Nightmare of a rimfire decision: CZ452 or Marlin 39M?

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buzz meeks

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I'm not normally the kind of guy who needs advice on which gun to buy. I've tried a lot of things and I know what I like. But this last Christmas, I gave away my only .22 LR rifle to a dear relative and am now in the market for a replacement. I have two choices and I'm driving myself nuts trying to decide between them.

1)CZ 452. Dealer can get me one for about $230. This is the model with the tangent sight. It's got that hogsback stock and would make a pretty fair understudy to my brace of CZ centerfires. I am learning to use a shooting sling and this rifle lends itself to that practice. The only big drawback for me is the backwards safety.

2)A used Marlin 39M Golden Mountie also for $230. It's from 1978 and is in really good shape except for some blemishes in the stock's finish. In years of casual looking, I have never seen a used one. That must say something. It would also make a good understudy to my beloved Marlin 336 but shooting slings and levers don't mix so that practice element is out.

Like I said, I'm having a tough time with this choice. The CZ is way better than its price would suggest and will probably be one of those rifles we all wish we had bought when they were still cheap. But that Marlin is a total classic. Seems like everyone who has one absolutely loves theirs. And I understand that both have the potential to be scary accurate. My uses are mainly varmint blasting and field-shooting practice preparatory to hunting season. Before anyone says buy both, I am buying one and one only. Which would you chose and why?
 
I recently bought a CZ452 Varmint and let me tell you that sucker is accurate.

It is the first .22 I have decided to shoot at 100 yards pretty much exclusively.

I had her out today and with a Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32X set at 24X I pulled off two three shot groups of way less then a dime. Basically they were a cloverleaf of one big hole. This was at 100 yards with a CCI mini mags. I can pretty much shoot the Shoot and See cover up dots at 100 yards with relative ease. CZ makes a very solid very accurate gun.

I shoot this .22 at 100 yards better then I do my full blown Savage .308 with varmint stock and match ammo. I have never shot a .22 at 100 yards like this.

Here is a link of a previouse review I did on THR and if you would like other pictures feel free to email/PM me. The beauty of this gun is, I am not a very good marksman!!!! :what: I am just some schmuck that has a gun that makes him look good.

Range Report of my first time out with her.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=121951&highlight=CZ

First post when I bought her.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=120814&highlight=CZ

Chris
 
Once again I have screwed up and posted under my wife's login. The previous post is actually mine. You see as far as my wife, Sheslinger, is concerned.... .22LR is just not enough gun for her. For me, however, I love it.

I will say that I had some issues with Eley Rifle ammo today. She just didn't want to throw about five of those shells out when I worked the bolt. The rounds shot a bit low at 100 yards as well, although they were very accurate.

One thing that amazes me about the 452 series is that if feels like a "real" rifle not a "toy" .22.

Chris
 
My CZ 452 is just like the one you describe, with humpback stock and tangent sights. It's astonishingly accurate, and built more like a centerfire rifle than a little .22. Balance is perfect, and I've never had a problem with its length. It's brought down more small game than I can easily count. In fact, if I were forced to keep just one firearm, it would be the CZ 452 and a brick of CCI.
 
My experience with the CZ452 has been VERY satisfying! I bought my .22 at a gunstore not knowing anything about CZ's, just that I loved the ladder sights going from 25-200 yards. I've been amazed by how accurate mine is! Go for it, you won't regret it!
 
another one bites the dust...another one bites the dust...out of the CZ, the bullets rip...heyhey heyyyeeeyyyeheeyyyy another bites the dust.

If the musical montage didn't get you...buy the CZ!!!!
 
a used 39M for 230 bucks? Id say get the marlin...good price and quality gun.round here they sell them for around 325 on up for these-used.they are all steel and walnut.tack driver.
 
CZ Vote Here

I own a CZ452 special and have been very impressed with it. Seems like most everything I feed it but so far it likes the the cheap Winchester Dynapoints best. The rifle is quality built and should last a lifetime. The iron sights are rather nice for a .22 rifle. I have a 4x Nikon Prostaff on mine and it hits where pointed. I have no experience with Marlin rimfires so can't offer anything on that.

hope it helps,
SirPorl
 
It's not everyday you find a quality used lever .22 for that price. While I love my CZ I would get the Marlin. You can order the CZ any day.
 
Another vote for the CZ. I have a CZ 452 American that shoots any 40 grain ammo very well including the $10 a brick stuff. Great rifle except for the backwards safety that takes some time getting used to.
 
Buzz;

Go to door #3! Both, both I say! Why, I'd even sell the family Pekenese if I had to, to come up with the necessary extra.

As far as that goes, I'd sell the little 3-point monster anyway.

900F
 
I own both a CZ 452 Lux (walnut stock) and a Marlin 39a. In fact I own eleven .22s.

The CZ is my favorite. It just seems to fit me right, and is almost as accurate as rifles costing much more.

Over time I have even gotten used to the backwards safety. :)
 
I own the 452 Lux with Walnut hogback stock and tangent sights. It routinely shoots .5 MOA with CCI Mini Mags and Velocitors. The odds are that the CZ is going to outshoot the Marlin by a pretty good margin.
 
Plan on getting both. Just decide which you want to get first.
I have several .22 rifles. They include both the Marlin 39A and a CZ ZKM452D. Like my children, I love them all. They each have different strenghts, but all shoot well. I have a receiver sight on the Marlin, but the 452 really needs a scope for doing it's best work.
 
It's not everyday you find a quality used lever .22 for that price. While I love my CZ I would get the Marlin. You can order the CZ any day.

Yeah I would pick up that lever action! Unless you are strictly target shooting - my CZ will outshoot my 39 when it comes to shooting those small groups. If the best possible accuracy is your goal then the CZ would be the better choice.

In years of casual looking, I have never seen a used one. That must say something.

I have never seen a used one either. If you decided later it was not the rifle for you there should be no problem selling it and getting back all your investment and then some. The new CZs will always be around.
 
I have several CZ's and they are great guns, but the lever action .22's are fun. The price on the CZ isn't great. Get the lever action Marlin, and start saving for a 452. My local dealer has a used Lux for $179. They are out there. The Specials are usually $199 or so new.
 
First, thanks to everybody who weighed in. Lots of votes for the CZ which is what I expected. I have shot a few and they are one of the finest rimfires we'll ever see. However...

I went classic and brought the Marlin home today. First, they aren't making this model anymore and so as some have said, it's a better buy. Second, it, like the CZ, is one of the finest rimfires we'll ever see. Finally, my purposes are not so deadly serious that I need a .22 that can shoot three-eighths inch groups off a bench. If that was all I wanted, I would have bought the CZ. Instead, I was looking for a handy, but still adult-sized gun for the field. And if there was ever a gun that begged for a field full of gophers or a few clay pigeons placed down range, the Marlin is that gun.
 
Well I have to agree with your decision (but that's why I own eleven .22s)
next year you can always get a CZ.
 
Good choice.

I've seen a few used ones in the 40 years since I got mine and recently they've been asking $375 for the nice ones. I wouldn't sell mine for that price.

I own a CZ too, an American, but it's just not a Mountie.

John
 
Another vote for the CZ here based off of nothing more than the fact that I plan to buy at least one (if not two!) CZ's and I don't think I heard of anybody having one and not loving it.
 
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