Good day folks. As I have mentioned it, I recently traded my Browning Buckmark Sporter for a brand new CZ 455 Standard. CZ is now offering the 457, so I just got an obsolete rifle! For those who prefer to see instead of reading, pictures are included.
I am very pleased with this replacement. There was nothing wrong with the Buckmark, but I like this one better.
The trigger is definitely nicer, very nice in fact, and I think this rifle is more adequately stocked to shoot with open sights. It is also absolutely easier and quicker to clean. I also prefer this magazine, it does not hurt my fingers when I fill it up.
Before I go any further, I must state that I am just an average shooter, so please don't judge the rifle's inherent capacity based on this report, it can certainly do better in more capable hands, with younger eyes, a scope or better ammunition (given my sight picture -I wear glasses-, I do not blame the ammo). Full disclosure: I was wearing light leather gloves.
I must say it was a good morning at the range. Temperature was -19°C, wind was blowing from five to ten miles per hour. It has been a bright sunny day. Don't pay attention to what is written in French or in English on the targets, I shot all groups at fifty yards. I had only Winchester white box 36 grain at 1280 FPS on hand, so it is the only ammo I shot today.
I shot 19 five shots groups and 1 ten shots group resting on sand bags. One of the five shots groups is not taken into account as it was shot through snow and I was not seeing the target, but shooting at where I thought it was. This was corrected with a walk on the snow going back and forth a few times after my first paper target. The average of the five shots groups I shot is 2.12 inches at fifty yards. The ten shots group is 5.5 inches, but 3,75 inches without the high flyer or for nine shots if you prefer. Without the lucky 0.5 inch group, the average of the five inches groups raises to 2.21 inches at 50 yards. I don't remember if I measured it, so don't take this for cash, but I think it is a tad better than what I did with the Buckmark when using the open sights.
I enjoyed my new rifle a lot. It handles well, works flawlessly, the action is smooth and the trigger is excellent. It can be adjusted, as can the sights, but I did not mess with anything as it already shot good enough to have fun and it was a little cold for that kind of stuff. I thank the good folks here at THR who recommended this rifle, it influenced my decision to part with the Browning and I am glad I did.
Will try to mount a cheap rimfire scope I have on it to see if I like it better. The range officer offered me a 8x fixed Zeiss (which I have not seen) for 250$, will have to check that too.
I am very pleased with this replacement. There was nothing wrong with the Buckmark, but I like this one better.
The trigger is definitely nicer, very nice in fact, and I think this rifle is more adequately stocked to shoot with open sights. It is also absolutely easier and quicker to clean. I also prefer this magazine, it does not hurt my fingers when I fill it up.
Before I go any further, I must state that I am just an average shooter, so please don't judge the rifle's inherent capacity based on this report, it can certainly do better in more capable hands, with younger eyes, a scope or better ammunition (given my sight picture -I wear glasses-, I do not blame the ammo). Full disclosure: I was wearing light leather gloves.
I must say it was a good morning at the range. Temperature was -19°C, wind was blowing from five to ten miles per hour. It has been a bright sunny day. Don't pay attention to what is written in French or in English on the targets, I shot all groups at fifty yards. I had only Winchester white box 36 grain at 1280 FPS on hand, so it is the only ammo I shot today.
I shot 19 five shots groups and 1 ten shots group resting on sand bags. One of the five shots groups is not taken into account as it was shot through snow and I was not seeing the target, but shooting at where I thought it was. This was corrected with a walk on the snow going back and forth a few times after my first paper target. The average of the five shots groups I shot is 2.12 inches at fifty yards. The ten shots group is 5.5 inches, but 3,75 inches without the high flyer or for nine shots if you prefer. Without the lucky 0.5 inch group, the average of the five inches groups raises to 2.21 inches at 50 yards. I don't remember if I measured it, so don't take this for cash, but I think it is a tad better than what I did with the Buckmark when using the open sights.
I enjoyed my new rifle a lot. It handles well, works flawlessly, the action is smooth and the trigger is excellent. It can be adjusted, as can the sights, but I did not mess with anything as it already shot good enough to have fun and it was a little cold for that kind of stuff. I thank the good folks here at THR who recommended this rifle, it influenced my decision to part with the Browning and I am glad I did.
Will try to mount a cheap rimfire scope I have on it to see if I like it better. The range officer offered me a 8x fixed Zeiss (which I have not seen) for 250$, will have to check that too.
) and sometimes at 100 yards when not windy, with good ammo. I am not yet a good enough shooter for 200 yards with the .22 LR, I have enough challenge to group there reasonably with my .223. An adjustable parallax objective would be nice, indeed. I do not know if the scope I was offered has one. The guy said it was high end. I have no idea what is high end when it comes to rimfire scopes or how much I should pay one, and did not think to ask if it was a rimfire scope or a regular centerfire rifle scope. I know where to find him, though.
