I am waiting people opinion on my next rifle. I am wanting to build a new rimfire rifle and I am stuck between a CZ 457 or a Bergara B14r. This will mainly be for shooting paper at 50yds and them having fun shooting out to 500 yds. I am curious what is peoples opinion on the two. I plan on not keeping them stock (I.E. replacing barrels, stock, triggers, etc). My budget on the builds is 2.5k. I have a couple of 457s already but for some reason a 700 platform has interest me. Not sure if I should save the little money extra yet and get a vudoo, rimx, or L3I stinger action. What is everyone's thoughts?
CZ 457 or Bergara B14r
- Thread starter ahawks87
- Start date
If you already have 457s get a 700 clone.
Sounds like you want a 700 clone anyway. Purchase approved.
Sounds like you want a 700 clone anyway. Purchase approved.
Kenny’s action will be on the market soon. Hopefully Mike Bush will be able to finish his design soon. Then there’s the Elemental Snapdragon. If you have several CZ’s already and don’t plan to keep it stock, why not go full custom. There’s a lot of great options today. BTW, I heard the CZ has some QC issues these days. Friend of mine got a new one, ran a borescope down it and there was a big gap in the rifling. Heard about some others with issues on the action. Hate to see a great rifle being destroyed by poor production.
If you know you will fool with it, RimX is the easy button. Proven. Reliable. Easy to swap barrels and humble people to deal with.
B14R is great if you plan to leave it alone. Barrels are custom fitted for the most part, so you get up into the RimX barrel cost quickly.
Coming from a guy who has chased the shiny thing more than once, I’d go with proven reliability where possible, and who will be around for a while.
B14R is great if you plan to leave it alone. Barrels are custom fitted for the most part, so you get up into the RimX barrel cost quickly.
Coming from a guy who has chased the shiny thing more than once, I’d go with proven reliability where possible, and who will be around for a while.
I'm not tinkerer but the B14r does everything I need from it without dumping shitton of unnecessary money in it. Your budget will need to be doubled if you dabbling into higher end rifles though as 2.5k is nothing and barely gets you going.
I have a B14R, CZ457 and a Vudoo. The Vudoo shoots best out of the box. The B14R shoots almost as good so I keep it factory, could use a trigger upgrade. CZ457, you can customize this all you want and it might hang with a Vudoo. I'm finishing mine CZ now with a Lilja barrel, waiting on the MPA stock. I currently have it in a manners stock. That stock is nice but the palm swell is way too big for me. I think 2.5k is enough for a Vudoo. Maybe a used one or a barreled action, skimp on the stock. If I was to only keep one of mine its the Vudoo. No upgrades needed, depending on what trigger you prefer. You won't need to put a different barrel on it. Rimx I only hear complaints at the local competitions. L3I my opinion is what are you buying, the stock? It's a bit overpriced. I just got a MPA for $850. The Enhanced Verticle Grip is perfect. I have one on my Vudoo and that's why I now will have one on my CZ.
I have a CZ 455 in a chassis. It's solid and very accurate. Have you factored in glass into the equation? For the price of a CZ you will have money left over for a nice scope as well. The Bergera will leave your budget for a scope on the low end. Maybe you don't need glass though. Also if you plan on shooting 100yds + you'll need some sort of MOA rail in addition.
A&j is selling a drop in b14r barrel for a decent price, I understand it’s an L3i blank
I have a factory B14R. The factory barrel in mine is fantastic. Shoots almost as good as my Vudoo. Just wondering are others finding the factory barrel not holding acceptable groups? I'll ask the OP that.
Sub moa easily attainable with any of the rifles you are considering. Harder to source Lapua than to build a rifle that shoots it well. Sounds like you want to build a 700 platform, plenty of good actions to work with, the choice is ultimately yours.
You just have to decide if you want the 700 platform or not. Tons of chassis options with the 700 as well as triggers. But there’s decent options for the 457 as well. I’ll second the above statement that the CZ feels like a .22 where the B14R feels like a centerfire more
The B14R mags are bulky but I prefer them for reloads. The Cz mags have the benefit that the bottom metal is attached to the action so feeding issues aren’t really an issue when swapping chassis
For $2.5K you can find a used Vudoo in the px and drop in a krg bravo.
Or watch for custom CZ, B14R etc and save the weight time and $$ overall
The B14R mags are bulky but I prefer them for reloads. The Cz mags have the benefit that the bottom metal is attached to the action so feeding issues aren’t really an issue when swapping chassis
For $2.5K you can find a used Vudoo in the px and drop in a krg bravo.
Or watch for custom CZ, B14R etc and save the weight time and $$ overall
Thats a bold statement and doubt whatever you playing with wont beat a lot good Bergaras.
What is the absolute limit of your budget? Of course a rifle with an action like a Vudoo or RimX is top of the line. But it would be better to have a B14r and quality components than go all out on a barreled action and then have to settle for a bottom tier scope, a spaghettio bipod, and nothing else. The difference is $2000.00. That goes a long way towards better components.
So, I like the Vudoo before they sold the company but had I not gotten a windfall, and was then able to afford a Vudoo, I would have been very happy with a B14r. Our son has a B14r and it’s nice.
So, I like the Vudoo before they sold the company but had I not gotten a windfall, and was then able to afford a Vudoo, I would have been very happy with a B14r. Our son has a B14r and it’s nice.
The B14R can easily do that, and Vudoo is even tighter on groups at 100. CZ you have to throw $$ at it mainly on a good barrel and chassis.
I agree. Bergara shoots on par with the factory heavy barrel with my Vudoo. Someone said Bergara mags are bulky. They are size wise same as any 700 and similar in size to Vudoo. CZ mags are tiny comparatively and I do like them. Mag size is hardly a consideration choosing accuracy.
Not necessarily. My experience is the reverse. CZ good to go, Bergara is coin flip, maybe it’s fine, maybe it’s not. Spend the $$ and find out.
Guess I got a great Bergara and a bad CZ. My CZ had had 3 barrels counting the factory MTR that didn't shoot sub MOA, 2 bad barrels from a small shop that both happened to be defective, the last barrel a Lilja that finally shoots great. I had a Manners stock on the CZ. It didn't fit my hand since the palm swell is too big. I put a MPA with the Enhanced Vertical Grip and now it finally shoots sub-MOA. My Bergara shot on par with Vudoo out of the box even with the factory heavy trigger. I'll be using it for factory competition.
I haven't seen a CZ 457 at any competition that was not highly modified. Meaning anyone shooting factory, I'll look closer next match.
My experience is opposite too.
I have no experience shooting past 200 yards but my Vudoo holds tight sub moa at 100 and 200. If I hold stedy with Vudoo at 100 yds, X's are pretty easy. I have not tried my Bergara. I did shoot the modified CZ with MPA and Lilja side by side at 100. I would call the results identical for the two 25 shot groups. Not statistically good to make a valid comparison. Just good enough to mention.
I mentioned the mags being bulky. I only say that because in comparison to the CZ mags they are. Some people care about that some don’t.
Makes zero difference on accuracy. I do feel mag changes with the AICS pattern mags are much easier and would be faster on a clock. My cz I find myself searching for the mag well with that tiny mag on a chassis
I am new to the 700 platform mags. Is there a difference between the Bergara, RimX, & Vudoo mags?
Yes
Rimx mags are king and have an adjustable catch on them. The prices are also much higher on those
Vudoo mags are more susceptible to rim lock issues
Bergara and Vudoo mags are much cheaper. There’s some aftermarket options available as well. Some have had luck running B14 mags in Vudoo or Vudoo in the b14. But in general they won’t work in each others actions
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In regards to your 1 moa accuracy needs the Bergara would likely hold that. My 18” has shot many groups with SK long range at or under 1 moa at 100 yards. I sold my 20” but in the few rounds I fired on it with that SKLR all three lots shot right at 1 moa
20” B14R Heavy at 100 yards. 3 lots of SKLR. This is within the first 50 rounds on the gun so I’d only expect it would get better with more rounds
Here’s 3 consecutive 10 shot groups at 100 yards with the 18”
Here’s a 10 shot group at 100 yards with the 18”
20” B14R Heavy at 100 yards. 3 lots of SKLR. This is within the first 50 rounds on the gun so I’d only expect it would get better with more rounds
Here’s 3 consecutive 10 shot groups at 100 yards with the 18”
Here’s a 10 shot group at 100 yards with the 18”
Ah, mags do make a bit a difference on accuracy that I almost forgot . Vudoo is designed as to not touch anything on loading, no feed ramp mainly but also not touching the magazine front (lips). CZ does have a bit of a ramp to help guide but not on the mag, don't really know it the round nose touches the front. I too like the size of the CZ just cuz they fit in a smaller space being physically about 1/4 the size of AICS. Faster? Could be, but the MPA CZ chassis has a guide that helps quite a bit for the CZ. I can't exactly speed load my Vudoo either. I just got the MPA CZ chassis, need to use it more to evaluate which loads faster.
I never had a Vudoo work in the B14 or vise versa. They seat to different depths. Rimlock has also never happened, I am careful loading but it's not like it takes extra time to carefully load a vudoo mag. L3I 700 Elite mags will work in either a B14R or Vudoo but must be adjusted per each so you can't swap on the fly. Now MAYBE someone has adjusted one in the middle but that most likely would not be reliable.
I always heard bergaras are a poor man’s Vudoo. I really think they are decent for the price. My first one had ejection issues and was a real PITA. But that’s been 100% solved since then. The 20” had no issues
Just picked up a Vudoo 360 today. Exited to get that next to the DI precision 457 at some distance
I don't agree about the poor man's Vudoo. The B14R is a great gun as is. I have 2 B14R's with a Triggertech Diamond trigger and a EC V2 tuners, Both can shoot sub MOA in good conditions out to 300yds , MOA at 400yd. I can't justify paying 3 times the cost for a Vudoo to get a 0.1" or 2. Both shoot SKLR great. I can do better going up to Lapua SLR, but I can't justify $25 / box eather.
Go with the B14R you will be happy. I don't know if you can get a new Vudoo now or not.
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