I have pretty much every non restricted semi auto available. For the less expensive MCR is fine for a range toy you might get a stoppage that requires some disassembly if you slam a mag in too hard It is heavy and is fairly accurate. Keltec su 16 is nice and light seems to be reliable, older ones were known to fail, and fairly accurate. T97 is very reliable, has a weird location for the safety, mine is only accurate with some loads most are not very accurate. The Benelli MR1 reliable but not as accurate as other options.
That pretty much covers the less expensive non restricted semi auto. I will give an honorable mention to the ruger american ranch. Yes it is a bolt action so your split times will be maybe 20 hundredths of a second longer working the bolt. But it has a nicer trigger and is more accurate then any of the above and more accurate than other more expensive 223 non restricted.
Of the less expensive 223 options if you were doing 3 gun competition probably look at the mcr or the keltec or the MR1. The goofy safety and weird mag change of the type 97 will slow your times a bit. Now if are preparing for a post apocalypse book of elijiah affair the T 97 would be my pick. It will likely work when others might fail and the weird safety at the end of days well
To paraphrase a scene from black hawk down. "Delta or no Delta that is a hot weapon safety on at all times in base" "this is my safety sir"