Low Recoil, Quiet .223 Rifle?

M

Microscope

New member
Hi,

My wife wants to get into .223 (from .22) target shooting.
What is a really low recoil, quiet, rifle/ammo?
Any accessories that can help with that too?
Can be heavy long barrel or whatever because she and I shoot on the ground, off an ATV, or on a table rig.
I realise it's a .223 and won't be exactly like a quiet/low recoil .22

Thanks
 
Low recoil? Yes, you dont need any accesories for that because the recoil is very mild anyway. IF your wife is super sensitive you can get a limbsafer to make it even more comortable to shoot.
Low noise? Not really, of course its more quiet then a .308 but it still makes a good bang... A very long barrel reduces the noise a litle bit, not much but you can hear the difference. A silencer of course would make it quiet enough to shoot without hearing protection.
Look for a rifle with a long and heavy barrel (24" or longer) maybe threaded for a silencer. that should fit your needs.
If the .223 is still to much, get a .22 hornet.
 
A guy that I go ground rat shooting with has a 26 inch barrel on a TC encore with a suppressor. It has recoil similar to a 22LR and is very quiet.

but the can take for ever. I am starting on month 4 of waiting for my first suppressor.
 
The 223 is very low recoil to begin with so looking for a "low recoil" load is questionable. The noise is made irrelevant by the use of ear protection.
It's NOT a 22 so expecting it to be one is a mistake.
 
On your other thread, the CZ 527 Varmint has been mentioned a time or two. The weight, squishy buttpad, and generous stock absorbs felt recoil tremenously even for the flinchiest of hearts.

Also, have you given much thought to the .204 Ruger ctg? I'm not sure how popular or available it is in Canada, but that thing is amazing.
 
Noise is a non-issue with a decent pair of muffs or plugs. I shoot my AR all the time and really don't notice the report.

Keep in mind too, a semiauto generally has less recoil than a bolt gun.
 
I'm not sure what you want to shoot bolt or semi . If you get a threaded barrel you can put a muzzle brake on it . That will help with felt recoil but not the noise . It may get louder . Depending on your location you can put a silencer on a 24" heavy barrel and heavy stock . the wieght of the gun can help reduce recoil . Remember when shooting from prone position or a bench you will feel the recoil more . You are asking for things that by there nature want to work against your wishes . I hope you find a happy medium :)
 
When using a bolt gun for .223, I don't even particularly notice the light jolt from so little recoil. A butt pad is nice, but not necessary.

I have a Ruger 77 Mk II that's a light sporter. 22" barrel. Reliable half-MOA for five-shot groups. Works just fine on prairie dogs to 300 yards. I've never owned a heavy-barrel rifle. Never saw any need for one, hunting.
 
Double plug. Put ear plugs in and then the muffs on over the ears. For recoil increase the weight. On my AR I have the A2 stock with a 4 lb. lead weight in it. Between that and the stainless steel barrel it weighs in close to 14lbs. I use it for target shooting, prone and bench, so this set up would not be fun to hump through the woods or shoot standing. But double plugging will help with the noise if it bothers her.
 
Before you spend extra money trying to find something that could be beyond her needs, have you considered taking her to the range with a standard .223, shooting light loads? If the target is close enough that she'll be able to see hits (the thrill of victory part), she might not notice the recoil. I think hearing could be the bigger issue because you want her to be able to hear you while wearing protection, so putting extra money into a well-rated pair of electronic muffs might be best cost-benefit and they would be useful for any gun she fires.
 
223 is a good round for a relatively inexperienced shooter to move up to centerfire. The only things I would be concerned about would be report/muzzle blast and recoil. For recoil, a slightly heavier rifle will tame the recoil. Muzzle blast is an issue with many bolt action 223s, they are often light and handy with 20" barrels, which really makes them bark. When I shoot my 223 with a 20" barrel next to my brother who has a Rem 700 VLSS with a 24" barrel, you can really tell the difference, the longer barrel really is quieter. Still loud, but not as loud for the shooter.
 
I've always wondered, as anyone ever made a sort of "reverse" muzzle brake for low recoil rifles? I'd gladly trade a little more recoil for less muzzle blast in my .204, even a 22-250.
 
All of the .223 style choices and less pop.
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I was going to suggest a rifle length AR (A-2), but the OP posted in the "Bolt/Lever/Pump" forum.....

Way back when dirt was the newest in new, at BRM in the third week of Basic Training, one of our DI's demonstrated the complete lack of recoil of the M16a1 rifle by putting a 30 round magazine downrange through one on FA, with the buttstock against his crotch, while he held the gun w/ both hands by the pistol grip.

With GI earplugs in and your cheek against an A-1/A-2 style stock, the "D-oing!" of the buffer spring is louder than the "pop" at the muzzle.
 
I've always wondered, as anyone ever made a sort of "reverse" muzzle brake for low recoil rifles? I'd gladly trade a little more recoil for less muzzle blast in my .204, even a 22-250.
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They make something that does BOTH pull the gun forward AND eliminates muzzle blast, but the Public Servants at BATFE want you to pay 200 Dollars and wait on paperwork before you can possess one .... and some states (including NY, unfortunately for you, Peetza) prohibit them.
 
Good muffs and make sure she gets the butt plate on her shoulder and not the arm. If the stock is too long will probably have trouble shouldering and will KICK if on the arm.

If she has shorter arms check some of the youth models esp if she will be shooting with fairly heavy jacket-makes it tougher to shoulder correctly.
 
I've always wondered, as anyone ever made a sort of "reverse" muzzle brake for low recoil rifles? I'd gladly trade a little more recoil for less muzzle blast in my .204, even a 22-250.
Click to expand...

my retired machinist buddy has made several "compensators" for me, that have the ports drilled at just enough of an angle that it directs the sound away from the shooter ( doesn't make the gun quieter than a non ported gun, just not as loud as a normal ported gun ) yet the felt recoil is greatly reduced... I have them on both handguns & rifles...
 
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