Been Jonesing after a CZ 453 for a while now. Over at RFC I got some suggestions to consider the 452 instead as it's less expensive, and just as good, they thought, for my purposes - having a .22lr training rifle to simulate my CZ 550's.
Best I've found for a .22lr 453 so far have all been factory new for about $575 OTD. Haven't been able to find any used. Anyway, with my new job I'm staying away from the family during the week, and I mentioned this to the guy I'm renting a room from. He says a buddy of his is selling a CZ rimfire, he thought it was a heavy barrrled 452.
Now that I'm working again, and given that when my wife filed our taxes we're getting a few thousand more in a refund that we'd expected I've got the green light to get a rimfire and associated optics and other necessities.
Well, I got to the place I'm staying during the week tonight and there was 452 Varmint was sitting on the table.
Overall, condition is very good. Bore is dirty, but rifling looks sharp. Crown doesn't appear to have any mars. Only metal issues are a couple of the screws (there are 4 total on the bottom of the stock - 3 in the action, plus one more about halfway between the action and the front sling stud - is that normal for a Varmint??) have been somewhat marred by screwdrivers but that's not a huge deal as I figured on replacing them with the torx head set that's recommended at RFC anyway (J&P I think).
A few minor handling marks. Nothing I probably wouldn't put there myself after a few trips to the range. Wood grain/figuring is OK. Nothing too special, about average for a CZ.
I dry fired the trigger once. Owner either got lucky or did some adjustments as there was virtually no creep. I don't have a trigger scale so I can't tell the exact pull weight but it felt like ~3#.
Biggest problem (which might not be too much of a problem) is that the barrel channel in the stock is not centered on the barrel. I can't tell if the stock has warped a bit or if it was that way from the factory, but the barrel does touch the stock as a result.
Comes with one steel magazine (looks like a 5 rounder), original box, trigger lock.
Overall impression is good. One thing I didn't realize is that there's no cheek pad on the stock. My 550's have that and I'd just assumed that the 452/453 did too. Do any of the CZ rimfires have the cheek pad? Other than maybe a 452 Lux it doesn't seem like it.
Asking price is $350. Too much? A good deal?
Should I hold out for the 453?