Looking for recommendations on .223 setup

J

Jailcee

New member
Rating - 100%
17   0   0
Location
Ottawa
Hi,

Novice shooter here looking to get my first precision rifle. This rifle is for paper only, I'll never hunt with this. As I'm starting out in this discipline I'm looking to reach out to about 600m and I'm focused on getting plenty of trigger time which is how I landed on 223 vs 308 or larger. With possible boxing day deals coming up I'd like to get your recommendations:

Rifle: I'd much rather get something that is very good out of the box with little work than something that can be potentially perfect but requires lots of customization. I've been leaning towards a Tikka T3 with a heavy barrel and a 1:8 twist. I'd like to pay around $1000 for the rifle. Am I on the right track or would you suggest something else?

Glass: Budget is around $1000, maybe more, with the thought that I may eventually trade out of the rifle but probably not the glass. Buy once, cry once. For distances of 100-600m with the rifle in mentioned what would you use?

Misc: I'm aware of the benefit of reloading but have never done it. Starting out fresh what would you buy if you were to do your own 223 loads? What do you use at the range that you would recommend someone starting out in this discipline get?

Used vs new: Lots of stuff flows by on EE. At what point would you consider a 223 heavy barrel to be shot out? 500 rnds, 5000 rnds, 25000 rnds? What do you think about buying used glass sight unseen?

Thanks for the tips guys!
 
Just a random thought.... I don't know how much time and space you have but if you got into reloading that could open up a lot of doors for you. I only bring this up because you mentioned a desire for accuracy and lots of trigger time.

Unfortunately to answer your other questions I have no idea lol
 
Tikka would be fine it is a 1 In 8 twist and can stabilize heavier weight bullets. Used would probably be fine. It would take several thousand rounds to shoot out a 223 barrel. I have a sighton 8x32 x 56 it would be within your budget and is mechanically perfect and optics are good enough for f class. I can not answer your question to accurate ammunition as I only reload. However you should be looking for something with the highest ballistic coefficient that can be stabilized by your barrel. A 1 in 12 would be good till 55 grain. 1 in 9 maybe 62 grain. A savage is a little faster and many can do 75 grain. 1 in 8 will do up to 80 grain. 1 in 7 will go up to 90 grain.
 
I think that $1,000 is difficult if you are looking at new rifles. A Rem 700 could be found at that price but I believe that they only come in 12 twist which may not be best to 600 meters (62 grain bullets are a little light). For a little more ($1200) I would suggest a Savage 12 which come with a 7 twist heavy barrel.

From personal experience, these rifles can shoot very well out of the box. Without reloading you'll take your chances, as with any rifle, in finding commercial ammo that will shoot well with your rifle.

For scopes, I think that Sightron offers the best bang for your buck and you should be able to get a 32x in your price range.
 
Last edited:
You are unlikely to find a heavy barreled T3 NEW for your 1000 bucks - add a couple hundred to that plus tax (call it $1350).

If you are looking at $1000 taxes in for your rifle then you are really looking at an $850 rifle, which due to our buck being in the toilette is not much rifle nowadays if you are looking at new.

In the $850-$870 range (since you are in a 13% HST province), with heavier barrels you have:

Rem 700 SPS Varmint

Savage Mod 25 Varminter

Savage 10 or 11 heavy barrel

Weatherby Vanguard II HBAR (new for 2016, not on the shelves yet).

Before someone says I missed Ruger, CZ etc, with the current state of the Canadian buck they don't have an offering that gets you out the door for 1000 bucks. I just ran down the list at the wholesalers for "heavy barrel" (#3 contour) that would be on the shelf with a sticker price, including tax that would not be over 1K CDN$.

And I have one source that gives the barrel life of a 223 Rem @ 4500-5200 rounds...
 
Thanks for the models. A few have mentioned that $1k is a bit low for something brand new. How about something used? Do you think I would be better off with a brand new Savage 10 or with something that is normally more but is a good deal on EE. BTW I'm well aware of caveat emptor on EE but it remains a possibility. Incidentally there are deals on right now, and likely on boxing day, that have a chance of bringing better things into my price range. For example Lebaron currently has a no tax until the 24th.
 
I'd get the Tikka. Even if you got the T3 Lite, with a 1/8 twist you'll do fine at 600m. Buy some PMC 62 grain, or Federal Gold Medal Match 69 and 77 grain ammo to try. Hornady also has 68, and 75 grain match ammo. Get a Sightron scope, and go shoot!
 
Savage model 12 F/TR in .223 has a 1:7" twist. You will be able to shoot 80 and 90 gr bullets out to 900m/1000 yards. You should check out the National Capital Region Rifle Association that uses the range at Connaught. Handloading for these distances are a must. It is possible to make pretty good ammo on inexpensive loading equipment, however once bitten by the long range bug you will want to start upgrading your reloading equipment. For the price of a couple cases of match ammo, you can set yourself up with a nice reloading kit.
 
Pr589 said:
I think that $1,000 is difficult if you are looking at new rifles. A Rem 700 could be found at that price but I believe that they only come in 12 twist which may not be best to 600 meters (62 grain bullets are a little light). For a little more ($1200) I would suggest a Savage 12 which come with a 7 twist heavy barrel.

From personal experience, these rifles can shoot very well out of the box. Without reloading you'll take your chances, as with any rifle, in finding commercial ammo that will shoot well with your rifle.



For scopes, I think that Sightron offers the best bang for your buck and you should be able to get a 32x in your price range.
Click to expand...

My Remington 700 tactical is a 1 in 9 twist.


IMG_3062_zpsvus7chjl.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Hey, Glad to hear you are getting into the sport,
You could look at a savage 10tr, it is a heavy barreled 308 I just recently bought one for 725. Not sure on the availability in your area. they come with a better stock than the cheaper remingtons seeing how you think you will sell the rifle down the road you probably wont want to get a new stock,
Just a thought
 
Winchester-1897 said:
My Remington 700 tactical is a 1 in 9 twist.
Click to expand...

And what is the heaviest bullet you shoot and to what range? Bit of a thread-steal question here but the reason I ask is that I have a Ruger #3 with 1 in 10" twist and wondering what would be the heaviest bullet that would be reasonable for it. Obviously I'm going to try a few, just asking folks with experience.
 
With careful shopping and keeping an eye on the EE I was able to find a new never fired Remington 700 5R in .223, and a like new Vortex PST 6-24 FFP reticle. Both fit within your budget.
 
NVShooter said:
And what is the heaviest bullet you shoot and to what range? Bit of a thread-steal question here but the reason I ask is that I have a Ruger #3 with 1 in 10" twist and wondering what would be the heaviest bullet that would be reasonable for it. Obviously I'm going to try a few, just asking folks with experience.
Click to expand...

I had a savage axis with a 1/9 twist and shot 77gr berger tactical pretty good. Also for heavy shot 68gr hornadys great.
 
I have a savage 12 vlp in .223 I'm quite new to shooting and It will be awhile before I can match the guns potential. It's a beauty and very smooth action.

Jon
 
Mossberg MVP would be my recommendation. Very inexpensive and you can buy packages with a scope. Take any remaining cash and buy a Lee handloader or the classis single stage press. You would be up and into the game for under 2000 - this would include brass, bullets and primers. You could even scrounge 223 brass for free at the range to keep costs down. Spending more on a rifle/scope may not be beneficial if you don't have much money for ammo. Realistically you should aim to budget to have at least 500 matchgrade rounds to practice in a year and if you are not reloading the ammo alone will be over $1000 by itself. Just my .02.
 
r204 said:
There is a couple of good deals in the EE right now. For the rifle have a look at this one
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1324182-savage-model-12-FTR-223-stainless-bull-barrel-30-inch-900?highlight=ftr
And for a scope there is this one.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1325505-Bushnell-1-4x-PCL-250-Sightron-S3-8-32x56-LRMOA-Reticle-850?highlight=sightron
For under 2 grand you will be set up
Click to expand...

This! Jump on this quick! If I didn't already have this type of rifle covered it would be mine.
 
NVShooter said:
And what is the heaviest bullet you shoot and to what range? Bit of a thread-steal question here but the reason I ask is that I have a Ruger #3 with 1 in 10" twist and wondering what would be the heaviest bullet that would be reasonable for it. Obviously I'm going to try a few, just asking folks with experience.
Click to expand...

73gr Berger only out to 200 metres. Currently using 68gr Hornady with great success. I tried some 80gr awhile back and not one made the target.
 
PR589 gave some good advice. I see you're from Ottawa, are you really going to be shooting out to 500 yards? That's a range best served by 308 IMO.

The most accurate rifle I own is a R700 in .223, almost virgin rifle. SPS Tac. I replaced the trigger and that's it, and it was plenty accurate out of the box.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom