.223/5.56 - Would you own it if not for a semi?

[Blade37db]

Been thinking about getting out of ARs for awhile (although now is not the best time because prices are so low). They really don't do anything for me and I may need room in the safe.

That being said, I have a lot of .223/5.56 ammo and some 10 round AR mags. What I'm trying to decide is if I want to stay with the caliber (in a bolt gun) or just get out of it completely.

The only reason I originally bought into .223/5.56 was for the AR. Honestly, I don't think I would have invested in the caliber otherwise.

My question is - those that shoot/own .223/5.56 because they own a semi for it (AR, Mini, AK/Saiga) - would you own/buy/shoot .223/5.56 if you didn't have the semi platform to shoot it out of?

Just curious.

[Sharkbite]

I have been SERIOUSLY considering one of the Ruger Americans in 223.

Accurate, low recoil, uses AR mags, threaded for a can.

[Blade37db]

Sharkbite - do you currently have any .223/5.56 semis?

[ms6852]

That is a good question. I probably would not have 5.56 or 223 if it were not for my AR's. I never owned an AR until after I retired from the Army in 1996 and then I still waited a few years . I really did not have the desire to own one as my 22 magnum did most of the job requirements for varmints. After several years I got a little nostalgic for the army and bought my first AR to reminisce about my M16. I bought my RRA with an A2 stock.

[NWPilgrim]

The main thing .223 outside of semi autos has going for it is varminting and lower cost target shooting, and plinking. Lots of guys shoot .223 bolt on steel at long distance. So it depends on the type of shooting you enjoy. If you shoot varmints then it definitely still has a place. If you enjoy higher volume or just low cost target shooting centerfire then it has a place.

But, if you enjoy lower volume long range target shooting and/or medium game shooting then the .223 probably doesn't make much sense.

I own a few AR15s and mainly just target shoot at various distances to 300 yds and do fun family plinking from 25-150 yds. Way cheaper than my .30-06. And I could do all that without a semi, but I own the AR15s for home defense and the target and plinking shoots are just for practice and fun. If I did not own a semi auto for home defense then I would likely get a bolt in 6mm or 6.5 mm CM for just targets.

[zipspyder]

I had a Savage .223 bolt before AR's were cool and affordable to have. Sold it. No need for that small of a caliber. I shoot squirrels with shotgun or 22 and deer with something bigger. I do own a rusky AR15 if that makes a difference.

[NHSHOOTER]

I have 2- 223 bolt guns that I use just for target shooting, both shoot really tight groups and the grand kids enjoy shooting them since there is hardly any recoil..They get a kick out of putting holes in pennies at 100yds..I have never owned a semi anything other than a 22 rimfire..

[Art Eatman]

I bought a Ruger 77 MkII in .223 in 1997. Replaced the tort-liability trigger with a Timney. Stuck an old Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40 scope on it.

Half-MOA with most any brand of 55-grain ammo, factory or handloads. Great prairie-dog gun.

[Sharkbite]

Sharkbite - do you currently have any .223/5.56 semis?

Currently 7 AR’s in different flavors (3 of them SBR’s), 1 AUG and 2 Mini14’s

[Blade37db]

Sharkbite - makes sense that you'd be interested in the Ruger American then. Would you be if you didn't have the ARs, AUG & Minis?

NHSHOOTER seems to be the only one who owns a .223/5.56 and no semi in that caliber as well.

I guess semis are pretty much the "gateway drug" to the .223/5.56 caliber. If you don't have those, not much sense in owning the caliber unless you're into varmint hunting (which I'm not).

I guess if you want a cheap (ammo), low recoil centerfire long gun for target shooting it ain't a bad choice either.

[Scorch]

.223/5.56 - Would you own it if not for a semi?

Long answer to the short question-
Way back 40 years ago, I was a young Marine with 22 centerfire on the brain for varminting. Shopped for a Rem 700, a Rem 788, or any bolt action in 223 because I liked bolt actions and the ARs of that time were not known for accuracy (thank you, Colt). Eventually wound up building a 22-250 on a Mauser action. In hind sight, it was kind of cool having a rifle to reach out to 500+ yds on smallish targets, and I shot it a lot. And replaced the barrel three times. About 7 or 8 years after building it, I bought my first bolt action 223 rifle (S&W 1500- rebranded Howa) and I was hooked. After that, the 22-250 pretty much just sat in the rack. 99% of the time, I could take the same shots with the 223 that I was taking with the 22-250, so no advantage to the extra 10% speed and 100% more recoil. And the ability to be very accurate was a definite advantage. And the lower weight. And cheaper to load ammo. And the list goes on. So, yes, I would still own one.

[ejb69]

No I would not. I have a mini 14 for hunting bobcats and coyotes. If I had went with a bolt gun for this it would be a 22-250, or possibly a .243

[Erno86]

My Savage Model 12 single shot, varmint/target, heavy barreled, 223 bolt gun...is a sweet shooter --- 1/4" m.o.a. @ 100 yards --- three shot group.

[Sharkbite]

Sharkbite - makes sense that you'd be interested in the Ruger American then. Would you be if you didn't have the ARs, AUG & Minis?

Absolutely, i have an American predator in 17hmr. That rifle has never ceased to amaze me. Its my go to Praire dog rifle. A 223 version just makes sense to reach a bit further and buck the wind a little better.

[Rangerrich99]

Considering how many rounds I annually run through for prairie dog season, I'd definitely have a rifle chambered in 5.56/.223 rem. Every other round available just costs more than .223 rem, and it really starts to add up when you're regularly sending 1,000-1,500 rounds downrange every year.

[BBarn]

I owned a .223 bolt action varmint rifle long before I had an semi-auto 223. I chose it for prairie dog hunting. It's a good combination of low recoil and reasonable trajectory out to about 300yds. The ammo also takes up less space than a 22-250 or Swift when carrying it around on foot thru the PD towns (we typically parked at one end of a large area and walked the rest).

[Mobuck]

I owned a bolt action .223 back in the late 1970's. Ammo selection and performance was poor compared to the 22/250 I'd been shooting. Things have improved considerably in the last 20 years. I own 2 .223 bolt actions but seldom shoot them.

[O4L]

Probably not.

[FrankenMauser]

Without semi-auto, would I own a .223...?
The old answer: Yes. Cheap to shoot. Plenty accurate. More than enough for most varmints. And more...


But, I've already been down that road.
The current answer is:
Not a chance.
I had a .223 Rem bolt gun. It wasn't worth my time. Other than when punching paper, something else was always "superior" in my mind.
I'd rather shoot .243 Win all day, than .223, if the ARs were out of the picture.
Primers and projectiles that I use cost about the same. Brass isn't too much different, if one is looking at purchasing it. The only real "extra" expense is in the larger powder charge (50-100% more powder).
But, of course, I also have a 6x45mm (with another planned). It costs no more than one or two cents more per round than .223/5.56, and I enjoy shooting the cartridge more.


People that just shoot factory ammo are far better off with .223 Rem. ...But not me.

[603Country]

I don’t have a semi, though the USMC loaned me one for a while. I considered the caliber to be nothing I needed. But my Dad bought an NEF single shot in 223 and I found that I liked shooting it. So, I went to Bass Pro to buy one, but they had a Ruger Hawkeye on sale, so I bought that instead. Put a nice scope on it, reload for it, and shoot it more than any other rifle I own. It loves the 40 gr Nosler BT, and shoots the 60 gr Partition into the same group. Quite a nice rifle.

[jrothWA]

abd to give CLINTON and Sarah Brady the FINGER,
then a bought a 1978 are T/C Contender and most of the Octagon barrels available.

Then I got two 21" T/C barrels [30/30 Win & .223Rem], so I use that for varmint hunting and coyotes, just need to use .223 commercial.

Recently, have used the HBAR for coyotes.

So, both.

[Whistlebritches]

Yes........my current yodel dog medicine is a Browning A-Bolt in 25-06.Little much for the grandkids so a RAR in .223 is on my to buy list.I've owned several 223's over the years..........Remington,Savage,Ruger.All were accurate but right handed,I hate a right hand bolt gun but back in the day left hand rifles were very limited.I'd get tired of the bolt being on the wrong side and sell or trade it away.My opinion is,in the right hands the 223 will do anything any other small caliber center fire will but always less expensively.

Oh and that RAR 223 on my list.........it'll be left handed as well.Grandkids will be firing it in single shot mode anyway.

[std7mag]

I had gotten my wife a Rossi R243 several years ago. She was darn accurate with it, but didn't like that it broke open for every round.

This fall i ran accross a Savage 110 FP for the low price of $250.
Traded the Rossi for it.

1:9 twist 24" heavy barrel.
Trigger pull was set at 6lb.
Nice crisp 3 now.
Atlas knock off bipod.
Vortex Diamondback "Tactical" 4-12X40 scope.
Still needs bedded.
She's shooting 69gr. Matchkings. ( I'll have to check distributor to see if they habe TMKs).

[hdwhit]

Blade37db asked:
...would you own/buy/shoot .223/5.56 if you didn't have the semi platform to shoot it out of?

You make it sound as if the purchase of the semi-automatic rifle forced the choice of 223/5.56 upon me. It did not.

I had another semi-automatic platform already; 30 Carbine, which was more than adequate for the under-200 yard ranges I was shooting. When I decided that I wanted a more powerful cartridge, I had my choice between 223 in the Mini-14/AR-15 or 308 in an AR-10 or a Remington 30-06 semi-automatic that a friend had modified to use Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) magazines.

I chose the 223 for a number of reasons and having made the choice of cartridge decided on the rifle to fire it. At the end of the day, that decision was ultimately made primarily on the basis of price and I bought a Mini-14.

I later added a Savage Axis rifle to my collection and got it in 223/5.56 as well.

[Crankylove]

I’ve got two AR’s in .223, and a bolt gun.

I’ve also got a .22 Hornet, had it for about 8 years before I ended up with a .223. I really had no desire for a .223 since my Hornet did everything I needed it to for squirrels, rabbits, coyotes, etc.

Ended up being gifted an AR lower, then an upper, and then enough left over parts from my two brothers AR builds to build an AR for $75 out of my pocket, so I did. Was then gifted an original SP1 and a Weatherby in .223 from my father.

If I hadnt got the .223’s as gifts, or almost free, I wouldn’t have a .223 at all. I don’t have anything against.223/5.56, and enjoy shooting the rifles I have, but the Hornet came first, and was doing just fine for what I use it, and the .223, for.