223 backpack rifle
- Thread starter Jdiep
- Start date
I have one and it is extremely accurate and fold up very nice. It uses AR mags but it comes with the BCL 20 round mag.
very heavy for what it is though
brownbear53
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
+1 for a X95, compact, and it weights pretty much the same as a CZ trail or BCL,
LAR pistol mags and semi auto build would be an added bonus. they also come with tritium night sights built into the rail assembly.
Most Semi autos can be split in two for storage like a takedown but will take longer to deploy to firing condition (AR180/ATRS/Ravens etc)
(Personally would not recommend a BCL, given their past issues with QC and customer care, lots of people feel the same way here, countless reviews about them too)
If you don't need a 223 specifically, a 10/22 with a folding stock, or a fixed stock 12-14" barrel would keep you NR, A Remington 870 with a 10" barrel will also stay NR allowing for 12G
22LR will allow you to use hi cap mags (tuff 22 mags) and 12G would allow you to run 00 or magnum slugs with similar performance if you're looking at predator defense.
Lots of options once you pin down what your required purpose is and what is the max size you want, Good luck with your search
LAR pistol mags and semi auto build would be an added bonus. they also come with tritium night sights built into the rail assembly.
Most Semi autos can be split in two for storage like a takedown but will take longer to deploy to firing condition (AR180/ATRS/Ravens etc)
(Personally would not recommend a BCL, given their past issues with QC and customer care, lots of people feel the same way here, countless reviews about them too)
If you don't need a 223 specifically, a 10/22 with a folding stock, or a fixed stock 12-14" barrel would keep you NR, A Remington 870 with a 10" barrel will also stay NR allowing for 12G
22LR will allow you to use hi cap mags (tuff 22 mags) and 12G would allow you to run 00 or magnum slugs with similar performance if you're looking at predator defense.
Lots of options once you pin down what your required purpose is and what is the max size you want, Good luck with your search
The AR180s are easy to convert to a folding stock as there's no buffer spring to deal. But most aren't exactly top shelf from a reliability standpoint.
A Law folding adapter can convert a Raven, Modern Sporter etc NR semi into a folder, but they aren't easy to track down and they were in the $500 range last I looked.
You could put a Law folder on a short barreled MRA Renegade build and have an ultra compact bolt gun if you're into building what you want.
CZ trail would be a darn good option, quality would be very good as would accuracy. I have no opinion on the BCL as I've never owned anything BCL.
A Law folding adapter can convert a Raven, Modern Sporter etc NR semi into a folder, but they aren't easy to track down and they were in the $500 range last I looked.
You could put a Law folder on a short barreled MRA Renegade build and have an ultra compact bolt gun if you're into building what you want.
CZ trail would be a darn good option, quality would be very good as would accuracy. I have no opinion on the BCL as I've never owned anything BCL.
Agreed, agreed, agreed .... but it is also pretty heavy.
brownbear53
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
6.5lbs for a BCL howitzer, 6.1 lbs for a CZ 600, both without optics, even the lightest ones will add 4-6oz
7.6 lbs for a x95, semi auto, with integrated iron night sights? not that far off by weight in my consideration given you get a semi auto action out of it.
It is also much better balanced, my 9.5lb dressed up tavor feels much more comfortable than the 7lb Remington 700 primarily based on how the weight is distributed
This is a very viable option, however being a bolt action, it would limit OP for OAL, The renegade being a bolt can be fired with the stock folded as reciprocating the bolt is not required if the round is already chambered, this would mean it needs to be 26" with a folded stock while collapsed, or 26" with a fixed stock in minimum length.
My fixed stock with a 11.5" barrel measured 26.5, that means OP would need a 11.5" on a fixed stock, or 16" barrel on a folding stock to be non restricted regardless. (7.5" from buffer tube and roughly 1" clearance on the folding stock mechanism)
Just my 0.02$ about the renegade since I've built many barely legal length NR builds for amusement purposes.
PRRRoblematic
Member
- Location
- Vancouver, bc
Not if you lift. Jokes aside, I'm fairly new to the firearm scene, is 6lb heavy for a rifle? I have a turkenelli. It weighs 8lb and is very very long which feels very awkward. The x95 looks very compact and well balanced in comparison.
This really all comes down to what the use of this rifle is going to be.
For coyotes, wolves and smaller deer species 5.56 is fine. For deterring but probably not stopping Mr Bear 5.56 can suffice but if it´s determined to kill you then 5.56 won´t do. 11 rounds of 5.56 in semi auto makes for more hits and big lad or not getting shot hurts a lot hence deterrence but not the outright kill you want (yes shot placement is a thing but 99% of the people saying it are not experienced enough nor trained enough to actually achieve this in this situation)
For medium sized game like Mule and Whitetail deer with the right ammo and a good shot opportunity 5.56 will be ok, but to play devils advocate, if you´re backpacking you may not want to go any further than needed so bumping up a little bit to 7.62x39/6.5 Grendel/6.5 Creedmoor/308 Winchester might not be a bad thing to reduce how far the animal goes before dropping.
So if those use cases are ok with you then the Keltec RDB, IWI X95, Norinco Type 97 and SU16 are reasonable choices with the X95 being the most reliable and hard wearing.
If you want to step up into a bit of a larger calibre like 7.62x39 then I´m going to make a potentially controversial claim. Unless budgetary restraints are the core component of your choice the SKS is now a poor option. For the weight one can have a WK181 upper (with the far more reliable gas system compared to the WK180) and a WK180 Gen 2 lower which will allow for 7.62x39 STANAG mag use, hence 11 rounds good to go and immensely better optics, weaponlight, sling and other accessory options. NB: Do not rely on it reliably firing surplus for defence purposes, use hunting ammo only due to softer primers. Or one can have a Type 81M folder with far less accessory options but at least it´s shorter and has detachable magazines vs the SKS where realistically you have 5 rounds and that´s it.
I would personally recommend against any folded firearm if you are thinking of needing to use the gun with the stock folded in any fashion. If you need something quick to deploy, short and with the need to make a hit of risk high injury or death I would suggest a short stockless barreled open choke shotgun with some hard hitting buckshot. For the weight, length and probability of achieving a hit that´s your best bet. A coach gun obviously doesn´t fit into the folded stock factor here hence why I didn´t mention it. But again it really really depends on whether this gun is in your hands, on a bag and so forth.
If you want to step up to 308 then my suggestions would be the Tavor 7 and then the RFB. Compact hard hitting semi autos with good optics/accessory mounting options.
For coyotes, wolves and smaller deer species 5.56 is fine. For deterring but probably not stopping Mr Bear 5.56 can suffice but if it´s determined to kill you then 5.56 won´t do. 11 rounds of 5.56 in semi auto makes for more hits and big lad or not getting shot hurts a lot hence deterrence but not the outright kill you want (yes shot placement is a thing but 99% of the people saying it are not experienced enough nor trained enough to actually achieve this in this situation)
For medium sized game like Mule and Whitetail deer with the right ammo and a good shot opportunity 5.56 will be ok, but to play devils advocate, if you´re backpacking you may not want to go any further than needed so bumping up a little bit to 7.62x39/6.5 Grendel/6.5 Creedmoor/308 Winchester might not be a bad thing to reduce how far the animal goes before dropping.
So if those use cases are ok with you then the Keltec RDB, IWI X95, Norinco Type 97 and SU16 are reasonable choices with the X95 being the most reliable and hard wearing.
If you want to step up into a bit of a larger calibre like 7.62x39 then I´m going to make a potentially controversial claim. Unless budgetary restraints are the core component of your choice the SKS is now a poor option. For the weight one can have a WK181 upper (with the far more reliable gas system compared to the WK180) and a WK180 Gen 2 lower which will allow for 7.62x39 STANAG mag use, hence 11 rounds good to go and immensely better optics, weaponlight, sling and other accessory options. NB: Do not rely on it reliably firing surplus for defence purposes, use hunting ammo only due to softer primers. Or one can have a Type 81M folder with far less accessory options but at least it´s shorter and has detachable magazines vs the SKS where realistically you have 5 rounds and that´s it.
I would personally recommend against any folded firearm if you are thinking of needing to use the gun with the stock folded in any fashion. If you need something quick to deploy, short and with the need to make a hit of risk high injury or death I would suggest a short stockless barreled open choke shotgun with some hard hitting buckshot. For the weight, length and probability of achieving a hit that´s your best bet. A coach gun obviously doesn´t fit into the folded stock factor here hence why I didn´t mention it. But again it really really depends on whether this gun is in your hands, on a bag and so forth.
If you want to step up to 308 then my suggestions would be the Tavor 7 and then the RFB. Compact hard hitting semi autos with good optics/accessory mounting options.
To have a 223 backpack gun.
Not looking for survival situations with bears and big game as that would need a 12ga or something. Was just looking at the 223 round and wanted something small and can fit in a backpack. 22lr just isn't what I need. Or 9 mm
.223 backpack rifle was pretty clear in the thread title .... and also you mention the folding semi auto with detachable mags so that helps a bit too,
I sort of got the impression you were not looking for an animal defence gun so thanks for confirming that....
You also liked the CZ 600 Trail which is a bolt action but still has a tactical vibe and takes ar mags.....
Sounds like you want a cool, compact. 223 that can fit in a backpack for discreet transportation to undisclosed locations to shoot undisclosed targets.
Some people read "back pack" and they assume wilderness use. Maybe you just want something that is easy to carry on your bike to the range... hard to say and not really that important since we've ruled out the wilderness defence angle that was bound to come up.
Are you planing on actually backpacking and plinking in the bush?
I have a folding Troy PAR that is pretty compact but they are bit pricey and harder to find these days, some pretty good suggestions so far with the Trail and the straight pull options available with shorter barrels and or folding stocks if you want to build it that way.
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Sigh, you haven´t told us what ranges you want to shoot too, what your priorities are, etc etc.
What you´ve basically said is: "I want a car, a car no longer or wider than a hatchback but doesn´t have to be a hatchback"
Seriously we can´t help you with such vague goals
