New .223 bolt gun options

[tackleberry45]

I am looking into a new bolt gun. Gonna ring steel out to 500M. I want a .223 as I had someone give me two boxes of 55g. I had Tikka suggested to me.I looked at the Ruger American but the reviews are all over the place on that platform. I have good mil-dot Leupold glass. It may do secondary duty as a prairie dogging rifle, so I would prefer to still have something portable, not a heavy barreled bench rest type. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[sirgilligan]

Twist rate of the barrel is important to consider. My cousin had a Browning with 1:12 twist and 55 grain was fine, but higher was terrible.

I have the 527 Varmint .223 REM with 1:9 twist. With five different shooters one day there was always a group of 1 MOA. Yes we pulled some shots, but the rifle is impressive.

My brother quickly loaded up some 55 gr AMAX bullets, so no load development what so ever, and we got 0.375" at 100.

I am sure the Tikka is just fine, but the CZ is fine too. Also, the CZ is fine with 5.56 NATO ammunition, it is posted on the CZ website. Matter of fact we got 1 MOA with PMC XTAC 62 grain "green tip".

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

Pretty hard to beat the CZ 527 for the money. I have a couple of them in various calibers. My son uses his varmint for prairie dogs and has no trouble getting them out to 600 yds.

I only have one Ruger American, the Ranch in 300BLK. Its a very good shooter, sub MOA at 100yds. Feeding can be a little fickle with the various cast bullets I like to shoot. Overall it's one of the better low cost rifles out there.

 

[S&W629]

CZ 527...we have two in 223/5.56....the Carbine and the full stock...both shoot better than anything else we have seen...

 

[jmr40]

The Rugers are tack drivers, especially if you go with either the Predator or Ranch rifle with the mid-weigth target barrels. All the Rugers in 223 are twisted 1:8 for shooting heavier target bullets. Other than going with a custom rifle I'm not aware of any other bolt guns with that twist rate. I don't know what reviews you've seen that have been less than spectacular. I've had a chance to use 6-8 of these rifles and they out shoot everything I've ever fired including Tikka, Savage, Remington and CZ.

 

[BrocLuno]

I agree on 223. There are very good match grade loads out there for 223 that will shoot 0.5 MOA right out of the box while you build a good brass supply

In 223, I'd go Tikka T3 Varmint. Here's a discussion of same on another board: http://www.tikkashooters.com/public_html/general-discussion/tikka-t3-varmint-223-accuracy/ It's generally perceived to be a sub 0.5 MOA rifle with the right ammo. With select ammo, it may go down to 0.2" at 100 yds. That is, it's better than the shooter 98% of the time. A rifle that you can trust to be your companion in progressing in shooting up to competitive levels

The factory blurb: http://www.tikka.fi/rifles/tikka-t3/t3-super-varmint It's 1 in 8 twist so it'll stabilize heavier bullets fine

Notice that it's railed. So any scope you want in most any mount you want. Once you start finding long ranges (400 yds +), you can get 10 and 20 MOA elevated mounts that bolt right on. That extends your useful scope adjustment capability quite a ways

 

[VoodooMountain]

Savage hog hunter should be worth a look. Heavier barrel, threaded, easily modified if wanted, and inexpensive.

 

[flphotog]

Look at any Savage rifle in .223 with the Accutrigger and you can't go wrong.

 

[RainDodger]

I fell in love with a Browning X-bolt in .223. It was a gorgeous rifle and you can find it in a 1:8 twist. If you look in their catalog or on their web page, there are 2 different model numbers for it depending on the twist ratio. Fit and finish was just beautiful. I was traveling at the time and it wasn't practical to buy it, as I was going in and out of airports and it would have been a pain...

 

[Steve in PA]

I have a Savage 12FV in .223 that will shoot 1/4" groups at 100 yards all day as long as I do my part. If I ever decide to get into the .308 game, I will go with another Savage and not think twice about it.

 

[BrocLuno]

I have a Browning and in my mind, they are the standard for fit and finish. I might need to look again for a nice used X-Bolt in 308

 

[sirgilligan]

I fell in love with a Browning X-bolt in .223. It was a gorgeous rifle and you can find it in a 1:8 twist. If you look in their catalog or on their web page, there are 2 different model numbers for it depending on the twist ratio. Fit and finish was just beautiful. I was traveling at the time and it wasn't practical to buy it, as I was going in and out of airports and it would have been a pain...

Sure enough, a 1:8. I like that.

http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/x-bolt/current-production/x-bolt-medallion.html

 

[fpgt72]

I will put in another vote for the 527, I have had mine for a few months now and I am very impressed with the rifle all the way around.

 

[gotime242]

I have a Remington 700 tactical (20") in a Magpul Hunter stock with MDT removable magazine. I shoot fist size groups on steel at 500 yards all day. Absolutely love the setup.

 

[Nature Boy]

This is probably beyond the weight you want to carry, but this .223 Savage model 12 was accurate right out of the box

 

[weblance]

Check into the Weatherby Vanguard. Mine will shoot with the best of them, and I have shot 1/2" groups with it at 100 yards on good days. The Howa 1500 is also a great budget rifle.

 

[I6turbo]

I will put in another vote for the 527, I have had mine for a few months now and I am very impressed with the rifle all the way around.

Ditto. I like my 527, too. I like the way it feels and shoots. I intentionally got the 1:12 twist because I want to shoot 55 grain and lighter bullets, but they offer it in a 1:9 now. I shoot a .243 or .308 if I need heavier bullets.

And this thread needs a photo of a 527....

 

[fpgt72]

Mine is a 1:9 version.....Gun has about 100 or so rounds in it so far.....last weekend just started working up loads.

 

[I6turbo]

Mine is a 1:9 version.....Gun has about 100 or so rounds in it so far.....last weekend just started working up loads.

I've found a couple models of factory ammo that mine shoots outstandingly well, so I haven't started reloading for it. One is Black Hills Reman 40 grain V-Max and the other is the $17/50 Swiss made GECO 55-grain FMJ which shocked me (considering the price) with consistent < MOA accuracy.

I have a few CZs with the SST and have found an adjustment setting for the SST that seems to be hard-wired to my brain so that the gun seemingly fires when I THINK about wanting it to fire. The combination of well matched ammo and a trigger that really suits me = a very high level of shooting satisfaction.

 

[fpgt72]

Mine shoots factory stuff very well....However a big part of the fun for me is trying to see just how good I can make it.....I do this with about every bolt rifle that I have.

I have only had the rifle a month or so and I am just in love with the thing. I am still tossing around the idea of a Savage....just based on all the good reviews everyone has about them.....but they are just so bla....plastic stocks do nothing for me....so if I get one it will end up with Boyds or something along those lines.

 

[Mike C2]

I bought one of these but the one with threaded barrel and it looks sold out now.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/ruger-m77-hawkeye-tactical-223-20-matte-package.html

 

[Reloadron]

Twist rate of the barrel is important to consider. My cousin had a Browning with 1:12 twist and 55 grain was fine, but higher was terrible.

Choose the brand name of your liking but give serious consideration to the barrel twist rate. My .223 Remington bolt gun was one I built early 90s using a 1:12 barrel I had. While the gun shoots great with 55 grain and lighter bullets that 55 grain is as heavy as it gets. If I were to do it again I would be looking for a much faster twist, like a 1:7 or 1:8 so I could get the most out of 75 & 80 grain bullets, especially for the longer distances like 500 yards or meters.

Ron

 

[fpgt72]

Those nice middle of the road twists are really pretty popular...they do it all pretty well.

 

[Nature Boy]

My Savage (above) is a 1:9 twist and it shoot everything up to 69g very well, but 75g will spray the berm

 

[8mmman]

I really like my Browning A-Bolt in 223