.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

Deywalker

FNG
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
84
A couple buddies who didn’t have action covers froze their tikkas on a hunt this year. Hard rain and dust prior to freezing too. Both of their bolts were frozen shut at the end of the day. Spent a couple hours next to the stove. The one that got shot on animals went boom just fine.

We are lucky to have some shit weather here, Iv had my tikka out in -20 f with no issues. Not form but I figured I’d throw in my experience.
What mine went through wasn't nearly as rough as that sounds, but it was back in working order in about 30 minutes of being brought inside. Thanks for the info!

With enough frozen water, they all will stop guns at some point.

However: below 20°, 8oz of water poured all over and in the action and trigger, whole thing dropped in snow, then stood up over night. This isn’t supposed to be representative of anything, except maybe the worst case- it’s meant to show differences between actions and triggers.
While I didn't leave it out overnight, I don't think it had any real chance the way I did it. I poured about 12-16 ounces on the action, and then about 8 ounces more just into the trigger. Then left it on its side, bolt handle up, in snow just long enough for all the water to freeze. Do you know if anyone's ever documented a head to head bolt action rifle reliability test that's publicly available? I've tried finding the Canadian ranger test with no luck.
 

260madman

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2017
Messages
1,211
Location
WI
Canadian Ranger Test???
Well ya see, you take Maple syrup and pour it all over the rifle and then you leave it outside overnight in the freezing cold. Next morning you get some beer and pour over the frozen rifle to thaw the rifle out and shoot it. Sounds like a good test, eh? When you’re done you drive down to Tim Horton’s for some poutine to share with your dog Hosehead.
 

Nomosendero

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
250
I tried the “problems with Ruger Americans”. A lot of rotary mag issues. Creepy triggers. And stocks, like mentioned before.
Maybe I’ll try some different searches later to come up with something. I’d like to have parts on hand so I’m not down. Thanks again.
I am not expecting much, I know of several of these being used without issues so far.

That being said, I know the Tikka is a better rifle overall.
For a serious hunt out West I will take one of my old M700's, they seem to hold up well.
 

BLJ

WKR
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
2,432
Location
WV
@Nomosendero. Agreed on the Tikka. They are for sure a fine rifle. I just thought I was missing something about the Americans since I’ve had nothing but great performance so far.
 

amassi

WKR
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
3,938
Canadian Ranger Test???
Canadian rangers are a sort of reserve paramilitary that is eyes and ears on Canada's norther fringes. They are issued rifles for defense and sustenance. They've been using Lee Enfields but we're recently replaced with tikka arctic. Rifles that were tested needed to function in -50c

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 

fshaw

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
410
I’ve been looking for a couple hundred, or what I can get, Speer 75gr Gold Dots. Have scoured the internet. If anyone sees any available anywhere, or have any they’d part with, please PM me. I have some 62gr Gold Dots but am looking for the heavier bullet. Thanks.
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
555
Tikka 223’s are pretty scarce. Are there any other good options?

Ruger American’s are no go for me. Alright specs on paper but terrible quality. I have two friends that got them. One shot lights out but had a horribly sticky bolt. The other’s stock was misshapen and pressed on one side of the “free floating” barrel.
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
911
Tikka 223’s are pretty scarce. Are there any other good options?

Ruger American’s are no go for me. Alright specs on paper but terrible quality. I have two friends that got them. One shot lights out but had a horribly sticky bolt. The other’s stock was misshapen and pressed on one side of the “free floating” barrel.
You might want to take a look at Howa.
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
911
Make sure and verify, but I believe they now offer a 1 in 8. Used to offer a slow twist, so there could be several options. Believe Legacy Sports is the importer, so it should be in here. https://www.legacysports.com/

My last one was a mini action in 6.5G. I bought the barreled action from Brownells and put it in a MDT LSS. Been a nice rig. The trigger is OK and believe you can get a spring, much like a Tikka, to drop it into the 1.5lb range.
 

BLJ

WKR
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
2,432
Location
WV

States .223 is 1-8" on there site for the mini action.
 

jadkins223

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
115
Location
Oklahoma
I just got my ruger predator 223 setup. Went with the arken 4-16. Pretty sweet setup. Depending on how it shoots it may be my new favorite rifle. 8476B9DB-5266-43E0-9D93-F2259B06C1CF.jpeg80E9BABE-5F76-43FA-8E13-EFEEFA1BA957.jpeg
 

Nomosendero

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
250
The RAR Predator I bought had the barrel touching the forearm on one side. It took 15 minutes with a rasp to cure that, it is not as though I had to worry about "wood to metal fit". The bedding block works.
 
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