Maximizing Your CZ 457: Why the Britannia Rails 20MOA Picatinny Rail is a Must-Have Upgrade
The CZ 457 is a precision-oriented rimfire rifle that has quickly earned a place in the hearts of benchrest shooters, NRL22 competitors, and hunters alike. One of the smartest and most performance-driven upgrades you can make is installing a Britannia Rails 11mm Dovetail Aluminium Picatinny Rail – 20MOA. This rail not only enhances your scope mounting options but also gives you a ballistic advantage at longer ranges.
Why Go With Britannia Rails?
Britannia Rails, a UK-based manufacturer, is known for producing high-quality, aircraft-grade aluminium scope rails with precision tolerances and excellent finish. Their CZ 457 11mm dovetail Picatinny rail offers:
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CNC-machined aluminium construction
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Hard-anodized matte finish for durability and corrosion resistance
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Snug dovetail fit specific to the CZ 457’s 11mm rail
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20MOA built-in cant to extend your optic's elevation adjustment range
What Is 20MOA and Why Do You Need It?
MOA (Minute of Angle) is an angular measurement used in optics. 1 MOA is roughly equal to 1.047 inches at 100 yards. A 20MOA rail tilts your scope downward relative to the bore, effectively angling your barrel upward. This does three critical things:
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Preserves Elevation Travel: When shooting at long ranges, especially with .22LR or subsonic rounds, you’ll need a lot of elevation adjustment. The 20MOA cant gives your scope more usable elevation to dial in at extended distances (200+ yards), without maxing out your turrets.
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Keeps Scope in the Optical Center: Many scopes track more reliably when elevation is kept near the middle of its adjustment range.
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Reduces the Need for Holding Over or Adding Shims: With 20MOA built-in, you can keep your zero at 50 or 100 yards and still dial out to 200 or more without running out of turret travel.
Installation Tips
Installing the Britannia 20MOA rail on your CZ 457 is straightforward, but there are a few tips to get it perfect:
1. Degrease Everything First
Use isopropyl alcohol or a degreaser to clean the dovetail rail and screws. This ensures threadlocker adheres properly and eliminates any oil that could affect fitment.
2. Align Carefully
The rail should slide onto the factory dovetail smoothly but snugly. A brass punch or soft mallet can help gently nudge it into place if needed—just don’t force it.
3. Use Threadlocker
Apply a small amount of blue (medium-strength) threadlocker on the mounting screws. Avoid red threadlocker unless you never want to remove the rail.
4. Torque to Spec
Tighten screws evenly using a torque wrench (15-20 in-lbs is a safe range). Over-tightening can strip threads or warp the rail.
Scope Mounting Techniques
Once installed, here’s how to get the most from your new setup:
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Use Quality Rings: Match your ring height to your optic's objective diameter to maintain a proper cheek weld.
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Level Your Scope Precisely: With the 20MOA cant, any misalignment will be exaggerated over long distances. Use a scope leveling kit or bubble levels.
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Bore Sight Before Zeroing: Start close—like 25 yards—to ensure you’re on paper. The 20MOA incline may shift your point of impact low at short distances, so dial accordingly.
Benefits in the Field
The 20MOA rail really shows its worth in these scenarios:
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NRL22 and Rimfire Precision: When targets are tiny and distances stretch to 300+ yards, the added cant helps you stay in your optic’s usable range.
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Subsonic Shooting: Whether it’s .22LR or an airgun conversion, subsonic rounds drop fast. A 20MOA base gives you the ability to dial rather than guess.
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Consistent Turret Tracking: Staying in the middle of your scope’s range often results in more repeatable and accurate adjustments.
Final Thoughts
The Britannia Rails 20MOA Picatinny Rail is one of those upgrades that solves real-world problems without compromise. Whether you're stretching .22LR out to 300 yards or simply want the flexibility to mount a wide variety of optics with precision, this rail is a no-brainer for serious CZ 457 shooters.
With quality machining, perfect fitment, and the ballistic advantage of 20MOA, it’s an essential tool for modern rimfire shooting.
