Author Topic: thinking about buying a .223 bolt gun (Read 3891 times)

john keyes · « **on:** January 18, 2010, 07:49:33 AM »

I live in East Texas, no prairie dogs or ground hogs.....I have been thinking about trying to call in some coyotes at my deer lease but I have heard it is very difficult in heavily wooded terrain..
we do have some big crows...

still, I have a lot of other guns 6mm up that I could use for a coyote..

my question is besides punching paper what could I do with it?

I've just never owned one and the idea is kind of appealing. Might be good for my son who is six to hone some skills.

the idea of small groups at 200 yds always sounds like a good idea to me even if it is just paper.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2010, 08:00:54 AM »

Mine sits in the safe while the 22-250 goes out to play.

john keyes · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2010, 10:17:19 AM »

I like the 22-250 but I think feeding the 223 will be a little more economical

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2010, 10:18:46 AM »

If you don't hand load for sure .

john keyes · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2010, 10:45:45 AM »

I do handload but I was thinking about just buying a case of 1000 softpoints and calling it good. I am scared of the little case mouth, trying to get powder in.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2010, 10:49:48 AM »

Don't be there are funnels or adapters for powder dumps . With a 22-250 you can load down to 223 spec.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2010, 11:38:31 AM »

John-

The .223 is a fun round to shoot with. Less blast and longer barrel life then a 22-250, and it works fine on coyote. I use an AR-15 for coyote, and it works great with 40 grain bullets. They tend to blow up and stay in the dog, minimizing pelt damage. If you don't reload, there is a big selection of ammo available, from frangable 40 grn to NATO AP and tracer ammo, and everything in between. Enough reasons to buy a new gun, right?

PS- Check out the CZ bolt action in .223. I just bought one in .204 Ruger, and it shoots just as good as my heavy barrel Remington 22-250's, but weighs about 3 1/2 pounds less, scoped. It's the gun I use for coyote now in PA, where I cant use a semi-auto. That little .204 bullet sure kills em quick, velocity does kill, at least up close..

Larry

Flash · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2010, 04:49:58 PM »

The Ruger Predator is a good bolt gun in 223 but the 223 suffers from wind drift pretty bad over long ranges. If I was going to shoot over 200 yards, I'd go with a larger 22 round like the Swift or the 22-250.

moorepower · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2010, 07:53:41 AM »

The .223 is a great plinker/varmint round. Tons of different factory rounds and VERY easy to handload. Get some 748 of Benchmark a 40-60 grain bullet and start loading. If you are on any kind of budget, a Stevens 200 can not be beat.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** January 26, 2010, 12:01:20 PM »

.223 are kinda like the .38/.357s of the rifle world they are easy, cheap, and fun to shoot and generally shoot very well. I hear about alot of people in Texas using them for deer and Javalina,are good for just about any preditor and can be loaded way down for shooting squil and the like.

+1 on the CZ very good rifles. Savage or Stevens works too.

dks7895 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 26, 2010, 12:01:59 PM »

I bought a Stevens 200 in .223 Rem last year. I love it. It is a dream to shoot and is very accurate with factory 55gr VMAX.

Three44s · « **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2010, 08:04:08 PM »

Two AR's plus one in the oven ........

..... and a CZ 527 american for a bolt gun ........ all .223 (and 5.56mm)

I like the .223 in my bolt gun ........ this model comes stock with a single set trigger.

If there is but one critisim ...... it's too light for sand bags until you get used to it. But for a youngster ....... it would be tops!!! Very easy to pack around.

I am also a Savage/Stevens fan ...... I just completed my first barrel/bolt head swap and ended up with a Bull stainless barreled .25-06 out of the deal.

BUT for a dedicated .223 ..... there is SIMPLY no better rifle than the CZ

HERE's why:

When CZ designed it ....... they built a mini mauser action around the cartridge ....

Everybody else takes a big action and shims down to the dimunitive .223 casing.

You will have some breaking in to do ....... mine had to be refloated (the barrel). And as I shot the gun ........ it was very obvious that the barrel was a work in progress.

The trigger needed to be readjusted ......... and when I was done ..... factory manual actually has all the instructions .......... I was more than pleased with the standard trigger ..... about one pound and the set ........ 5 ounces .......

YES ....... everyone should have a single set trigger ...... it's LIVING!!

Three 44s

jimmyp50 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2010, 01:48:49 AM »

Quote from: john keyes on January 18, 2010, 07:49:33 AM

I live in East Texas, no prairie dogs or ground hogs.....I have been thinking about trying to call in some coyotes at my deer lease but I have heard it is very difficult in heavily wooded terrain..
we do have some big crows...

still, I have a lot of other guns 6mm up that I could use for a coyote..

my question is besides punching paper what could I do with it?

I've just never owned one and the idea is kind of appealing. Might be good for my son who is six to hone some skills.

the idea of small groups at 200 yds always sounds like a good idea to me even if it is just paper.

factory 22-250's are twisted 1-14, so your limited to lighter bullets, some .223's are twisted 1-9, the Tikka is twisted 1-8. The little CZ as someone said makes some sense but is still twisted 1-12.

A 1-9 twisted gun in the 223 is more versatile unless coyotes are the biggest thing you will ever want to shoot.

MR4SHOOTIN · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2010, 04:43:53 PM »

Check out the CZ 527 carbine in .223 it would be perfect for your son.You might want to go ahead and get two of them though because once you put your hands on it you are gonna want one for yourself too.

mike@nds · « **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2010, 02:44:09 PM »

The CZ 527 Varmint Kevlar has a 1/9 twist barrel.

The Lux has a 1/12.

Tremendiously accurate rifles, and the set trigger is sweet.

rugerfan.64 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2010, 04:38:20 PM »

I have a Rem 700 SPS Varmint,it shoots the Sierra 65 gr GK very well. Most of the time into the .3's for 5 shots. Has never shot over an inch at 100 yds. It stabilizes them all the way out to 300 yds. Its heavy,and that 26 inch tube gets all the fps the 223 has to offer. Probably why it stabilizes that 65 GK with a 1:12 twist. Its the easiest rifle I have to shoot. Wife loves it,kids love it,any one can shoot it easily. Not alot of bark at the muzzle,easy on the shoulder.

hillbill · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2010, 05:07:55 PM »

if yu choose the 223, which i would. the hard part is chooseing the rifle to shoot it from.there are so many good ones.my current fav is a browning abolt. quality rifle, but then so are my ruger 77 stainless and my bushmaster.cheap to shoot, easily available brass, variety of bullets. just purchased sum 55 grn fmj pulls for 9 buks a hundred at a gun show for practice rounds.plenty of gun for varmints and smaller highly edible deer.i like it.

diggler1833 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2010, 04:06:31 PM »

A 1:8 twist .223 is a good all around small game gun. Depending on the accuracy, you can easily stabilize the 75gr A-Max and 75gr Berger VLD all the way out to 1K with enough powder behind it. Either one of those rounds are more than enough on Coyotes out to where most are superseding thier comfort levels on distance.

Too bad my personal favorite (Remmy 700) only comes in either 1:9 or 1:12 twists. I've got a 20" 1:9 SPS Tactical bedded in a McMillan stock, and I've done a trigger job to it. It averages .503 MOA at 100yds, and .806 MOA at 200 (fighting the wind a bit, big downside to .224 projectiles) for (5) five shot groups. This was with basically unprepped range brass that I picked up at the range I work occasionally at as well.

I was really planning on doing a 1:8 twist .223AI this summer with that rifle, but as well as it is doing now, I'll keep it like it is for a while.

There are a lot of good .223's out there though.

hillbill · « **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2010, 03:38:52 PM »

i find myself useing my 223 rifles for about everything anymore.cant imagine being without one.i think they will also have a high resale in the future.well known caliber, easy on powder and lead, will kill anything up to 300lbs with carefully placed shots.

nomosendero · « **Reply #19 on:** April 03, 2010, 08:16:14 AM »

Quote from: hillbill on March 29, 2010, 03:38:52 PM

i find myself useing my 223 rifles for about everything anymore.cant imagine being without one.i think they will also have a high resale in the future.well known caliber, easy on powder and lead, will kill anything up to 300lbs with carefully placed shots.

Well said! I consider it a must have for those that shoot alot. It's a staple for me, as is having an 06', 12 ga., 44 mag handgun & 22's. I have no plans of being without one.

hillbill · « **Reply #20 on:** April 07, 2010, 04:14:52 PM »

nomosendero, well said, im a 357 man myself but then where i live a 44 aint needed, ive had sum 44's but always traded them off as i never had dies and stuff for them.now a 45 lc may be in my future. but just cuz my dad has dies and bullets and stuff to try one out.but i can see where the 44 is attractive, but all i got to hunt here is deer and littler creatures.

Daman · « **Reply #21 on:** April 08, 2010, 07:22:42 AM »

What can you use the 223 for?

HMMMM let's see...

I shoot paper, deer, and up to 350 pound hogs with mine. I have only had one deer run after being shot at the base of the neck and have never even had a hog quiver with it. Granted I don't shoot hogs behind the shoulder I shoot them between the eyes or in the ear. I would rather have the 223 for this than 243 but that is just my opinion and I know others are going to bash it, but I shoot the 223 more accurately and don't trust the 243 for hog body shots.

Daman

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #22 on:** April 08, 2010, 11:17:14 AM »

I own 4 .223 rifles.
two are bolts,
One is a single shot T/C condender carbine 16.25" with a 2.5-7 X 33 Weaver scope. Great little hiking rifle.
and an AR-15 Iron sights.
The bolts are:
Remington 700 SPS in a Kevlar stock topped with a Weaver 6-24X42AO and a 6" sunshade.
This thing is almost no fun to shoot- Put the cross hairs on anything out to 200 yards and BANG - POP a hit.
The cool thing is the rifle is really heavy and shooting at Potatoes, ground squirels, or clay birds you can see a miss in the scope.
The other is a Cz 527 M1 American with a Weaver 3-9X38
It is a much lighter rifle but on lower power you too can see misses out to 100 yards.
I have used this rifle to hunt Javilina in Az this past Feb with success for me and one of my friends ran out of ammo and grabed my rifle rather than try to reload his and made a first round hit on a moving Javilina at a tenth of a mile. First round he ever fired from the gun.
We found the 50 grain bullet in the skin of the offside shoulder. It went through the liver, heart, and broke a rib on the way out and it was in two pieces nicley mushroomed.

ballistx · « **Reply #23 on:** April 08, 2010, 03:24:54 PM »

I picked up a Savage Edge in 223. $308 out the door with Weaver mounts. Only shot a couple of loads I had laying around but those shot 0.6 and 0.5 @ 100 yards. AND it is American made.

Justin10mm · « **Reply #24 on:** May 16, 2010, 12:07:20 PM »

I have a cz 527 american in 223 that is about as nice a rifle as you can buy nowadays. Fit and finish rival my kimber 84m. The light weight and short length make it a perfect brush gun. I also like the small action, it is specifically sized to the 223, compared to other short actions that are sized to the larger 308.

nomosendero · « **Reply #25 on:** May 16, 2010, 02:20:59 PM »

I don't currently have a CZ, but I agree that they are excellant.

helotaxi · « **Reply #26 on:** May 17, 2010, 02:16:47 PM »

The Model 25 Savage is also built on a dedicated .223/.204 length action and is available with a sporter or varmint weight barrel. Also comes with a 1:9 twist barrel.

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #27 on:** May 18, 2010, 06:26:47 AM »

john keyes

I live in East Texas, no prairie dogs or ground hogs.....I have been thinking about trying to call in some coyotes at my deer lease but I have heard it is very difficult in heavily wooded terrain..I would suggest a sporter weight bolt action with a 20 - 4" barrel. It will be quite handy on a call yet still accurate enough for some serious varmint shooting. I would suggest not over scoping it also. A quality 3x9 or 3.5x10 is all the scope that is needed. I've several .223 bolt action rifles and my favorite is a M70 XTR pretty much as described with a Leupold compact 3x9 on it. Very handy on a call with the scope at 3X and on 10X it's all that's needed for some very longish shots on squirrels, rock chucks and coyote's. I've been hunting varmints with the .223 since '67 and my own 22-250 mostly sits at home in the gun safe.

we do have some big crows...I mostly use Hornady 55 gr SXs (12" twist barrel) on varmints from small Belding Ground squirrels up through coyotes. I also have killed numerous deer and even a couple elk (as an LEO) with the .223. I'm not saying it is an elk rifle by any stretch but I have hunted Texas deer on the Kerr Ranch and would have much preferred using that little M70 .223 on the spike and doe I shot to the '06 M70 I did use. I ended up just neck shooting them and the little .223 would have done just as well. Just to finish here that many a crow has bit the dust to my .223 bolt action rifles.

still, I have a lot of other guns 6mm up that I could use for a coyote..

my question is besides punching paper what could I do with it? hunt/shoot other varmints. As mentioned you could shoot your deer on your own lease with it. As you mention it would be excellent for the son to start out with. My wife and kids all were weened on the .223 and they moved up to other cartridges with out problems. With cast bullets it can be loaded down to .22LR power or with 35 - 45 gr Hornet bullets to 22 Hornet velocities. With the 55 gr bullet at 3200 fps it is a very versitile varmint/smaller deer cartridge. It is also more economical to load which means more shooting for the $s.

I've just never owned one and the idea is kind of appealing. Might be good for my son who is six to hone some skills.

the idea of small groups at 200 yds always sounds like a good idea to me even if it is just paper. With match bullets I can shoot 5 shots into 1" at 200 yards with the little M70 if I take my time and don't heat up the barrel. Of course with my heavy barreled varminters accuracy is better but then I don't use the heavies as a call or walk about rifle either. The M70 is about perfect for that. There are numerous other rifles comparable in size and handling qualities of the M70 XTR I have. I'd suggest a little research and that you consider them.

Larry Gibson

john keyes · « **Reply #28 on:** May 18, 2010, 01:46:10 PM »

thanks guys

AWESOME info

you guys rule

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #29 on:** May 18, 2010, 02:14:42 PM »

So is that a you're going to get one or thanks for the information?