Looking for a good .223 bolt

[Mastrogiacomo]

Just shot my Dad's Remy ADL rifle 24" and found it a blast but tough for me to use being small. The gun was a real kick but I wonder if the Ruger compact at 16 1/2 would be better or too much to handle in this caliber. I'd love a .223 but so far only the Remy seven has a 20" and everything else is more for larger people. Suggestions?

 

[dmftoy1]

The advice I was given (and hope to act upon ) was to get a CZ527. It's in 5.56 Nato so you can shoot Military surplus if you want.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

CZs don't do it for me. However, a nice Ruger or Remy would be just the ticket. It's just a matter of finding the right size.

 

[Powderman]

I'm sure that if you go to your nearest hardware store, you'll be able to find an assortment of bolts, for $2.23.

Seriously, you could consider buying one, and having the stock cut back for it, to make a more manageable length of pull.

 

[theCZ]

I cannot recommend the CZ 527 highly enough. Mine is phenomenal, plenty of 1/2" groups with mine, and a set trigger that breaks at under a pound straight from the factory.

 

[dakotasin]

there is no reason to not take a rifle you like and adjust it to make it work better for you. i can't count how many of my guns have had barrels cut, longer barrels screwed on, stocks cut, or replaced, or wrist areas adjusted, or whatever...

if you like the rem, then buy one, and then cut the stock to fit you, and put a new recoil pad on. sims and pachymars really aren't that hard to fit.

as far as a 16.5 barrel goes, i wouldn't do it, but if it works for you...

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Why would the 16 1/2 be a bad move?

 

[rust collector]

Short barrels are lighter and handier, so everyone would have one if that was the end of the story. You do give up velocity, increase muzzle blast, shorten the sight radius, remove stability, and usually mess up the balance of the rifle with a truncated tube.

The barrel usually isn't a fit factor--you need a shorter stock pull dimension. Most manufacturers make a youth model that might be a more comfortable fit for you. Try a few out and see what works for you in terms of stock fit.

 

[mustanger98]

Mastrogiacomo, If you like the Rem700 ADL, I'm thinking you'd probably like Savage's offering too. I know I like my Savage M11 left hand in .243Win. Here's what I just looked up.

Model 10GY Youth – with AccuTrigger™
Action Short
Caliber 223 Rem, 243 Win, 308 Win
Overall Length 41.5"
Barrel Length 22"
Weight 6.5 lbs
Magazine
Capacity 4 rounds
Stock Walnut finished hardwood with cut checkering. 12.5" length of pull
Sights Adjustable rear/bead front. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts
Rifling Rate of Twist 223 Rem (1 in 9")
243 Win (1 in 9.25")
308 Win(1 in 10")
Features AccuTriggerTM, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs

http://www.savagearms.com/10GY.htm

This being a youth sized rifle, it may be just right for you. It does say the length of pull is 12.5". If you must shorten the stock some, it shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[jobu07]

A friend of mine has a .223 built around one of those mini mauser actions. I dont' remember how much it ran him, but it's a real nice gun to shoot. Slick action and accurate to boot.

 

[CB900F]

Mastrogiacomo;

I have a feeling I may be able to help. I recently purchased the Charles Daly Superior grade .223 mini-Mauser. It's a nice little, 20" barreled unit with, a LEFT HAND BOLT, something CZ can't seem to produce. The gun is imported by Daly & actually produced by Zastava, who made essentially the same gun that was imported as the Mark X mini-Mauser several years ago.

If you'll look around in search, you'll find my review of it in the fairly recent past, 45 days or so.

I haven't fired it yet, but will fairly soon. I'm in no rush & enjoy doing the prep work, so a range report is in the fairly near future, maybe a coupla months.

900F

 

[dakotasin]

mastro- rust collector has more or less nailed it.
as far as youth stocks go, they are pretty small... i've gone thru a rem 700 youth, a rem 7 youth, and my wife has a savage youth (10gy)... i find the youth stocks way, way too short. and they are even too short for my wife. i find the 'all grown up' stocks just a touch too long. but, it is easier to remove material than to add it so i can get the l.o.p. i like.

anyway, of the 3 youth guns i've played w/, adding a sims pad helped, but it still was just a touch too short. you should handle a youth model quite a bit before you commit to it. they are short.

 

[P95Carry]

Lots of good suggestions. I would like a Savage to try but - do have a lot of time for my Ruger 77 - very compact rifle, easy to tote and a joy to shoot. Trigger needs a bit of work to improve it.

 

[Mike Hull]

I agree with Mustanger98 above. That Savage model 10GY looks like it would fit the bill.

Another nice thing about it is, it's not out of proportion like many "youth" models, and it's a nice looking rifle.

 

[pete f]

both winchester and remington make a compact version of their bolts. not youth, but compact. meaning nicer wood and nice blue jobs.
full size price but they are nice for smaller stature people, my son is 5-5 now and it fits him like a glove, had to tell him he was growing like a leaf so if he had not outgrown it by deer season I would get him one, in 7 08 but they had a 223

 

[JohnKSa]

Mastrogiacomo,

You might want to take a close look at the CZ rifles. They're pretty nice and I've never heard of one that wasn't a great shooter. If you get a chance, I'd definitely handle one.

 

[BADUNAME5]

If you got the cash go for a .222 anschutz. They have models that are adjustable for any shooter. Any Olympic marksmen or shootzen fest shooter will tell you can’t go wrong with an Anny. Otherwise a CZ is more acurate than most production guns.