The CZ 455 is a series of

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

-fed

bolt-action Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed). Most bolt-action ...

rimfire

repeating rifle A repeating rifle is a single- barreled rifle capable of repeated discharges between each ammunition reloads. This is typically achieved by having multiple cartridges stored in a magazine (within or attached to the gun) and then fed individually i ...

manufactured by the

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places *Czech, ...

firearms manufacturer

Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod Česká zbrojovka a.s. Uherský Brod (CZUB) is an engineering company based in Uherský Brod, Czech Republic whose main activities include the production of service, hunting and sports firearms. It is owned by the Czech holding company Colt CZ ...

(abbreviated "CZ-UB", English: Czech Weapons Factory —

Uherský Brod Uherský Brod (; german: Ungarisch Brod) is a town in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument ...

) and imported into the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

by CZ-USA. It is a successor of the highly popular

CZ 452 The CZ 452 also known as BRNO Model Two ''.22'' Rifle is a series of magazine-fed bolt-action rimfire repeating rifles manufactured by the Czech firearms manufacturer Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod (abbreviated "CZ-UB", English: ''Czech Weapons ...

rifles, and is chambered for the

.22 LR The .22 Long Rifle or simply .22 LR or 22 (metric designation: 5.6×15mmR) is a long-established variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition originating from the United States. It is used in a wide range of rifles, pistols, revolvers, smooth ...

(1:16"

twist rate In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun's barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the pro ...

), .22 WMR (1:16" twist) and

.17 HMR .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, commonly known as the .17 HMR, is a rimfire rifle cartridge developed by Hornady in 2002. It was developed by necking down a .22 Magnum case to take a .17 caliber (4.5 mm) projectile. Commonly loaded with a 1 ...

(1:9" twist)

caliber In guns, particularly firearms, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge (firearms) , bore – regardless of how or where the bore is measured and whether the f ...

s. The CZ 455 is produced with new manufacturing technology capable of closer

tolerance Tolerance or toleration is the state of tolerating, or putting up with, conditionally. Economics, business, and politics * Toleration Party, a historic political party active in Connecticut * Tolerant Systems, the former name of Veritas Software ...

s for improved accuracy and smoother operation. All CZ 455s have hammer-forged, hand-

lapped Lapping is a machining process in which two surfaces are rubbed together with an abrasive between them, by hand movement or using a machine. Lapping often follows other subtractive processes with more aggressive material removal as a first step ...

steel

barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...

s, a

trigger Trigger may refer to: Notable animals and people ;Mononym * Trigger (horse), owned by cowboy star Roy Rogers ;Nickname * Trigger Alpert (1916–2013), American jazz bassist * "Trigger Mike" Coppola (1900–1966), American gangster ;Surname * Bru ...

that is adjustable for weight of pull, and the capability to interchange barrels in different contours and calibers by simply removing two

set screw In American English, a set screw is a screw that is used to secure an object, by pressure and/or friction, within or against another object, such as fixing a pulley or gear to a shaft. A set screw is normally used without a nut (which distingu ...

s from the receiver.

Design and operation

Instead of the barrel being threaded into the receiver, as found on the

, all CZ 455 models use twin set-screws to fix the barrel in the frame as part of an interchangeable barrel system.''CZ-USA Press Release - Kansas City'', 17 Dec 2009: "The 455 model will eventually consolidate all of the receivers currently used in the 452 line into one common platform. This combined with the new interchangeable barrel system of the CZ 455 will allow the user to easily change the stock configuration as well as the caliber of their rifle." http://cz-usa.com/press-release/cz-455-american/ Additionally, actions can be swapped into any 455 stock without modifications. All versions feature a milled 11 mm

dovetail rail A dovetail rail or dovetail mount can refer to several types of sliding rail system found on firearms primarily for mounting telescopic sights. Colloquially, the term ''dovetail rail'' usually refer to any straight mounting bracket with an inver ...

atop the receiver for the mounting of optical or telescopic sights.

History

First introduced in 2010, the CZ 455 was designed to replace the

series which is being phased out of current production. The CZ 452 first appeared in 1954 as the Model 2 (ZKM 452), and was a refinement of the CZ Model 1 (ZKM-451) .22-calibre rimfire bolt-action training rifle that first appeared in 1947. ZKM is an acronym for Zbrojovka-Koucký-Malorážka, the rifle's manufacturer ( �eskáZbrojovka), designer (Josef Koucký) and Malorážka - for rimfire rifle).Fencl, Jiří, ''Zbraňaři par excellence - Bratři Josef a František Koučtí (2. díl)'', http://www.valka.cz, 31 Jan. 2015 The Model 1 or ZKM-451 was developed on the request of the occupying German authority in 1943-44, when very few rifles were built as fully stocked

Mauser 98k The Karabiner 98 kurz (; "carbine 98 short"), often abbreviated Karabiner 98k, Kar98k or K98k and also sometimes incorrectly referred to as a K98 (a K98 is a Polish carbine and copy of the Kar98a), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92×57 ...

-type trainers. The receivers of these early .22 training rifles were marked ''tgf'' (''Tschechische Gewehr Fabrik'' - German for Czech Rifle Factory) by the German

Heereswaffenamt ''Waffenamt'' (WaA) was the German Army Weapons Agency. It was the centre for research and development of the Weimar Republic and later the Third Reich for weapons, ammunition and army equipment to the German Reichswehr and then Wehrmacht ...

. Because of wartime requirements for combat weapons, assembly and production was halted on all .22 training rifles, leaving a large stockpile of parts and receivers at war's end. After the war, these parts (some of which still have the ''tgf'' code) were used along with new barrels and stocks to make the Model 1.

Versions

CZ 455 Standard

The CZ 455 Standard rimfire rifle corresponds in its construction to the CZ 455 Lux model, but comes with

iron sights Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers (usually made of metallic material) used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow or even compound bow), or less commonly ...

and a beechwood stock with a European-style down-leaning straight comb and no cheekpiece.

CZ 455 Scout

The Scout features adjustable iron sights, integrated 11mm Dovetail iron sights. Barrel length is 16 inches; the stock is an American style beech wood with 12 inch

length of pull Length of pull (sometimes abbreviated as LOP) is the distance from the trigger to the part of a rifle or shotgun which fits against the shoulder of the shooter. Length of pull is an important ergonomic factor for ease of use; and optimum length of ...

. Total weight is 5 lbs.

CZ 455 FS

Like the

Standard, the CZ 455 FS has a full-length Mannlicher-style stock, open iron sights, and a Bavarian-style "hog-back" stock with increased drop and an arched cheekpiece. Barrel length is 525 mm, 2,7 kg.

CZ 455 Long

The CZ 455 Long features a 24.8-inch (630mm) barrel, Bavarian-style Turkish

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...

stock, and barrel-mounted tangent sights.

CZ 455 LUX

The CZ 455 LUX has a lacquered stock made from Turkish walnut featuring checkering located on the pistol grip, and is primarily designed for use with open sights. The steel barrel is fitted with fully adjustable open sights. Barrel length is 20.67 inches (525 mm), weight is 6.17 lbs. (2,8 kg) unloaded.

CZ 455 LUX II

The CZ 455 has a 24.8-inch (630 mm) long barrel with leaf sights and Bavarian-style Turkish walnut stock. Weight is 2,9 kg.

CZ 455 Super Match

The CZ 455 Super Match has a 20.67-inch (525 mm) barrel with full-adjustable open sights and 12-groove rifling intended to improve accuracy. The Super Match comes with a 10-round magazine and a Bavarian-style "hog-back" stock designed primarily for use with open sights. Weight unloaded is 6.17 lbs (2,8 kg).

CZ 455 Ultra Match

The Ultra Match features a 24.8-inch (630mm) barrel, Bavarian-style stock and barrel-mounted tangent sights adjustable for elevation. The CZ 455 barrel utilizes 12 groove rifling intended to increase accuracy.

CZ 455 Jaguar

The CZ 455 Jaguar uses an unusually long 28.6-inch (726 mm) tapered barrel with rear tangent sight and a Bavarian-style stock.

CZ 455 American

The CZ 455 American has a five-round polymer magazine and features an American-style levelled high-comb Turkish walnut stock designed solely for use with telescopic sights. The hammer-forged steel barrel is 20.67-inch (525 mm) long with a sporter contour.

CZ 455 Synthetic

Based on the CZ 455 American, but is fitted with a synthetic composite stock.

CZ 455 Stainless

Also known as CZ 455 Stainless Synthetic, it is based on the CZ 455 Synthetic, but fitted with

stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...

barrel and receiver.

CZ 455 Varmint

The CZ 455 Varmint is fitted with a heavy-contour "bull" barrel designed to increase accuracy, and weighs . The Varmint uses the same high-comb Turkish walnut stock of 455 American, and is designed solely for use with telescopic sights.

CZ 455 Thumbhole

Based on the CZ 455 Varmint, but fitted with a heavy laminated wood stock with a thumbhole grip. It also comes with yellow- and grey-colored versions.

CZ 455 Evolution

The CZ 455 Evolution is a variant of the CZ 455 Varmint and features the standard Varmint barrelled action fitted inside a lightweight, blue-grey Boyd SS Evolution®

laminated wood Engineered wood, also called mass timber, composite wood, man-made wood, or manufactured board, includes a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibres, or veneers or boards of woo ...

stock, and is primarily intended for

target shooting Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms ( firearms and airguns, in forms su ...

. It also comes in a green-brown-grey "woodland" version called "Evolution GG". This model has been discontinued by CZ-USA, but still available via CZ-UB.

CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool

The CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool is a variant of the CZ 455 Varmint and features the standard Varmint barrelled action fitted inside a black Boyd Pro Varmint® stock, with a Monte Carlo comb and a vertical grip, and is primarily intended for target shooting. In North America, CZ-USA offers the Tacticool in a barrel "Suppressor-Ready" version.

CZ 455 Varmint Precision Trainer

The CZ 455 Varmint Precision Trainer is a variant of the CZ 455 Varmint only offered by CZ-USA. It features the standard Varmint barrelled action fitted inside a GAP

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

-pattern Manners MCS-T4 22 Trainer stock, and is primarily intended for target shooting. In addition to the standard 20.5-inch barrel, CZ-USA also offers 16.5-inch and 24-inch threaded "Suppressor-Ready" versions.

References

External links

Česká zbrojovka
Official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Cz 455 Bolt-action rifles Rifles of Czechoslovakia .22 LR rifles