To enjoy the early stages of shooting, one must find their firearm to be comfortable. While many just think these words mean one that lacks recoil, there's more to the story than that. It’s important for the gun to feel good in the hand long before the trigger is pressed. Legendary Czechoslovakian gun maker CZ has always concentrated on this aspect, and for 2025, it has released the all-new 457 Ergo rifle. The "ergo" refers to "ergonomics" in this case, but let's not forget that in Latin, it means "therefore." Taking cues from its centerfire brother, the 600 Ergo, the 457 Ergo therefore brings biomechanical comfort to the rimfire shooter.
Upon visiting the CZ booth at the 2025 NSSF SHOT Show, I immediately took notice of the new rifle due to its unorthodox looks. However, as I wrapped my hand around the palm-filling pistol grip, I quickly saw how beautiful it truly was. Shouldering the firearm revealed its straight-line nature, which makes it more comfortable when wearing a scope, and directs the already-marginal recoil of a .22 LR straight back. This makes it easy to keep your crosshair on target when shooting in an unsupported position.
For those who prefer iron sights, there is also a version that comes with an excellent set that is accentuated with a brilliant fiber-optic rod out front. All of the other well-regarded CZ 457 features are present in this rifle, such as the push-to-fire safety, adjustable trigger and, of course, the cold hammer-forged barrel.
The last two components are why this family of firearms is among of the most accurate in the world and sought after by competitors of various disciplines. The 457 series also has one of the lightest firing pin strikes on the market, which reduces cocking effort, as well as movement and vibration at that critical moment when the trigger is released. This makes a terrific option for anybody seeking to enter the sport of smallbore silhouette shooting, take up small game hunting or just looking for one of the best-shooting .22’s money can buy. For more information, visit cz-usa.com
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