Educate me on CZ .22LR

taylorce1 · March 27, 2025, 12:37 PM

I've had the itch for a 17HM2 for awhile. They are few and far between. So I've been looking for a rifle that I can swap barrels on. CZ rifles look like my best option, but there are a lot of models to chose from.

What are the differences between the 452, 455, and 457? I'm looking either for an American or Varmint. Acculite makes barrels for the 455 and 457, so I'm? just wondering if the 452 barrel isn't user replacable? Thanks for the help.

mikejonestkd · March 27, 2025, 02:32 PM

I have a CZ 452 American and to the best of my knowledge there is not a barrel swap version of it. it is an excellent rifle, i highly recommend it, but it has been replaced with the newer models so you'd be buying it as a used rifle

jmr40 · March 27, 2025, 02:59 PM

452 is the older version and you can't do a barrel swap. I had the American, my brother the Varmint. Both were very nicely finished with good wood and metal. Both were extremely accurate in spite of terrible triggers. My brother had a Smith work on his and made it a lot better. I never did.

The only minor negative is the "backwards" safety which took some getting used to. To move it to the "Fire" position you pull the safety back toward you much like cocking a lever action. To go to "Safe" you pushed it forward.
Certainly not a deal killer but a little odd.

If you want a good shooter that is also a good looker they are hard to beat. I sold mine after getting a Tikka T1x. The Tikka isn't as classy but comes with a much better trigger and is a bit more accurate.

It's not that I didn't like the CZ, it's just that I never shot it after buying the Tikka. And I was able to sell it for considerably more than I paid.

I've never handled and only seen a couple of the newer versions, but I've never heard anything but positive things about them.

rc · March 27, 2025, 03:04 PM

CZ introduced the swap barrel feature in the 455 that continues with the 457. If you want a 17 HM2, find a used 452 from around 2003 to 2006. You won't be able to swap barrels but who cares. They are very accurate guns. I don't have the 17 hm2 version but my 17 hmr is very accurate. I love 17 hm2 and have a Ruger 77/17 which is long out of production too. The 17 hm2 takes small game cleanly to 100 yards or a bit further. By 180 yards the 17 hm2 won't upset when shot into plastic jugs and will just punch through a plastic gallon jug. At 50 yards i17hm2 bullets will disintegrate in a 32 oz Gatorade bottle filled with water. Cheaper 17 hm2 options are the current production Savage Mark 2 but I am not a big savage fan. You can convert the 10/22 if you can find a barrel but they can be temperamental with case blow outs. Volquartzen has the Summit in 17 hm2. Bolt guns are a great choice with no issues. Lija makes barrels for the CZ rifles, but you will pay dearly for one. Better to buy an older gun if you can find one under $600. You won't be switching calibers which will require a resight of your gun. Better to have different guns in the calibers you want to shoot, sight them in and use them.

taylorce1 · March 27, 2025, 05:11 PM

@jmr40, are the T1x rifle barrels easy to swap? I want the .17 HM2, and have no desire for another .22lr. If the T1x easy to swap and I can buy a prefit barrel then I'll consider it.

@rc, thanks for the info. I've looked at both the Savage and Volquartsen. I'm not adverse to either, I just wanted something a little nicer than the Savage and less expensive than the Volquartsen. I bid on a used Marlin in .17 HM2 awhile back, but couldn't justify $700+ on it when I could buy a brand new rifle and swap the barrel out for under $900. I've also looked at Ruger 77/22 since I can order 10/22 barrels to swap.

jmr40 · March 28, 2025, 07:59 PM

Quote:

@jmr40, are the T1x rifle barrels easy to swap?

I have no idea. Just a guess, but I'm thinking it would be a major undertaking.

stagpanther · March 29, 2025, 01:52 AM

Whenever a discussion of rimfire comes up I'm reminded of my trials and tribulations of changing barrels on a rimfire platform--there is very little in common with conventional centerfire and adjusting for proper headspace--which might better be referred to as "rim space" IMO

is a whole different ball of wax subject to the particulars of the action and much smaller tolerances.

taylorce1 · March 29, 2025, 09:26 AM

@stagpanther

I've only swapped one rimfire barrel and that was on my daughter's 10/22 Varmint. It went smoothly and we haven't had any issues with headspace. It was a Whistlepig barrel, which is now owned by Acculite. She hasn't had any issues with rifle, other than an occasional failure to fire that you get with cheap bulk .22 lr on occasion.

The reason we swapped barrels was to use a suppressor and a new barrel was about $50 more than the threading would have cost. It was my first 10/22 barrel swap and it took just a few minutes.

rc · March 29, 2025, 11:53 AM

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1096716940
If you really want a CZ 17hm2 and can swing the cash for this one, I would buy this one! There is over $600 worth of ammo and the rifle. You would be about $1000 in the gun. Now that said, you could put out $600 for a new 457 and $400 for a new barrel but this package is ready to go.

taylorce1 · March 29, 2025, 03:21 PM

@rc,

I was watching that one. However, $1699 + tax, with $110 shipping, $45 transfer, plus driving twice to a gunstore 40 miles away because of 72 hour waiting period hurts the wallet more than I want it to right now. The barrels I am looking at are under $225, and probably under $250 delivered. I was figuring with some shopping around I might get into a .17 HM2 for around $800.

jmr40 · March 29, 2025, 05:26 PM

I've done a few 10/22's. In fact, I have 2 barrels inbound from Midway to swap out on a couple of 10/22's. But they are designed for the DIY guy to swap. It's easy on the Ruger's.

I'm assuming most are not meant to a DIY project.

taylorce1 · March 31, 2025, 09:51 AM

@ jmr40,

There are a few .22 lr rifles that are designed for barrel swaps. The Ruger 77/22 some have the same barrel system as the 10/22 depending on year of manufacture. The Sako Quad had four interchangeable barrels and had an adaptable magazine well for LR/HM2 and WMR/HMR length magazines. CZ has been offering a similar system to the Sako, and you can purchase the barrels directly from CZ as well as other places.

I like Acculite barrels as they are an aluminum barrel with a liner. It gives me a varmint profile barrel for my suppressor without the varmint barrel weight. It's a lot more affordable than a carbon fiber option.

March 27, 2025, 12:37 PM	#1
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	Educate me on CZ .22LR I've had the itch for a 17HM2 for awhile. They are few and far between. So I've been looking for a rifle that I can swap barrels on. CZ rifles look like my best option, but there are a lot of models to chose from. What are the differences between the 452, 455, and 457? I'm looking either for an American or Varmint. Acculite makes barrels for the 455 and 457, so I'm? just wondering if the 452 barrel isn't user replacable? Thanks for the help. __________________ NRA Life Member

March 27, 2025, 02:32 PM	#2
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,760	I have a CZ 452 American and to the best of my knowledge there is not a barrel swap version of it. it is an excellent rifle, i highly recommend it, but it has been replaced with the newer models so you'd be buying it as a used rifle __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

March 27, 2025, 02:59 PM	#3
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,976	452 is the older version and you can't do a barrel swap. I had the American, my brother the Varmint. Both were very nicely finished with good wood and metal. Both were extremely accurate in spite of terrible triggers. My brother had a Smith work on his and made it a lot better. I never did. The only minor negative is the "backwards" safety which took some getting used to. To move it to the "Fire" position you pull the safety back toward you much like cocking a lever action. To go to "Safe" you pushed it forward. Certainly not a deal killer but a little odd. If you want a good shooter that is also a good looker they are hard to beat. I sold mine after getting a Tikka T1x. The Tikka isn't as classy but comes with a much better trigger and is a bit more accurate. It's not that I didn't like the CZ, it's just that I never shot it after buying the Tikka. And I was able to sell it for considerably more than I paid. I've never handled and only seen a couple of the newer versions, but I've never heard anything but positive things about them. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

March 27, 2025, 05:11 PM	#5
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	@jmr40, are the T1x rifle barrels easy to swap? I want the .17 HM2, and have no desire for another .22lr. If the T1x easy to swap and I can buy a prefit barrel then I'll consider it. @rc, thanks for the info. I've looked at both the Savage and Volquartsen. I'm not adverse to either, I just wanted something a little nicer than the Savage and less expensive than the Volquartsen. I bid on a used Marlin in .17 HM2 awhile back, but couldn't justify $700+ on it when I could buy a brand new rifle and swap the barrel out for under $900. I've also looked at Ruger 77/22 since I can order 10/22 barrels to swap. __________________ NRA Life Member

March 29, 2025, 01:52 AM	#7
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 12,973	Whenever a discussion of rimfire comes up I'm reminded of my trials and tribulations of changing barrels on a rimfire platform--there is very little in common with conventional centerfire and adjusting for proper headspace--which might better be referred to as "rim space" IMO is a whole different ball of wax subject to the particulars of the action and much smaller tolerances. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

March 27, 2025, 03:04 PM	#4
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,930	CZ introduced the swap barrel feature in the 455 that continues with the 457. If you want a 17 HM2, find a used 452 from around 2003 to 2006. You won't be able to swap barrels but who cares. They are very accurate guns. I don't have the 17 hm2 version but my 17 hmr is very accurate. I love 17 hm2 and have a Ruger 77/17 which is long out of production too. The 17 hm2 takes small game cleanly to 100 yards or a bit further. By 180 yards the 17 hm2 won't upset when shot into plastic jugs and will just punch through a plastic gallon jug. At 50 yards i17hm2 bullets will disintegrate in a 32 oz Gatorade bottle filled with water. Cheaper 17 hm2 options are the current production Savage Mark 2 but I am not a big savage fan. You can convert the 10/22 if you can find a barrel but they can be temperamental with case blow outs. Volquartzen has the Summit in 17 hm2. Bolt guns are a great choice with no issues. Lija makes barrels for the CZ rifles, but you will pay dearly for one. Better to buy an older gun if you can find one under $600. You won't be switching calibers which will require a resight of your gun. Better to have different guns in the calibers you want to shoot, sight them in and use them.

March 29, 2025, 09:26 AM	#8
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	@stagpanther I've only swapped one rimfire barrel and that was on my daughter's 10/22 Varmint. It went smoothly and we haven't had any issues with headspace. It was a Whistlepig barrel, which is now owned by Acculite. She hasn't had any issues with rifle, other than an occasional failure to fire that you get with cheap bulk .22 lr on occasion. The reason we swapped barrels was to use a suppressor and a new barrel was about $50 more than the threading would have cost. It was my first 10/22 barrel swap and it took just a few minutes. __________________ NRA Life Member

March 29, 2025, 11:53 AM	#9
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,930	buy this one https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1096716940 If you really want a CZ 17hm2 and can swing the cash for this one, I would buy this one! There is over $600 worth of ammo and the rifle. You would be about $1000 in the gun. Now that said, you could put out $600 for a new 457 and $400 for a new barrel but this package is ready to go.

March 29, 2025, 03:21 PM	#10
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	@rc, I was watching that one. However, $1699 + tax, with $110 shipping, $45 transfer, plus driving twice to a gunstore 40 miles away because of 72 hour waiting period hurts the wallet more than I want it to right now. The barrels I am looking at are under $225, and probably under $250 delivered. I was figuring with some shopping around I might get into a .17 HM2 for around $800. __________________ NRA Life Member

March 29, 2025, 05:26 PM	#11
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,976	I've done a few 10/22's. In fact, I have 2 barrels inbound from Midway to swap out on a couple of 10/22's. But they are designed for the DIY guy to swap. It's easy on the Ruger's. I'm assuming most are not meant to a DIY project. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

March 31, 2025, 09:51 AM	#12
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,498	@ jmr40, There are a few .22 lr rifles that are designed for barrel swaps. The Ruger 77/22 some have the same barrel system as the 10/22 depending on year of manufacture. The Sako Quad had four interchangeable barrels and had an adaptable magazine well for LR/HM2 and WMR/HMR length magazines. CZ has been offering a similar system to the Sako, and you can purchase the barrels directly from CZ as well as other places. I like Acculite barrels as they are an aluminum barrel with a liner. It gives me a varmint profile barrel for my suppressor without the varmint barrel weight. It's a lot more affordable than a carbon fiber option. __________________ NRA Life Member