Buying a .223 bolt gun to practice with?

[KJH]

I use a bolt .223 for practice and love it. Its perfect for that- minimal recoil, cheap ammo, accurate, etc. I'm glad I did it. Every time I go to the range I shoot groups with the .223 for a while first and then move to different/bigger rifles. I can work on good form with the .223 and never think about it being $3.00 a shot or recoil.

 

[work765]

Thanks guys! Seems unanimous that the 223 is the way the go.

I have an old ruger 10/22 at my disposal for short range plinking, and it’s okay, but really looking for a little more gun and centerfire.


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[Lawnboi]

I bought a 223 this year for training, a tikka. Also will be my wife’s main training rifle. Figured I can get decent ammo for around 70 cents a round. My only other rifle is a 300 WM. To feed that it cost me 2-3$ a round for ammo that shoots okay. Considering that I will likely be putting atleast 500 rounds through the 223, with my wife shooting an equal amount made it an easy decision.

Better yet my wife who is a new shooter/hunter also shoots a tikka in 243. Slapping a rail on both tikkas, and moving the scope from the 223 to the 243 a month or 2 before season for her.

I’m also in an apartment and feel you on the not reloading thing. I wish I could but don’t have the room till I find or build a house. Even then I’d think I could reload 223 for nothing compared to a win mag or even 308

 

[16Bore]

Thanks guys! Seems unanimous that the 223 is the way the go.

I have an old ruger 10/22 at my disposal for short range plinking, and it’s okay, but really looking for a little more gun and centerfire.


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Juice it up with a chubby barrel and decent scope and shoot at 200 yards. Makes playing wind games kinda fun.

 

[isu22andy]

How do you guys train with a .22 lr ? There ballistics are god awful after 100 yards and the ammo is not accurate. If your going to train and improve and push yourself id get the 223. But buy an AR cause they are damn fun to shoot lol .

 

[16Bore]

How do you guys train with a .22 lr ? There ballistics are god awful after 100 yards and the ammo is not accurate. If your going to train and improve and push yourself id get the 223. But buy an AR cause they are damn fun to shoot lol .

Think about it this way. At 200 yards and a 10mph cross wind, a 40gr 22LR has around 18” of drift. So does my 270 at 500 yards.

Even at 100 yards there’s still a bit to monkey with.

Plus, an accurate 22LR will show you everything you’re doing wrong......

 

[tdhanses]

I shoot 100+ rounds through my 223 every time I hit the range. I use it to work on form and just get plenty of trigger time behind a rifle. I bought a used one and the barrel may be toast or it may not like what I’ve been feeding it as well but it’s a 2moa queen so far. I’ve been building my supply of brass and will start playing with reloads shortly.

The 223 is a blast and easy to spot hits on target vs a hunting rifle. I say do it and don’t look back. I do wish I had them scope on my 223 as my hunting rifle.

 

[bluetick78]

I have a bolt .223 that is an exact copy of one of my favorite hunting rifles. I use it all year for coyotes, and in the summer for rockchucks. When rifle season comes around, I get the other one out, check the zero, and go hunt. My wife and son also used that .223 to learn to shoot, and so will my other 3 children. There's been a lot of "firsts" with the .223.....come to think of it, it might actually be my favorite hunting rifle. Get the .223. It's a great investment that you won't regret.

 

[howl]

10/22 doesn't take you off target when you run the bolt. So you don't get practice managing all that stuff. I don't find the "sending it" part of shooting all that interesting or worth a great deal of practice. It's all the other stuff that has to come together that challenges me.

A lot of what people burn through ammo to learn could be done dry firing.

However, if you're going to shoot past 300, good .223 is cheaper than good .308. Pretty much all the cheap stuff I've run for boxes and boxes comes out to 4 MOA at best regardless of cartridge. You might get five rounds in a row that shoot small, but it's gonna open up if you keep shooting.

 

[Trogon]

I was in the same boat as you; shooting 308 and looking to get a 223. Then my T1x showed up. Man that thing is fun to shoot. My reco would be to get into the Tikka 22lr and if you still think you want the 223 go for it.

This may complicate your decision, but the sportsmans near my house had a superlite SS tikka T3x in 223 on sale for under 600.

 

[Formidilosus]

A fast twist 223 bolt gun with a mil/mil scope that is absolutely reliable is the best favor one can give themselves for killing with a rifle.

 

[willfrye027]

What about the new tikka .22lr? I want one for the same reasons you do. Would put the same scope on it as my 06 and get better at bullet drop. The squirrels would be in a lot of trouble..

 

[tdhanses]

If you go 22lr look at the CZ-457 Amer Synthetic, pretty sweet decently price gun known for shooting very well.

 

[Wrongside]

A fast twist 223 bolt gun with a mil/mil scope that is absolutely reliable is the best favor one can give themselves for killing with a rifle.

That’s been my experience as well.

 

[dreamingWest]

Does Tikka scale their action for .223? Or is the same long action as all the others?

I'm thinking of going supressor ready X-bolt .223 for practice.

 

[16Bore]

Does Tikka scale their action for .223? Or is the same long action as all the others?

I'm thinking of going supressor ready X-bolt .223 for practice.

Same action as them all. The mags will not handle heavier bullets to the lands, but there are aftermarket options if you wish. Factory Hornady 75 HPBT are fine.

I believe the 77 TMK’s are too. I think Formidilious knows....

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you are really looking to save $$$ it is hard to argue with a 22. The 223 route is a good option and gives you a rifle for smaller game if you ever go that direction. I bought a 223 bolt gun (a lower end Remington 700, but don’t go that route) to assasinate groundhogs in PA. It has now done extra duty as a coyote rifle and is a great trainer for me and new shooters it take to the range as well. Low cost, low recoil, lots of fun.

FWIW - My remmy does pretty well with even crap surplus ammo. With decent loads it is probably an MOA guy or close to it but I had to put a timely trigger in it and swap out the stock. It wears some budget Nikon glass and is plenty god for my purposes however, with the mods I am probably close to $1000 into it. If I were doing it over I would have gone tikka or Ruger American.

 

[16Bore]

Shooting clays at 500 yards is a pretty damn fun...