Variation approved .223

[Sammyadds]

Hi All,

After a fair amount of time on the rimfires I finally put in for a variation to .223 and my license came back last week.

I will be using it for long range rabbits, fox and the occasional Munty.

As I’m extremely tight I’m looking at the second hand market, and would ideally like to stay to a budget of £400 with a MOD.

I’m after some advice on what would be good to look at? any brands to stay away from? What to look for in twist rate? Any useful info or even just opinions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


Note to mods - this is not a wanted add, but happy to amend if needed. Also if the question has been asked previously (I couldn’t find it) happy to remove.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Note to mods

The mods on this site seem to be very relaxed Sam.

Howa 1500 or older T3x might just scrap in your budget.
My nephew just purchased a T3x with Stalon mod and Leopold scope for £750 from a local gunsmiths, it's done bugger all work, the chap lost his ticket who owned it.

 

[takbok]

Tikka or Howa 1500 (also sold as RWS Model 89/Weatherby Vanguard) would be really good options.

There's a Browning X-Bolt and a Steyr on Guntrader too that are nice rifles within your budget.

Ruger M77 are lovely quality but can require a bit of fiddling with bedding to get to shoot accurately in my experience.

 

[Heym SR20]

Here you go. In my view pretty much the ideal 223, save for the idiot built it with bolt handle on wrong side.

The Perfect Farm and Ranch Rifle

Have you ever noticed how sometimes great ideas grow from the tiniest little seeds? That happened to me recently. I was talking to Todd Ramirez, the Alba, Texas-based master gunmaker…

sportingclassicsdaily.com

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Tikka or howa, saying that some of the older CZ rifles are lovely. My partners dad has one and it's really nice to shoot with the set trigger and more than accurate

 

[tommee]

I have a CZ 527 in the classifieds

 

[Lone wolf]

I was in the same boat a few years back and ended up buying a howa1500, laminated stock with a ase utra jet z compact mod for £300, it shoots 0.5moa if I do my part.

Like the guys say tikka or wetherby vanguard would be a good call also

 

[Sammyadds]

Thanks all this is very Helpful

@tommee Northampton based too

 

[tommee]

Thanks all this is very Helpful

@tommee Northampton based too

NN11 could potentially arrange a time to see it in the field too

 

[long_range_rob]

Don’t discount the older Tikkas and Sako’s they are all great rifles. 1-12” twist will stabilise up to 60gn bullets but the more recent 1-8” twist will go up to 80gn. If you’re only shooting short range (up to 300 yds) 1-12” will be fine.

 

[ashray]

i recently sold a cz 527 varmint in 223rem for £150 .mine had done over 3000 rounds but still shot extremely well.they are good rifle and are normally less than your budget <£150-£300 for a good one with the laminated stock heavy barrel, the wooden ones with the sporter barrel are cheaper >

 

[pendle]

There is a 223 RWS Titan 3 in the classifieds
With mod

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Tbh I doubt you will find a "burnt" out 223, as far as rounds go it's very kind to barrels

 

[Tf223]

Through this forum I picked up a blue and walnut tikka m595 in 223 (left hooker) with mod for (I recall £400). It was immaculate and shoots like a dream.

If you don’t rush, there are some bargains to be had from time to time. I like some of the older stuff where (if cared for) you get more bang for your buck and quite often a better made rifle than it’s more modern counterparts.

 

[25 Sharps]

Hi All,

After a fair amount of time on the rimfires I finally put in for a variation to .223 and my license came back last week.

I will be using it for long range rabbits, fox and the occasional Munty.

As I’m extremely tight I’m looking at the second hand market, and would ideally like to stay to a budget of £400 with a MOD.

I’m after some advice on what would be good to look at? any brands to stay away from? What to look for in twist rate? Any useful info or even just opinions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


Note to mods - this is not a wanted add, but happy to amend if needed. Also if the question has been asked previously (I couldn’t find it) happy to remove.

Howa 1500 or CZ527, the latter in Varmint will likely be 1:9 so allow longer, heavier bullets to be Shot up to around 70 grains

 

[25 Sharps]

Through this forum I picked up a blue and walnut tikka m595 in 223 (left hooker) with mod for (I recall £400). It was immaculate and shoots like a dream.

If you don’t rush, there are some bargains to be had from time to time. I like some of the older stuff where (if cared for) you get more bang for your buck and quite often a better made rifle than it’s more modern counterparts.

I have an m595 and m590, both with aftermarket barrels in obscure chambering, they are lovely rifles.