Thread: Some advice please on a new .223

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

sorry chaps its been a slow wet day at home...... what am I driving at ?????
the m16/ar15 are the same plurry thing no matter how much you change stock design /magazine capacity muzzle break etc etc
the M4 is a derivative of the springfield dirtyo6 that came before it..the ruger M1 carbine also dirivative...the ruger mini 14- mini 30 and indeed the 10/22 are ALL basically a copy of what was a military semi automatic rifle yet they are classed differently
a gevarn .22lr can be converted to full auto with simple twist of an allen key....does that make it an assult rifle??? no of course is doesnt an assult rifle is a rifle or carbine made for purpose of warfare in particular a troop weapon to be carried while assulting a position..... a shotgun cant be classed as one as its not a rifle yet can be in same configuration eg the .410 saigas now on sale on trademe....
I see your point its a military clssification..... so a bren gun would fit the bill but a thompson wouldnt????
while we are on what a rifle is called...a short barreled rifle is a carbine ........a BUSHPIG is a grubby sheilah from the shady side of town
a bush hobbits rifle of choice for many years has been a carbine....we now put a tin can on the end...its still a carbine there endith my rant for the day.

So by your reasoning all modern bolt action rifles, like those based on the Mauser action (Remingtons, Howas, Sakos, ...) should also be classed as assault rifles?

My pick for the original poster is whatever 'floats your boat' and fits you for form, function, ergonomics, ... There are plenty out there that are really quite good, Howa, Browning, Zastava, Savage, Remington, ... even the soulless Tikka. Try as many as you can in shops. Best bang for buck will be second hand, which will give you a better quality for the same money as new.

ar and assault rifle talk not at all relevant to the thread.

Originally Posted by blair993

ar and assault rifle talk not at all relevant to the thread.

Fair enough to. My apologies to the OP

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

yip mine too.....

Originally Posted by gadgetman

So by your reasoning all modern bolt action rifles, like those based on the Mauser action (Remingtons, Howas, Sakos, ...) should also be classed as assault rifles?

nope because they ARENT made for purpose of warfare..... whereas a sks was but back to OPs question...the cheap n cheerfull norico bolt actions arent too bad either and do shoot straight with a little tweeking. they are however even more shal we say agricultural...finished by hand and foot.

I looked at everything when I was in the market for a new 223. Not many stock a good variety of rifles anymore to be able to touch and feel when comparing.

Tikka are a good package out of the box, but the mag capacity is absolutely shit! There are aftermarket mags available, just not cheap.
Howa aren't light but are a good package also. Nice 3 position safety. Hogue stocks are crap. I had 1 in 7m08 and it hated shooting off a bipod. Double grouped terribly. if I got another I'd put it in some different furniture for sure.
Savage are light. Felt good to shoulder. Barrels in the lightweight rifles are very thin and won't handle a good ol bomb up.
Ruger precision felt very agricultural and rough. I've felt better Norinco actions. Heavy as well.
Sauer were nice but out of your price range. (I bought a Sauer in 308 the deal was too good to not)
Remingtons I was able to check out all felt crap and very cheap/plasticy. No one, at the time I was shopping, stocked a 700 tac for me to try.

For me it came down to the Savage Lightweight Hunter and a Tikka.
I ended up getting a Tikka t3X Carbine in 223.
Plan is to get a Waters Rifleman mag for when I need 10rnds. In the meantime a couple of 3rnd mags does the trick

Originally Posted by gadgetman

My pick for the original poster is whatever 'floats your boat' and fits you for form, function, ergonomics, ... There are plenty out there that are really quite good, Howa, Browning, Zastava, Savage, Remington, ... even the soulless Tikka. Try as many as you can in shops. Best bang for buck will be second hand, which will give you a better quality for the same money as new.

Quoting to make people read this again - different rifles suit different people.

Savage often hit the sweet spot for me - accurate, great crisp triggers, nice 3-stage tang safety etc at good prices.

CZ 527...I'm an unashamed CZ/Brno Fan, But it's a great wee little rifle with proper metal bits.

Nice Brno 223 for sale here @tanqueray

CZ and Steyr are both very nice but over budget.
Are you wanting S/S or happy with Blued. (Personally I have gone with S/S for me and my older son but my youngest son is making noises about wood and blued steel. In his case he looks after his stuff (ie would clean it same day. Me I would run a bore snake and possibly a jet of oil though then some days later will sit down and scrub it properly.)
As noted by others some of those cheap plastic stocks still move and can make contact with the barrel which with a light barrel can open your groups up.
Z

I have a Howa Ranch in 243, and a Ruger American Ranch in 300BLK. Both of course are available in 223.

The Howa is nice, but heavy. The Ruger is a little rough but not Baikal rough, but nice and light. If I had to dump both and start fresh with a 223 I'd get the Ruger. I like the flush mags, I like the short length and weight. Accuracy is good out to 200m with my crappy shooting (and the 300BLK is not as flat as the 223).

Hey guys , thanks for all your advice. Wife has "shouted" me a new tikka as a early Bday present. Going to get it sorted tomorrow.

She's a good wife.

Howa mini for sure mines 6.5 Grendel not 223 but they are exactly the same rifle
Mine is factory apart from a trigger job barrel shorting and suppressor and upgrades to rings and bases and scope that are supplyed with the rifle
Mine will shoot .5in at 100 and better alday long if i do my part with top quality handloads ofcorse

Bloody good rifle for the money
You can get one kitted out ready to shoot for 899 from memory that includes bases rings and 3/9x40 Nikko Stirling scope
Which actually isn’t to bader scope for the money certainly useable till you can afford a good scope