lever action can match that kind of day in, day out accuracy.

Martyn
 
At 25 yards, even a box-stock Ruger 10/22 is accurate. Range should be at least 50 yards, and should include a 100-yard course of fire as well.

A *true* test of accuracy would be to have both rifles in question shot by the same person (who doesn't own a copy of either rifle) with the same scope and the same ammo on the same day at the same general time of the day.

BTW, I ran the same test on my CZ-452 Silhouette and my Henry H001T. The day I ran this test, it was 65 degrees and overcast. My methodology was as follows:

1) I thoroughly cleaned both bores before going to the range.

2) I used Wolf M/T ammo (LOT# 10839), sorted by rim thickness.

3) The scope was a Mueller APV set at maximum power (14.5)

4) At the range, I fired 30 (unsorted) rounds through each gun to season the barrels to the lube used on the Wolf M/T.

5) I fired 10-12 sighting shots through each gun before shooting for groups.

6) Shooting five shot groups at 50 yards, the CZ shot a ragged hole group smaller than a dime. The Henry shot a group just a hair larger than a nickel.

7) I repeated the tests three more times. In every test, the CZ was more consistent and accurate - but not by much. In fact, I consider the difference to be insignificant.

8) By the time I got to the 100 yard range, the wind had picked up and I couldn't get decent groups from either rifle. I have not since tried the 100 yard test because the windy conditions haven't subsided.

And the guy that said that the CZ-452 is junk is talking out his anal pore...

To be honest, I was hoping the Henry would out-shoot the CZ, but a pinned receiver gun simply isn't as accurate as a threaded receiver gun.
 
OK - sounds like they're both pretty good rifles. Dime size hole vs. nickel size hole at 50 yards? I'd be happy with a quarter sized hole at that distance. Hell, I could even live with the occasional fifty cent sized holes. Sounds like in my case when it comes to accuracy the only hole I need to be worrying about is the a**-hole pulling the trigger.:D
 
OK - sounds like they're both pretty good rifles. Dime size hole vs. nickel size hole at 50 yards? I'd be happy with a quarter sized hole at that distance. Hell, I could even live with the occasional fifty cent sized holes. Sounds like in my case when it comes to accuracy the only hole I need to be worrying about is the a**-hole pulling the trigger. :D
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Don't forget, I was comparing a Henry to a CZ. Everyone else here seems to have a huge erection for Marlins. My test was described primarily to illustrate that the CZ is most certainly not junk. Secondarily, it was used to show that a Henry rifle is pretty accurate, and that Marlin doesn't make the only .22 lever gun on the planet.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the CZ safety backwards to most American rifles? Forward for safe, back to shoot? Any way to change this?
 
I own a CZ 452 Varmint 17 machII, and it will shoot 5 shot groups as small as a dime at 100 yards. The trigger is so much better than my Marlin 917V. I am completely happy with my CZ and it is the most accurate rimfire rifle I have ever shot.
 
Marlin or CZ452

I own the Marlin and the CZ452 and the CZ Brno rifles.I love my old Marlin it is 56 model great gun but I think either CZ will outshoot it.You can shoot shotgun hulls at 50 meters with either CZ all day they will group about .5 inches or less with a good shooter at 50yards easy.The Marlin is great but it will not outshoot the CZ.
roc1
 
There is no way a Marlin Model 39 lever action can match that kind of day in, day out accuracy.
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Wanna bet? :)

Wildguessthe39comesoutthisweekAlaska ™

Note...the CZ has the advantage of course due to lock time and lack of hammer fall
 
"There is no way a Marlin Model 39 lever action can match that kind of day in, day out accuracy.

Wanna bet?"
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Well, it's no Winchester 52 or Anschutz, but don't ever bet money against a guy with a 39. I've only owned (and practiced) with my 39 for 37 years, and the older it gets, the smoother the trigger gets, too. I'm not bragging, but just saying, I can make quarter-sized holes with it at 50-100yds all day long.

They're great rifles, and true pieces of Americana.
 
The CZ 452 and 453 are very good shooting rifles for the money. It would be difficult to consistantly find a better shooting bolt action 22 rifle out of the box for the price. Note I said "for the price" as there are better shooting 22 rifles out of the box for a higher price. I'm looking forward to acquiring the Remington 547 in the coming months when they start hitting the stores and it might well shoot a little better. I'd take a good Remington 541-S anytime over the CZ. They were priced pretty much like the CZ's are now 20 years ago.
 
As for the CZ, I personaly thing they're junk and would never own one.
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See, that's just plain old ignorance talking there. I mean, you can think that, but to anyone who owns the CZ 452 or has shot one, just the opposite is obvious. I have a buddy who just got a 39A, and he and I are planning to do a comparison. Should be innerestin'....
 
I don't shoot it much anymore, but back in the day, my Marlin 39a would shoot dime sized 10 shot groups all day long at 25 yards. I never tried any longer distances because I didn't have a place out back to shoot longer.

I've never shot a CZ, but the ones I've seen couldn't be called junk. And yes, Skeeter, I know you did correct that wording.

Most 22's will shoot a lot better than the person holding them anyway. For all the talk about how inaccurate a 10/22 is, mine are accurate enough stock out of the box to kill a squirrel as far away as I'm willing to shoot at one. I did kill one once with my Marlin at 75 steps, but I'm not sure who was more surprised, the squirrel or me. I was a lot younger then, and my eyes were sharper.
 
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39A

...am I right in thinking that what's really amazing is that a lever gun can "run" with the bolt action dogs?
 
Okay, I'll revive this post. It's not too old.

I don't own, nor have I shot either a CZ-452 or Marlin 39A :(. But I'd love to own both one day :D ! As I said, I have no experience with either, but given all I've gathered over the years, I'd say unless you get a screwed up example, either should be capable of sub-MOA accuracy. That is certainly nothing to sneeze at or complain about. I'd bet a lot of folks can't take advantage of the full mechanical accuracy anyway, but it is fun to try of course.

I plan on picking up a CZ Trainer myself in the next few weeks and shoot with only the irons for a while. Should be a lot of fun. Then I'll add a 39A later.
 
CZ 452 American with 4X scope at 25 yards, last Saturday, very windy. The top right circle is five shots. The middle and bottom circle are 3 shots each. All three circles were shot off the bag. The squirrels were shot unsupported.
My CZ outshoots my Browning BLR and Ruger 10/22. I think it is about equal to my Browning A-bolt in the accuracy department. I would have to get a higher power rimfire scope to find out which one was better. Sorry, I have not owned, nor shot the Marlin.
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I can replicate that group with my 39 golden A at 25 yards with open sights shooting 22 shorts for petes' sake! Probably 3 or 4 times a month I set up a target in the backyard (about 33 yards) and just plink with my 39 and I can get quarter sized groups with it on a rest with open sights and shorts. A 4 power scope? Forget about it! By the way, who's friggin idea was it anyway, to compare a bolt action gun to a lever gun in the first place (even though it's one of the best lever guns ever made, and THE BEST lever gun I have ever shot)? I'm sure that the CZ is a fine gun in its' own right. But just because it is an accurate gun doesn't mean it's in the same league as a lever gun that may possible shoot just as well if not better than that very weapon. Just think about that for a minute, we are arguing over which of the 2 guns is better. One being a lever and one being a bolt. That in itself is a true testament to the quality of the Marlin 39A.
 
I have one of each. The Marlin will shoot fairly consistent dime sized 5 shot groups with Remington Golden Bullet bulk pack from Walmart at 50 yards. The CZ will only do that with a premium ammunition although I have had good luck with Federal AutoMatch which is only a little more expensive than the Remington. My .22's are for plinking so the one that shoots the smallest groups with the cheapest ammo is the one I like best because I can afford to shoot it more.

My CZ is a trainer w/Brook's trigger kit and basically everything else he sells for the CZ's. It has a 3x9 scope on it now and that scope was on the Marlin. I took it off to put a set of XS Ghost rings on the Marlin.

The 39a I bought used 4 years ago and didn't do anything to it. It was made in 86 and didn't look like it had seen much use before I bought it.

If I had to sell one the CZ would go and the Marlin would stay, but neither are going anywhere. They are both great guns. Actually I was looking for a used 39a since I just couldn't bring myself to spend the price of a new one. After looking for close to a year for one at a reasonable price I stumbled on the CZ's and Gander Mountain was having a sale so the Trainer came home. Shortly after that I moved to a new city and within a week of being there I walked into a gun store and found the used Marlin 39a I had been looking for. $185 later I was out the door with it. After shooting it I decided I should have just bought a new one since it would have been worth every penny.
 
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