Thoughts on CZ 455 22/17 combo

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OhioGuy

New member
I'm in the market for a good, reliable bolt-action rifle. I'd like to get a .22lr primarily for the low cost of the ammo, with the near-term goal to improve my marksmanship (I'm a pistol guy, with little real practice on any rifle platform). I'm not interested in rapid fire or looking like I'm carrying a Navy SEAL weapon :) I'd like something simple, reliable and affordable.

I came across the CZ 455 American and it looks like it's very well reviewed (and the wood stock looks quite nice too!).

Does anyone have this gun, and would it be a good starting point?

For a bit more moolah, I can get the combo set that includes the 17 HMR caliber conversion. I don't know much about this round, but gather it's more effective/accurate at longer ranges than .22lr? So...

1) Is the 17 HMR cartridge "enough better" than the .22lr to bother having both? I likely won't be hunting with it, it's more for target use.

2) Would I be better off just getting the .22lr and then buying the conversion separately later

I know Ruger American has a lot of good reviews too, and Savage seems to get a lot of good writeups especially for its lower price point. I admit to being a bit of a CZ snob though :) (Love me some 75s!)
 
If all you want to do is just target shoot stay with the 22lr. I have a very high opinion of the CZ 455. I have one on lay way now. The gun look and feels great. The 17 HMR is more expensive to shoot makes more noise and offer to advantage for target shooting. It is however a great little round for shooting a little longer distance and for dispatching coyotes and such.
 
Target shooting with a .22 rifle is generally considered a great way to get into shooting. That's how I started. Lots of folk on this site have praised the CZ for its accuracy so I think you're making a good choice there.

What might really help you out is some form of competition, such as does your local range have any programs.

Also you might want to look into Project Appleseed. I've never done it but folk I know say it's a good time especially if you have an accurate rifle, magazine fed and a sling. And they'll sell you the sling.

https://appleseedinfo.org/
 
I have a CZ 455 American, and I have three barrels for it. I bought the gun with just the .22lr barrel but soon added the .17hmr for woodchucks. One of my favorite calibers over the last 45+ years has been the .22mag in several handguns and rifles so I just got the barrel for that caliber. The CZ in the out-of-the-box format will shoot five shot groups with good ammo into .35-.45" groups at fifty yards off sand bags as a normal occurrence. With the 17HMR barrel will shoot five shots avg. of around 1.25" at 100 yards. The .22mag will do about 1.5" at 100 yards. In my opinion the 17hmr is a bit light for large coyotes unless you get a direct broadside lung hit. The .22mag will penetrate a bit better on large coyotes. Shooting coyotes at a hundred yards and beyond is actually pushing the limit of any of these calibers. The CZ is called the "poor man's Anschutz" for good reason. It's very, very accurate and very well made. Extra barrels can be ordered directly from CZ USA and run around $136.00 which is a super bargain.
Visit rimfirecentral.com which has thousands of members and has a whole sub-forum on CZ rifles. Lots of information there on the subject.
 
I have a CZ 527 and it might be my favorite gun to shoot. CZ makes a fantastic bolt gun.

If its in the budget, I'd go for the combo but if you really just want an affordable plinker I'd stick with just the .22.

The 17hmr doesn't (in my opinion) give you THAT much more range than the .22 but it certainly packs a better punch at similar distances so it is great for varmints.

Either way you won't be disappointed!
 
Mine is the now discontinued CZ 452 MT, but the 455 seems to have carried on the fine tradition.

It shoots all 22 LR decently, it shoots some of it in the 1/2 MOA area. We are seeing a lot of 22 now and in a variety of stock bulk to 22 target.

Purely for target, I would get a Savage with the heavy barrel for stability and better trigger.

As a general all around gun, the CZ is it and more so for field carry.

No opinion or experience directly on the .17. Rounds will cost a lot more.

If you are just target shooting, it gives you reach, but the 22 is good to 50 yards. You can shoot 100, but wind is always very significant for 22 and I have yet to maintain the MOA at that range. And its a 6 inch drop to deal with.

Once past that I would be inclined to go with a 6.5 of some sort if you want to get into rifle.
 
My older Son just bought one of the CZ combo rifles(22lr/22 WMR/17 HMR). The accuracy with 22lr is topnotch and with 22 WMR is amazing. I've had a couple of 22WMR rifles that were pretty doggy in the accuracy department but this CZ re-writes the book.
The 17 HMR is very good at what it was designed for--plunking smallish vermin from much longer ranges than a 22lr. A 17 HMR is still good enough for groundhogs to 150 yards. I use this caliber for varmint removal in places where a centerfire would be too much of a good thing.
 
So for working on marksmanship at longer ranges (beyond 100 yards) it sounds like the 17 HMR or 22 WMR are better cartridges than 22lr.

For target use, which of those more powerful cartridges is preferable? Does it make a difference?
 
The advantage in 100 yard plus shooting goes to the 17 HMR. On nice still days they are down right fun at 200 yards.
 
They make small targets that simulate long range for 22.

You don't have to shoot it.

Not against a 17 at all, but that does negate the 22 ammo cost benefit.

I shoot 30-06 because I like 30-06, not because its the best target cartridge (granted I hand load so higher costs are initial brass and more powder used)
 
Thanks for all the responses!

I've been seeing some good reviews of the Savage Mark II .22lr also. Looks like I can get these for $150 less than the CZ. I'm not familiar with Savage other than their reputation for being a more budget-oriented option, but the rifles seem well reviewed.

Is the CZ better enough (better built, more durable, more accurate, more accessories, etc.) to warrant the price increase? I do happen to like the real wood stock, and I know the CZ trigger is supposed to be one of the best stock triggers on a .22 bolt action.
 
CZ 452/455 are great rifles. The best way I can describe it is most of the other common .22 rifles are good “.22s”.

The CZs are good RIFLES that happen to be chambered in .22. Kind of like Ruger M77/22 was a good Rifle not simply a good .22.

They are not Anschutz or Cooper or Kimber etc. but in general terms I don’t think anything can touch them in and around their price range.

There is an old world charm and feel to them. Steel/wood not alloy and plastic or zamak. The biggest knock I can give them is the trigger guard is cheap bent alloy. Other than that they are just so satisfying to shoot.

Accuracy is more Indian then arrow my CZs are pretty exceptionally accurate but I have seen Savages shoot lights out as well.
 
Awesome! I feel drawn toward the CZ. It's kinda mystical...

Plus I'm a huge CZ pistol fan, and that doesn't hurt either.

Question...I'd like to start out by getting good at shooting with open sights before moving on to either optics or scopes. It looks like the basic "American" 455 comes without open sights, but the "Lux" model has them.

Better to get the American and add sights aftermarket? Can I assume that's an easy thing to do, or will it require a gunsmith?

If I get one with sights installed, is it any big deal to later add the scope? I'm assuming not, but again I'm not at all familiar with rifles (yet).

Thanks!
 
I've been seeing some good reviews of the Savage Mark II .22lr also. Looks like I can get these for $150 less than the CZ. I'm not familiar with Savage other than their reputation for being a more budget-oriented option, but the rifles seem well reviewed.

Is the CZ better enough (better built, more durable, more accurate, more accessories, etc.) to warrant the price increase? I do happen to like the real wood stock, and I know the CZ trigger is supposed to be one of the best stock triggers on a .22 bolt action.
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I own two Savages in rimfire. Both are their higher end models. They do shoot well, but not as good as the CZ. Savage has made a science out of cutting corners in gun building. One of their biggest problems is that they don't use a feed ramp on the barrels. The rounds are fed right into the chamber and this frequently caused problem feeding (you can verify this simply by looking at the back of the barrel.....no ramp). Their magazines very frequently have problems containing the rounds in them and they pop out of the gun when you try to feed them into the rampless barrel. The CZ's are definitely worth the extra money. They have walnut stocks, very good polish and bluing on the metal surfaces, and they feed as reliably as any gun on the market. The fit and finish is night and day ahead of the Savage. They are like a scaled down high end centerfire rifle. You really need to compare them side by side and you'll easily see the difference. FWIW, I had to send back half the magazines I got with the Savages due to them not feeding and containing the rounds when you try to feed. They are not reliable. That being said, they are accurate enough for those who can compromise on quality and reliability at a small cost savings.
 
Question...I'd like to start out by getting good at shooting with open sights before moving on to either optics or scopes. It looks like the basic "American" 455 comes without open sights, but the "Lux" model has them.

Better to get the American and add sights aftermarket? Can I assume that's an easy thing to do, or will it require a gunsmith?

If I get one with sights installed, is it any big deal to later add the scope? I'm assuming not, but again I'm not at all familiar with rifles (yet).
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It's going to cost a bunch to add the irons on the American. Get the other and add the scope later....lots cheaper and they both have the same quality barrel.
 
You can make up your own mind, but I consider the cost of .17 ammo to be a huge downside compared to .22lr. Last time I looked at .17 HMR ammo, it was the same price or more than .223. The .223 will kill anything the .17, at much greater distances. Whereas .22 is coming back down below 4 cents a shot again, so you'd be able to get in A LOT more trigger time for the same budget.
 
the possum said:
You can make up your own mind, but I consider the cost of .17 ammo to be a huge downside compared to .22lr. Last time I looked at .17 HMR ammo, it was the same price or more than .223. The .223 will kill anything the .17, at much greater distances. Whereas .22 is coming back down below 4 cents a shot again, so you'd be able to get in A LOT more trigger time for the same budget.
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That's nuts! I just looked it up and yeah, .17 HMR seems to float around 20 cents/round? I figured a round that tiny wouldn't cost much more than .22!

So 'nuther thought...are there any good .223 bolt actions that can be easily converted to .22lr? I know lots of AR platforms have .22 conversion kits.

Or am I just dreaming there :)
 
You get fifty shells in a box of .17hmr and only 20 in a box of 223. If you're using it for hunting and not shooting off a hundred at tin cans, the 17hmr is a much better choice. If you're going to keep your shots inside 200 yards the 17hmr is a good choice. If you're going to be hunting coyotes the 223 is a better choice. Don't try to compare apples to oranges here. Think of your actual needs and whether or not you want to reload, etc. The cost of the 17hmr is more than the .22lr, but it's not a caliber anyone uses for any type of rimfire competition. Again, apples and oranges.
 
I have 2 CZ 452s. They are good but don't expect mystical accuracy. They compare to the better mainstream 22lr rifles. As stated above they are not Anschutz. My American is more accurate than my Ultra Lux. I shoot 50 centerfire and 100 rimfire per week. Good rifles but don't drink the koolaide. Nothing mystical based on my sample of 2.
 
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