Best .223 bolt action for the range? - Page 2

603Country · February 8, 2011, 10:14 AM

You can buy any number of nice rifles in 223, and they will all shoot good groups, but if you want real special accuracy I think you need to be a bit more picky in your selection. That short barrel Remington Tactical would be a good choice. The Ruger heavy barrel varmint rifle would be a good choice. The heavy barrel Savages are supposed to be great shooters. Another choice, and one that worked great for me, would be to find a good used heavy barrel Ruger and have a gunsmith work it over for you (bedding, trigger, action) and have that heavy barrel shortened and recrowned. You don't need 26 inches or 24 inches for a 223, and 20 or 22 inches would probably be enough. But...if you need instant gratification, like most of us do, that Remington Tactical (with the short fat barrel) sure looked good to me. And Winchester makes a rifle that I've seen in various coyote hunting magazines, and it really looks like a rifle I'd like to own and shoot. And if you want to minimize cost, the Ruger Hawkeye in 223 is a good shooter and I got it in stainless, with synthetic stock. at a great price. I'm still working up loads and today is 'Varget' day. I don't know yet how good it'll shoot, but AA2230 and Nosler 55 grain BT loads will shoot to .75 inch, and I think that it will do better than that. I'd be real happy with 0.50 inch groups, if I can get there. If none of the above fits your needs, talk to the nice folks at Cooper. They'll have exactly what you need, though it'll be rather costly. And it'll be beautiful and will shoot .25 inch groups, and I think that Supermodels may want to hang out with you. If I could figure out how to get one of those, without my wife finding out, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

4runnerman · February 8, 2011, 12:35 PM

KJ-Hunter..Where in MN are you?.

deadeye1122 · February 8, 2011, 01:31 PM

Just have to throw the TC Venture into the mix. Have shot one but do not own one yet. Will probably be my next purchase when they come out with a rebate again. Guarantee 1 MOA and a great trigger.

jryaws · February 8, 2011, 02:01 PM

For those in the know, Savage has long been thought of as the "most bang for your bucks" go to. You can obtain a Remington SPS for about $100.00 less, but by the time you have floated the barrel you aren't saving any money. Another plus in the 10 FP (law-enforcement model) is the 1" in 9" rifle twist rate. This will allow you to shoot the heavier 69 grn. and 77 grn. Sierra hpbt Match Kings. To me, this is a win/win situation. In the Remington SPS you get the 1" in 12" twist, but it does not stabilize a bullet much heavier than 60 gr.

KJ-hunter · February 9, 2011, 03:29 PM

Well I went rifle shopping this morning and ended up getting a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Tactical with a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 for optics. It has a 20" heavy barrel with 1:9" twist and a hogue stock. I can't wait to get out and shoot it this weekend. Thanks to everyone that replied with advice.

rdjordan · February 9, 2011, 04:05 PM

Keep in mind that the Remington SPS Varmint is a 26" barrel with 1:12 twist and the SPS Tactical is a 20" barrel with a 1:9 twist.

The Remington 700P is 26" barrel with a 1:9 twist. I think this is best for longer ranges to gain velocity and stabalize the heavier bullets.

Rimfire5 · February 13, 2011, 09:01 AM

I am a Savage lover also and would recommend one although I don't have one in 0.223. I just love the Savage Accu-trigger. I was looking hard for a Savage in .223 with a heavy barrel and no one seemed to have one in stock.

I found a CZ 527 Varmint with a Kevlar stock and a heavy barrel in .223 at a big local gun show and fell in love with it so I wound up not buying a Savage in that caliber.
The CZ dealer at the show, who has a laminate CZ527 varmint told me to go with the Kevlar stock if I shoot off a bipod because it seemed to provide more stablity with the Kevlar stock. That was good advice, I think. It is lighter than the laminate stock so even carrying it is not an issue.

The CZ 527 has averaged 0.447 inches at 100 yards with 52, 55, 60, 63 and 65 grain bullets with its favorite loads (different tuned loads of course for each weight).
So far it has averaged just over 0.5 with 45 grain bullets but I admit I haven't tried to really tune that weight yet. It has averaged 0.674 for all the hand load combinations I have tried (138 measured groups).

The CZ 527 has an adjustable trigger like the Savage.
But unlike the Savage it has a separately adjustable set trigger (you push the regular trigger forward - it gives a crisp 2 lb pull on mine). The regular trigger was 3 1/2 lbs out of the box and I didn't think it needed adjusting for a hunting.

If you don't go with Savage, take a look at the CZ 527. I paid $845 and it really is a surperior rifle. It is light, the heavy barrel is good for near continuous shooting without getting too hot, and the set trigger is great for bench shooting.

My next rifle will be a Savage or a CZ depending upon what I can walk out of the store with. Both shoot great out of the box in my experience.

RANGER94 · February 13, 2011, 07:27 PM

Remington VSSF

Stillhunter · February 13, 2011, 10:58 PM

Another vote for the Savage 12fv.

fishbone52 · February 14, 2011, 08:21 PM

You did good KJ. The Hawkeye is hard to beat. Ever time I look at mine, it makes me smile.

LAZY EYED SNlPER · February 15, 2011, 02:04 AM

+1 on the Remy SPS Tactical.

I built this one up over the Summer...

Make sure you post up some pics of that Hawkeye when you get a chance.

KJ-hunter · February 15, 2011, 08:18 AM

Nice looking rifle, I will try and get some pictures up tomorrow.

waterboy68 · February 15, 2011, 08:31 AM

I have a Ruger M77 target rifle in .223. It is an excellent gun. Accurate, smooth bolt, awesome trigger. The finish on the stock and metal is also very nice. The weight of the gun makes recoil non existent. (not that there is much recoil with a .223) It is somewhat heavy so it's not much fun to carry for very long but it shoots so good it's hard to put down. It's my primary coyote shooter.

KJ-hunter · February 16, 2011, 03:29 PM

Here are a couple pictures of the my Ruger M77.

I brought it to the range today and it shoots very good. Very accurate with cheap 55gr FMJ ammo.

LAZY EYED SNlPER · February 16, 2011, 05:55 PM

Very nice and congrats on the great rifle!

jsp10477 · February 18, 2011, 03:09 PM

Good choice, buy American. I personally like the 700P. I own 2, a 308 and a 223. Both shoot roughly between .5 and .6 with good handloads. Try a 40gr v-max over 25.5gr of Benchmark, CCI small rifle primers, and Hornady brass.

KJ-hunter · February 18, 2011, 04:08 PM

Thanks for the info, I just need the die to reload 223.

That'll Do · February 18, 2011, 05:39 PM

I just purchased the Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 223. For me, the selling point was the heavy barrel, the 1 in 9" twist (can use bullets up 73gr or so), and the huge amount of aftermarket parts.

That'll Do · February 18, 2011, 05:44 PM

I just purchased the Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 223. For me, the selling point was the heavy barrel, the 1 in 9" twist (can use bullets up 73gr or so), and the huge amount of aftermarket parts.

I put on a Leupold Mark AR 4-12x40mm on it, and a Bell & Carlson Light Tactical Stock. I can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit so I can start working up loads for it.

February 8, 2011, 12:35 PM	#27
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	KJ-Hunter..Where in MN are you?. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

February 8, 2011, 02:01 PM	#29
jryaws Junior Member Join Date: February 8, 2011 Posts: 4	Savage Model 10 FP For those in the know, Savage has long been thought of as the "most bang for your bucks" go to. You can obtain a Remington SPS for about $100.00 less, but by the time you have floated the barrel you aren't saving any money. Another plus in the 10 FP (law-enforcement model) is the 1" in 9" rifle twist rate. This will allow you to shoot the heavier 69 grn. and 77 grn. Sierra hpbt Match Kings. To me, this is a win/win situation. In the Remington SPS you get the 1" in 12" twist, but it does not stabilize a bullet much heavier than 60 gr. Last edited by jryaws; February 8, 2011 at 07:04 PM.

February 15, 2011, 02:04 AM	#36
LAZY EYED SNlPER Member Join Date: February 13, 2011 Posts: 22	+1 on the Remy SPS Tactical. I built this one up over the Summer... Make sure you post up some pics of that Hawkeye when you get a chance. __________________ "If GUNS are responsible for VIOLENCE, then FORKS are responsible for OBESITY" Last edited by LAZY EYED SNlPER; February 15, 2011 at 02:12 AM.

February 15, 2011, 08:31 AM	#38
waterboy68 Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2010 Location: Augusta, GA Posts: 122	I have a Ruger M77 target rifle in .223. It is an excellent gun. Accurate, smooth bolt, awesome trigger. The finish on the stock and metal is also very nice. The weight of the gun makes recoil non existent. (not that there is much recoil with a .223) It is somewhat heavy so it's not much fun to carry for very long but it shoots so good it's hard to put down. It's my primary coyote shooter. Last edited by waterboy68; February 15, 2011 at 10:23 AM.

February 16, 2011, 05:55 PM	#40
LAZY EYED SNlPER Member Join Date: February 13, 2011 Posts: 22	Very nice and congrats on the great rifle! __________________ "If GUNS are responsible for VIOLENCE, then FORKS are responsible for OBESITY"

February 8, 2011, 10:14 AM	#26
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	You can buy any number of nice rifles in 223, and they will all shoot good groups, but if you want real special accuracy I think you need to be a bit more picky in your selection. That short barrel Remington Tactical would be a good choice. The Ruger heavy barrel varmint rifle would be a good choice. The heavy barrel Savages are supposed to be great shooters. Another choice, and one that worked great for me, would be to find a good used heavy barrel Ruger and have a gunsmith work it over for you (bedding, trigger, action) and have that heavy barrel shortened and recrowned. You don't need 26 inches or 24 inches for a 223, and 20 or 22 inches would probably be enough. But...if you need instant gratification, like most of us do, that Remington Tactical (with the short fat barrel) sure looked good to me. And Winchester makes a rifle that I've seen in various coyote hunting magazines, and it really looks like a rifle I'd like to own and shoot. And if you want to minimize cost, the Ruger Hawkeye in 223 is a good shooter and I got it in stainless, with synthetic stock. at a great price. I'm still working up loads and today is 'Varget' day. I don't know yet how good it'll shoot, but AA2230 and Nosler 55 grain BT loads will shoot to .75 inch, and I think that it will do better than that. I'd be real happy with 0.50 inch groups, if I can get there. If none of the above fits your needs, talk to the nice folks at Cooper. They'll have exactly what you need, though it'll be rather costly. And it'll be beautiful and will shoot .25 inch groups, and I think that Supermodels may want to hang out with you. If I could figure out how to get one of those, without my wife finding out, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

February 8, 2011, 01:31 PM	#28
deadeye1122 Member Join Date: October 29, 2009 Location: detroit lakes mn Posts: 87	Just have to throw the TC Venture into the mix. Have shot one but do not own one yet. Will probably be my next purchase when they come out with a rebate again. Guarantee 1 MOA and a great trigger.

February 9, 2011, 03:29 PM	#30
KJ-hunter Junior Member Join Date: January 31, 2011 Posts: 11	Well I went rifle shopping this morning and ended up getting a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Tactical with a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 for optics. It has a 20" heavy barrel with 1:9" twist and a hogue stock. I can't wait to get out and shoot it this weekend. Thanks to everyone that replied with advice.

February 9, 2011, 04:05 PM	#31
rdjordan Member Join Date: January 10, 2009 Location: Columbus, MS Posts: 60	Keep in mind that the Remington SPS Varmint is a 26" barrel with 1:12 twist and the SPS Tactical is a 20" barrel with a 1:9 twist. The Remington 700P is 26" barrel with a 1:9 twist. I think this is best for longer ranges to gain velocity and stabalize the heavier bullets.

February 13, 2011, 09:01 AM	#32
Rimfire5 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2009 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 923	I am a Savage lover also and would recommend one although I don't have one in 0.223. I just love the Savage Accu-trigger. I was looking hard for a Savage in .223 with a heavy barrel and no one seemed to have one in stock. I found a CZ 527 Varmint with a Kevlar stock and a heavy barrel in .223 at a big local gun show and fell in love with it so I wound up not buying a Savage in that caliber. The CZ dealer at the show, who has a laminate CZ527 varmint told me to go with the Kevlar stock if I shoot off a bipod because it seemed to provide more stablity with the Kevlar stock. That was good advice, I think. It is lighter than the laminate stock so even carrying it is not an issue. The CZ 527 has averaged 0.447 inches at 100 yards with 52, 55, 60, 63 and 65 grain bullets with its favorite loads (different tuned loads of course for each weight). So far it has averaged just over 0.5 with 45 grain bullets but I admit I haven't tried to really tune that weight yet. It has averaged 0.674 for all the hand load combinations I have tried (138 measured groups). The CZ 527 has an adjustable trigger like the Savage. But unlike the Savage it has a separately adjustable set trigger (you push the regular trigger forward - it gives a crisp 2 lb pull on mine). The regular trigger was 3 1/2 lbs out of the box and I didn't think it needed adjusting for a hunting. If you don't go with Savage, take a look at the CZ 527. I paid $845 and it really is a surperior rifle. It is light, the heavy barrel is good for near continuous shooting without getting too hot, and the set trigger is great for bench shooting. My next rifle will be a Savage or a CZ depending upon what I can walk out of the store with. Both shoot great out of the box in my experience.

February 13, 2011, 07:27 PM	#33
RANGER94 Member Join Date: December 18, 2010 Posts: 40	Remington VSSF

February 13, 2011, 10:58 PM	#34
Stillhunter Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2008 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 152	Another vote for the Savage 12fv.

February 14, 2011, 08:21 PM	#35
fishbone52 Junior Member Join Date: March 23, 2009 Posts: 4	You did good KJ. The Hawkeye is hard to beat. Ever time I look at mine, it makes me smile.

February 15, 2011, 08:18 AM	#37
KJ-hunter Junior Member Join Date: January 31, 2011 Posts: 11	Nice looking rifle, I will try and get some pictures up tomorrow.

February 16, 2011, 03:29 PM	#39
KJ-hunter Junior Member Join Date: January 31, 2011 Posts: 11	Here are a couple pictures of the my Ruger M77. I brought it to the range today and it shoots very good. Very accurate with cheap 55gr FMJ ammo.

February 18, 2011, 03:09 PM	#41
jsp10477 Junior Member Join Date: January 5, 2011 Posts: 13	Good choice, buy American. I personally like the 700P. I own 2, a 308 and a 223. Both shoot roughly between .5 and .6 with good handloads. Try a 40gr v-max over 25.5gr of Benchmark, CCI small rifle primers, and Hornady brass.

February 18, 2011, 04:08 PM	#42
KJ-hunter Junior Member Join Date: January 31, 2011 Posts: 11	Thanks for the info, I just need the die to reload 223.

February 18, 2011, 05:39 PM	#43
That'll Do Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 546	I just purchased the Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 223. For me, the selling point was the heavy barrel, the 1 in 9" twist (can use bullets up 73gr or so), and the huge amount of aftermarket parts.

February 18, 2011, 05:44 PM	#44
That'll Do Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 546	I just purchased the Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 223. For me, the selling point was the heavy barrel, the 1 in 9" twist (can use bullets up 73gr or so), and the huge amount of aftermarket parts. I put on a Leupold Mark AR 4-12x40mm on it, and a Bell & Carlson Light Tactical Stock. I can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit so I can start working up loads for it.