.223 rifle choice

[ratherbefishin]

I don't want to spend a lot of money,and I really don't ''need'' another rifle-but the supply of bargain priced .223 is hard to ignore.
I'm looking for reasonable accuracy[not bench rest competition] and basically recreational shooting.So far I'm looking at the Savage, Marlin and H&R rifles.Some come as ''package'' deals with rifle and scope.I'm not looking at high end stuff-just something that I can shoot with.I rarely shoot over 100 yards-even for deer hunting[I might go to the Queen Charlottes for a deer hunt and a .223 would be perfectly adequite for deer that rarely go over 100 lb.and I would normally take my swede 6.5x55]
What would you choose ,given this criteria?

[BBF]

The first two seem to have no problems. The Handis are either good or a pain in the rump. For the same price or close I would get a bolt gun.I prefer one with a detachable magazine.

[ratherbefishin]

the  savage edge /axis gets good reviews-and I do like the idea of a bolt gun.What I would like to know is-how are the triggers?Good,bad,or indiferent?And how do these rifles do on surplus ammunition?I can always get a box of good stuff if I'm going to hunt with it

[Catfish]

I pick up a Savage Axis in 22-250 a while back and while there are something I don`t like about it for the price it`s hard to beat. It has the old Savage trigger with a heavy trigger spring and no set screw on it, but that is an easy and cheap fix. I am also not reall pleased with their recoil lus systum on it, but it will do fine on a 223. The one I got shoots extreemly accurately with the only load I tried in it. For the price it`s real hard to beat.

[ratherbefishin]

what about the savage 200 with the accutrigger?[if you can find one]

[cjclemens]

You can't go wrong with a savage. I have several, and they're all excellent rifles. I even have a Stevens 200 in .243. Without the accutrigger, trigger pull is rather heavy, but it still breaks clean with out too much creep. The only drawback to the Stevens 200 is the super cheap synthetic stock and its ugly grey color. Aside from that, it's a solid dependable rifle.

[ratherbefishin]

If the only drawback is the cheap hollow synthetic stock ,you might try doing what I did to my  Marlin 795 synthetic stock by removing the buttplate and injecting NON EXPANDING industrial foam[very important-expanding foam can distort the stock]Its a cheap,$3 fix that makes any synthetic  hollow stock''solid'' without adding weight.Its a great improvement .

[BBF]

The missing recoil lug "thingee" gave me a bit of concern in my 308. Nothing bent or cracked as yet and the 223 should have no problems with it at all.

[Cuts Crooked]

+1 on the Savage Edge/Axis. I bought one recently and am pleased with it. The trigger was not bad, but it could use a little work, which I did.... very easy to do. You have to be selective about optics, at least a 6" tube, because anything shorter will cause the rings to hit the objective/ocular bells, and wont fit the bases.

[JTB]

I'm not really a huge Savage fan, but I agree for the money the Axis would be hard to beat.

[JonnyReb]

 Another vote for the Axis. Mine is .308 and at $256.00 plus tax at walmart last fall it was a bargain.. shoots much better and seems built better than $256.00 should allow but that's just another plus for Savage. Like CC said, make sure you get long enough optics to fit and prepare to be impressed.  J

[mcwoodduck]

I own 4 rifles chambered in 223.
Of them I like the CZ the best. 
I bought a CZ527 M1 with a wood stock a few years back and put a Weaver 3-9X38 V9 on it.
The other rifles are an AR-M15A2, Remington 700 SPS in the kevlar varmint stock wearing a weaver 6-24X42 Scope and a T/C Contender 16.25" with a Weaver V7.
I have each for a specific hunting I do and they work well for it.
If I were to do it again.  I think I would replace the 700 with a CZ 527 Varmint.
I really like the CZ action and the detachable mags.  Most other 223 is based on a 308 action and like hte 700 I have to play with the ammo loading the gun to make sure they seat.  The CZ is a 223 frame and the mag makes loading and carrying spare ammo easy in either a 3 round or 5 round mag.  So far I have not found an ammo slide in leather for 223 and I hate carrying accurate rounds in a loose pounch or pocket. 

[bcraig]

I have a CZ 527 carbine in 223 and use the leather mag pouch from hunter(for a 7600) to carry an extra Mag.
Please dont buy a CZ 527 carbine at a good price as I would like to hoard all of thes single set Trigger super sweet rifles I can!
Best kept secret in rifles as far as I am concerned.
Craig

[mcwoodduck]

I have a CZ 527 carbine in 223 and use the leather mag pouch from hunter(for a 7600) to carry an extra Mag.
Please dont buy a CZ 527 carbine at a good price as I would like to hoard all of thes single set Trigger super sweet rifles I can!
Best kept secret in rifles as far as I am concerned.
Craig

Tripple K makes a pouch called the #107 that is made to hold two 50 round paper boxes of 22LR.  And will easily hold that amount loose in 22, 22Mag, or the 17's.  But it will also hold 2 of the CZ 5 round mags like it was made for it. 

[45-70.gov]

mossberg  MVP  looks interesting...tho i have never seen one


any body  know about these??


no shortage  of a magazines!!


http://www.mossberg.com/rifle-calibers/556mmnato-223-rem

[redleg11b]

Found this on another forum I frequent:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=480137&highlight=Mossberg+mvp

[STRANGE1]

i vote for the savage 10 or the stevens 200.  The only real difference is the accutrigger.  The stocks arent great at all, but feel studier than the axis (edge) I have handled.  I regularly get 1/2 - 3/4 moa out of my stevens with cheap ammo.
 
 

[Lonegun1894]

I have two of the Remingtons, but have shot several Savages, both 10s and the Stevens 200 version, and they're about equal.  I haven't shot the Marlin, so can't comment there.  I got to try a CZ with the single set trigger, and it took a lot of doing to get one of my Remingtons to the same point.  Enough of a pain that I have only done that kind of trigger-job on one of them.  The others all got adjusted, but that CZs trigger right out of the box like that can't be beat.  I will pick up a Savage 200 for a truck gun one of these days though.  Kinda an ugly stock, but they shoot as well as the Remingtons that I paid quite a bit more for.

[nomosendero]

I own 4 rifles chambered in 223.
Of them I like the CZ the best. 
I bought a CZ527 M1 with a wood stock a few years back and put a Weaver 3-9X38 V9 on it.
The other rifles are an AR-M15A2, Remington 700 SPS in the kevlar varmint stock wearing a weaver 6-24X42 Scope and a T/C Contender 16.25" with a Weaver V7.
I have each for a specific hunting I do and they work well for it.
If I were to do it again.  I think I would replace the 700 with a CZ 527 Varmint.
I really like the CZ action and the detachable mags.  Most other 223 is based on a 308 action and like hte 700 I have to play with the ammo loading the gun to make sure they seat.  The CZ is a 223 frame and the mag makes loading and carrying spare ammo easy in either a 3 round or 5 round mag.  So far I have not found an ammo slide in leather for 223 and I hate carrying accurate rounds in a loose pounch or pocket.

The CZ is a great choice if that price point is OK with the OP, the choices he mentioned are on the low end, yea I like the CZ's.

[nomosendero]

mossberg  MVP  looks interesting...tho i have never seen one


any body  know about these??


no shortage  of a magazines!!


http://www.mossberg.com/rifle-calibers/556mmnato-223-rem

I bought my Wife one of those, the best version for her uses is the 20" Predator version.
This one: https://www.mossberg.com/product/rifles-bolt-action-centerfire-mvp-series-mvp-predator/27711
 
I at first boohooed the idea of any Mossberg rifle, but for one this is a nicer version than most & 2 I had read and heard tons of good reviews from many sources & I can tell you it does very well thanks you. With 55 grain BT or V-Max, 60 gr. Horn SP or V-Max & 65GK & 69 MK, it will land 5 under an inch with the 60 V-Max or 55BT or V-Mx it will do 5 for 3/4" on a reg. basis & 1/2" some, but not ready to say 1/2" on a regular basis. I am still developing loads, so the best is yet to come I feel. With the stock & barrel design it is nicer than the lower end guns mentioned & gives up nothing that I have found & offers the advantage of the clips & being an AR owner that is kinda neat. It costs a little more than an Axis or Mar, though not a great deal. It now wears a Nikon P-223 scope.
No regrets period.

[mcwoodduck]

I own 4 rifles chambered in 223.
Of them I like the CZ the best. 
I bought a CZ527 M1 with a wood stock a few years back and put a Weaver 3-9X38 V9 on it.
The other rifles are an AR-M15A2, Remington 700 SPS in the kevlar varmint stock wearing a weaver 6-24X42 Scope and a T/C Contender 16.25" with a Weaver V7.
I have each for a specific hunting I do and they work well for it.
If I were to do it again.  I think I would replace the 700 with a CZ 527 Varmint.
I really like the CZ action and the detachable mags.  Most other 223 is based on a 308 action and like hte 700 I have to play with the ammo loading the gun to make sure they seat.  The CZ is a 223 frame and the mag makes loading and carrying spare ammo easy in either a 3 round or 5 round mag.  So far I have not found an ammo slide in leather for 223 and I hate carrying accurate rounds in a loose pounch or pocket.

The CZ is a great choice if that price point is OK with the OP, the choices he mentioned are on the low end, yea I like the CZ's.

I have found that you get what you pay for.  Like I said earlier the majority of the 223 rifles in the low and meduim end arte based on a 308 (7.62X51mm) Action.  The 223 is a 45 mm case  and the 22 bullet is about 1/2 to 1/3 the length of the 30 caliber bullet.  There is a whole lot of room in that action for the 223.  I have a Rem 700 SPS that is tricked out for varmints with a long barrel and a fiberglass stock and a large scope.  The problem I have with them is the space in the action and the time needed to load the rifle and make sure the rounds are seated in the mag so they will feed.  Personally if a Short action is the basis for the rifle I would pick another caliber than the 223 rem.  22-250 makes more used of the space in the action.  243 would be another good choice.  Or even the 308 Win with either the Remington Low recoil 125 grain bullets, hand loads with smaller bullets moving moderate speeds or very heavy bullets moving really slow like the Whisper rounds. 
After owning the 700 SPS, I wanted a walk around 223 for small to medium Big game (Javilina, Cues Deer, and  small sized Pigs)  I played with your standard short actions like the Ruger, the Remington, and the Savage guns.  They seemed a pound or too heavier than I wanted for the hills of AZ and the fingers in the area we hunt that the hills are almost vertical.  I was able to see a CZ 527 M1 in wood at a gun shop and liked it, kind of wanted the plastic stock but am happy with the wood stock.  I liked the flush fitting 3 round mag and the ability to take the 5 round boxes as well.  I liked the detachable mag that allowed me to mount a 3-9X38mm scope low and take advantage of the smaller objective scope.  I did not have to leave room to get my thumb in there to load ctgs.  I liked the shorter action.  And it was not that much more than the Savage. 
I want another one.  Cz 527 Lux with the open sights.  While the Carbine is cute I got to hold bother the Carbine and the Lux side by side at a Big box in RENO and liked the balance of the Lux.  But now I am rambleing even worse than I normally do. 

[nomosendero]

I own 4 rifles chambered in 223.
Of them I like the CZ the best. 
I bought a CZ527 M1 with a wood stock a few years back and put a Weaver 3-9X38 V9 on it.
The other rifles are an AR-M15A2, Remington 700 SPS in the kevlar varmint stock wearing a weaver 6-24X42 Scope and a T/C Contender 16.25" with a Weaver V7.
I have each for a specific hunting I do and they work well for it.
If I were to do it again.  I think I would replace the 700 with a CZ 527 Varmint.
I really like the CZ action and the detachable mags.  Most other 223 is based on a 308 action and like hte 700 I have to play with the ammo loading the gun to make sure they seat.  The CZ is a 223 frame and the mag makes loading and carrying spare ammo easy in either a 3 round or 5 round mag.  So far I have not found an ammo slide in leather for 223 and I hate carrying accurate rounds in a loose pounch or pocket.

The CZ is a great choice if that price point is OK with the OP, the choices he mentioned are on the low end, yea I like the CZ's.

I have found that you get what you pay for.  Like I said earlier the majority of the 223 rifles in the low and meduim end arte based on a 308 (7.62X51mm) Action.  The 223 is a 45 mm case  and the 22 bullet is about 1/2 to 1/3 the length of the 30 caliber bullet.  There is a whole lot of room in that action for the 223.  I have a Rem 700 SPS that is tricked out for varmints with a long barrel and a fiberglass stock and a large scope.  The problem I have with them is the space in the action and the time needed to load the rifle and make sure the rounds are seated in the mag so they will feed.  Personally if a Short action is the basis for the rifle I would pick another caliber than the 223 rem.  22-250 makes more used of the space in the action.  243 would be another good choice.  Or even the 308 Win with either the Remington Low recoil 125 grain bullets, hand loads with smaller bullets moving moderate speeds or very heavy bullets moving really slow like the Whisper rounds. 
After owning the 700 SPS, I wanted a walk around 223 for small to medium Big game (Javilina, Cues Deer, and  small sized Pigs)  I played with your standard short actions like the Ruger, the Remington, and the Savage guns.  They seemed a pound or too heavier than I wanted for the hills of AZ and the fingers in the area we hunt that the hills are almost vertical.  I was able to see a CZ 527 M1 in wood at a gun shop and liked it, kind of wanted the plastic stock but am happy with the wood stock.  I liked the flush fitting 3 round mag and the ability to take the 5 round boxes as well.  I liked the detachable mag that allowed me to mount a 3-9X38mm scope low and take advantage of the smaller objective scope.  I did not have to leave room to get my thumb in there to load ctgs.  I liked the shorter action.  And it was not that much more than the Savage. 
I want another one.  Cz 527 Lux with the open sights.  While the Carbine is cute I got to hold bother the Carbine and the Lux side by side at a Big box in RENO and liked the balance of the Lux.  But now I am rambleing even worse than I normally do.

I found that we got more than what we paid for with the MVP. Another thing I did not mention is the action is sized for the 223 round & of course the AR clips are as easy as any to load. I might buy a CZ in 204 sometime, no need to get one in 223 now. I am eyeing one in '06 with real nice wood now, but that's another story far removed from OP question.

[Flynmoose]

I shot a friends Mossberg rifle in 270 and found it to be very accurate.
FM

[anweis]

a Savage Axis .223 will have a 1:9 twist and will stabilize heavier hunting bullets very well. After break i, the barrel is very accurate. The triggers are heavy, but easy to fix in 10 minutes, just google savage axis trigger fix on youtube.
I like mine. I may never hunt with it, but's a good rifle.