CZ 457 Review (2026): The Best-Value Precision Rimfire, Tested

Affiliate disclosure: This CZ 457 review contains affiliate links. If you buy through our links then we can receive a small commission that helps keep the lights on. You don’t pay anything more.

Review: CZ 457 – The Precision Rimfire That Spoils You

Our Rating: 9.0/10

• RRP: $559 (MSRP, American)
• Street Price: $480-$560 (Check our live pricing for the best current deal)
• Caliber: .22 LR (also .22 WMR and .17 HMR; barrels are swappable)
• Action: Bolt-action, 60-degree throw, rimfire
• Capacity: 5-round detachable magazine (10-round available)
• Barrel Length: 24.8″ (American); varies by model
• Weight: ~6.2 lb (American)
• Trigger: User-adjustable single-stage (weight, creep, travel)
• Stock: Turkish walnut (American); many stock and barrel options across the line
• Made in: Uhersky Brod, Czech Republic

Quick Take

The CZ 457 is the value king of precision rimfire: a Czech-made bolt gun with a superb adjustable trigger, a slick 60-degree bolt, and accuracy that embarrasses rifles at twice the price. If you want a .22 that shoots tiny groups, this is where the smart money goes.

CZ has quietly built the best-value precision rimfires on the market for years, and the 457 is the current high-water mark. It replaced the well-loved 455 with a shorter 60-degree bolt throw, a better trigger, and a receiver designed around a modular barrel system. The result is a rifle that new shooters can grow into and serious rimfire competitors actually use.

I put a 457 American through a proper accuracy workout, and it does exactly what CZ rimfires are famous for: it shoots. Ragged one-hole groups at 50 yards with good ammo are routine, the trigger breaks like glass once you dial it in, and the fit and finish feel like a rifle from a higher price bracket. The compromises are minor: a small factory magazine and a long, muzzle-heavy barrel on the American. For the money, nothing in rimfire gives you more.

Best For: Precision rimfire shooters, NRL22 competitors, small-game hunters, and anyone who wants a .22 that shoots tiny groups. See how it ranks in our best .22 bolt-action rifles guide.

Why the CZ 457 Is Built the Way It Is

CZ designed the 457 around accuracy and modularity, and every feature serves one of those two goals. The receiver, the barrel-clamp system, the adjustable trigger, and the short bolt throw all exist to make a rifle that shoots superbly and can be reconfigured by the owner.

The headline feature is the swappable barrel system. The barrel is held by clamp screws in the receiver, so with a hex wrench and a headspace gauge you can change barrels, and even calibers, at home. One 457 can be a .22 LR trainer, a .22 Magnum small-game gun, and a .17 HMR varmint rifle. Nothing else at this price offers that flexibility.

The 60-degree bolt throw is the other big upgrade over the old 455, giving faster cycling and more scope clearance. The trigger is user-adjustable for weight, creep and overtravel, so you can tune it to a crisp, light, match-grade break without a gunsmith. Add CZ’s long tradition of accurate cold-hammer-forged rimfire barrels and you have a rifle built, from the ground up, to put bullets in one hole. That’s the whole point of a 457.

CZ 457 Variants

The 457 comes in a big family of configurations. Here’s how to pick.

Competitor Comparison

The precision rimfire market is more competitive than ever. Here’s how the CZ stacks against the guns you’ll cross-shop.

Verdict: The CZ 457 and Tikka T1x are the two best value precision rimfires, trading blows on accuracy. The CZ edges it on trigger and the swappable-barrel system. Budget shoppers should look at the Ruger American or Savage B22.

---

Features and Build Quality

The Trigger and the Bolt

The 457’s adjustable trigger is the feature that spoils you for other rimfires. Out of the box it’s already good, and with a few turns of a screwdriver you can set the pull weight, creep and overtravel to a crisp, light, match-grade break. Getting a trigger this good at this price, without a gunsmith or aftermarket parts, is genuinely rare.

The 60-degree bolt throw is short, fast and slick, a big improvement over the 90-degree 455 and a real advantage when you’re running a bolt gun for speed or clearing a scope’s ocular bell. The whole action feels tight and precise, the way a good bolt gun should. This is a rifle that rewards a shooter who cares about the details.

The Swappable Barrel System

The 457’s modular barrel is what sets it apart from every rival. The barrel is retained by clamp screws rather than threaded in, so with a hex wrench, a headspace gauge and a spare barrel you can change the barrel, or even the caliber, on your kitchen table. Buy a .22 LR American and later add a .22 Magnum or .17 HMR barrel and you effectively own three rifles.

The rest of the build backs it up. The American’s Turkish walnut is nicely finished, the metalwork is clean and deeply blued, and the detachable magazine drops free and seats positively. The receiver wears an 11mm dovetail for scope rings, and CZ also sells Picatinny rail adapters. It’s a thoughtfully engineered rifle that feels built to last.

At the Range: 400-Round Test

I ran around 400 rounds of mixed .22 LR through a 457 American with a scope, shooting for groups at 50 yards and testing the trigger and bolt. Here’s how the Czech rifle performed.

Reliability

Flawless. As a bolt gun the 457 doesn’t depend on ammo pressure to cycle, so it fed and fired everything from bulk to match without a stumble. The magazine seated and fed cleanly, and the bolt never bound. This is the mechanical dependability you expect from a quality bolt-action rimfire, and the CZ delivers it.

Accuracy

Superb, and the whole reason to buy one. With good ammo like SK or Eley the 457 printed ragged one-hole groups around half an inch at 50 yards, and it stayed impressively consistent. Like all rimfires it has ammo preferences, so a little testing pays off, but once you find its favorite load it shoots like a rifle costing far more. This is genuine precision-rimfire accuracy.

Trigger and Handling

The trigger is the star: adjusted down to a light, crisp break, it makes precision shooting easy and is a huge part of the accuracy story. The American’s long barrel makes it a bit muzzle-heavy for offhand work, which is great for steady bench shooting but noticeable when you’re standing. The 60-degree bolt is a joy to run. Overall it handles like a proper target rifle.

Ammunition Log

• SK Standard Plus 40gr: 120 rounds, best accuracy
• Eley Club 40gr: 80 rounds, superb consistency
• CCI Standard Velocity 40gr: 120 rounds, excellent value accuracy
• Federal Auto Match 40gr: 80 rounds, reliable plinking

Performance Testing Results

Reliability (9/10)

Rock solid. A quality bolt-action rimfire that feeds and fires anything cleanly. The only reason it isn’t a 10 is the occasional finicky magazine seating some owners report, which is minor. Feed it and run the bolt and it simply works.

Accuracy (10/10)

Elite for the price. Half-inch, 50-yard groups with match ammo put it in the conversation with rimfires costing two and three times as much. This is the single best reason to own a 457, and it earns full marks. Few rifles at any price offer this much accuracy per dollar.

Trigger & Features (9/10)

The user-adjustable trigger and swappable-barrel system are class-leading. The 60-degree bolt is excellent. Everything about the 457 is designed for the shooter who cares, and it shows. A near-perfect feature set for a rimfire at this money.

Value (9/10)

Outstanding. You’re getting match-adjacent accuracy, a superb trigger and real walnut for around $500. The small factory magazine and the cost of barrel-swap kits are the only things keeping it from a perfect score. As a precision-rimfire value, it’s hard to beat.

Common Questions and Tips

• Finding the accuracy ammo: Like all precision rimfires, the 457 has strong ammo preferences. Buy a few boxes of different match and standard-velocity loads, test at 50 yards, and standardize on the one your rifle likes. The difference between the best and worst ammo can be dramatic.
• Adjusting the trigger: The trigger is user-adjustable for weight, creep and overtravel. Follow the CZ manual, make small changes, and always test for safe function before live fire. Set correctly it’s a genuinely match-grade trigger.
• Swapping barrels or calibers: The clamp-style barrel comes out with a hex wrench, but you must set headspace with the correct gauge when installing a new barrel. If you’re not comfortable with that, have a gunsmith do the first swap and show you.
• Want bigger magazines: The factory 5-round magazine is small for high-volume plinking. CZ and aftermarket makers offer larger-capacity magazines, and the LRP model comes with a 16-rounder.

Who Should NOT Buy the CZ 457

The 457 is a superb rimfire, but it’s the wrong rifle for some buyers. Here’s who should look elsewhere.

• The high-volume plinker: A slow-to-reload bolt gun with a 5-round magazine isn’t built for blasting bricks of ammo. A semi-auto Ruger 10/22 is far better for that.
• The rock-bottom budget buyer: If you just need a cheap .22, a used Marlin 60 or a Savage B22 shoots well for much less. The CZ is worth its price, but it is a step up in cost.
• The offhand-only shooter: The American’s long, muzzle-heavy barrel is built for steady bench and prone work, not quick standing shots. If you want a handy walking gun, a lighter carbine suits better.
• The set-and-forget owner: The 457 rewards a shooter who tinkers with ammo, trigger and barrels. If you want to buy one rifle and never fiddle, its modularity is wasted on you.

The Verdict

The CZ 457 is the best value in precision rimfire, a rifle that shoots with guns costing two and three times as much and gives you a match-grade trigger and swappable calibers into the bargain. For accuracy per dollar, it’s about as good as it gets.

Its compromises are small and easily managed. The factory magazine is little, the American’s barrel is long and muzzle-heavy, and getting the most from it means testing ammo and tuning the trigger. Do that work and you’re rewarded with one-hole groups and a rifle that feels like it belongs a class above its price.

Buy the American for a gorgeous do-everything sporter, step up to the Varmint or LRP if competition is the goal, feed it good ammo, and dial that trigger in. You’ll have a rimfire that shoots better than you do and grows with you as a shooter. Few rifles at any price are this satisfying.

Final Score: 9.0/10 – The precision rimfire that spoils you, with match-adjacent accuracy and a superb trigger for around $500.

Best For: Precision rimfire shooters, NRL22 competitors, and small-game hunters who want tiny groups on a budget. See the full field in our best .22 bolt-action rifles guide.

FAQ: CZ 457