CZ-457 - Might have found an Issue.

[JAS]

Hi All,

I had a cartridge failure today on my 457 .22 mag (Image below).  When the cartridge failed hot gas and powder bits hit me on the high side of my right cheek. This gas and bits came out through the cocked indicator hole, which is open after the trigger is released.

This might be a bad thing because the gas and stuff  coming out of the cocked indicator has a straight path to one's face. The round was a Winchester .22 mag 30 grain VMAX. 

The rifle still functions fine, although there were some burn marks on the bolt face - since removed. I'm fine as well with just a small red bump with black bits on my cheekbone area.

Image:

[JimLob65]

WOW!!  Glad you and the rifle are OK.  Kinda scary!  Would seem this issue could be easily fixed by extending the cocking indicator enough to keep the hole covered.  These are really great rifles, but I guess nothing is perfect.  Do you think it was just a defective round?

[JAS]

WOW!!  Glad you and the rifle are OK.  Kinda scary!  Would seem this issue could be easily fixed by extending the cocking indicator enough to keep the hole covered.  These are really great rifles, but I guess nothing is perfect.  Do you think it was just a defective round?

Most definitely a defective round. I had half a box of the same rounds left when this happened and after making sure everything was still working I finished the box. The rifle itself is nearing 1200 rounds with zero issues.

Best!

[Rock-it3]

Yeah, definitely glad you are OK!

I wonder if it would make a difference if the cocking indicator were extended. The gasses could still escape around the indicator, since it needs to have some clearance, and with a smaller hole or gap, it may just increase the concentration of the gasses. I don't know exactly what the cocking indicator looks like, though. I am just surmising.

[JAS]

Yeah, definitely glad you are OK!

I wonder if it would make a difference if the cocking indicator were extended. The gasses could still escape around the indicator, since it needs to have some clearance, and with a smaller hole or gap, it may just increase the concentration of the gasses. I don't know exactly what the cocking indicator looks like, though. I am just surmising.

Having the cocked indicator extended would defeat the purpose because it would always show "cocked".  I like the system "as is" for that safety feature. But if there's a problem the gases have an open path out through the back of the bolt.  I'm sure there's a solution but I'm not an engineer so I don't know how this could be resolved and still keep the indicator in place.

I love my rifle, very accurate and of excellent quality.

Here's my rifle as it sits today. Hard to see but if you look closely at the back of the bolt you will see the open hole, meaning the rifle is not cocked. You can scroll around the image to see the rest of the rifle.

[Luvdog]

I hadn't thought about that happening, but now that you've experienced it... it's very easy to see how that could happen.

Glad you are ok, and another reminder of why we should always wear eye protection even when shooting "just a 22 rifle"

I suppose they could make the indicator come out the top of the bolt shroud, maybe use a cam system.

[JimLob65]

The cocking indicator could be extended to sit either flush or just slightly below flush to nearly 'plug' the hole and still serve as a cocking indicator.