Multi-purpose .223 for targets

[urban]

I want to have a go at Civilian Service Rifle this season. Most competitors use ARs but I want a rifle that I can use for running deer and other target shooting. I won't often shoot beyond 500m.

I think I probably need a heavier barrel than a sporter profile given that it will be having a log of rounds through it in reasonably quick succession. I don't see any disadvantage to 1 in 7 rifling if I can find it, but 1 in 8 seems OK too.

I'd like an adjustable stock because it will be used for mutiple disciplines.

Nothing too heavy because CSR involves a fair bit of switching between standing, sitting, kneeling and prone.

I need reasonable magazine capacity for CSR - so I need at least 10 round mags and quite a few of them so magazine cost is a factor.

I'm homing in on a Howa 1500 in an MDT Oryx stock or MDT LSS-XL. I worry that a 24 inch varmint barrel will weigh a ton.

Any experience of those MDT stocks or other advice would be gratefully received.

 

[angusb1]

Tikka Varmint or Super Varmint 1 in 8? Heaps of choice in aftermarket stocks if the standard is not adjustable enough for what you want. Plenty available 2nd hand so lots of choice.

 

[finnbear270]

I want to have a go at Civilian Service Rifle this season. Most competitors use ARs but I want a rifle that I can use for running deer and other target shooting. I won't often shoot beyond 500m.

I think I probably need a heavier barrel than a sporter profile given that it will be having a log of rounds through it in reasonably quick succession. I don't see any disadvantage to 1 in 7 rifling if I can find it, but 1 in 8 seems OK too.

I'd like an adjustable stock because it will be used for mutiple disciplines.

Nothing too heavy because CSR involves a fair bit of switching between standing, sitting, kneeling and prone.

I need reasonable magazine capacity for CSR - so I need at least 10 round mags and quite a few of them so magazine cost is a factor.

I'm homing in on a Howa 1500 in an MDT Oryx stock or MDT LSS-XL. I worry that a 24 inch varmint barrel will weigh a ton.

Any experience of those MDT stocks or other advice would be gratefully received.

In the distant past, I had my Border barrel throated to accomodate 69 grain low drag bullets.

 

[nic531]

if you are using it for other target discipline then consider wether you will be shooting CSR on practical or service optic class.
Consider the weight of bullet you want to fire and if you reload. GGG or milsurp ammo is 62gn and relatively readily available (and at up to 100 a match it adds up). If your rifle needs/likes heavier round then the price goes up, so reloading a cheaper option. (lower weights more effected by wind). realistically you will want min 4 mags.
hopefully see you at Bisley

 

[nun_hunter]

I want to have a go at Civilian Service Rifle this season. Most competitors use ARs but I want a rifle that I can use for running deer and other target shooting. I won't often shoot beyond 500m.

I think I probably need a heavier barrel than a sporter profile given that it will be having a log of rounds through it in reasonably quick succession. I don't see any disadvantage to 1 in 7 rifling if I can find it, but 1 in 8 seems OK too.

I'd like an adjustable stock because it will be used for mutiple disciplines.

Nothing too heavy because CSR involves a fair bit of switching between standing, sitting, kneeling and prone.

I need reasonable magazine capacity for CSR - so I need at least 10 round mags and quite a few of them so magazine cost is a factor.

I'm homing in on a Howa 1500 in an MDT Oryx stock or MDT LSS-XL. I worry that a 24 inch varmint barrel will weigh a ton.

Any experience of those MDT stocks or other advice would be gratefully received.

I have the Howa 1500 varmint in 223 and it's.in an MDT Oryx chassis. It is heavy but that's mainly the barrel if I'm honest and that's only an issue shooting offhand as it's very front heavy. I do have a lightweight mod on it so with a muzzle brake it could help.

I've just finished developing a load with 69 grain SMK and it's proving very accurate so far and fairly cheap but it's more about having a ready supply of ammo that behaves the same rather than competing with factory ammo for accuracy.

The polymer MDT mags are the cheapest option and work well in the Oryx. I do have some metal MDT mags and they don't seem to fit properly and won't engage the mag catch.

Don't leave the polymer mags full for storage as I did and found that the mag sides bulged under the pressure of 10 rounds and the spring pushing up on them and then wouldn't fit in the mag well

I did find that the 69 grain TMK were a bit inconsistent and according to a stability calculator they were marginally stable in that rifle and the velocity I was getting from a 223 hence moving to the SMK instead and the TMK are almost impossible.to find which defeats the purpose of reloading.

It's a nice rifle though and I do enjoy shooting it and with practice I bet you'd be fine shooting it standing.

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Personally I'd be looking at a howa, get a nice chassis and get a aics conversion.

Saying that the macmillan clone stocks they do are lovely aswell.

The howa own brand magazine is rubbish so I'd either convert to that or keep the bottom metal which is also excellent

 

[MarinePMI]

Personally, and no slight intended, but I think you're trying to design a horse by committee. All of the things you describe being able to do, can be done with a single rifle, but you will compromise what you can do across them all.

You would be much better off procuring two rifles.

Oh, and if you're wondering what a horse designed by committee looks like...it's a camel. Good at everything a horse can do, but never the best at anything a specific horse can do that was bred for a specific task.

 

[6.5-06 TIKKA]

I'd take a look at Riflecraft, the match grade barrels and not that expensive.