Thread: Help me make my mind up

Shopping for a new 223 bolt action......

To be used A LOT ( I hope)!! Will be getting carried everywhere so lightweight a high priority.
Will be suppressed and have a harris bipod slapped on as well just to unbalance it.
Short barrel a good highlight but I can get it chopped if necessary.
Would like a good twist rate so I can play with some heavier pills.

Options so far I've come up with:
- Tikka T3X carbine. Everyone has 1 so boring as bat shit but reliable and a good package straight out of the box. 1:8 twist 20" barrel, 3.2kg/7lbs, stupid 3rnd capacity mag.
- Browning A-Bolt. No longer made so struggle ie impossible to find new. Nice and light, can top load unlike the xbolt
- CZ 527 American. Nice timber, good action. 1:9 barrel twist. 22" barrel, 5rnd mag, 2.9kg/6.4lbs
- Savage Lightweight hunter. Like the ability to top load the mag instead of dropping out all the time. Nice 3 position safety. Lightest of these bang sticks - bare rifle 2.5kg/5.5lbs,
- Remmy 700sps tactical short barrel 16.5", heavy barrel though. 1:9 twist, 5rnd internal mag. 2.9kg/6.4lbs, but the Hogue stock is crap.

Annoying thing is no one seems to stock anything, apart from Tikka or the other end of the spectrum ie crap, so can't do proper comparison. And they wont get anything in just to be checked out either.
So its buy off the specs in magazines or what others recommend.

Budget pretty good to get a nice rifle, but I haven't won Lotto so nothing made with unobtainium, gold plated or any wildcat calibers.
Come at me with ideas guys. Help me spend my money.....

Howa do a faster twist nowadays too. Being a Savage fan I'd go that way myself, but I do like the A-bolt as well. Did I make a mistake getting hold of one for Timerider? It is the one she wants to carry all the time.

The Savage stock will be pretty average too.

I'd skip the Rem tactical if you want a to carry it around. Bit to weighty for my liking.

One downside to the CZ is the bolt handle clearance of the scope. Might have to run higher rings or get the bolt handle modified.

Another option is a Rem Model 7. 1:9 twist should be a nice light package.

1:9 is generally really only good for up to 69gr (especially with a short barrel). My 20" Rem 700 SPS Tactical (swapped out the stock to a HS Precision) will shoot the 75gr A-Max but others don't.

Had a 1:8 Tikka T3 that I probably should have kept but oh well

Had a CZ527 American in .204 and now have a CZ527 Ebony in .222

Carry a Rem 700SPS .204 (shortened to 20" barrel and suppressed) with HS Precision Stock on the quad most days (couldn't resist it for $650 on TM).

Depends if you want a rifle in stainless as that will knock out the CZ's

Can sell you a 222 with a proper scope and can cheap

Only selling because i solely hunt with my 308

Howa 1500 Hunter Stainless

Originally Posted by NZShoota

I'd skip the Rem tactical if you want a to carry it around. Bit to weighty for my liking.

One downside to the CZ is the bolt handle clearance of the scope. Might have to run higher rings or get the bolt handle modified.

Another option is a Rem Model 7. 1:9 twist should be a nice light package.

1:9 is generally really only good for up to 69gr (especially with a short barrel). My 20" Rem 700 SPS Tactical (swapped out the stock to a HS Precision) will shoot the 75gr A-Max but others don't.

Had a 1:8 Tikka T3 that I probably should have kept but oh well

Had a CZ527 American in .204 and now have a CZ527 Ebony in .222

Carry a Rem 700SPS .204 (shortened to 20" barrel and suppressed) with HS Precision Stock on the quad most days (couldn't resist it for $650 on TM).

Depends if you want a rifle in stainless as that will knock out the CZ's

I have one of the new model 7's in 223, got it 2nd hand off the forum, it had been shortened from 20 to 18". It is 1:9, and i had hoped it would shoot 69gr pills, and while it does minute of deer to 200 yards with them, it shoots 55gr Sierra Gamekings SPBT and HPBT crazy well, touching at 200 yards so thats what i use.

I really love this rifle, its very light, compact and is a joy to carry and use.

I would go with the CZ. Unless you are going to bash it up, then the howa in stainless/plastic probably.

Do they still make the ruger hawkeye? That could be another option, apparently available in 1 in 9. Also could look at a voere LBW, not sure on twist though, being euro its probably 1:12 but they look pretty cool, should be accurate and are quite light.

S&L make a nice little .223

zastava mini mauser...they come up 2nd hand for reasonable price and I cant fault mine.put $$$ saved on really good mounts and optics.

My vote would be for the Zastava (if you can find one, followed by either the CZ or the Howa depending on budget. I prefer the Zastava due to the flush internal magazine. But the Howa mini action only has the box mag. A standard Howa Ranchland has an internal mag but the bigger action is heavier than a mini. Try handling one of each before you decide, and you will make your own mind as to which suits you better. All three will handle the jandal, and the CZ is the nicer of the 3.

I had a Howa. Nice action and 3 position safety but they have rubbish stocks. Plus they're heavy. Don't really want to go there again to be honest.
Sorry paddy, 222 not my cuppa. Maybe 30yrs ago lol.

Not worried if stainless or blued. Whatever I get will be meticulously cleaned and maintained.
Scope I'm fitting is a 50mm objective so it'll prob need high rings anyway. Will take note of the CZ bolt clearance though cheers NZ Shoota

Out of the few above I've narrowed it down to, so far the Tikka and the Savage tick the boxes more than the others - in my mind anyway. Unless someone finds me a new A-Bolt

How about the browning xbolt hunter?

I had a Zastava as well. Was a great shooter, but the 1:12 twist limited pills I could use.

I have been tempted with a S&L, but I'd be too worried about banging that timber around. Shit they're nice!!

Trouble with trying to handle/molest anything before buying is no one stocks much variety anymore. I'm struggling to find anyone with what I want to look at apart from the Tikka.