First rifle and 457 lux availability

[WeWantEverything]

I know nothing about firearms or shooting, but I'm looking to pick up a new hobby, and I'd like to learn the basics of shooting. I was hoping that I could bounce some questions off the forum to help me get started.  Google is all well and good for collecting random facts, but I just don't have the context to piece it all together without a bit of help from some real experts.  Thanks in advance!

I like the idea of learning to shoot in a 22  bolt action rifle.  It sounds like a good beginner weapon and most importantly the ammo is relatively inexpensive so shooting until I can actually hit things won't break the bank.  Google also seems to have a pretty high opinion of the CZ  457 series for 22 bolt actions in the $500ish price range.  Am I headed in the right direction here, or am I totally off base?  What is this 22LR ammo shortage that I've been hearing about?

Now CZ makes some very fine looking 22 rifles, but I can't figure out which one is right for me.  I've read the specs, but they don't mean much to me yet.  The 457 lux in 22r seemed like a great compromise: good price point, comes with iron sights, and I can take it to my local range straight out of the box.  I like the idea of learning to shoot on iron sights, and if that flops the  lux has the 11mm dovetail (mounts for a scope, I'm assuming?)   Great!  Now it appears that there are exactly zero 457 lux in 22LR available for sale in the US.  Do we have any idea when more will become available? 

What's the next best option for me?  I Like the look of the 457 Jaguar, but the 28" barrel confuses me.  Why is it so long?  Google says that 16-20" is the 'best' barrel length for shooting a 22.   I know that I'm missing something here, but I don't know what.

How does the 457 training differ from the 457 lux?  What's the difference between the sights?  'adjustable iron, integrated 11mm dovetail' on the lux and 'tangent adjustable sights'?  does the lack of the dovetail on the training rifle mean that I can't mount a scope on it?

Is there another option I should be considering?  The premium is a bit more than I'd like to spend on a first gun.

Thanks again

Scott

[alp3367]

  If you're just looking to start shooting as a hobby you could do a lot worse than a nice .22lr bolt gun.

To address some of your specific questions.

1. There is an ammo shortage right now for just about all common calibers. Manufacturers are making literal tons, but it gets snatched up quick.

2. Learning on iron sights is a great idea. The 11mm dovetails on the 457s make it easy to mount a scope down the road if you'd like. If you're totally new to this be sure to ask somebody that knows what they're doing about ring height. If you can find a good local shop that has knowledgeable staff that would be best, but plenty of advice online as well. rimfirecentral.com has a wealth of rimfire related info and a dedicated CZ forum.

3. CZ is selling larger amounts of guns in general this year than ever before. A big part of your issue finding them is that many of the popular models have a backorder, even in years not as crazy as 2020 has been. Your best bet is to find a CZ authorized dealer close to you and have them order one, they can place orders on backordered items. Or just keep an eye out for dealers that sell online.

4. The long barrel on the Jaguar (and similar rifles) is basically for longer sight radius. You're correct that the ideal barrel length for .22lr from an accuracy standpoint is 16"-20". However, when using iron sights the more sight radius (distance between front and rear sights) the better. Though after about 30" that no longer holds very true.

5. The 457 Lux and Training rifle have identical everything except for the stock.

[bang bang]

welcome,

its great you did some research since not many people do.  But with that research you can also get info overload.

what you should do now is to go to a local LGS - Local Gun show/shop and see if you can handle one in person.  What it comes down to is that no matter what you read or what someone says including me, a rifle maybe like a pair of shorts. it may fit everyone but you.  So again, go out and try to find one to handle and see how it fits YOU!

also, what do you think people did before the internet or Alexa?  go to he local LGS.  Its still relevant now as it was before the internet. 

You can also put too much thought into things too.

For what its worth, i didnt have the internet for my 1st rifle.  All i had was about 100 bucks in my pocket.  So what i did was to head to my local sporting good shop and ask what they hand for < 100 bucks.  I walked out with a 85 buck rifle,  Marlin 781 tube fed repeater and some ammo for it.    My friend had a Remington.  i wanted one too, but more expensive than i could afford at the time.

was it the "best" rifle out there or for me? who knows.  It was what i could afford at that time.  was it the most accurate rifle out there? who knows, but it was good enough for me to LEARN about guns/22s and so forth.  Was it the best rifle to end all rifles - HECK NO!  i knew that and it was just the beginning.

I LEARNED ALOT shooting that rifle and using it and it could also eat 22 Shorts and 22 Longs too (22S/L).   I also learned how to take care of it and to clean it and to strip it down if i wanted to. 

I have ALOT of other 22 rifles now including CZ and many others.  And i still have that first rifle too!

Go out and try to find one to handle and go from there. YOu will always have fan boys for just about everything and if you want to listen to them, go for it but i hope you have deep pockets since they fan voice will cover everything. 

something else you should consider...

 > put a location in your profile.  You could be in Siberia and may not get many things there.

 > look for a gun rental range in your area too.  See if they have any 22 rifles to test/shoot.  It may not be a CZ, but it may give you an idea of your next purchase or not.

 > Do you have shooting friends?  Im suprised not many people do.  but if you know of any shooting buds, ask them what they may have and if you can test fly them.  I got into shooting by a really good friend taking me out shooting and i got bit by the gun bug.

have fun.