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-   -   CZ 455 problems; feeding, ejection, and solutions! (pic heavy) (https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=694797)

chingdaotze 02-02-2013 2:18 PM

CZ 455 problems; feeding, ejection, and solutions! (pic heavy)
 
Hello Calgunners,

I bought a CZ 455FS last year, and what a beauty it is!

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...es/CZ455FS.jpg


However, while I was in love with the accuracy and workmanship, reliability was very, very poor. Over the course of the year, I’ve encountered three kinds failures:

1) Lead shaving off of bullets when working the bolt, which starts gumming up the works.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...avedBullet.jpg

2) After ~100 rounds, fired cases do not extract and get stuck in the chamber. Then a screwdriver is required to remove stuck empties.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...0Fixes/FTE.jpg

3) Bullets randomly misfeed into the barrel and the upper receiver.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...es/Misfeed.jpg

So after some research and a couple of quick fixes my CZ is now 100% reliable, and has shot a full brick without cleaning or issues. To fix these problems you’re going to need an India stone and small round file. I just used a cylindrical diamond-coated Dremel head attachment and rectangular India stone from a kit I bought at Harbor Freight. Let's get started!

Shaving lead:

The bottom of the bolt is the culprit here, and its perfect 90 degree angle is responsible for shaving lead off the tops of bullets. To fix this, take your India stone and file down the sharp edge on the bottom of the bolt. You don’t need to remove too much material; just enough to make it round rather than 90 degrees.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...BoltBottom.jpg

Failures to extract:

The problem here is the angle of the extractor claw. The inside of the claw is a 90 degree angle with a straight edge; we need to eliminate that straight edge. This will enable the claw to properly grip the rim of the shell, rather than slipping off as the claws start moving outwards. Remove the bolt and the c-clip holding the extractor claws in place, and remove the right extractor claw. It should just drop out. Take your round file and create a concave surface on the inner edge of the extractor claw. Then take your India stone and thin out the width of the extractor claw by ¼ mm (just “sand” it down). This should provide more tension and grip to the claw.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ionDiagram.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...awDiagram2.png

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ractorClaw.jpg

Failures to feed:

The problem lies with both the magazine and the feed ramp. To fix the magazine, we need to change the shape of the follower so that the feed angle is shallower. Take a paper clip and depress the magazine floor plate plunger (hole on the bottom of the magazine). Then slide out the floor plate. Take a pair of pliers and bend the edges of the follower so that the front of the follower sits lower, and the rear sits higher.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ndFollower.jpg

To fix the feed ramp (or lack thereof!) we need to create a radius on the bottom edge of the chamber mouth, so the bullet is already partially seated in the chamber by the time it pops free from the magazine. Remove the barrel (yes, you will need to re-zero). Take the round file and create a slight “extension” of the feed ramp. You don’t need to file a lot; just enough to round out the sharp edge of the bottom of the chamber. The radius I created is about 1/2 mm. Afterwards, you can use a bit of polishing compound on your new feed ramp.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...edFeedRamp.jpg

There you go! Now your CZ should be a reliable, flawless shooter. Have fun and stay safe!

Credits to the original discoverers of these fixes, and other helpful info:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...ient=firefox-a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMv4Y45PS6k

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3298549...23768066/show/

http://www.czforum.com/index.php?topic=2007.0

DCF 02-02-2013 3:24 PM

Very nice job figuring the problems and finding the solutions. I have a CZ453 and I didn't encounter any of those problems. CZ make some nice looking and accurate rifles.

penguinofsleep 02-04-2013 6:46 PM

very informative.

dboy4ever 02-04-2013 7:13 PM

Great write up! I was gonna get an American 455 now I'm hesitant. How can their design be so poorly thought out.

GrapesOfWrath 02-04-2013 8:36 PM

Thanks.
Ran into one or two of these issues already, but a comprehensive post.

chingdaotze 02-05-2013 12:54 AM

Despite my issues with the gun, I still love my CZ... and I say this coming from a Savage. The Savage was very reliable and accurate and everything I could wish for in an entry level .22, but there's something about the CZ that is... special (for lack of a better word). The way it handles, the way it feels... I haven't held a .22 that feels the way a CZ does.

Would I do it all over again? You bet :D

GrapesOfWrath 02-06-2013 8:20 AM

I love the CZ 455 Platform.

I re-zeroed my scope yesterday and was one holing 5 round sets.

did not like Aguilla super velocities though. Pretty much everything else shot great.

sephy 02-06-2013 8:24 AM

Just came here hoping for a pic of your rifle. That full stock is beautiful!

Izzy43 02-06-2013 10:50 AM

CZ would have happily fixed all those issues. You did a great job on it but just wanted others to know that issues such as those are rare and when they do occur, CZ will do everything necessary to correct it, up to and including replacing the rifle. Free shipping both ways when under warranty. They have excellent customer service.

chingdaotze 02-10-2013 12:04 AM

I have no doubt CZ's customer service is excellent. This was more of fun project and learning opportunity for me. The way I saw it, I don't have to suffer downtime at the range and CZ doesn't have to waste time to fix some problems that could be solved in 2 hours at no additional cost. Win win!

flyingspur 08-16-2013 2:10 PM

Great info.

My 453 varmint 22LR has failure to feed issue with last round in the 5rd plastic mag. Need to tweak it accordingly.

dfletcher 08-16-2013 7:24 PM

You forgot to tell us about the sights ..... :)

problemchild 08-17-2013 11:20 AM

Looks like your mag is sitting too low, did you try another mag?

Im torn between sending it in and letting the factory RE-engineer their own POS or possibly destroying the gun trying to do it myself and voiding warranty.

I just bought a 455 and its in 10day now. Is this issue with ALL 455? Mine is a magnum american.

Davinho 08-17-2013 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chingdaotze (Post 10484241)
I have no doubt CZ's customer service is excellent. This was more of fun project and learning opportunity for me. The way I saw it, I don't have to suffer downtime at the range and CZ doesn't have to waste time to fix some problems that could be solved in 2 hours at no additional cost. Win win!

+1. One big advantage a CZ has over an Anschutz: you own it; it doesn't own you.

problemchild 08-25-2013 1:26 PM

Well my 455 arrived and it has the SAME ISSUES. I am not going to grind or sand anything. I will return the rifle and let them fix it. I am going to print and email a copy of this thread with pictures as proff I am not the only one.

Why on Gods green earth would they continue selling a 455 if it is a giant FAILURE????????

Why is this gun not being retrofitted and FIXED at the factory. They have to know about it!

Oh and both barrels do it. I have the FTF with 22LR and 22Mag. I tried diffrent mags and different bullets. I could not feed more than 3 without it FTF.

Total BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

coverme2 08-25-2013 2:11 PM

I don't know if this applies, but my 455 Varmint feeds, fires, extracts, ejects flawlessly mag after mag, steel or plastic, hollow-points, round nose, washed, unwashed, subs, standards, and hypers. Either I and other 455 owners got lucky with normal rifles or your and chingdaotze's 455 unfortunately slipped through the QC cracks. I personally can't believe ALL 455 platforms are POSs.

chingdaotze 10-04-2013 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfletcher (Post 12085606)
You forgot to tell us about the sights ..... :)

Oh gosh... I haven't been on Calguns in months. New job and all. Anyways, the sights are Brno match sights and they're sold by a really nice fellow from Fountain Valley named brnoman over at Rimfire Central. I paid around $120 for them, but I'm not sure how stable the price is.

The sights are nice and sturdy, but I had a hard time figuring out the proper eye relief for the rear sight. They DO make things easier to shoot at 100 yds, but you lose your peripheral vision and the "military-like" feel of the rifle. For anyone living in the Los Angeles area and frequents Angeles shooting range, with the old sights I would hit 3 out of 5 on the smallest square target on the hundred yard silhouette line. With the new sights it hovers between 4 to 5 out of 5. At the very least it lets everyone on the firing line know how serious of a plinkster you are :cool:

chingdaotze 10-04-2013 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by problemchild (Post 12089877)
Looks like your mag is sitting too low, did you try another mag?

Im torn between sending it in and letting the factory RE-engineer their own POS or possibly destroying the gun trying to do it myself and voiding warranty.

I just bought a 455 and its in 10day now. Is this issue with ALL 455? Mine is a magnum american.

1) Nope; I only have the one mag that came with the gun.

2) It's really up to you, but I'm a tinkerer at heart. I had fun with my project, and now it's been a year and a half with no issues. Even if you do break something, replacement parts shouldn't be hard to come by.

3) From what I can tell, my issues are pretty isolated. Most 455 owners don't have these problems.

friscogunner 12-24-2013 11:56 AM

My take
 
Thanks for your research on this subject, very informative.

I couldn't feed a full magazine without FTF jams on my 455 (22lr).

I noticed that when slowly feeding a round, there's a ridge on the underside of the magazine feed lips which makes the round pop up and feed just inside the upper opening of the chamber.

I think this was by design to make the round feed in a rifle with a minimal feed ramp. Don't think it's going to prove to be cost effective for CZ.

I've throated and polished the barrel chamber, polished and slightly beveled the underside of the bolt and removed the ridge from the magazine. I made no changes to the magazine follower.

The round goes straight into the bevel of the throat, the base slips under the extractor like a controlled feed rifle should. I can feed all the rounds quickly without jams.

My rifle and mags are very recent purchases, the mags from CZ. Is it the latest from CZ, I don't know.

HTH

fast318 12-24-2013 2:21 PM

Thank you very much for taking the time to put this post together! I'm undecided between the Savage mk II with stainless barrel and the 455 Varmint. I already have a mk II but my wife and son fight over it themselves and won't let me shoot it much :(

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

joe47 12-25-2013 2:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fast318 (Post 13054635)
Thank you very much for taking the time to put this post together! I'm undecided between the Savage mk II with stainless barrel and the 455 Varmint. I already have a mk II but my wife and son fight over it themselves and won't let me shoot it much :(

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

Do yourself a favor and get the Varmint. I have gone the Savage route and the 10/22 route,(still have 2) but after getting my first CZ the rest stay in the safe. I just recently got my latest CZ (Scout) and that brings me up to 8 CZ's.:)
If you get the CZ you will have plenty of chances to shoot the mk II because your wife and son will have your CZ:D

Pauliedad 12-25-2013 3:01 AM

Thanks for an awesome post.
Even though I'd never even heard of this rifle, I will be seeking one out just to hold it. I have 10/22s and have no complaints. I relate to the tinkerer at heart and don't mind a bit of custom work if I have a roadmap to what it needs.
Thanks for the post.

AceGirlsHusband 12-26-2013 1:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dboy4ever (Post 10427949)
Great write up! I was gonna get an American 455 now I'm hesitant. How can their design be so poorly thought out.

My good friend shoots a 455 (with both .22 and .17 bbls) and has never had a single problem with her. I don't think these problems are consistent for each and every rifle produced in this model. Some are jewels; some require a small amount of tweaking.

fast318 01-09-2014 5:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe47 (Post 13057865)
Do yourself a favor and get the Varmint. I have gone the Savage route and the 10/22 route,(still have 2) but after getting my first CZ the rest stay in the safe. I just recently got my latest CZ (Scout) and that brings me up to 8 CZ's.:)
If you get the CZ you will have plenty of chances to shoot the mk II because your wife and son will have your CZ:D

I finally found a 455 Varmint today for $406 with free shipping plus fees! I also bought a Ruger American Rimfire Compact to plink with since I have a ton of 10/22 mags. I have a Mueller 8-32X44 scope on the way so all I need to get are scope rings and mags.

Mags are expensive for the CZ; are the mags for the 452 and 455 interchangeable?

joe47 01-10-2014 2:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fast318 (Post 13169469)
I finally found a 455 Varmint today for $406 with free shipping plus fees! I also bought a Ruger American Rimfire Compact to plink with since I have a ton of 10/22 mags. I have a Mueller 8-32X44 scope on the way so all I need to get are scope rings and mags.

Mags are expensive for the CZ; are the mags for the 452 and 455 interchangeable?

Mags for the 452, 453, and 455 are all interchangeable. I have metal mags and poly mags and find the poly mags are very durable and don't rust. If you decide to upgrade the 455, Dan Lilja builds great aftermarket barrels for the 455.:) http://www.riflebarrels.com/


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