What rifle to buy next?

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MisterJ

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So thanks to Justin and his coven of pearl clutching, menopausal, gun grabbing witches banning all of my fun guns, I find myself with several thousand rounds of .223 and nothing to fire it out of.

I'm thinking of buying myself a bolt action and I wouldn't mind one that's a bit more "tactical" looking. I've thought about the CZ600 trail but I've seen some reviews that say it is not a great rifle. I'm also considering the Hera H6, Ruger American, Mossberg MVP, Remington 700 or the Savage 110. I also thought about the Tikka T3 but the price of their magazines is a big turn off for me.

So what do you guys reckon? Any thoughts on the ones I've mentioned or any other rifles I might consider. I want something reasonably accurate and won't fall apart after a thousand rounds. I'm not too worried about price at the moment, I'm still in the looking stage.

Thanks guys
 
I had the Mosberg and the Ruger and did not like them very much. The rest you are mentioning are proven bolt action rifles but I like the BCL Bison with a 12.5 inch barrel. The CZ Trail is a great choice too - don't believe reviews too much, even the best product gets negative reviews.
 
"Tikka T3 but the price of their magazines is a big turn off for me"
^^if you like the Tikka get it^^ - drop the barrelled action into a chasis of your choice Cabelas has the

Special Edition Tikka T3x SuperLite Bolt-Action Rifle in TrueTimber VSX on sale in 223.​

 
Bulk/military ammo + a semi=one kind of shooting
Good ammo + good bolt action=different kind of shooting

When I see a question that basically reads; "I want to shoot my bulk ammo from a bolt gun now" I think the question of accuracy expectations/optics should be in the same sentence.

A good .223 bolt gun with a decent scope is a very capable set-up, but if it's not great ammo and you want to burn through it/shoot reactive targets etc. like you would a semi=whatever feels best/suits the budget. New, I might consider a Howa Mini Action in the OP's case, used Savage 10, used CZ527, CZ Trail, etc. If this was a new journey/chasing accuracy on even a casual basis=I'd pick a Tikka probably.

A small/fun/robust gun-I think the 527s were offered in carbine length in .223? I know they were in 7.62X39
 
MisterJ said:
So thanks to Justin and his coven of pearl clutching, menopausal, gun grabbing witches banning all of my fun guns, I find myself with several thousand rounds of .223 and nothing to fire it out of.

I'm thinking of buying myself a bolt action and I wouldn't mind one that's a bit more "tactical" looking. I've thought about the CZ600 trail but I've seen some reviews that say it is not a great rifle. I'm also considering the Hera H6, Ruger American, Mossberg MVP, Remington 700 or the Savage 110. I also thought about the Tikka T3 but the price of their magazines is a big turn off for me.

So what do you guys reckon? Any thoughts on the ones I've mentioned or any other rifles I might consider. I want something reasonably accurate and won't fall apart after a thousand rounds. I'm not too worried about price at the moment, I'm still in the looking stage.

Thanks guys
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I too am very saddened by Socks pissing in my cornflakes. I like my CZ trail. Its not a sub MOA bolt but no worse than 2 MOA and a pretty solid gun otherwise. Honestly, I just wanted it for its tactical looks, weight and portability. I have really nice Sauer bolts that are sub MOA boomers otherwise.

I swear I am going to the range with the CZ trail and D60 drum mag installed. I really have to get a otherwise pointless flash suppressor to complete the look. I betcha anything I will get at least one fudd pissed at me thinking it prohibited. Man cool guns warm the cockles of my heart, even if the CZ trail is really just semi cool compared to what we had.

20241218_132306.jpg
 
MisterJ said:
So thanks to Justin and his coven of pearl clutching, menopausal, gun grabbing witches banning all of my fun guns, I find myself with several thousand rounds of .223 and nothing to fire it out of.

I'm thinking of buying myself a bolt action and I wouldn't mind one that's a bit more "tactical" looking. I've thought about the CZ600 trail but I've seen some reviews that say it is not a great rifle. I'm also considering the Hera H6, Ruger American, Mossberg MVP, Remington 700 or the Savage 110. I also thought about the Tikka T3 but the price of their magazines is a big turn off for me.

So what do you guys reckon? Any thoughts on the ones I've mentioned or any other rifles I might consider. I want something reasonably accurate and won't fall apart after a thousand rounds. I'm not too worried about price at the moment, I'm still in the looking stage.

Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Agree with many of the points. The only .223 that I can run my similarly numbered amount of ammo is in my T3x. The TACT A1 / CTR magazines are truly highway robbery price with a $200+ price tag (includes taxes) for a mere 10 rounder, which is metal, but hardly justifies the spend.

Now I know this ain't everyone's cup of tea, but there are some vendors out there in Canada that do have hit and miss CTR/TACT A1 3D printed magazines for sale - 8 rounders or 5 rounders or what not. I did buy some of these and for the most part, they work relatively well in my T3x TACT A1. At a fraction of a cost of a new one, it was well worth the roll of the dice.

I think the universal consensus is that you can't go wrong with a Tikka and if you want tactical, the TACT A1 in .223 may be what the doctor ordered. Add a nice scope and a bipod and that thing is approaching 15 lbs of lovin'...but a superb tack driver...
 
How about a Howa Mini, throw out the hogue stock, and set it up in an MDT chassis that you could tactical out. I think they have the LSS in Howa Mini, Oryx as well.
 
I have been wanting to get a 223 rifle for a while, and have tried a few.

Tried the henry lever long ranger express 223, and the single shot 223 and both were not something I wanted to keep. Really wanting the newly awaited henry supreme lever 223, but they are not in any hurry to produce them. I guess they are still having some issues they are trying to work out.

In the mean time I was finally able to find the new ruger gen II ranch. Short 16" barrel in 223, and had its first range day last weekend.

I have a bunch of components to reload for 223 so threw together 40 rounds with a mid range powder volume to burn at the range setting up the scope, and just sending lead. Also had 10 rounds loaded up for a ladder test at 200m, and was mildly impressed with 2 groups that have touching rounds. I am going to further test those two nodes in the coming weeks as time and weather permit.
Will need to try and adjust the trigger down a bit, and work towards a stock upgrade if I decide to keep the rifle. Will watch MDT boxing day sales for that. Right now the worst part is the AR mags it takes. They send it with a pinned 5/10 round mag, but I'm working on changing that up. Going to go the BCL/MXR 20 round mags fitted into the ruger magazine well. Still legal in Canada. Another option is getting the AIC mag well adapter and AIC mags, but they run almost double the cost of the MXR mags for only 10 rounds. Only other option is getting the pistol LAR mags, 10 rounds for $28, or the cross 10 round coupled set for $55. (2 @ 10 rounds coupled end to end)

I have decided to run the MXR mags as that is the cheapest option and then find 5 round mags for hunting with, as they will sit almost flush.

I'll be feeding it handloads and taking it out to 1000m as it is that capable. As mentioned with bulk 223 I don't think I could imagine that kind of accuracy.
 
MisterJ said:
I'm thinking of buying myself a bolt action and I wouldn't mind one that's a bit more "tactical" looking. I've thought about the CZ600 trail but I've seen some reviews that say it is not a great rifle.
Click to expand...
I had one this year. It's a cool little backpack gun. Handles well, packs well, the stock trigger is actually very good. Accuracy on mine was acceptable for a 16" 223 but not great by any means. It is not a sub MOA gun in my experience but I did sell it to a buddy without pushing load trials too far with it, so maybe I am wrong there. It was more like 3 MOA with average, nothing fancy 223 for me personally. Overall a fun little gun but it left me wanting more out of it personally.
The main drawbacks being the sloppily released bolt conversion kits and that whole fiasco with that and the lack of other caliber options. Mine was a Euro model too so the thread pitch on the barrel is a oddball, it was not the 1/2 28 standard AR pitch, despite it having AR grip and magazine compatibility.

My buddy who bought it still has it and loves it though. Shoots it every time we go out. Has a Burris 1-6 and lightweight bipod on it.
 
MisterJ said:
So thanks to Justin and his coven of pearl clutching, menopausal, gun grabbing witches banning all of my fun guns, I find myself with several thousand rounds of .223 and nothing to fire it out of.

I'm thinking of buying myself a bolt action and I wouldn't mind one that's a bit more "tactical" looking. I've thought about the CZ600 trail but I've seen some reviews that say it is not a great rifle. I'm also considering the Hera H6, Ruger American, Mossberg MVP, Remington 700 or the Savage 110. I also thought about the Tikka T3 but the price of their magazines is a big turn off for me.

So what do you guys reckon? Any thoughts on the ones I've mentioned or any other rifles I might consider. I want something reasonably accurate and won't fall apart after a thousand rounds. I'm not too worried about price at the moment, I'm still in the looking stage.

Thanks guys
Click to expand...
A Tikka T3X Varmint in a KRG Bravo chassis would be a tack driver and it takes AICS mags...
 
.22LRGUY said:
A small/fun/robust gun-I think the 527s were offered in carbine length in .223? I know they were in 7.62X39
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yes, the CZ527 in 223 was offered as a carbine and youth carbine. I think it would fit the bill perfectly and can shoot both 223 and 556.

They Steyr scout is a cool option as well but it's expensive (espcially the new scout II) and not a micro action.
 
Several years ago I put together a R700 action with a Savage 1:9 .223 barrel in a MDT LSS stock. Decent shooter, advantages of a chassis. Uses AICS pattern magazines. If black with a pistol grip maters, it's got that too.
 
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