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> Compact .223
Compact .223
@ 08:34 pm (GMT) |
Aussie hunterIve decided i wanty a compact bolt action in .223 for use out of the vehicle window and i want it to be short and useful on a budget.i have seen Ruger American compact rifles secondhand but was mainly considering Howa i can get new Howa 20" versions easily in Australia, one option is to get a Howa and Nathans books and start a project but one thing will lead to another and the cost will increase i guess but i have a laminated stock, mounts for a SA Howa but now they offer mini actions. i can get a Ruger gusite scout under $1000 at the moment but it doesnt seem quite what i want ideally Id have a good trigger , decent stock and detachable magazine. i have some Howa gear but have read the new triggers are not as good as the older ones, this seems to be said about many new model firearms. Does anyone have experience with the Ruger Americans or similar budget compact rifles? your thoughts please My preference is a medium to heavy short barrel Ideally it will still be accurate but just a cheaper rifle that i carry reguarly and wont be so fussed if somethings rubbing or getting marked. |
Replies
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@ 09:45 pm (GMT) |
Aussie hunterRe: Compact .223Would the fast twist in the Ruger be OK for 55gn bullets?are the Rugers accurate or can they at least be tweeked? i reload but using this to shoot pests opportunistically i might use factory loads too if i find some that the rifle agrees with so i am not to stressed about cases |
@ 02:30 am (GMT) |
Bryan WebsterRe: Compact .223Personally I would look to the Tikka T3X Compact instead of Ruger rifles. |
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@ 11:47 am (GMT) |
Aussie HunterRe: Compact .223Thanks, i just found them on an Australian site. About $1100. it is worth considering as i didnt realise they made a compact but knew of the T3x upgradesThe initial investment is double that of a secondhand Ruger american compact or a Howa barrelled action for which i have accessories. A new Howa in a laminated stock can be had for say $800. I have a 2 rifles with scopes that have cost a little over 3k each to set up with replacement now much higher and wanting a cheaper rifle to use as described for go to riifle and use on pests from the car and will utilise a scope that i already have. The Tikka T3x compact may be considered yet but i see Tikka, Howa and remington as being infineitly upgradeable in regards to aftermarket accessories available and i would probably find something to spend on it. Ive had my tikka T3 in .308 stainless laminated for 4-5 years, They are good but i was dissaponted to get it and find it had a lot of plastic and i brought upgrades. Smarter people than me designed it but i see it as being very modular and for someone who has a stable full of tikkas that might serve a purpose. I sort of want a range of practical rifles to make a small but useful collection represntative of various makers to suit my needs. This next rifle will be a bit of a project but may become my most used, i even googled the .308 howa barrelled actions as they are pretty cheap. i also found trigger spring kits for Howa. My rem 700 varmint 26" .223 is a bit cumbersome as the car does not have racks, the .308 was more intended as a hunting rifle. Id like to see if they release a Lithgow crossover in .22-250 down the track and i would put my 8x56 on it (spotlighting rig) Then I get get a varmint scope for the Remington .223 varmints, targets, fun cheap shooting. This carry rifle i am trying to decide on is used for foxes from the car, occassionally pigs (no monsters), Feral cats if im lucky, i am considering maybe going .308 and using light loads or cheap ammo. Ammo cost is a small concern if its common calibre stuff and i can get moa but if its a project build then id strive for better accuracy. The Howas are 20" barrels Is there much to lose if the barrel is shorter? (rugers etc) i will probably sight in at a measured 100 yards or 90 m for testing sake and most shots would only be 100 yards but potentially out to 200 if required. Will consider the Tikka and will consider all arguments for or against any combination. the rifle is intended to be on a budget but but considering best value overall. If i buy Nathans bookset that is not considered part of the rifle budget, so im keen to build but keen to hear others arguments for pros and cons of their suggestion. New Ruger compacts are listed under $800 detachable mag ready to go but do I need to work on them? i am worried a secondhand may come with issues. |
@ 03:20 pm (GMT) |
Jonathan KittermanRe: Compact .223Have you considered having the 26 inch barrel on your Remington cut shorter?Rifleshooter.com has a few articles about velocity loss and barrel length https://rifleshooter.com/2015/12/223-remington-5-56mm-nato-barrel-length-and-velocity-26-inches-to-6-inches/ https://rifleshooter.com/2014/04/223-remington5-56-nato-velocity-versus-barrel-length-a-man-his-chop-box-and-his-friends-rifle/ |
@ 10:21 am (GMT) |
Warwick MarflittRe: Compact .223A Ruger mini 14 is what you need! A shame that your fearfool government care of Mr Howard brought and burned them all! What range do you want to shoot too? A lever action in 30-30 maybe? With hand loaded ammo and a partition or ELD bullet if your range allows. |
@ 12:28 pm (GMT) |
mark whiteleyRe: Compact .223I agree the Ruger mini 14 is exactly what you need LOL if only we could be trustedfrom what you have listed I like the tikka and howa as you have suggested the firearm company's have all gone cheep selling unfinished, plastic and shit parts rifles that are not made to last long at all but they are upgrade able with plenty of aftermarket parts to fix them though hey LOL that can make a budget gun pretty exy the answer could be buy Nathans bookset, a howa and learn how to put it together like it should have been done in the first place, I dont like the new howa hact trigger (piece of plastic shite) and would myself prefer the older style howa trigger which can be turned into a great trigger, the howa in general is an honest rifle IMO I dont think anyone has suggested the cz carbine maybe worth a look http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-527-carbine-223-rem-5-rd-mag/ I haven't seen what they are worth but this might be the go, not as much plastic and a great set trigger good luck with it Aussie, OI OI OI www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlfQDQ6KWFs regards Mark |
@ 05:33 pm (GMT) |
Andrew MurrayRe: Compact .223Not sure that your claims about the trigger are fair Mark. I pulled mine apart and modified it like Jon did (the example in the Accurizing book) and I found no plastic parts, all metal inside and out.I am not sure if the 2 stage thing is good idea personally but it's reliable crisp and tight. No creep at all. Having said that it was more than some effort to get the weight down but it was a solid fix. I can't complain at all about my Howa. I picked it up for $570 brand new from Cleavers. Check their website as their better deals tend to go through the website. I had to finish it as per the accurizing book but it was well worth the investment. Going to pay dividends for a lifetime not just on this rifle. |
@ 06:20 pm (GMT) |
Mike DavisRe: Compact .223find a zastava mini mauser.....end of problem.you wont resell it and will love it,sure the action isnt butter smooth,but if you work it like you mean it you will never have any issues,they shoot straight and are nice to use,mine wears a 3x9x50mm loopy and it fits her like a glove. |
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@ 08:51 pm (GMT) |
mark whiteleyRe: Compact .223Quote: Not sure that your claims about the trigger are fair Mark. I pulled mine apart and modified it like Jon did (the example in the Accurizing book) and I found no plastic parts, all metal inside and out
very fair call Andrew there are no plastic bits in the hact trigger it is a redesigned version of the old howa trigger IMO to make it cheaper to produce (cast bits) and a bit more lawyer proof with its second stage and no sear adjustment I have adjusted 1 of these triggers for a friend who bought a new howa I must admit I never used Nathans book for a how to (I will get flamed for that one LOL) the absolute lower limit of this trigger is governed by the sear spring force and the friction between the sear and actuator, I trimmed the actuator spring to lighten the pull weight, without trimming the actuator spring I could not get it below 2.75 pounds, never consistent, full of creep and the break sucked my advise to my friend was to get one of the old howa triggers or a timney you on the other hand like yours, my advise to you would be if you can try a properly adjusted old style howa trigger, adjusted to under a pound you will want one and your groups will shrink dramatically, or just be happy with what you have, I am not trying to slag off your rifle but give an opinion, I dont like them at all and do not think they are improvement on the old triggers sorry if that offends you that is not what I want to do regards Mark |
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@ 12:48 am (GMT) |
Aussie HunterRe: Compact .223so, Bryan got me looking at the Tikka compact, i wasnt planning to spend those $ and wanted a project but that mad sense.Jonathan said shotren the remington but i dont want to do that, well not for now at least i was going to shorten a Howa .223 i have but i had an urge to buy something else and the family use the Howa .223 in a boyds FW TH, so ill leave it be i had liked the idea of .300blk for a compact but Howa offer it yet. i always wanted a .7mm-08 for some reason i asked some mates with tupperware Tikkas if they like the plastic, i handled a couple and fired one in .308 on the bench. my first T3 was bought onnline lamintaed stock.308 and being a consdierable purchase i was dissapointed when it arrived with many plastic parts, :-( , so I just spent more money and played with it, So i found a great deal on a new Tikka CTR, 20" in either .243 or 7mm-08, $1229 new. fired the .308 today, handled a varmint stock Tikka in a shop, had already contemplated i wanted this to be practical not Pretty, i wanted to try a .7mm-08 anyway and its a far bigger calibre than the original concept but other than a trigger adjustment it might be OK out of the box, for now, maybe. So i got a purchase order from the wife and ordered the aforementioned Tupperware Tikka. its gonna cost a little more in ammo but the cost is getting there ussually not so much an extra 50c for the round, its over kill for a fox but maybe cleaner kill on a pig so it may even out, i expect it will shoot well and i want to dispatch pests out to 200m and will work on some skills to extend that range down the track so the .7mm-08 may be the go, if not ive ticked that box for now thanks for the input, ideas |
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@ 03:21 am (GMT) |
Bryan WebsterRe: Compact .223Also do not forget that there are a plethora of bullets brands, styles and weights for the 7mm caliber. Pay some heed to what your twist rate is when you pick a bullet and load to use and you should do well with it. |
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@ 08:32 am (GMT) |
Jonathan KittermanRe: Compact .223If you are set on the Tikka CTR, check on prices for the magazine. I don't know if you wanted spares. They are pretty expensive in the USA and some people look at replacing the stock with a chassis system or aftermarket stock that takes the Accuracy International AICS mags.I just mentioned cutting the Remington since that would have been your cheapest route and gave you data about barrel length and velocity loss. rifleshooter.com even has tests on cutting down a 300 Win Mag and, I think, a 338 Lapua. Loud and big muzzle flashes. |
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@ 11:49 pm (GMT) |
Aussie HunterRe: Compact .223Its interesting to read the velocity loss of cutting a barrel in stages, it would have been the cheapest option, or cutting the howa but im happy with the rem as is for now,The magazines are about $250 at cleavers wher eI ordered the rifle, pretty pricey considering the rile has come in under $1300 freighted, huge saving of RRP though sort of swayed me. i wont be doing a chassis system for this. i hope i get results out of the box its intended to be compact with no snaggy bits for the car for now. just something to shoot pests, not the most cost effective cartridge but i wanted one anyway, |
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@ 02:33 am (GMT) |
Bryan WebsterRe: Compact .223Hello Aussie Hunter. Just a comment here as I am from Canada and do not know your laws there at all. Here in British Columbia, Canada it is not legal to discharge a firearm of any sort from in or on any vehicle. I would take it you have checked this out. |
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@ 12:46 pm (GMT) |
Aussie HunterRe: Compact .223We can shoot from a vehicle on private land. no restriction i know of. so i wnated something handy and compact. tikka CTR Compact Travelling Rifle.proffessional kangaroo shooters shoot solely from a vehicle. Spotlighting, they shoot at night and must unload into chillers before daylight. most parts are warm climate where this occurs. we have plenty of roos, they aer a sustainable resource carefully monitored by government agencies who licence pro shooters under a trappers licence. its the market for roo meat that makes it hard, its not stable. human consumption roos are fruther regulated for hygiene so we just need an export market. Feral or Rangeland Goats are mustered and sent to slaughter for export, this is big buissiness and many people make a liviing doing contract jobs or landowners use it to supplement income removing pests for sale. When i see the Kiwis targeting goats long range i hope its for the challenge and worth it as they would not be that hard to get here., and then we just drive over about 200m on the flat ground to collect it if we want the meat, We can use a spotlight in Australia except for on Deer Many people shoot from cars and for people like me it is shooting pests opportunistically but i will walk and hunt but its mainly about thinning out feral pigs, dispatching foxes o get a rabbit for someone who wants it for the pot. we used to be able to spotlight rabbits and get maybe 100pair a night using for sale in some parts, calicivirus ruined thet sideline Cheers |
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