I am in the market for a bolt action .223 to use for chasing varmints and punching paper. My requirements in order of importance are:

- Under $800 for just the rifle.
- Capable of shooting under 1-inch for 3 shots at 100 yards with decent ammo.
- Weight at about 7 pounds or less without scope.
- Wood stocked.
- Detachable magazine.

What are your suggestions, and why?

Savage M110 Lightweight Storm (5.65# w/o scope). Not wood stock, though.

Browning X-bolt (6.5# w/o scope). Not under $800, though. No detachable magazine, either.

CZ 527 Lux. (6.95#). Wood stock, detachable magazine. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Why - don't ask me. You set the criteria. I have a .223 Rem single shot that weighs six pounds with a 3-9x 40mm scope. Works for me. One good shot.

Awhile back I bought a Howa in .223, very impressed with it, I am mostly a Win M70 guy but I like this rifle.
Mine happens to have a Hogue stock but they are available in wood.
Medium weight Sporter barrel, 22", blued, shoots all kinds of ammo at an inch and under.
Mine came with a scope, Nikko Sterling 2-10x42 which I assumed was going to be a throw away but I must admit it is clear, tracks perfectly through adjustments and holds zero, with a lighted reticle...
I'm impressed over all.

CZ.

Tikka T3 Hunter meets your specs. 1/8" twist. I have 4 of the T3 light stainless ones in various cartridges and they all can shoot consistently under 2" at 200y, load dependent, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:
I am in the market for a bolt action .223

For a 223 bolt action I think the full size R700 type receivers are overkill, particularly if you're going for light weight. In the "mini" action category I'm aware of 6 options:

Sako vixen, 461, etc.
CZ527
Howa Mini
barrett fieldcraft micro
mini mauser R799 etc.
mossberg mvp

Per your list of requirements:

The Sako is out of production and may be difficult to source, depending where you are. It's wood but not detachable magazine.

The CZ527 can be ordered in wood, and has a 5-round detachable magazine. Rings are often a pain with these because they're proprietary and expensive. Sometimes they come with rings, but if not you could double the price trying to stick glass on it.

The Howa mini is a nice receiver with good accuracy. !0-round detachable magazine, but plastic stock. They're cheap enough that you could buy one of these and put a boyd's stock on it and still be well under budget. The aftermarket on these is improving and there are options for bottom metal, magazines, and stocks now.

The Barrett micro is a nice piece, but over budget, plastic, and no detachable magazine.

The imported mini mausers (R799) are around in various forms, but they're pretty junky from what I've seen. Also no detachable magazine.

The mosberg mvp was made to use AR magazines. I've heard bad things about the accuracy on these though. It might be worth a try, particularly if a potential re-barrel is in the budget. A good barrel and a 30-round mag would a be fun combo for prairie dogs. I don't think they came in wood though.

So, I'd suggest looking at the CZ527 and Howa Mini.


Some info:

http://castboolits.gunloads.co...92-CZ-527-questions/

http://forums.accuratereloadin...6711043/m/1491041322

https://www.24hourcampfire.com...php/topics/12496558/

https://www.realguns.com/articles/233.htm

oops, double post...

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:
My requirements in order of importance are:

- Under $800 for just the rifle.
- Capable of shooting under 1-inch for 3 shots at 100 yards with decent ammo.
- Weight at about 7 pounds or less without scope.
- Wood stocked.
- Detachable magazine.

What are your suggestions, and why?

Ruger American Ranch.
-At least $300 under $800 budget.
-Most people have reported them within your accuracy requirement.
-6 lbs bare weight.
-No factory wood, but under budget and can add a wood stock from Boyd's and stay under 7 lbs bare weight.
-Now uses an AR-15 style detachable magazines comes with a 10 round, I'd buy a 5 round mag.

Other reasons:
-Capable of shooting more types of ammo accurately because of its 1:7 twist gives more bullet options.
-16" barrel and short overall length makes it easy to get in and out of vehicles.
-Comes with rail to mount scope, no proprietary rings.
-Barrels threaded for a suppressor if you choose to get one.

Some discussion of Howa Mini vs Ruger over at grendel:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?16448

CZ 527 Carbine.

Consider the savage 25 lightweight varminter. It's got a laminate wood stock, box magazine and out of the box Savages are usually very accurate. It weighs 7.25 lbs undressed. It comes with an accutrigger, which I like a lot.

Why Savage? Accuracy, pure and simple. I have 4 Savages. One, an older Stevens in .223 (with Boyds stock and Rifle Basix trigger) is the least accurate of them (at 100 yds, 5 shots between 0.5 and 1.0 all day long). My others are an LRP (.243 Win), an LRPV (.223 Rem) and an FCV (.204 Ruger).

Admittedly not as sexy as the CZ and some other fine rifles, but lots of rifle for the dollar.

I just bought a HOWA HOUGE 1500 .223 Rem. back in November. I like it..

I bought a Steyr Ultra Light used in 223 for $725...super light and an absolute tack driver...short and compact.

CZ, many options. you can swap the TG and mag for a flush one.

http://cz-usa.com/product-cate...o-centerfire-rifles/

CZ or Tikka. I use a CZ off the back porch to shoot crows and coons using a reduced load of 12.5 grains of blue dot. Easily shoots under 1 inch at 100 yards.

Ruger American Predator $400
Boyd’s stock $250
Meets your criteria and comes in under budget

quote:

Originally posted by jpl:
The Mossberg MVP ... I've heard bad things about the accuracy on these though.

Opposite of what I've seen and heard: 1/3rd MOA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgn7luW0JnE

The CZ 527 all day over the Ruger and the Mossbummer.

But the Tikka T3, or if you've got the coin, the SAKO, over the CZ if top-shelf accuracy is the priority.

CZ 527.

I'd look for a used Sako L461, or A-I. You can often find one for $800. It has everything you ask other than a detachable magazine, but with a magazine capacity of six rounds down (making it a seven-shooter), being able to change out the magazine for additional shots is of little concern.

And now the rest of the story. I just received an H&R Ultra Wildcat, which is a Sako L461 built for H&R in the late 60s/early 70s. The gun was rechambered from .222, but looks to have been properly done. I will be taking it out to shoot on Saturday.

Depends on what bullet your planning on using.. Rifles are available with twist rates from 1:9 to 1:14

I chose the Remington 700 tactical because it has a 1:9 twist and I wanted to use heavier bullets (65-69 grainers). I haven't done a lot of experimenting with loads yet, but the first one i tried with Varget and the Sierra 65 gr SPBT is giving me consistently 1.5"... I think it will do better once I get a chance to tweak the load a bit..

800$ would be right about where the Bergara rifles sit.
detachable mag and bench stock I'm sure is more.
but I'd at least look at them.

I like actions that fit the caliber size wise..For a .223 I would only be satisfied with a early Sako L-46 or L-461,,,Probably a few hundred over you $800 quote, but worth every enny of it otherwise Id go with a Ruger rifle in .223..they are very nice and scaled down to fit..Pretty gun.

I paid about what I had budgeted considering the rifle came with a nice Leupold scope.

Anybody have any experience with the BRNO ZKK 601 in .223? They surface occasionally at attractive prices.

I have a CZ 527 in .223 with a heavy, laminated, factory stock. What an incredible varmint rifle.

Their fiberglass stock is quite nice.

Great little rifles.

Mini Mauser 223 can be bought for $300-400 and can be made into fine custom rifles with a few after market parts. This site has some of the best examples. The early Charles Daly mini's are the best if you can find one.

Fine rifle Les. Did you mean Charles Daly or Interarms were the best?

It's been my experience that the Interarms labeled actions/rifles are on the whole better than the later Charles Daly marked products.

quote:

Mini Mauser 223 can be bought for $300-400 and can be made into fine custom rifles with a few after market parts. This site has some of the best examples. The early Charles Daly mini's are the best if you can find one.

Nicely done stock, Les.

quote:

Originally posted by LovesLevers:
CZ or Tikka. I use a CZ off the back porch to shoot crows and coons using a reduced load of 12.5 grains of blue dot. Easily shoots under 1 inch at 100 yards.

+1. Tikka and CZ check all your boxes.

To each is own, but I wouldn't use the "mini Mauser" for a paper weight

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
To each is own, but I wouldn't use the "mini Mauser" for a paper weight

and of course you are entitled to that "opinion", others will disagree or have a differing opinion, neither viewpoint will be wrong.
I for one appreciate the mini Mauser for what it is and enjoy seeing pictures of Les Brooks work and other examples.

The one major problem with the Zastava is parts. That's one reason CZ is so good.

Boomer:

Congrats on your purchase. I saw that rifle. Nice one.

For those interested in a CZ including some interesting reviews. Dovetail bridge and ring a big plus.

http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-527-american/

I jumped on a couple of the mini mausers, both had feeding problems..I sold them and went back to the early Sakos..My 6x45 started life as an H&R round top SAK0 L-461, Its a full blown 5 lb. lovely rifle..Its found a home, I use it for varmint and deer and antelope with a 85 gr. GSC bullet at near 3000 FPS..

My choice would be a CZ 527. But a couple others would do.

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
I have a CZ 527 in .223 with a heavy, laminated, factory stock. What an incredible varmint rifle.

Their fiberglass stock is quite nice.

Great little rifles.

Me too! Wed. with 3 different bullets. 11 shot, 10 shot and 8 shot all under an inch.34 grain HP. Bulk, 40 grain Nosler plastic tip, 45 grain Berger fb HP. A steadier hand than mine would have done much better. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):

To each is own, but I wouldn't use the "mini Mauser" for a paper weight

Yeah, I agree. Those were junk.

I had one of the early '90s InterArms-imported Mini-Mausers in .223. (They also came chambered in 7.62 Soviet). First, the action was rougher than a hog's ass after rubbing a porcupine; second, it had intermittent feeding problems that my 'smith could never fix; third, you couldn't get it to shoot worth beans, whether using factory 'match'-type ammo or careful handloads, and I've loaded .223 ammo extensively across a lot of bullet-weights for my Match AR and my precision 5.56 SPR.

Eventually I got rid of it. Junk.

The CZs are in a different universe compared to the Mini-Mauser dogs.