After shooting this rifle for about two months now, I feel that I can write an honest review.
What first caught my eye on this rifle in the gun shop was the wood. It's an absolutely beautiful piece of beechwood with a well defined grain pattern.
Now to better understand the reviewer here, I should tell you that I've owned several .22Lr rifles over the years from cheap junk all the way up to a Weatherby Mk XXII, and this CZ Trainer has got to be the best all round rimfire rifle I have ever owned.
Why do I say the best.....
I'll start with versatility. First and foremost the stock iron sights on this model, as with the Lux, and Full Stock are the best I've seen or used on a rimfire, a military grade adjustable rear sight mated with a height adjustable front post with a good quality solid hood. Add to that the 3/8" dovetail groove for mounting a scope, or a peep sight, and I have shot many targets with all three configurations with great success.
The down side to using a scope is that you have to use very high rings so the objective bell clears the rear sight assembly, this does not allow for a firm cheek weld to the hog's back stock, so scope shooting is pretty much rellagated to benchrest. This is not a real issue with me since I did purchase this rifle with the main intent of shooting it with the iron sights. As good as the stock iron sights are, I did purchase a Williams FP receiver groove mounted peep sight for it, and it does provide a slight advantage over the stock irons.
Accuracy.....
As I mentioned above, I also presently own a Weatherby Mk XXII, this $800.00 rifle can not hold a candle to the accuracy of my CZ Trainer. For those who do not know, the Weatherby is actually an Anschutz 64 barrel & action mated to a Weatherby California style stock, so when I say the $350.00 CZ Trainer out shoots a Weatherby, it's out shooting an Anschutz.
I believe the real test of a .22Lr rifle is not how well it will shoot the high priced designer ammo like Lapua Master "M", Eley Tennex, or RWS Target Rifle, it's how well it'll shoot the affordable ammo that most of us normally buy at the local gun shop. Remington Thunderbolts & Cyclones, CCI Blazer, Aquila SE, Federal American Eagles & Champion Target. If it shoots the bargin stuff under 1/2" @ 25 yards, and under 3/4" @ 50 yards, then it's doing well. This CZ Trainer has shot several cheap loads at or just under 1/2" @ 50 yards, and I have even gotten a couple of 5 shot groups at 1 & 1/4" @ 100 yards. Shooting moderately priced target ammo like Aquila Golden Eagles, Federal Gold Metal 711B, and Winchester T-22 in 50 yard iron sight benchrest at the NRA A23/5 target, I have hit scores of 190/4x out of a possible 200/20x....and I'm a novice at this game.
Fit, finish and overall quality is nothing less than outstanding, the 452 trigger is very easy to adjust, IMHO no need for any after market trigger parts, it works fantasic on it's own.
I've been so impressed with this CZ rifle, that I'm now in the proccess of removing that Weatherby from the heard, and will be replacing it with another CZ.....this time a 453 Varmit. In another month or so I'll be back with a review of that rifle.....
