223 build options

[kochie]

@Rocketvaper
I feel your pain. Until I put together my Savage model 12 target action with the Urban Rifleman barrel (.223) I've never been able to consistently put together 3-5 shot groups under MOA with any of my rifles. This latest combo changed all of that. I have several 3 shot groups under 1/2" at 200 yards. Only with 69 SMK so far but working up loads for 55 and 77/80 as well. I attribute the small group size to: Great barrel, 69 SMK's and my improved shooting technique.

That saids it all .

 

[Rocketvapor]

Well, 3 and 5 shot groups just don't hold up @ 600yds for me.
Seems I always get a few 9's.
Going for some practice (@600) this morning.
I'll be shooting my AR against the wife's Savage.

I know a bunch of you guys are HM, I see some at the range I go to.

OP wants "cheap bolt action 223" that will hold "An honest half moa to 500m".
Prone, Bench, or OTC?
Wouldn't that be like a 600-60X?

 

[CharlieNC]

Well, 3 and 5 shot groups just don't hold up @ 600yds for me.
Seems I always get a few 9's.
Going for some practice (@600) this morning.
I'll be shooting my AR against the wife's Savage.

I know a bunch of you guys are HM, I see some at the range I go to.

OP wants "cheap bolt action 223" that will hold "An honest half moa to 500m".
Prone, Bench, or OTC?
Wouldn't that be like a 600-60X?

I see many new fclass records with 200/30+ x-count!

 

[Turkeytider]

@Rocketvaper
I feel your pain. Until I put together my Savage model 12 target action with the Urban Rifleman barrel (.223) I've never been able to consistently put together 3-5 shot groups under MOA with any of my rifles. This latest combo changed all of that. I have several 3 shot groups under 1/2" at 200 yards. Only with 69 SMK so far but working up loads for 55 and 77/80 as well. I attribute the small group size to: Great barrel, 69 SMK's and my improved shooting technique.

69 grain SMKs have to be one of the overall best .223 bullets ever made. Even very good in factory loads. ADI makes a great one, at least through my gun. Favorite load for my Savage 12 LRPV, 7 twist, at 500 yards. Easily a sub-MOA set up at 500 when I`m not screwing up the shot.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Well, 3 and 5 shot groups just don't hold up @ 600yds for me.
Seems I always get a few 9's.
Going for some practice (@600) this morning.
I'll be shooting my AR against the wife's Savage.

I know a bunch of you guys are HM, I see some at the range I go to.

OP wants "cheap bolt action 223" that will hold "An honest half moa to 500m".
Prone, Bench, or OTC?
Wouldn't that be like a 600-60X?

Yes it would be, under angelic conditions.
But I've never seen them.

 

[Fast14riot]

I feel some posters understand when I say an honest 1/2 moa gun and others don't. To me, a good barrel and build should shoot nearly any appropriate combo reasonably close to half minute, with minimal tuning. The 223 is a very accurate cartridge that is easy to get to shoot.

But, again, this build is not for any specific discipline. Just a good, accurate range toy for fun matches. Will need to be a 1:7 or 1:7.5 twist, I don't plan on shooting anything lighter than 75s regularly. (I do have a 222rem for lightweight bullets)

Swapping nutted barrels is no problem for me either.

I think I'm going to try and keep an eye out for a R700, 223 bolt. I've got a spare McMillan prone stock inlet for r700 with HS dbm bottom metal if I want to go repeater. Ive also got a SR/BR stock. A couple 40x stocks and a Choate.

But who knows. I may order a howa mini instead. I've never sold a gun. Only bought more safes, lol!

 

[Oso]

I own a few .223's (adult 22lr) in various configurations. I enjoy the mini-actions, such as the CZ527 and Howa Mini-1500, They make great lightweight field guns! However, their smaller size gives them a different feel for shooting precision from the bench or bipod. If you are used to full size rifles then it may feel awkward. They are more comparable to a 22lr rifle (smaller footprint and lighter overall weight).

I love my mini-actions for hunting, but when it comes time to do serious shooting at the range then out comes a 700 size action in a full-sized setup.

 

[Fast14riot]

I own a few .223's (adult 22lr) in various configurations. I enjoy the mini-actions, such as the CZ527 and Howa Mini-1500, They make great lightweight field guns! However, their smaller size gives them a different feel for shooting precision from the bench or bipod. If you are used to full size rifles then it may feel awkward. They are more comparable to a 22lr rifle (smaller footprint and lighter overall weight).

I love my mini-actions for hunting, but when it comes time to do serious shooting at the range then out comes a 700 size action in a full-sized setup.

Thats a valid point. I've never shot the mini actions, but am used to switching between platforms of 700 and AR, which the latter with 20" hbar and irons at 14lbs feels like a toy.

The fun matches I'm talking about are not F/class. My club hosts a "hunters silhouette" match which is shot from field positions with basic field supports like a 2 point sling. The "No Bull" match which is a team match shot on silhouette range with targets like golf balls, 1"x9" steel, "middle finger" steel cut outs at various distances in a single stage, etc.

I may be shooting it from a Harris bipod one day, then from a sand bag, or even my front rest with a rear bag or just a sling.

Not purpose built, but built with a purporse.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I’m really impressed with a Howa 6.5 Creedmoor that I just bought. They are making a nice rifle built in Japan.

 

[DiRTY DOG]

In case any of you who may be reading this that don’t know who they are referencing when talking about NSS! That’s Northland Shooters Supply. Good folks, link below.

SAVAGE FACTORY ACTIONS | Northland Shooters Supply

Northland Shooters Supply (NSS) offers Savage Factory Actions.

northlandshooterssupply.com

They partner with a gunsmith down the street for cutting, crowning, threading, etc. Call NSS, buy the barrel, have them drop it off at the gunsmith. Work is usually completed the next day and shipped immediately. Very convenient.

 

[Oso]

The mini-actions are compact, including the stocks. Mine are all in aftermarket stocks, BC or HS Precisions, and the dimensions of the stocks are all sized down. Hence, the overall feeling of shooting a .22lr. These are basically sporter rifles in line with size of Sako L46/L461. Their lighter weight and compact footprint makes them easy to carry in the field and maneuver around small spaces (hunting blinds and golf carts).

There are only a few aftermarket stocks offered for these actions and they are all "junior" size. Your option for a standard sized stock is either to custom order a stock from the manufacturer and have them inlet it for the mini-action or maybe a chassis. There are a few chassis options, with MDT coming to mind with most options.

The mini-actions are petite. Running one fast is about finesse, and not brute force. You pop open the bolt with your index finger and you close it with your thumb centered on the rear of the bolt. If you grabbed it hard and try to run it like a Rem 700 at a PRS match then it will bind.

Just food for thought. Based on your desired purpose, I would find someone in your club that has one and try it out to see how well it will fit your intended purpose. If you find yourself in Houston drop me a note and I'll bring a few for you to try.

 

[David Milisock]

I shoot a Howa 1500 kit gun for varmints in 223, I only compete with varmints. I shoot 40 grain VMAX at ridiculous velocities into 1 1/16" 300 yard groups on calm days. Which doesn't mean crap for what you want to do however I've been reading his post for sometime now and if I were at your place in time I'd call the Urban Rifleman and hear what he has to say.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

Call Chad at LRI. He maybe able to sleeve your bolt for a .223 case and put in a mini M-16 extractor.
A single shot adapter from PTG. A Bartlien or Krieger Remington Varmint contour Barrel at 26" with a 1-7.5 or 1-7.7 twist. NO barrel nuts. Fit to Action. Bed into your prone stock and go have fun with it!

 

[SteveOak]

22 BR would save you from buying another bolt.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

223 tilka varmint 8 twist. This is just a random mid charge with exterminator, blem vmax, new starline brass. I only have 50 rds down the barrel. My buddy just got a super varmint with Fiocchi 40 gr is was easy sub moa with annoying wind. Shot off a stable table and a bipod, thats .25 moa lost right there. Not sure I could build or shoot better unless it was a crazy benchrest setup.

 

[Lefty2506]

I don't think they offer it in .223 any more, but my current rifle is a Savage 12FV chambered in .223 that I bought from Cabela's a couple of years ago for $350. I'm not a fan of the Savage triggers (I prefer a 2 stage fully adjustable trigger). I was kicking around putting together a Savage from scratch to see if I could get used to the trigger or not, but for $350, I just bought the darn gun and started using it. I've shot Savage rifles in the past that were legit 1/2 moa rifles, but (depending on the load) can be as much as 3/4 moa at 500 yds. Don't get me wrong, I've shot a few 1/4 moa groups with it, and with some loads it IS a 1/2 moa rifle, but other loads open up just a little.

I've had this in a Boyde's At-One thumbhole stock, and just recently moved it to an Oryx chassis so I could feed it with a 10rnd AICS mag instead of the 5 rnd blind box mag it originally had. I use it for PDs, so the 10 rnd detachable mag was worth the upgrade. I've also upgraded to a Timney trigger which I like a little better than the stock trigger. Cabela's currently sells the 12FV for $450ish, but they only show it in 308 and 6.5cm. All of this being said, I'm not buying another bolt action Savage rifle because I want my 2 stage trigger.... If I liked single stage triggers, I'd buy or build another savage in a heartbeat.

 

[Shotafterdark]

Tikka 223 I have a super varmint & love it has a 1/8 twist.

Ditto ...my 223 shoots ragged holes with every load I make for it !!

 

[Shotafterdark]

Urban rifleman barrels are on the no-go list for me. That's all I'm going to say about it.

I was getting ready to order an extra 22 Creed barrel for my Remmy 700 GAP gun from him ...
PLease share ....send me a PM

 

[Fast14riot]

Well, as it turns out, a buddy made me an offer on a new 700 223 action I can't pass up, so going that way.

 

[Herzo]

I put together a 24" free floated heavy barrel 1:8 AR a number of years ago, but never had the opportunity to really wring it out. Recently, I bought some Barnes 85 gr match Burners and started to play around with VV-N530. With a little work, I was producing 1/4 MOA groups with mag length cartridges. Unfortunately I have no idea who's barrel it is other than having purchased it from Shurlucks at Camp Perry.