While we only comprise about 12 percent of the general population, at times, it feels like we make up 50 percent of the shooting community. Yes, I’m talking about southpaws. As Athlon’s resident lefty (dexterity, not politically), I had the opportunity to lay my hands on the new CZ 457 American and Varmint rifles in lefty configuration at the 2022 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, held in Victor, Idaho. 

CZ 457 American & Varmint Rifles Now in Left-Hand Variants

CZ 457 Varmint

Aside from a left-handed bolt, the new rifles are built with the standard feature set of the rest of the 457 family. This makes them no different from the right-handed versions built for boring people. Among these is the switch-barrel capability that allows whichever 457 you decide to purchase to fire .22 LR, .22 WMR, or the ever-popular .17 HMR. Since the bolt face remains the same for each of these cartridges, all you would need to purchase is the additional barrel to get the job done.

I started things off with the Varmint model, which was configured with the 24.8-inch heavy contour. 22 WMR barrel and positioned neatly on a DOA Shooting Bench. I loved that they chose aggressive sandpaper texturing on the grip and forend, as varmint hunting is synonymous with sweltering heat and sweaty hands. On the range, we had some tiny steel placed at 200 yards, to which I had no trouble putting five out of five shots squarely in the center. The bolt throw was butter smooth, and ejection was positive without sending the brass so far that it couldn’t be easily recovered to satisfy the landowners.

CZ 457 American

Moving onto the .22 LR American, I picked out a spot to assume a relaxed, unsupported position and set my sights on a steel pig silhouette that was placed 125 yards downrange. Working completely freehand, I found that the gun balanced extraordinarily well by using a thin-profile barrel that’s the same length as the Varmint edition. I also liked how the straight American-style stock put my eye precisely where it needed to be for a full field of vision through the optic. Again going five for five, I was impressed enough to fire another half-dozen magazine of ammunition through it. Although the same lightweight adjustable trigger is used in the varmint model, I found it particularly helpful in the American, as it allowed me to snap shots off quickly as my sights drifted onto the target.

The left-hand models of the American and the Varmint are built with the same quality and class as all other CZ products, illustrating their perpetual commitment to quality. CZ did a terrific job of fitting the 457 to both of these unique hunting applications and dialed the actions in just right for left-handed use, empowering southpaws across the globe. Now, if we can just figure out can openers and scissors, we will be unstoppable! For more information, visit cz-usa.com.