It was a couple of months ago the CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool showed up looking for a foster home, and I am not one to turn away a rimfire in need. In that time, myself and several of my friends have had a chance to try out the rifle and see what is what.

First Impressions 

The two position safety is mounted at the rear of the bolt. The stock is a hard laminate textured type of plastic. This material will resist weather and swelling due to moisture.

The receiver is machined to accept the 11mm dovetail scope mounts as the rifle does not have sights.

Five round detachable box magazine is located just before the trigger. The trigger is adjustable for take up and reset but broke cleanly at three pounds with no take up and very little reset out of the box, so I did not change anything.

The textured stock has a raised cheekpiece to ensure consistent stock weld and eye relief on your optic.

The 16 1/2″ free floated bull barrel is factory threaded 1/2″x28 which is a common thread pitch for rimfire and 9mm silencers. The addition of a silencer did not affect accuracy. Throughout the review, I ran the Ruger Silent-SR. Range Tool, and Inland rimfire silencers on the rifle.

Range Time 

A few of the first groups shot from a rest at 100 yards with the rounds just beside the group.

Best three shot groups of the day, shot at a 100 yards from a bipod.

Conclusions 

After some 500 various rounds downrange without an issue, I am satisfied the 455 Varmint Tacticool is not only reliable but plenty accurate. For someone looking to get into rimfire target matches, this rifle would be an ideal starting point. With all the advances in high power cartridges, it seems a lot of focus has been taken off informal plinking. I am not trying to take away chasing that ultimate centerfire round, as that is how our sport grows but I encourage all shooters to not forget about plinking away with friends and family. As I am sure with most folks, the .22 Long Rifle was their introduction to the shooting sports, and that is the very foundation our sport is built from. Some of my fondest memories with my father and childhood friends is an afternoon with a brick of .22 and a warm Spring day. Suppressing a rimfire .22 works great as a training gun as well as those looking to keep the noise pollution down while hunting or working on fundamentals. Beginning with a known quality will help keep some of the guesswork out of the training session. Using quality match .22 LR I had no problem keeping three shot groups under an inch at a 100 yards. With common run of the mill .22 you can expect a MOA to a MOA and a half if you do your part. The subsonic did not perform quite as well, but that is to be expected. After all, is said and done, I believe in my heart CZ has a winner with this rifle.

Specifications 

Product Name: CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool silencer ready, .22 LR
MSRP: $549.00
Chambering: .22 LR
Rate Of Twist: 1:16 in
Magazine Capacity: 5
Magazine Type: Detachable
Stock: Black Painted Laminate
Length Of Pull: 13.75 in
Sights: No Sights, Integral 11mm Dovetail
Barrel: Cold Hammer Forged
Barrel Length: 16.5 in
Overall Length: 34.75 in
Weight: 7.13 lbs
Trigger: MechAdjustable
Safety: Two-Position
Acknowledgments 
Lee Johnson of Rebel Son
Brad Berggren
Derak Gillisslee
Andrew Barnes of Barnes Precision Machine

By Hunter Elliott

I spent much of my youth involved with firearms and felt the call early on to the United States Marine Corps, following in my father's and his brother's footsteps. Just after high school I enlisted and felt most at home on the rifle range, where I qualified expert with several firearms and spent some time as a rifle coach to my fellow Marines. After being honorably discharged I continued teaching firearm safety, rifle and pistol marksmanship, and began teaching metallic cartridge reloading. In the late 1990s I became a life member to the National Rifle Association and worked with the Friends of the NRA. Around that time my father and I became involved with IDPA and competed together up until he passed away. I began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 2000s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. Continuing to improve my firearms skills and knowledge is a never ending journey in which we should all be committed. I am also credited as weapons master on a few independent films.

7 thoughts on “CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool, accurate plinker.”
  1. Good work, Hunter, enjoyed this video. Enjoyed shooting this one and being a part. Keep up good work.

    Barbara

  2. wow … just goes to to show that each rifle is its own animal. i get 1/2″ groups out of Gemtech 42gr out of our 455 and i run a stock 455 with a silencerco sparrow. i know the can will make a difference and maybe that combo is magic but i think every rifle has its own personality

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