What .223 bolt gun should I get?

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Anteater1717

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I want to get a .223 rifle for sub 300 yard shooting. I chose .223 because its economical, and accurate out to that range. I’m pretty much set on the cartridge. I would like to keep the gun under $600.

My preferences are:

It shoots MOA, or better
Adjustable trigger
Target crown
Barrel 20-24"
1to 9 twist, I mainly shoot 55 and 62 grain bullets
6-9 pounds
Extra sling swivel for a bipod
A bedded stock
Decent warranty
Finish don’t really care
Synthetic vs. wood, don’t really care

It’s going to be a range gun and mostly shot from prone, so accuracy’s important.
 
Why a bolt? A Mini 14 fits the majority of your needs and is a blast to shoot. Unless you are into bullseye shooting the loss of accuracy is not that great. My mini that I had would drop pop cans at 100 yards with proper optics. Good luck
I am just starting to reload 223.
NCH
 
+1 on the CZ. Beautifully manufactured. Accurate. Easy to carry. Adjustable trigger (by the user). Set trigger if you like. Detatchable box magazine made to a standard that fairly assures it will never wear out.

I have maybe 2500 rounds through mine, and it shoots as good as the day I bought it.
 
I think Heavy barrelled savage would be in order...

I had bought a winchester sporter varmit in .223 for my first "real" centerfire... back in the 80's I had a thutty thutty I had gotten just to have a centerfire rifle but was not shootin it much.

I bought the winny for pretty much what you are buyin one for. My buddy has a few of the savages and they are great.

I can't knock the cz's though...
 
Savage

The CZs are beautiful guns and with all the good I have heard about them I think it would be a good choice. That said, I can Highly recomend the Savage model 12 BVSS and the 12 VLP. I have a total of seven of them, 5 of which are proven sub 1/2MOA shooters. I haven't done enough shooting with the other 2 yet but they are both well under 1MOA now. I like laminated stocks on the BVSS and the VLP. I really like the ACCU-Trigger. One nice feature of the Savage is the ability to change barrels yourself. Now, while it might not be a real selling point to you look at it this way. You buy the 223 and you like it but a year down the road want to try a 204. You can't afford both or need both so you decide to sell the 223. If you trade you will probably have to give a dealer your rifle and $200 plus sales tax. If you sell outright you might lose $100. If you buy a factory take-off it might cost between $100-$150 plus the $25 for the Savage wrench. So, if you keep your 223 barrel you are roughly at the break even point. If you sell your barrel you might get out of it for as little as $50. I rebarreled a Savage 308 to 22-250. I paid $125 for the 22-250 barrel and sold the 308 barrel for the same. I am out the price of the wrench. Not really because now I am gonna start buying other barrels. The 22-250 is shooting Winchester white box ammo (cheap), 5 shots around 1/2" at 100 yards. It took 20 minutes to change the barrel. If you don't mind the plastic stocks you can probably find a model 12 FV for around $425 or the FVSS for $500. I would spend the extra on the BVSS or the VLP but that is just me.
 
A Mini 14 fits the majority of your needs and is a blast to shoot.
Click to expand...
Thats funny. Yes they are a blast to shoot but accuracy is lacking unless you drop a lot of cash into one. For a semi I would say an AR is a better platform and about the same money.

That being said. I say a Savage would be my #1. I am thinking about a 223 low profile myself.
 
My Ruger 77 MkII light sporter in .223 was half-MOA from the git-go. It merely became easier after I installed a Timney trigger. Turtle heads at 50 yards or prairie dogs at 300 yards, no problem.

FWIW: For something like coyote hunting, where only one or two shots would ever be fired, the Mini is as accurate as one would want. The first shots from a cold barrel quite reliably go to the point of aim.

Art
 
Savage 12fv I got one and love it for me its a little heavy but if your shooting off a bench youll love it you can see the bullet hit its cool. Got mine for a little less than 500.00 the trigger on mine was a 1.5lbs from the store I love it breaks clean and easy on a cold day you hardly feel it. Get a good scope and you can hit anything. :evil:
 
I'll betcha this used rifle shoots a lot better than MOA...

V47. 223 Ruger Mod. 77 MK II, SS action, Pac-Nor super mach SS 1.2 (no taper) 23” bbl sub 400 rnds w/.253 nk, pillar glass bedded laminated varmint factory stock, Gunsmith Dwight Scott, cond. O/A 97%, $569.

FWIW, Dwight Scott is the gunsmith who Tony Boyer uses. Tony is the world's best benchrest shooter.

It's at...

http://www.benchrest.com/shooterscorner/the_list.html

And remember - you can always "download" a .22-250 to shoot like a .223, but you can only load a .223 to shoot like a .22-250 -once-.

V23. 22-250 Custom Varminter, Win Mod M70 action; Shilen 24” blued bbl, bore scoped good c.800 rnds; H&S Prec. f-glass stock pillar glassbedded w/bedding block; Jewell 3½ oz trig w/o safety, w/means to increase to any weight; includes Leupold 1” scope mnts; Gunsmith: M. Ezell; VG-Exc cond. Includes a 3 shot grp of .5 @ 200 yd shot recently. $849. (Over $1500. invested)
 
A heavy barrel Savage is never a bad choice. Spend the extra on high quality mounts and optics. Form after function. Essex
 
the AR guys have something going for them they are all producing some kind of flat top bull barreled variant now days for varmint shooters, and they are all moa. capable. now i don't know about the bedded stock or the $600. price tag, but the remaining criteria are there.

going to step out of line here, Ruger KM 77 VT MKII is a nice buy for just a little more$ but i don't know about the caliber. if they produce it in .223. the trigger on the VT MKII is the best i have ever used Accutrigger included, and is adujustable in 3 modes.

then ditto the Savage 12 FV .223 the stock on that thing looks and feels like some 9th grade shop project. but they are accurate to the moa. i guess they shorted on the stock to save some weight. with a varmint scope , steel rings and steel one piece base mine is over 10 lbs going on 11, lug that baby around awhile! add a decent laminated stock full mag. and your talkin' 12+

looking at the CZ's i know they are fine firearms but there is something about the profile of those box mags .

decisions decisions????
 
Find a used Tikka 595 master sporter. I used to shoot one in highpower, it would clean the 200 yd reduced slow prone.

atek3
 
The CZ-527 Kevlar varmint is a great gun, but I doubt you can find one for $600 or under. But there is a lot to be said for a right sized action. Most bolt 223s are built on a 308 sized rifle. The 527 is built for the 223 sized cartridge.

You can find a CZ-527 'American' for under $600, and it is a great rifles, as long as you don;t mind the 1:12 twist, which will limit you to lighter bullets.
 
here's another for your consideration. Browning A-Bolt. It will shoot 1" from a dirty bore, has a good factory trigger and is totally reliable. Add a Timney trigger spring and it's a great package.

Range002.jpg
 
700 vls 243 I have one and shoots a ragged hole at 100 yards free float the barrel set the trigger and you got a shooter
 
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