Hello everyone! I am a new guy and am very happy to be here. I live in the state of pennsylvania. I am 26 years old. My local rifle club has a full size silhouette range . I have been shooting there about a year now and love it. Just plinking them not a match or competition. But I wouldnt mind getting into competition later down the road. I used to shoot with a cz 452 american that was set up for squirrel hunting. A few weeks ago I bought another 452 american and a leupold veri x III 4.5-14x40 AO. I plan to have a set of adjustable turrets installed on my scope. I hear a lot of people installing trigger kits. The trigger feels good on this gun but maybe it could feel better? Also, are thumb hole stock more comfortable to shoot or something? I always see them on silhouette guns.

My first CZ 452 American has a 4lb 3oz trigger out of the box. I'll be installing a yodave trigger kit to get the pull down to as close as I can get to 2 lbs for the hunter class. I also have a fair amount of creep that the kit should get rid of too. I've been shooting it for a few months unmodified because I want to know it before I start tweaking things.

The second American I bought has much less creep in the trigger, but it feels about the same pull wise (I haven't measured it yet).

I've only been shooting silhouette a few months, but the rifle will outshoot me for the forseeable future.

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Jim

avidhunter1, welcome to this addictive sport. The thumb hole stocks are like scope glass, some prefer them, others do not. More often the preference is for the size of the palm swell in the grip, and thumb holes tend to push the hand into a different position while gripping. As for the scope, targert turrets added will make adjusting a lot easier.
As for the trigger, it is possible that you got one that has already had some trigger work done. I have seen some that have fairly good triggers straight out of the box, try some different triggers before worrying too much about changing or modifying what you have. See what you like first, some prefer two stage, I do not, but that is a personal opinion. I haven't met too many silhouette shooters that were not willing to have you try with their rifle, trigger, scope and vest, just to get you even more addicted!!!
Look forward to meeting you at a match soon.
Mary

silhouettes used to be a game about the shooter not the equipment
enjoy the journey and learn to shoot what you got
focus hold squeeze

avidhunter1, You don't say where in PA you are. There are plenty of clubs all over that state to shoot and although I'm from NY I do a lot of silhouette shooting in PA. Where do you shoot?
I have a cz452 that I use for indoor Sporterifle. You can get a good Timeny trigger for it for about $80 and it will make a big difference. You'll need to alter the cavity a little bit to make it fit but it can be done with a small Dremal tool.
Good luck,
ppkny

Thumb hole stocks can not be used in hunter class, take the money you want to spend on a stock and buy ammo and shoot. Get to a match ASAP, most shooters will help new shooters and let you try before you buy.

1999 wrote:Thumb hole stocks can not be used in hunter class, take the money you want to spend on a stock and buy ammo and shoot. Get to a match ASAP, most shooters will help new shooters and let you try before you buy.

Too true! Use what you like, but practice, because this is shooter's game - the equipment is secondary to mental state and preparation.

[quote="BCloningerToo true! Use what you like, but practice, because this is shooter's game - the equipment is secondary to mental state and preparation.[/quote]
Now - There's the bottom line. Well said. This game is probably more about the shooter than any other shooting game.

2 cense
Gator

If your PA home range is Blue Rock, you can test any of my equipment. Just send me a PM. The CZ is a great rifle, but is even better with a trigger kit. The enhanced trigger is a very good idea. Scope choice is a personal thing, but I can offer you my opinion. I would trade a 4x14 on a 6x20 before I sunk money into target knobs. Most guys prefer more magnification than 14X. Anyway, that is just a suggestion, nothing wrong with your original plan.

me262, It still is about the shooter. If you have a clear dependable adjustable scope and a gun that will shoot 1 1/4 minutes, you can shoot your way into master. All it takes is GOOD practice for at least 8 hours a week. We have made it look like an equipment race but it isn't. It's a mind game.

It is a mind game after you have mastered your off-hand shooting position and can most of your targets in practice, the mind game comes when you are competing against shooters of your same ability and you want to beat them. In that case the one with the stronger mind usually wins.

For me, finding the inner calm to concentrate and focus is also part of the mind game, separate from keeping my balance in competition. During a match I stay on task or relax and visualize the bank coming up.

avidhunter1 wrote: I hear a lot of people installing trigger kits. The trigger feels good on this gun but maybe it could feel better?

I have a CZ452 and I had the spring kit from Brownells installed. It got the weight down to 2# but there's a lot of creep. It was OK when I was shooting it every week, but now I have an anschutz with a real crisp trigger, going back to it is a challenge. I think that if I had to do it over I'd go with the Timney. You have to modify the stock but from what I've heard, it's worth it and there are videos on U-Tube to show you how.

Timney is definitely the way to go on a 452! They're working on a 455 trigger, but the CZ 452 trigger will not work in the new CZ 455, so if you get the 455 just know that help is on the way.