what rifle in .223?

[bait dunker]

as you probably saw in an earlier thread i was trying to decide between a 223 and a 22-250. i budgeted $1000 for the rifle and scope, wanting a better quality scope. well at a garage sale yesterday a picked up a remington 788 in 22-250 with a leupold 2-8 for $200, lucky me! so now i have $800 to throw at a .223 and scope. figuring to spend $400 on the scope, rings, etc. what rifle in .223 would you buy in the $4-500 range? was leaning toward a rem 700 bdl, but should i consider a sps or a savage? ruger?

[Killertraylor]

Originally Posted by bait dunker

as you probably saw in an earlier thread i was trying to decide between a 223 and a 22-250. i budgeted $1000 for the rifle and scope, wanting a better quality scope. well at a garage sale yesterday a picked up a remington 788 in 22-250 with a leupold 2-8 for $200, lucky me! so now i have $800 to throw at a .223 and scope. figuring to spend $400 on the scope, rings, etc. what rifle in .223 would you buy in the $4-500 range? was leaning toward a rem 700 bdl, but should i consider a sps or a savage? ruger?

WOW! That's a steal on a 788. I've had mine for about 20 years now and it's still the most accurate rifle I own.

The Tikka T-3 in .223 is in your price range and a solid performer. I have one in .243 and it's a 1/2 inch 100 yard gun. Plus you get a detatchable mag which is nice in that price range. I hate it when people suggest stuff outside your price range, but the new Remington 700 VTR's are really sweet! Green and black colored tactical/varmint gun with compensator, triangular fluted barrel and awesome stock. They are getting excellent reviews and you can still pick one up in .223 for $600 on gunbroker. Get one of the Nikon refurbished scopes on samplelist.com and you're within budget.

[scottishsetter]

Sportsman's. Pick it up today.

[RogueFishr]

You won't go wrong with the Tikka.

RF

[huntinfool]

Remington model 7 Predator in .223 for $580 after the $50 rebate. Or a Savage Predator.

[Yeti]

After shooting my new Savage MK BV I really want a 223 with an accutrigger. I understand the centerfire trigger springs are even better than teh rimfires. That would be awsome. My '06 Savage was a great shooter out of the box and it was pre accutrigger.

I like good user servicable triggers.

[adobe wall]

Out of the box Savage is hard to beat. The Ruger is a crap shoot, a few folks here are reporting good shooting Rugers but I've never (ever) personally seen one.

Remington? Generally a safe bet and plenty of accessories. I'm not into wood though so I'd go low end and spend a bit of money getting the action worked over.

No experience with the Tikka.

Great catch on the 788. They're built fairly cheap (look at the bolt face) but you rarely hear about anyone having problems and the blasted things all seem to really shoot well. I've got one in .308 that is one of the most accurate rifles I own.

regards, aw

[dubl_t]

My choice is the CZ, I got the carbine with the single set trigger, and now sleep with that gun religiously

let me know if you wanna take it for a test run.

[Grantspastor]

Good score on the 22-250! I have 3 Ruger M77 rifles and with the right handloads, they are all shooters. I like them a lot. The Savage rifles have developed a very good reputation in recent years too

[GO-FASTER]

Originally Posted by Killertraylor

WOW! That's a steal on a 788. I've had mine for about 20 years now and it's still the most accurate rifle I own.

The Tikka T-3 in .223 is in your price range and a solid performer. I have one in .243 and it's a 1/2 inch 100 yard gun. Plus you get a detatchable mag which is nice in that price range. I hate it when people suggest stuff outside your price range, but the new Remington 700 VTR's are really sweet! Green and black colored tactical/varmint gun with compensator, triangular fluted barrel and awesome stock. They are getting excellent reviews and you can still pick one up in .223 for $600 on gunbroker. Get one of the Nikon refurbished scopes on samplelist.com and you're within budget.

Yes great gun but the stock is junk, if you want the gun to shoot under
1 1/2" you will want to replace the tupper ware stock

[Killertraylor]

Originally Posted by GO-FASTER

Yes great gun but the stock is junk, if you want the gun to shoot under
1 1/2" you will want to replace the tupper ware stock

I have two Tikka stainless synthetic T-3 lightweights, one in .243 and one in .270WSM. Both shoot 1/2 inch at 100 yards with multiple loads. Both wear the factory plastic stock. I've shot a 1 1/2 inch group with the .270WSM at 300 yards. The stocks might not be pretty, but they shoot. Tikka guarantees 1" out of the box. If it doesn't shoot, you can return it for one that does.

[GO-FASTER]

Originally Posted by Killertraylor

I have two Tikka stainless synthetic T-3 lightweights, one in .243 and one in .270WSM. Both shoot 1/2 inch at 100 yards with multiple loads. Both wear the factory plastic stock. I've shot a 1 1/2 inch group with the .270WSM at 300 yards. The stocks might not be pretty, but they shoot. Tikka guarantees 1" out of the box. If it doesn't shoot, you can return it for one that does.

this is about the remington 700 stock

[pathfinder]

Let me just say- if you can load your own and tune in your rifle any make and model will work,and as far as Ruger's,=Well i have them and would be Glad to say i would put any of them up to a match against any other. Like i said, it's all about working up a load and finding the right set up that works in that make and caliber..........Ruger is a great brandin choice.

[ajfishfinder]

I bought a ruger .223 bench gun (heavy barrel, beavertail stock) a few years ago. Took it home and hung a Tasco 6 x 24 on it. I bore sited it with the bolt out by just eyeballing it. First 5 shots at 100 yards were 11/2" high to the right and could be covered with a 1/2 dollar. No barrel break in whatsoever and cheap hard ball ammo. I was pretty impressed.
If only we had more praire dogs or rock chucks closer to home.

[Antlershed]

Picked this up today from work. Remington 700 VTR in .223. On sale this week, plus it comes with free Leupold rings and bases. Now I just gotta figure out what glass to put on it.

[PullShootExplode]

Originally Posted by Antlershed

Picked this up today from work. Remington 700 VTR in .223. On sale this week, plus it comes with free Leupold rings and bases. Now I just gotta figure out what glass to put on it.

where's work?

[Antlershed]

Joe's. It is on sale for $599 this week, plus the free rings and bases, plus a $50 mail-in rebate.

[scottishsetter]

SSSwwweeeetttT!

[DirectDrive]

Maybe I'm a traditionalist but there's somethin' about a 700 BDL
I had a .222 heavy barreled varminter that I wish I had never sold.
It simply shot where you pointed it and digested about any load.

Have one M77 in 25-06 sporter weight.
With the right load it has shot into the same hole with about 3-4 min betwen shots.
Without cooling it walks predictably toward one o'clock, it's a good shooter.

[Washington Hunter]

I just saw this thread and haven't read any of the posts (except the first one ) and if nobody has mentioned the CZ, you should strongly consider one. Great rifle for the money.

[scottishsetter]

I want a report on how the VTR shoots!!!!!!!!!

[Antlershed]

Originally Posted by scottishsetter

I want a report on how the VTR shoots!!!!!!!!!

I was supposed to go shoot it today, but got talked into going fishing. Maybe tomorrow. I will definitely report back though.

[Killertraylor]

I bought a Remington 700 VTR .223 last week too after stumbling across the great deal at Joes - too good to pass up with the rebate and rings and bases. Put a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14 mil dot scope on it and set out at noon today to sight it in. I tied up 4 different handloads last night with Nosler custom brass, 55 grain V-max bullets and 4 different powders. 27.5 grains of Varget produced a .335 5 shot 100 yard group at 3080 fps out of the 22 inch barrel. The other 3 powders shot right around an inch. The only problem was the X-mark trigger - it must have been 10 lbs. Thanks to GO-FASTER telling me it was adjustable, I got home and backed out the adjustment screw and got it down to a crisp 2.5 lbs. Might have to go shoot it again tomorrow with the better trigger pull. Very happy with the results and it's a joy to shoot. I can actually keep the scope on the target during firing as the muzzle brake eliminates recoil almost completely.

[dubl_t]

that's an interesting break on the VTR, how's the repercussion?

Directdrive, I've heard that about alot of 222's, not particular at all. Maybe that's one of the reason they were used heavily in Alaska.

[scottishsetter]

Nice rifle. Do you have Benchmark or H335? Nosler sixth manual lists H335 as most accurate. Nice find and good shooting. More reports later, please?

[Killertraylor]

Originally Posted by scottishsetter

Nice rifle. Do you have Benchmark or H335? Nosler sixth manual lists H335 as most accurate. Nice find and good shooting. More reports later, please?

Yes, I have Benchmark and H335. I didn't try Benchmark, but did try 25.3 g. of H335, 26.5 of W748 and 27.5 of BL-C2. The W748 shot an inch, but the 335 and BL-C2 were closer to 1.5. Some of that could have been the terrible trigger pull though. I have a box of 55gr vmax reloads from Wisconsin Cartridge co - all with mixed brands of brass, and they shot less than an inch.

I just tied up some more for tomorrow - all with Varget powder since it shot so well. All are 27.5 gr. of Varget (which completely fills the case ), but I'm trying 3 different bullets. 53 grain Barnes TSX, 55 grain Nosler ballistic tips and Sierra 55 gr. boat tail hollowpoints. I'll report back tomorrow.

[Killertraylor]

Originally Posted by dubl_t

that's an interesting break on the VTR, how's the repercussion?

Directdrive, I've heard that about alot of 222's, not particular at all. Maybe that's one of the reason they were used heavily in Alaska.

I did all of my shooting with earmuffs today, so can't really comment on the noise. Besides, I've never noticed any of my rifles with brakes being any louder when I'm shooting them - it's usually the guy next to me who gets the blast. This brake on the VTR is totally on the top of the barrel though, so I'm guessing it will be a bit loud for the shooter.

[scottishsetter]

How is the Remington VTR doing? Accurate? Still? Ha.
I have to have an update on this Tri-Angular Barrel Beauty.

[Antlershed]

I've only been out once, sadly, but I ran a box of 50 through it. Once I got the scope dialed in, it shot some 3-shot groups that were an inch, maybe less. Nothing spectacular, but it shot the 2" orange dot up pretty good. All this was at 100 yards. I'm going to do some trigger work to it, and then get back out there. The weather was not very good for shooting the day I was out either....windy at times.

Forgot to mention...I was shooting Black Hills Ammo in 50gr.

[scottishsetter]

Factory ammo; windy; <1" That's outstanding!

[Antlershed]

I think I could have done my part better as well. I was going back and forth between shooting that and my .300 win-mag, so at times I was all sorts of messed up.

[okie man]

Originally Posted by dubl_t

My choice is the CZ, I got the carbine with the single set trigger, and now sleep with that gun religiously

let me know if you wanna take it for a test run.

i have the 527 american and love it. the trigger can't be beat, the thing shoots any ammo sub moa and my pet load is more accurate than me.

[Hunt'nFish]

Hard to beat a good heavy barrel 20" AR 1in9" twist.
Rat season is fast approaching.
Hunt'nFish

PS: did see a Rem700 with factory carbon fiber barrel & HS stock at the show that caught my eye.
It was light!