Hey guys i am looking to buy a good .223 for coyote hunting and shooting groundhogs. I am not looking for and expensive rig i would like to have something fairly easy to tote. I already have a .223 with all the works but i need something that if accurate out of the box and fairly light in weight. Preferable a bolt action. i have thought about a 700 but kinda want something different. I have two 700's now so i just want a little change. Just wondered what everyone thought i should try. thanks dw
a reasonably priced .223
- Thread starter dw
- Start date
Legionnaire
New member
dw
Check out the CZ-527 American. I purchased mine for the same reasons you state, and have been very happy with it.
http://www.cz-usa.com/pro/detail.php?P=33
Check out the CZ-527 American. I purchased mine for the same reasons you state, and have been very happy with it.
http://www.cz-usa.com/pro/detail.php?P=33
Savage 10FP is available in .223, and you can get them with a 24" or 20" barrel. You may or may not like the trigger, but even if you decide to change it out you'll end up with a great rifle for well under $500.
If you don't want the heavy barrel, then the packages that Savage offers would do very well, too.
If you don't want the heavy barrel, then the packages that Savage offers would do very well, too.
Swamp Yankee
New member
Love that CZ 527
Use mine for shooting 'chucks and such. Very compact and light rifle. The CZ is not a short barreled, full sized short action. It is designed and manufactured to be a compact rifle. Great for your intended purpose. Have shot 50 to 62 grain bullets through mine with great results. Highly recommend.
Take Care
Use mine for shooting 'chucks and such. Very compact and light rifle. The CZ is not a short barreled, full sized short action. It is designed and manufactured to be a compact rifle. Great for your intended purpose. Have shot 50 to 62 grain bullets through mine with great results. Highly recommend.
Take Care
Jody Hudson
New member
I just purchased one of the new AK-47 type rifles in .223 and so far it is very accurate with Wolf ammo. Not as accurate as a thousand dollar H&K but suitable for most things. So far it's running about 6" at 100 yards but it started at about 8" and the group seems to be shrinking. I suspect that about half the group spread is due to my old eyes and shaking body. 
But, heck, I never thought I'd live this long.... Just happy I can still sort-of see the target and sort-of keep the front sight close to it. 
But, heck, I never thought I'd live this long.... Just happy I can still sort-of see the target and sort-of keep the front sight close to it. If you're wanting a good, but cheap bolt-action .223, go for the CZ or Savages mentioned above. They're good rifles... and particularly in the case of CZs, they can rival rifles that are twice the price. (I am biased toward CZs, though)
If you decide to go for something besides bolt-action, there's always Ruger Mini-14s. Not as good as an AR-15 (of any manufacture), but they get the job done.
I know Hesse makes a AK-style .223, but I don't recommend Hesse. I've seen some bad work they've done with other AK receivers and FN-FAL receivers.
If you decide to go for something besides bolt-action, there's always Ruger Mini-14s. Not as good as an AR-15 (of any manufacture), but they get the job done.
I know Hesse makes a AK-style .223, but I don't recommend Hesse. I've seen some bad work they've done with other AK receivers and FN-FAL receivers.
Bruce in West Oz
New member
Well, I'd have to opt for the Savage. A friend at the Club has one and sat down and shot a .250 group the other day with 69gr HPBT -- and he admits he's not the world's best shot.
His is a 110, and I have ordered a 10FP. (In fact, it's here already, and I've applied for it to be added to my licence -- now it's fingers crossed for the next 2 weeks or so while I wait to see if the Area Superintendent of Police will approve it or not
)
For price comparisons, a secondhand Sako here will run you about $1450 -- $1500. New, about $1900. Cz might be $100 cheaper. The Savage is about $1300 -- but thanks to a tip-off I got mine from a dealer who wanted only the "old" price for it -- $990. Believe me, I'm as happy as a pig in s .... straw about that!
B
I like this:
"If you want a rifle that looks like hell and shoots like a dream -- buy a Savage
If you a rifle that looks like heaven and shoots like hell -- buy a Ruger
If you want both -- buy a Remington!"
His is a 110, and I have ordered a 10FP. (In fact, it's here already, and I've applied for it to be added to my licence -- now it's fingers crossed for the next 2 weeks or so while I wait to see if the Area Superintendent of Police will approve it or not
)For price comparisons, a secondhand Sako here will run you about $1450 -- $1500. New, about $1900. Cz might be $100 cheaper. The Savage is about $1300 -- but thanks to a tip-off I got mine from a dealer who wanted only the "old" price for it -- $990. Believe me, I'm as happy as a pig in s .... straw about that!
B
I like this:
"If you want a rifle that looks like hell and shoots like a dream -- buy a Savage
If you a rifle that looks like heaven and shoots like hell -- buy a Ruger
If you want both -- buy a Remington!"
If you want light, .223 and accurate the CZ 527 would come closest to the mark. I generally liked the one I owned for a while except that the single set trigger wasn't to my liking and the magazine lips gouged the brass. I swapped it off for a Tikka Whitetail Hunter in .223 and while a little heavier than the CZ, it is a superb rifle in about the same price range as a Remington 700.
I don't have much experience with the Savage but a rifle that I did own for several years was a Remington Model 7 in .223. This is a generally underappreciated rifles IMHO and the one I owned was surprisingly accurate right from the box.
I don't have much experience with the Savage but a rifle that I did own for several years was a Remington Model 7 in .223. This is a generally underappreciated rifles IMHO and the one I owned was surprisingly accurate right from the box.
So you want a cheap walking 223? NEF Handi-Rifle either a synthetic stock, regular stock, or lightweight. Short overall length (no action) makes a 24" barreled gun still short. At $200 it is hard to beat the price. I don't have one in 223, but my 243 shoots pretty crappy. It barely manages 0.75" groups
Some guns have bad triggers, some have terrible triggers, and a few have decent triggers. If the gun has a 5+lb trigger from the factory NEF will lighten it to 3.5lb for shipping and handling figures.
My $0.02
Some guns have bad triggers, some have terrible triggers, and a few have decent triggers. If the gun has a 5+lb trigger from the factory NEF will lighten it to 3.5lb for shipping and handling figures.
My $0.02