This Pete’s Pillars CZ 457 firing pin upgrade turned out to be a timely review for me. I recently picked up a used CZ 457 which had a few rounds through it. Nothing seemed terribly worn, but it’s a good test bed for replacing parts that do wear out over time. Equally relevant, there are some OEM parts that due to being mass-produced, show the effects of cost-cutting. So this rifle is getting a few aftermarket parts that are upgrades, even if the original ones aren’t necessarily worn out.
Features and Benefits of the new firing pin
Each Pete’s Pillars CZ 457 firing pin is made in the USA from tool steel, which should be stronger and overall more durable than the OEM part it replaces. They’re made using a proprietary multi-step process that focuses on exceptional quality and performance. Once the machining is done, they are hardened and treated for corrosion resistance as well as wear prevention. These precision parts have tight tolerances for consistent firing pin strikes and improved accuracy (no reshaping needed). Whether your CZ 457 is a .17 HMR, .22 LR, or .22 WMR, this firing pin is fully compatible. While it’s made to a higher standard, it’s an exact replacement for CZ factory part number 5080066001.
Why upgrade your CZ 457 firing pin?
Several factors influenced my decision to upgrade the firing pin. While known for their accuracy and reliability, even gently used CZ 457s can benefit from certain upgrades. A quick comparison of the OEM firing pin to the Pete’s Pillars CZ 457 Upgraded Replacement Firing Pin demonstrates a common concern with mass-produced components. OEM parts, while generally reliable, are made in high volume. This can lead some manufacturers to take a “good enough” approach if it can save them some money per unit.
In addition to that, I consider this to be preemptive maintenance. It’s impossible to know how many rounds this rifle has already seen. Replacing a wear-prone component like the firing pin is a good way to proactively prevent potential malfunctions, such as light strikes and inconsistent ignition. I’m also hoping for a possible performance enhancement. Aftermarket firing pins, like the Pete’s Pillars model, generally offer improved durability and tighter tolerances for more reliable ignition and potentially increased accuracy.
Further technical and practical considerations
In my research, I found at least one video demonstrating that an aftermarket firing pin can affect the velocity of match ammo. Specifically, it seemed to reduce the standard deviation between rounds. Although this was with a single rifle and one brand of ammo, the results were small but positive. Leveraging that to my advantage may be beyond my current skills, though it’s still reducing one variable. So I’ll take it, even if it’s not a benefit I will notice right away.
Lately, CZ has not been known recently for making it easy to get replacement parts. This is unfortunate, given that some of their firing pins have plating of questionable quality. When an aftermarket company steps in to offer a better, more widely available solution, I pay attention. Whether replacing a part that needs replacing, or just ensuring you’re not stuck without a part down the road, it’s great to have more options.
Installation of the Pete’s Pillars CZ 457 Upgraded Replacement Firing Pin
When swapping firing pins, I took a few photos, but decided not to create a step-by-step tutorial. Since I have only done this once, I’m no expert. That said, I didn’t even search the internet for a video before I started. I just removed the bolt, unhooked the extractor and ejector holder spring, and then pushed out the pin that holds the firing pin in place. That enabled me to remove the firing pin. After taking some photos, I installed the new firing pin, and pushed the cross pin back in place. Then I reinstalled the extractor and ejector holder spring. It really was that simple.
If I can find a good video, and permission to use it, I will embed it later. Or at least link to it. The one thing I do want to emphasize is that this is a simple task. A punch, small flat screwdriver, and a hook are all that were required.
Range time
Although this rifle definitely prefers CCi SV (For which my wallet is grateful), I also did some testing with Eley. That’s because Eley has a slightly thinner rim, which can magnify ignition issues. None of that mattered though, as it went bang every time with all the ammo I used. Well, not quite a bang, as it was subsonic ammo with a suppressor. Holes were made, steel was rung, clays were demolished.
I suppose that next range trip, I could run some cheap bulk through the rifle, and see if it all fires. But it worked with hundreds of rounds of “better” quality ammo, and that was all I needed to verify. If people are shooting cheap bulk from a quality rifle like the CZ 457, this may help with poor primer distribution in the rim of the casing. On the Pete’s Pillars website, there is a photo showing the clear and hard strike their firing pins make. It appears wider than the somewhat rounded OEM firing pin’s primer strikes.
Conclusion
Pete’s Pillars offers two versions of the CZ 457 firing pin. This one, the Pillar CZ 457 Firing Pin Upgraded Replacement PP457FP at $37.99 and their Pillar CZ 457 Firing Pin Upgraded Reshaped Tip Replacement PP457FP-T at $39.99. Are those prices fair? I think so, especially since the OEM costs $32. Not a huge price difference. Yet the aftermarket one is going to last thousands and thousands of rounds and should offer more consistent and reliable ignition. Is there a downside? None that I could find. If anything shows up in the future, I’ll certainly update this review.
Additional information regarding the Pete’s Pillars extractor and ejector holder springs
Complementing their CZ 457 firing pin, Pete’s Pillars also offers replacement extractor ejector holder springs. Their original one, Pillar CZ USA 452, 455, 457 Extractor Ejector Holder Spring Stainless PP457SP is the one in my rife. It’s currently out of stock. It has been replaced with the Pillar CZ USA 452, 455, 457 Gen 2 Extractor Ejector Holder Spring PP457SP2. This Gen 2 part is stronger than the OEM product. It’s manufactured using black spring steel, and has no plating. While the new one is stronger than their original one, I am going to continue to test mine for at least 1,000 rounds before replacing it. So far, there have been no issues.
Pete’s Pillars offers more than just CZ 457 parts. They started out with just pillars for bedding rifle actions, and have grown to offer their own products as well as a wide range of aftermarket products. Check them out at petespillars.com.