My last two reviews have been of 22LR AR-15s, which I have been enjoying quite a bit lately:
I bought it from GymRatz (a great gun store) during their 2018 New Years sale at a great price, likely because of the introduction of the CZ-457. Why, with so many semi-automatic options, would I choose a youth-sized bolt action? Let’s start from the beginning.
As you can tell from my signature line, I am a Shoot Boss with Project Appleseed. Our philosophy is that you “run what you brung” in terms of rifles.
A lot of people attend an Appleseed to build proficiency with THAT rifle – and we certainly encourage that. My approach is a little different – I want to build proficiency with EVERY rifle I own. And with different types of rifles.
I started off with a pretty basic scoped 10/22 - boy, did I learn a lot about scope eye relief with that set-up! I qualified at my second shoot and got my Winterseed patch. I thought it was cheating to keep using a scope, so the next 10/22 I built as a Liberty Training Rifle (LTR) with Tech Sights. That was a great learning experience with old-ish eye sight and I qualified with that. I thought it would be fun to see what my Savage FV-SR bolt action with a BIG scope could do - I had only ever shot it from a bipod and had to learn to work the bolt quickly through the timed stages. But it was super accurate and I qualified. Then a 10/22 takedown with a Bushnell red dot – qualified. Then a scoped Marlin 795 that I use as a loaner - qualified. And the AR-style rifles I reviewed before as well as a couple 5.56mm ARs. And so on.
All that is to say, it is fun to keep shooting Appleseeds! And it is REALLY fun to shoot qualifying scores with new rifles – each one presents a unique challenge and helps to build proficiency in different ways.
I am a huge CZ fan and their line of rimfire rifles have had my eye for a long time – I even bought and sold a 452 Lux without ever having shot it (that was dumb – don’t do that). But I wanted to put together something very specific this time around – an iron-sighted do-all bolt action. And the CZ Scout has a lot of great features as a starting point that differentiate it from other CZs:
The Scout comes with a 16-inch (very handy and a reputation for accuracy) threaded barrel. This makes it suppressor ready – and with the shorter barrel, a rimfire suppressor looks very good on it.
With Warlock II (lightweight and perfect for a bolt action like this)
With Sparrow
With Brownells 22LR flash hider (if you want the Jungle Carbine look or want to protect your crown)
The CZ Scout also comes with a single shot adapter, which might make you worry it is a single shot rifle. Thankfully, it also takes 5 and 10 round polymer CZ 452/455 magazines. Good to have options.
Magazine Options
With 10-round Magazine
With 5-round Magazine (nearly flush – single shot adaptor looks the same)
There were a couple things that I wanted to change/improve:
Iron Sights: My intent was always to install Tech Sights. The advantage of the Scout is that you can get a rear sight aperture sight (TSM120CZ) that mounts to the rear dovetail and keep your front sight.
Installed Rear Tech Sight
Trigger: It was a little heavier than I liked so after looking at all the options I got the MCarbo spring kit and it is now perfect at about 2 pounds and no take-up.
Stock: I really wanted to like the compact stock. I drilled it for sling studs and I somehow contorted my body to use it. And I kept telling myself “it’s for the children” – that kids could use it at clinics when semi-autos were too much. But I was shooting nose-to-bolt-handle and it was just too small. So I ordered a replacement full-size stock from CZ and it fits perfectly now. And I think it looks right sexy with the little euro flourishes.
Compact vs. Full Size Stock
Ok, all that is fine, but can it shoot? Oh yes, it certainly can. I have taken it to the range a few times and it is a VERY accurate rifle.
The first time I ever took it out for a practice AQT, shooting all of the positions using the Tech Sights but still with the compact stock, I put up a 221 (ignore the score on the paper – no idea why I thought one of the 3s was a 4 while I was at the range). I am very happy with the bottom row.
CZ 455 Scout AQT
It is not an easy qualifier – I took it out a couple weeks ago for a rapid fire AQT (all stages and positions in 4 minutes total), took way too much time on the top stages working the bolt, and had to rush through the prone stages. Not even close.
This past weekend I had to zero a couple of rifles for an upcoming Appleseed clinic at Sanners. But the CZ Scout came along in its new full sized stock. At 25 yards from the prone position with a sling (and with my eyesight) I was getting very small groups on the smallest targets. Mad I didn’t hit the shingle, but it is awfully small on top of the front sight…
CZ 455 Red Coat
Can’t wait to get an opportunity to run it even more this summer.
I know there are theories out there that say you should build proficiency and muscle memory with one gun only to operate it under stress. Or to "beware of the man with one gun because he probably knows how to use it." But I have a feeling that not many people on MDS own only one gun (though the others may be at the bottom of the bay after those terrible boating accidents).
When you score Rifleman or with one gun (or one time), its just the start of your journey. Challenge yourself, stretch your skills, and find new ways to enjoy shooting. The CZ 455 Scout is certainly a fun and challenging rifle. It might take a couple mods I highly recommend it!
- The Tippmann M4-22 Pro, which continues to put up amazing scores in practice sessions and hasn’t missed a beat in terms of reliability
- The BRN16A1 with CMMG conversion kit that is just too cool and fun to shoot
I bought it from GymRatz (a great gun store) during their 2018 New Years sale at a great price, likely because of the introduction of the CZ-457. Why, with so many semi-automatic options, would I choose a youth-sized bolt action? Let’s start from the beginning.
As you can tell from my signature line, I am a Shoot Boss with Project Appleseed. Our philosophy is that you “run what you brung” in terms of rifles.
- All you have is a scoped Remington 597? Perfect, bring it out.
- Your old family Marlin 60 tube fed with no sling attachments? We can make that work with some special rules and a leather sling adapter.
- Your 6 year old daughter wants to shoot her single shot bolt action Savage Rascal? Let’s make a speed loader out of Styrofoam.
- A completely tricked out 10/22 without an original part left except for the receiver? Let’s see if you can outshoot the rifle!
A lot of people attend an Appleseed to build proficiency with THAT rifle – and we certainly encourage that. My approach is a little different – I want to build proficiency with EVERY rifle I own. And with different types of rifles.
I started off with a pretty basic scoped 10/22 - boy, did I learn a lot about scope eye relief with that set-up! I qualified at my second shoot and got my Winterseed patch. I thought it was cheating to keep using a scope, so the next 10/22 I built as a Liberty Training Rifle (LTR) with Tech Sights. That was a great learning experience with old-ish eye sight and I qualified with that. I thought it would be fun to see what my Savage FV-SR bolt action with a BIG scope could do - I had only ever shot it from a bipod and had to learn to work the bolt quickly through the timed stages. But it was super accurate and I qualified. Then a 10/22 takedown with a Bushnell red dot – qualified. Then a scoped Marlin 795 that I use as a loaner - qualified. And the AR-style rifles I reviewed before as well as a couple 5.56mm ARs. And so on.
All that is to say, it is fun to keep shooting Appleseeds! And it is REALLY fun to shoot qualifying scores with new rifles – each one presents a unique challenge and helps to build proficiency in different ways.
I am a huge CZ fan and their line of rimfire rifles have had my eye for a long time – I even bought and sold a 452 Lux without ever having shot it (that was dumb – don’t do that). But I wanted to put together something very specific this time around – an iron-sighted do-all bolt action. And the CZ Scout has a lot of great features as a starting point that differentiate it from other CZs:
The Scout comes with a 16-inch (very handy and a reputation for accuracy) threaded barrel. This makes it suppressor ready – and with the shorter barrel, a rimfire suppressor looks very good on it.
With Warlock II (lightweight and perfect for a bolt action like this)
With Sparrow
With Brownells 22LR flash hider (if you want the Jungle Carbine look or want to protect your crown)
The CZ Scout also comes with a single shot adapter, which might make you worry it is a single shot rifle. Thankfully, it also takes 5 and 10 round polymer CZ 452/455 magazines. Good to have options.
Magazine Options
With 10-round Magazine
With 5-round Magazine (nearly flush – single shot adaptor looks the same)
There were a couple things that I wanted to change/improve:
Iron Sights: My intent was always to install Tech Sights. The advantage of the Scout is that you can get a rear sight aperture sight (TSM120CZ) that mounts to the rear dovetail and keep your front sight.
Installed Rear Tech Sight
Trigger: It was a little heavier than I liked so after looking at all the options I got the MCarbo spring kit and it is now perfect at about 2 pounds and no take-up.
Stock: I really wanted to like the compact stock. I drilled it for sling studs and I somehow contorted my body to use it. And I kept telling myself “it’s for the children” – that kids could use it at clinics when semi-autos were too much. But I was shooting nose-to-bolt-handle and it was just too small. So I ordered a replacement full-size stock from CZ and it fits perfectly now. And I think it looks right sexy with the little euro flourishes.
Compact vs. Full Size Stock
Ok, all that is fine, but can it shoot? Oh yes, it certainly can. I have taken it to the range a few times and it is a VERY accurate rifle.
The first time I ever took it out for a practice AQT, shooting all of the positions using the Tech Sights but still with the compact stock, I put up a 221 (ignore the score on the paper – no idea why I thought one of the 3s was a 4 while I was at the range). I am very happy with the bottom row.
CZ 455 Scout AQT
It is not an easy qualifier – I took it out a couple weeks ago for a rapid fire AQT (all stages and positions in 4 minutes total), took way too much time on the top stages working the bolt, and had to rush through the prone stages. Not even close.
This past weekend I had to zero a couple of rifles for an upcoming Appleseed clinic at Sanners. But the CZ Scout came along in its new full sized stock. At 25 yards from the prone position with a sling (and with my eyesight) I was getting very small groups on the smallest targets. Mad I didn’t hit the shingle, but it is awfully small on top of the front sight…
CZ 455 Red Coat
Can’t wait to get an opportunity to run it even more this summer.
I know there are theories out there that say you should build proficiency and muscle memory with one gun only to operate it under stress. Or to "beware of the man with one gun because he probably knows how to use it." But I have a feeling that not many people on MDS own only one gun (though the others may be at the bottom of the bay after those terrible boating accidents).
When you score Rifleman or with one gun (or one time), its just the start of your journey. Challenge yourself, stretch your skills, and find new ways to enjoy shooting. The CZ 455 Scout is certainly a fun and challenging rifle. It might take a couple mods I highly recommend it!
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