Does such a factory rifle exist?

S

shaneinhisroom

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 12, 2011
184
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Ohio
#1
I'm looking to get a .223 trainer rifle from the factory- there is no point in spending the money for a custom action when I only need to go out 400-500yd max.

My want list:

~18-22" barrel
Threaded for muzzle device (I have a spare suppressor I'd like to attach)
bedded OR free floated
bolt action
MOA guarantee or better (duh!)

I'm having a hard time tracking down a factory rifle that has this. I guess the bedding or free float doesn't really matter as long as the rifle has a proven track record of being sub MOA (I would really prefer ~.5MOA if possible, I know my friends 5R is even better than that).

I do not want to take the barrel apart to be threaded, it's just too much work and $. This rifle will be mainly used to practice <500yd and in.

Thanks!
 
#2
Rem 700 SPS Tactical but you'll need to swap the stock out for something a little better than the Hogue it comes with. I have mine in an XLR stock and shoot the 69gr SMK's.
 
#4
The first thing that comes to mind is the Tikka T3 Sporter. It comes in 20" or 24" barrel lengths. It has a bolt action, threaded muzzle, detachable mag, and has a TRG style laminated stock with a cheek riser.
 
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#8
shaneinhisroom said:
I'm looking to get a .223 trainer rifle from the factory- there is no point in spending the money for a custom action when I only need to go out 400-500yd max.
Click to expand...


How do you figure? People spend thousands and do nothing but shoot for groups at 100 and 200 yards. Some spend thousands for BR comps and win money. It depends on what you want and judging by the fact you want a .5moa gun it's a guaranteed way to get what you want.

Because of one thing or another there's not a factory 223 on the market I would buy for a distance shooting rifle. Everything has one down side or another and I'm not a fan of settling for second best. After reliability the second thing I would want in a 223 is a 1:8 twist barrel to shoot the Amax's and high BC Bergers (possibly 1:7 if you want to shoot the really heavy stuff). Combining velocity and BC I believe the 75 Amax is the top long distance performer in 223.

I would set a budget, not say this or that and see what you can get. For building a low budget 223 you can't beat the weatherby vanguard/Howa 1500 action. It blows every other commercial action out of the water. Unlike Remington and savage they have a great extractor (M16 style), one piece bolt, flat bottom with built in lug, and the new ones have an excellent 2 stage trigger. Best of all is 90% of the time the receiver is so square a smith couldn't possibly true it any better which saves $250-$350. $450 gets you a brand new vanguard donor rifle, add $600 to get a top quality barrel and have it installed and you've got $1050 in the barreled action that will shoot lights out. You can drop it in a B&C medalist and have $1300 in the whole deal or get a manners for a bit more.

That makes more since to me than dropping $1k on a factory rifle that may be a POS. Plus you can get the barrel the length your want as well as contour and twist without sending it back out.
 
#9
redneckbmxer24 said:
How do you figure? People spend thousands and do nothing but shoot for groups at 100 and 200 yards. Some spend thousands for BR comps and win money. It depends on what you want and judging by the fact you want a .5moa gun it's a guaranteed way to get what you want.

Because of one thing or another there's not a factory 223 on the market I would buy for a distance shooting rifle. Everything has one down side or another and I'm not a fan of settling for second best. After reliability the second thing I would want in a 223 is a 1:8 twist barrel to shoot the Amax's and high BC Bergers (possibly 1:7 if you want to shoot the really heavy stuff). Combining velocity and BC I believe the 75 Amax is the top long distance performer in 223.

I would set a budget, not say this or that and see what you can get. For building a low budget 223 you can't beat the weatherby vanguard/Howa 1500 action. It blows every other commercial action out of the water. Unlike Remington and savage they have a great extractor (M16 style), one piece bolt, flat bottom with built in lug, and the new ones have an excellent 2 stage trigger. Best of all is 90% of the time the receiver is so square a smith couldn't possibly true it any better which saves $250-$350. $450 gets you a brand new vanguard donor rifle, add $600 to get a top quality barrel and have it installed and you've got $1050 in the barreled action that will shoot lights out. You can drop it in a B&C medalist and have $1300 in the whole deal or get a manners for a bit more.

That makes more since to me than dropping $1k on a factory rifle that may be a POS. Plus you can get the barrel the length your want as well as contour and twist without sending it back out.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. I don't want to shoot .223 for distance either, that's why I call it a trainer. For days I can't make it to the 1000+yd range with my SAC 6.5CM. I can practice reading wind on a shorter range due to the lighter bullets, I just need a good foundation. Not looking for a hog gun, just range gun. I don't want to sink money into modifying the gun after I purchase the optics (which is another large buy).

Thanks for all the ideas. I"ll look at all these models but it looks like the 5R stands out for now.
 
#10
What is your budget? You can have a highly accurate semi custom for the same cost as the 5r.

I've gotta say, I would not spend my money on another small boltface Remington. The last three I had trashed brass. On one I replaced the extractor several times and even polished them and it made no difference. I'm not sure what Remington is doing with their small boltface extractors these days but they are terrible if you want to reload. Also the chance of getting a lemon is getting higher and higher.
 
#11
This is true...The Tikka T3 sporter is a nice gun too but really I"m only looking to spend less than $1k for the gun itself. The less the better. I've heard better things about the Mossberg MVP with reliability and accuracy doesn't seem to be all there either.

So not the 5R, what's like the T3 Sporter but less expensive? The Savage Hog Hunter? The Browning? Never owned either of those.
 
#12
You could try finding a leftover or used Tikka T3 lite with the 1:8 twist. The factory stock, mags, and bottom metal (plastic) sucks ass though. I've got one I had reamed to 223AI I'm considering selling. You can still run as much 223 ammo through it as you want and you wouldn't know it's not the original 223 chamber, that's how the brass is fireformed too.

Another consideration would be a gas gun. You ran get a rock river varmint for $1k and it will do what you want.
 
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