Should I :
1) buy the Standard model with the 20.5" regular barrel, Beechwood European stock, and iron sights
OR
2) jump right in and pay the extra $100 + scope money and get the Varmint with the heavy barrel?
I'm conflicted because I really want iron sights, but I really want a heavy barrel and a scope too. I'm also cheap so 'buy both' isn't an option (I knew what you were thinking!)
Please discuss.
PS, If I get the Varmint, what scopes should I be thinking about. Reasonably priced scopes please.
Re: cz 455 question
2What caliber? I'm not sure you need 20" of bull barrel for 22lr. I think standard profile would be fine.
Re: cz 455 question
3You can still add a scope to the standard model, and you get the benefit of irons right out of the gate. I believe the 455 has a user swappable barrel so you're not out of luck if you want to do that down the road.
Re: cz 455 question
4What do you want to do with the iron sights? They come with very nice hunting sights, but they maybe aren't target irons. If you want irons better than the factory ones, just go ahead and get the heavy barrel because replacing the factory irons isn't an easy swap.
Re: cz 455 question
5I happen to know someone who has a 455 FS model in .22lr w/ iron sights. I'll bet they'd be happy to let you shoot it at a range near you to help with your decision.MaxWyatt wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:56 pm Should I :
1) buy the Standard model with the 20.5" regular barrel, Beechwood European stock, and iron sights
OR
2) jump right in and pay the extra $100 + scope money and get the Varmint with the heavy barrel?
I'm conflicted because I really want iron sights, but I really want a heavy barrel and a scope too. I'm also cheap so 'buy both' isn't an option (I knew what you were thinking!)
Please discuss.
PS, If I get the Varmint, what scopes should I be thinking about. Reasonably priced scopes please.
It's been very accurate for me with iron sights. You might also want to PM Sikacz to get his thoughts- he's got the ultralux and I believe it's a tack driver.
Save the $100 to put toward a scope and go with the iron sights model, I say.
cz 455 question
6I have a 452 Trainer in .22LR with a 24.8 inch barrel and a 453 .17 HMR varmint. Both shoot sub-MOA at 50 yards and the hummer is sub-MOA at 100.
The varmint is a load to lug around. While I like it a lot, it rarely gets out of the safe. The Trainer is great fun and is relatively quiet with standard velocity ammo.
A question: does the varmint barrel even have iron sights? Mine does not and the 455 varmint I recently fondled did not either. None of the varmints on the CZ web site have irons.
I am in agreement with Bacchus. Get the standard one with iron sights and save the money for a scope with quick disconnect rings.
A compact Leupold on Warne QD rings would work nicely Although you may need to add a dovetail-to-pic rail mount. “Reasonably priced” is a relative term and the details depend on what you want to use it for, but I really like the Leupold VX-2 3-9x40mm compact scope. Amazon has it for about $230.
The varmint is a load to lug around. While I like it a lot, it rarely gets out of the safe. The Trainer is great fun and is relatively quiet with standard velocity ammo.
A question: does the varmint barrel even have iron sights? Mine does not and the 455 varmint I recently fondled did not either. None of the varmints on the CZ web site have irons.
I am in agreement with Bacchus. Get the standard one with iron sights and save the money for a scope with quick disconnect rings.
A compact Leupold on Warne QD rings would work nicely Although you may need to add a dovetail-to-pic rail mount. “Reasonably priced” is a relative term and the details depend on what you want to use it for, but I really like the Leupold VX-2 3-9x40mm compact scope. Amazon has it for about $230.
Last edited by Bucolic on Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: cz 455 question
7I went straight to the Varmint, because with my crappy eyes I just can't use open sights any more. Thing will shoot little tiny holes in paper off a bipod, which makes me happy.
Make yourself happy!
Make yourself happy!
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo.
cz 455 question
8Another question. The 455 has interchangeable barrels, right? If so, will the varmint barrel fit on the standard stock? That is, is the standard stock barrel channel wide enough for the varmint barrel? If so, you have the option of swapping barrels.
I know you said not to say it but, buy both...
I know you said not to say it but, buy both...
Re: cz 455 question
9I'm looking at .22LR. I've been wondering if you could heat up the barrel on a .22 bolt gun quickly enough for it to be an issue. If not, the argument in favor of the Varmint weakens considerably. I could mount a scope on the Standard later and have it both ways. Only downside is that the Sandard stock is optimized for iron sights rather than a scope. Although, I doubt it would be much of a problem for me.senorgrand wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:07 pm What caliber? I'm not sure you need 20" of bull barrel for 22lr. I think standard profile would be fine.
The intent is just to re-learn how to shoot a rifle and punch paper so match quality sights aren't required. Standard sights should be plenty good.Marlene wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:26 pm What do you want to do with the iron sights? They come with very nice hunting sights, but they maybe aren't target irons. If you want irons better than the factory ones, just go ahead and get the heavy barrel because replacing the factory irons isn't an easy swap.
Bacchus, we should talk soon.
At this point, my eyes seem to be holding steady so hopefully the scope will remain optional for a while longer.
If I read the info on CZ's websites correctly, the standard barrels will fit in the Varmint stock, but not the other way around due to the extra diameter of the bull barrel.
... and I knew somebody would say 'buy both'. You're a bunch of enablers.
Re: cz 455 question
10I have shot the crap out of my Trainer and saw no effect attributable to the barrel heating up. Shooting CCI SV which is not as hot as, say, Minimags though. It’s not like shooting a 10/22 doing mag dumps with seven or eight 25-round mags.
For iron sight shooting, I love the CZ European stock. I shoulder the rifle and the sights are right there.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
For iron sight shooting, I love the CZ European stock. I shoulder the rifle and the sights are right there.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Re: cz 455 question
11Haven’t shot the standard but have shot the lux iron and glass. Stock is good for irons, but not a problem at all for a scope as long as it isn’t humongous and mounted high.
Re: cz 455 question
12I have a 452 Trainer and love it. Personalty, get the standard and then add a rifle scope. It will almost certainly be more accurate than you are.
Re: cz 455 question
13Get the UltraLux 28" barrel it is a hoot.
Last edited by sikacz on Thu Jul 26, 2018 10:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: cz 455 question
14Thanks Marlene, that's good info.Marlene wrote: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:26 pm Haven’t shot the standard but have shot the lux iron and glass. Stock is good for irons, but not a problem at all for a scope as long as it isn’t humongous and mounted high.
Now for the next can of worms; is there a benefit to getting the trainer with the 24 inch barrel? I've been reading up on barrel length, powder burn time, harmonics, maximum velocity, etc and it seems that there is little consensus on what the optimal barrel length is for accuracy. A 20" barrel seems easier for transporting, but if 24" could be measurably more accurate, I'd choose it. For the sake of discussion, let's pretend I can shoot well enough for it to make a difference.
Re: cz 455 question
15I’d go 20. You won’t get extra velocity in a 22 with the extra inches. The longer sight radius might be a benefit but I think it’s a wash with the advantage of shorter barrel time in the 20. Scoped, definitely 20.
Re: cz 455 question
16I agree with Marlene on the barrel length although the longer barrel will make the rifle quieter.
The other consideration in re the Trainer versus other models is that the Trainer has a tangent rear sight that is adjustable for bullet drop.
The other consideration in re the Trainer versus other models is that the Trainer has a tangent rear sight that is adjustable for bullet drop.
Re: cz 455 question
17Agreed. 24" makes for a slightly quieter gun and some more sight radius, but would be a bear to transport. You don't get much in terms of velocity increase in common 22 loads beyond 16" in barrel length.
Re: cz 455 question
18Is the 455 Standard imported to the US? I see it on the European web site but not on CZ-USA.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Re: cz 455 question
19I have found it on line in a few places, but to dig up the specs I went to https://www.czub.cz/en/cz-455-standard.htmlBucolic wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:50 pm Is the 455 Standard imported to the US? I see it on the European web site but not on CZ-USA.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
cz 455 question
20That’s the English version of the Czech web site. The US site is cz-usa.com.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Re: cz 455 question
21The longer barrel will only be good if you plan to shoot w iron sights due to the longer sight radius. While that is indeed fun to shoot a long barreled bolt-gun (it does make the rifle seem magically stable and accurate) that added length of barrel is probably already slowing down the 22lr bullet before it leaves the muzzle. Read somewhere that 16" is the idea length for .22lr efficiency (if others could help confirm or deny this).
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: cz 455 question
23Yup. I had to work to find it too. All the search engines want to be super helpful and only give me the cz-usa.com site. Only place I could find the specs on the Standard though.Bucolic wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 1:31 pm That’s the English version of the Czech web site. The US site is cz-usa.com.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Re: cz 455 question
24According to what I read on the interwebs, powder burns completely by 16" (plus or minus a bit depending on load), but the gas expansion still continues for a while longer. I couldn't find hard numbers on actual barrel length and velocity for 22LR. Semi-auto rifles, will benefit less from longer barrels since the breach opens via the blowback and that absorbs some of the energy that would otherwise be forced out the barrel. Regardless, there are other, potentially more important factors influencing accuracy such as the over all quality of the gun. :-) From a pragmatic point of view any of these models will work great and make me happy. I just need to stop talking and choose one.Bisbee wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:36 pm The longer barrel will only be good if you plan to shoot w iron sights due to the longer sight radius. While that is indeed fun to shoot a long barreled bolt-gun (it does make the rifle seem magically stable and accurate) that added length of barrel is probably already slowing down the 22lr bullet before it leaves the muzzle. Read somewhere that 16" is the idea length for .22lr efficiency (if others could help confirm or deny this).
Re: cz 455 question
25Tony Kidd sez his 18 inch bull barrel are *slightly* more accurate than his 16.5 inch ones. These for 10/22s. The latter are, in my experience, superb.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk