First rifle help needed

Hi to all, im about to buy my first rifle for the purpose of roe / fox, in .223 calibre. Im looking to spend around £500- £600 on a new rifle, and have been offered a browning x bolt composite which looks the dogs. I would welcome any views from the experienced shots out there.....what do you think ?
The same gunsmith is also offering a howa 1500 at much the same price, black composite ,i like them both but just not sure which to go for.:(..................thanks for any help
 
CT, If you follow this link, http://www.chuckhawks.com/finest_bolt_actions.htm, you will see what other folks think. Oddly, for all it's cheapness the Weatherby/Howa that features.

If you want to rebarrel in the future, thats the action to go for! But, there is a growing fan club for the X-bolt, some on this site.

Yours unhelpfully, ft
 
Someone, somewhere, suggested the Howa actually suffered from stretching, I can assure you that this is not so, I have put a good few heavy loads , some experimental...through my Howa & it is still the same calibre as when I bought it!:lol::lol::lol:. Haven't measured the barrel length recently though!:D
 
Someone, somewhere, suggested the Howa actually suffered from stretching, I can assure you that this is not so, I have put a good few heavy loads , some experimental...through my Howa & it is still the same calibre as when I bought it!:lol::lol::lol:. Haven't measured the barrel length recently though!:D

I have been worried that if I ever remove the one piece Leupold base on my Howa and then dismount the action from the stock, the darned thing will spring out to a length that will require restocking. I'm sure the magazine and the scope base are the only things keeping the tang from hitting me in the eye during a long string of shots.:rolleyes:~Muir
 
Hi,
I've just bought a .223 X-Bolt myself, and must say i quite like it and i know a couple of other people who are looking buying one.
If you can, shoot both. That may help you decide one way or the other at the end of the day it whatevers right for you.
Happy Shooting.
 
hi thanks for the info, i have been looking at several different rifles lately and the x bolt looks pretty good, which model do you have...i have looked at the hunter with the wooden stock and a composite stalker with blued barrel.Funds are limited with optics / mod etc still to be bought.....the howa 1500 is also a possibility....much the same price,..........ill be at our local game fair basc next week , so ill get a chance to look at whats on offer, if i havent bought one by then !!!!
 
hi,

last year i got my first rifle and i know exactly where you are at.
i tried calling a few shops etc etc attempting to get a view and never seemed to get the right story.
i then happened on a guy by ayr who is a rfd with a slight difference.
he allowed me to shoot before i buy. yeah you heard me right.
not a common occurance i believe you but what a difference it made.

now i am not saying he is the only one or extra special only telling of my experience

anyway i wanted the howa 243 as it was well thought of and had many good write ups.
when i visited i actually ended up with a wetherby 243 with a meopta scope.....

ok what am i getting at sorry for gibbering....

try and locate someone like him and it will/can make a huge difference to what you want and what you end up with
some times rifle will shoot good in johns hand but bad in freds. you know what i mean

f.
 
good stuff mate, i wonder if its the same guy ive been talking to...continental supplies in dalry, his prices are top class.. for example, .22 cz 452 american....£200 cheaper than a shop in stirling and glasgow!!!....ill give him a call and see if its possible to try first. ive been out today for 5 hours with the shotgun, covered too many miles with a back ache....really suffering now......cheers
 
Hi Tom

Personally I would not go with a 223, nothing wrong with the calibre for foxes but it is on the low powered side for deer. Dont flame me everyone and I know they will do the job but personally I would go with a bigger calibre, particularly for a first stalking rifle. I would look at the .243 being a minimum but would prefer a .260 or 7mm/08 or similar. These will give you a greater margin for error than a 223 for less than perfectly placed shots. If I were you I would have a talk with your local licensing department to see what they would think about you using a larger calibre for fox as you may get invitations to shoot larger deer or want to go south of the border where the 223 cannot be used against roe.
Just my opinion like I said.

S
 
:lol:Thanks buddy , yes i know and your spot on, but ive only just received my ticket...long story so ill give you the basics....got my own ground, applied for .22 .223 243...first application, no intention of red , shoot local fox and roe.....22 for bunnies n small vermin...243 was not issued as first application and not the best of ground.....so im happy with 22 and 223 for what i shoot. however im picking up ground slowly from other estates and may go for 243 later on variation.OH and ive never been to england whats it like down there:D
 
Someone, somewhere, suggested the Howa actually suffered from stretching. Haven't measured the barrel length recently though!:D

That would be me :D Thought it might come up!

If your going that way I would avoid a .223 and go for a .243, just give you a wee bit more versitility. The .223 just isnt big enough for roe IMO. A number of guys I stalk with/know are moving back to the larger calibres (.308/.270/7mm/30-06) as they think that the meat damage is less, but much much more importantly they seem to think that deer are dropping quicker/more blood trail than with the smaller calibres that more people are using. Incidentally I am changing my .243 for a 6.5x55swed as we speak, for the above reasons.

I do however think the .223 is the best foxing round you can get. Especially with the Varmint Grenades we use!!

As for make. Howa is a well liked make that comes from the factory in "good nick" unlike remmys that I tend to think need extras to make them shoot. I have previously stated that they stretch. Having been told so by a mentor of mine. I will question him about it next time I see him as im not too sure of the science!

I think some tea may remove the taste of foot from my mouth!

Have fun with whatever
Sam
 
I love my Tikka T3 .308 varmint! My only advice, being new to Cf myself is decide what you actually want from your rifle and get your hands on as many as possible! You could get a dozen different point of views on the same weapon, thats the difficult thing I found when looking. Hope that helps.

John
 
I think if you were to express an intention of shooting larger beasts this should sway the argument, particularly if you can convince them of the one rifle for everything argument. You could book a stalk for reds or for deer across the border to provide documentary evidence of your need for a larger calibre. After a shot that is unsafe for a 243 will still be unsafe with a 223. It is you and your ability to assess risks that makes a shot safe or unsafe rather than whether the rifle is a 223 or a 243
If you a member of BASC they may be able to help. Keep us posted
 
Thanks for all the advice folks ,it all makes good sense. most of the ground i shoot over is great for fox , hence the reason for the 223 request, which i was delighted to be issued. As a newbie with sporting rifles i think with time and experience ill probably steer a different course in the future, perhaps once confident / higher skill level / and a better shot :rolleyes: ill crack on and tackle the bigger n better reds and a change in calibre 243 etc, but until then im chuffed to be onboard, delighted with what i was granted , which i feel is ideal as an entry level round.22 .223.....then again anythings better than the old spanish s/s sprayer.
 
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