Lightweight chassis for hunting?

[Broken scope]

Hello, new hunter here. I just completed my hunters safety last week and will be hunting for the first time later this season. I decided to start with rabbits because it’s the only game that can be hunted with a rifle, aside from bear (maybe squirrels if I go out of my zone). I rather not use a shotgun and have to dig pellets out of the meat.

I’m looking for a light weight stock or chassis for a cz 457 pro varmint. So far the lightest options I found are Grey Birch, Ultradyne, XLR Element 4.0 Mg, and Woox Superleggera. The chassis’s have the benefit of a folding stock, but the tradeoff is that metal gets cold in the winter. I’ve never held cold metal for extended periods, so I don’t know if gloves can offset the cold. Maybe someone who’s done it can give some insight. Anyone have any opinions on these chassis/stock?

The stock that it comes with is only 4-8 oz heavier so I would totally use that, but I read about bedded stocks having better accuracy. Does it even matter at 10-50 yards? I don’t know how to bed a stock, and for the cost of sending it out for work, I figure just buy a new one.

Side note, I live in eastern MA and it’s not a vey gun friendly state, so I wouldn’t mind carrying a rifle on a single point sling tucked inside my jacket. This is the main appeal of having a chassis, aside from looking cool.

 

[DuckDawg22]

You talk about rabbits, bears, and squirrels, which is quite the caliber spread. As a new hunter, pick up a 10/22 and kill some squirrels for a season or two before you think about a bear gun

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I live in eastern MA and it’s not a vey gun friendly state, so I wouldn’t mind carrying a rifle on a single point sling tucked inside my jacket. This is the main appeal of having a chassis, aside from looking cool.

If it is legal to carry and hunt with the rifle, own it. Don't act like you have something to hide.

I have the CZ 457 Pro Varmint, as well as a Gray Birch chassis. I swap back and forth between the two. Accuracy is probably a bit better with the CZ wood stock. The chassis has some advantages, but I much prefer the factory for precision shooting. A Dead Air Mask suppressor really is the ultimate upgrade for the CZ457 though, especially with sub sonic ammo.

 

[Broken scope]

You talk about rabbits, bears, and squirrels, which is quite the caliber spread. As a new hunter, pick up a 10/22 and kill some squirrels for a season or two before you think about a bear gun

I am not even considering bear . I just mentioned that bears are only animal where rifles are allowed (centerfire). In my zone, can’t hunt squirrels with rifles or pistols because it’s densely populated. Rabbits are my only option for rifles/pistols unless I drive west.

 

[Broken scope]

If it is legal to carry and hunt with the rifle, own it. Don't act like you have something to hide.

I have the CZ 457 Pro Varmint, as well as a Gray Birch chassis. I swap back and forth between the two. Accuracy is probably a bit better with the CZ wood stock. The chassis has some advantages, but I much prefer the factory for precision shooting. A Dead Air Mask suppressor really is the ultimate upgrade for the CZ457 though, especially with sub sonic ammo.

Cool, I like Grey Birch out of those options. It has a convenient qd slot and the best price point.

Unfortunately, suppressors are illegal here. Otherwise that would be the first upgrade.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Cool, I like Grey Birch out of those options. It has a convenient qd slot and the best price point.

Unfortunately, suppressors are illegal here. Otherwise that would be the first upgrade.

Here is the build list for mine in the post below:

Post in thread 'The Unofficial CZ 452/455/457 Thread'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/the-unofficial-cz-452-455-457-thread.247217/post-2413589

And set up in the Gray Birch chassis:

 

[Broken scope]

Here is the build list for mine in the post below:

Post in thread 'The Unofficial CZ 452/455/457 Thread'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/the-unofficial-cz-452-455-457-thread.247217/post-2413589

And set up in the Gray Birch chassis:

View attachment 902961


View attachment 902963

Nice, those are some sexy guns! Do you hunt with those?

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Nice, those are some sexy guns! Do you hunt with those?

Thanks. Same gun, just different configurations.
No, just training. It’s great for working on wind calls, positional shooting and general trigger time. There is absolutely no bunny hunting in this household

 

[doc holiday13]

I wish we had a firearms section for questions like this. Seems like they're always popping up here and being posted by people with sub 10 post

Could just be correlation and not causation though

 

[Eleven]

Dudddddeeeee, careful with what you do in MA. Putting a folding stock rifle under a jacket turns that previously legal weapon into a concealed carry situation which you DO NOT want to get into in MA. And I’m not even sure folding stocks are MA legal either. Take the time to figure out your local laws before making any changes. As you said, MA is not firearms friendly and you do not want to inadvertently break those laws as they are very unforgiving.

 

[Broken scope]

Damn that’s a good point. Everything in MA is illegal, even if it’s legal.

“Assault weapon” rules only apply to semi autos and centerfire, so it’s ok to have a folding stock on a bolt or rimfire.

 

[butcherboy]

If all you plan on hunting for a bit and near you is rabbits and squirrels then get a .22 caliber air rifle. Get a center fire for bear. Other option is just to drive further west like you mentioned to hunt with a rifle. Since you are new you will learn pretty quickly how far most of us travel and are willing to travel to hunt what we want.

 

[Broken scope]

I thought about a pcp airgun so I can shoot rabbits in my yard. But it’s expensive and I’d have to buy a compressor. I do have a gamo from when I was a kid. Maybe I’ll give that a try before going down the pcp rabbit hole (no pun intended ).

 

[wind gypsy]

I wouldn't worry about the stock not being bedding if it shoots well. I have a predecessor in the CZ 455 "tacticool" model. Shoots fine in a similar mediocre laminate stock. Honestly the worst part about the gun is the awful trigger. Unless the 457 significantly upgraded the trigger, that might be the best first upgrade.

As far as being cold to the touch, everyone hunts differently. I know lots of guys hunt with metal chassis in the cold without issue. I find that i've hand carried a lot with thin liner gloves or no gloves at all in cooler weather and I really doubt i'd enjoy a metal chassis for that.

 

[Broken scope]

That’s good to know. I haven’t shot it yet, waiting for my scope to arrive tomorrow. I’m not a glove guy so hopefully it shoots well in the laminate stock. I do notice the stock flexes easily, and when I slide a piece of paper down the barrel, it gets a little tight on certain parts. The barrel sits visibly uneven on the stock, and it’s possible the barrel may be touching the stock.

The trigger is a little heavy at 3 lbs, so I got a spring kit to hopefully get it down to 8-12oz. Other than the weight, I think the trigger is fine. It is adjustable for pre and over travel. I did try my friend’s timney trigger, which is pretty sweet. But the springs + trigger pin was $40, and if it gets me close, I’m fine with it.

 

[Sagewind]

I read much and post little, but think you should slow down! A 3 pound trigger on a hunting rifle is more than acceptable. A repeatable, consistent, crisp trigger should be your goal. A new shooter has NO business walking in the woods with a 8-12 ounce trigger, in my opinion. Shoot often, gain some experience, maybe get some training. My hunting rifles have 2.5-3 # triggers that are aftermarket or gunsmith tuned. My rimfire competition rifle for NRL 22 is set at the same light range you are seeking. That rifle is shot only off a bench or in tightly controlled, safety first, organized competition. I would never hunt with that gun/ trigger set up. Think “horses for courses”.
Be safe, learn, and have fun!

 

[Broken scope]

Just got the Ultradyne UD5 chassis today, bought a bunch of different ammo for testing. So far I’ve only shot a box of CCI SV and get around 1” groups at 50 yards, which isn’t great.