New .223 rifle

[Ac-13]

Hi all

was hoping someone here might be able to chime in:

I’m looking to get a .223 bolt action rifle for predator-control (fox) out to 250 yards, egyptian goose out to 100, some precision fun at the range (100y max). I prefer a lighter, shorter rifle for carrying out to the fields and would love to shoot monolithic bullets when available( less damage to pelt/meat) if possible I would like to hand-load for it, but bullets are hard to come by here…


Shortlist :

• howa 1500 mini action varmint (1 year wait) 1 in 8 twist, 20 inch bbl
• tikka t3x light with d18 profile barrel, so a roughtech, veil, … (9 month wait) 1 in 8 twist, 22 inch barrel, .7 muzzle diameter
• bergara extreme hunter (self import as they were only made for one country, 6 month) 1 in 9 twist, 18 inch barrel, .654 muzzle diameter

I like the look and shortness, light weight of the bergara but worry that the 1 in 9 twist might not stabilise mono-bullets. I won’t be shooting more than 3-4 rounds in a sitting So do not worry too much about the thinner stainless fluted barrel ( t3x superlight-esque), 6 round hinged floor plate magazine is a plus for me as well.

I realise the tikka has the best reputation but I sort of dislike the not completely flush 4 rd mag… (and apparently the .223 mags are known for feeding problems after a bit of use)

Howa is a known performer if the interwebs is to be believed , like mags that work pretty good according to research but we only have 1 exclusive dealer so aftermarket support might be…spotty

Hope you guys can chime in on using mono .223 in the shorter, slower twist bergara barrel? Anyone tried it in another 1 in 9 twist?
( if I understand correctly you can get away with a slower twist rate but need extra speed to get the accuracy up?

p.s. shortening barrels is a no-no here… rifle has to be checked and tested by the gvt if shortened and is not worth the paperwork and hassle…

thanks all!

 

[noremorse92]

Hi all

was hoping someone here might be able to chime in:

I’m looking to get a .223 bolt action rifle for predator-control (fox) out to 250 yards, egyptian goose out to 100, some precision fun at the range (100y max). I prefer a lighter, shorter rifle for carrying out to the fields and would love to shoot monolithic bullets when available( less damage to pelt/meat) if possible I would like to hand-load for it, but bullets are hard to come by here…


Shortlist :

• howa 1500 mini action varmint (1 year wait) 1 in 8 twist, 20 inch bbl
• tikka t3x light with d18 profile barrel, so a roughtech, veil, … (9 month wait) 1 in 8 twist, 22 inch barrel, .7 muzzle diameter
• bergara extreme hunter (self import as they were only made for one country, 6 month) 1 in 9 twist, 18 inch barrel, .654 muzzle diameter

I like the look and shortness, light weight of the bergara but worry that the 1 in 9 twist might not stabilise mono-bullets. I won’t be shooting more than 3-4 rounds in a sitting So do not worry too much about the thinner stainless fluted barrel ( t3x superlight-esque), 6 round hinged floor plate magazine is a plus for me as well.

I realise the tikka has the best reputation but I sort of dislike the not completely flush 4 rd mag… (and apparently the .223 mags are known for feeding problems after a bit of use)

Howa is a known performer if the interwebs is to be believed , like mags that work pretty good according to research but we only have 1 exclusive dealer so aftermarket support might be…spotty

Hope you guys can chime in on using mono .223 in the shorter, slower twist bergara barrel? Anyone tried it in another 1 in 9 twist?
( if I understand correctly you can get away with a slower twist rate but need extra speed to get the accuracy up?

p.s. shortening barrels is a no-no here… rifle has to be checked and tested by the gvt if shortened and is not worth the paperwork and hassle…

thanks all!

Get the tikka. My t3x lite shot sub half moa with factory hornady 73gr eldm first time out with a cheap nikon scope.
The trigger rocks for factory. Great barrel. Lowish cost. Everything just works. It's not fancy but it just works. It does what it says on the box. The mag is great feeding wise and it's nearly flush. It won't come out on you when hunting unless you intentionally release it. It does limit overall cartridge length but for hunting and 95% of shooting applications it's totally fine. The rifle is light too, very light. Get the stainless fluted one if you can find it.

I shoot mostly 52gr smk in that barrel and vast majority of 5 shot groups are around half to 5/8 moa. Some a little less some a little more. Need to try more variety but why change it if it works well?

I like mine so much I had another bolt body made for 308 family of cartridges.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Tikka all day.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I am a Tikka fan 100% but if all you’re wanting is to do what you described then I don’t see a reason to spend any more than a Ruger a American Ranch

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I am a Tikka fan 100% but if all you’re wanting is to do what you described then I don’t see a reason to spend any more than a Ruger a American Ranch

Those things are chintzy pieces of shit compared to a Tikka and don't have the aftermarket support that Tikka does and certainly doesn't have the overseas support and availability of Tikka. The OP sounds like he lives somewhere that it's a pain in the ass to own guns and you can't just order something else and have it in a few days and easily sell off a gun you don't like so it would be wise to invest in a better quality gun.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Those things are chintzy pieces of shit compared to a Tikka and don't have the aftermarket support that Tikka does and certainly doesn't have the overseas support and availability of Tikka. The OP sounds like he lives somewhere that it's a pain in the ass to own guns and you can't just order something else and have it in a few days and easily sell off a gun you don't like so it would be wise to invest in a better quality gun.

I agree, just thought if he was only going to shoot 100-200 yards, cheaper might be better in this case…. But I’m not one to talk. I’m picking this tikka 223 varmint up from a hide member this Friday.

 

[hgr2]

Howdy folks, another Tikka fan here. Just got a Tikka Varmint in 223, 8 twist. I have had some pretty good results with 77 gr Nosler CCs using H4895 at +- 2800FPS.

I would really like more throat to be able to seat the bullets out further but that’s for another day. So, I have a question for the Tikka Varmint guys. Will your Tikka 8 twist barrels
stabilize Hornady 75 or 80 ELDMs? I tried both and the results were terrible!! I’m talking 2.5-3” groups at 100. My 77 CCs will shoot way under an inch but both the Hornady’s group like buckshot.

Looking forward to hearing your results.

 

[noremorse92]

Howdy folks, another Tikka fan here. Just got a Tikka Varmint in 223, 8 twist. I have had some pretty good results with 77 gr Nosler CCs using H4895 at +- 2800FPS.

I would really like more throat to be able to seat the bullets out further but that’s for another day. So, I have a question for the Tikka Varmint guys. Will your Tikka 8 twist barrels
stabilize Hornady 75 or 80 ELDMs? I tried both and the results were terrible!! I’m talking 2.5-3” groups at 100. My 77 CCs will shoot way under an inch but both the Hornady’s group like buckshot.

Looking forward to hearing your results.

My lite 223 8 twist shot the 75 hornady into just over half inch for 5 most of the time at 100.
The 52 smk was more consistent though. So I went with that as most of my shooting is sub 300.

 

[FuhQ]

Hi all

was hoping someone here might be able to chime in:

I’m looking to get a .223 bolt action rifle for predator-control (fox) out to 250 yards, egyptian goose out to 100, some precision fun at the range (100y max). I prefer a lighter, shorter rifle for carrying out to the fields and would love to shoot monolithic bullets when available( less damage to pelt/meat) if possible I would like to hand-load for it, but bullets are hard to come by here…


Shortlist :

• howa 1500 mini action varmint (1 year wait) 1 in 8 twist, 20 inch bbl
• tikka t3x light with d18 profile barrel, so a roughtech, veil, … (9 month wait) 1 in 8 twist, 22 inch barrel, .7 muzzle diameter
• bergara extreme hunter (self import as they were only made for one country, 6 month) 1 in 9 twist, 18 inch barrel, .654 muzzle diameter

I like the look and shortness, light weight of the bergara but worry that the 1 in 9 twist might not stabilise mono-bullets. I won’t be shooting more than 3-4 rounds in a sitting So do not worry too much about the thinner stainless fluted barrel ( t3x superlight-esque), 6 round hinged floor plate magazine is a plus for me as well.

I realise the tikka has the best reputation but I sort of dislike the not completely flush 4 rd mag… (and apparently the .223 mags are known for feeding problems after a bit of use)

Howa is a known performer if the interwebs is to be believed , like mags that work pretty good according to research but we only have 1 exclusive dealer so aftermarket support might be…spotty

Hope you guys can chime in on using mono .223 in the shorter, slower twist bergara barrel? Anyone tried it in another 1 in 9 twist?
( if I understand correctly you can get away with a slower twist rate but need extra speed to get the accuracy up?

p.s. shortening barrels is a no-no here… rifle has to be checked and tested by the gvt if shortened and is not worth the paperwork and hassle…

thanks all!

Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle .223 Rem 16" 1:8" Black 801-03015-00

Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle .223 Rem 16" 1:8" Black 801-03015-00 For Sale

www.eurooptic.com

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Howdy folks, another Tikka fan here. Just got a Tikka Varmint in 223, 8 twist. I have had some pretty good results with 77 gr Nosler CCs using H4895 at +- 2800FPS.

I would really like more throat to be able to seat the bullets out further but that’s for another day. So, I have a question for the Tikka Varmint guys. Will your Tikka 8 twist barrels
stabilize Hornady 75 or 80 ELDMs? I tried both and the results were terrible!! I’m talking 2.5-3” groups at 100. My 77 CCs will shoot way under an inch but both the Hornady’s group like buckshot.

Looking forward to hearing your results.

It’s more likely just your gun not liking the bullets or bad lots of bullets which certainly happens with Hornady. I’ve shot 80.5gr Bergers and 75gr Amax through 8 twist Tikkas without issue.

 

[Turkeytider]

No problem on SH getting folks to chime in and recommend the Tikka. They are fine rifles. What one is NOT likely to see, either here or on any other site are OBJECTIVE, side by side comparisons of different rifle brands in the same caliber. That would require ownership/access to multiple rifles, in the brands under consideration, and I would hazard a guess that those folks are few and far between. Not sure that that is what the OP is asking for anyway.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

There are plenty of people here that have owned shit loads of different rifles. Tikka gets recommended because for a factory rifle under $1000 there's nothing that touches them as far as accuracy, reliability, and overall function. Personally I've owned at least a dozen Tikkas, half a dozen Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguards, and a few Bergaras. I recommended the Tikka because they're the better rifle of the 3 the OP is interested in, also hence why I've owned several more of them than the others and why I have 3 of the things.

You get upset every time someone doesn't mention savage or points out that they're giant pieces of shit, so why not wonder on over to savage shooters where you can suck each other off without prejudice?

 

[Turkeytider]

Hi all

was hoping someone here might be able to chime in:

I’m looking to get a .223 bolt action rifle for predator-control (fox) out to 250 yards, egyptian goose out to 100, some precision fun at the range (100y max). I prefer a lighter, shorter rifle for carrying out to the fields and would love to shoot monolithic bullets when available( less damage to pelt/meat) if possible I would like to hand-load for it, but bullets are hard to come by here…


Shortlist :

• howa 1500 mini action varmint (1 year wait) 1 in 8 twist, 20 inch bbl
• tikka t3x light with d18 profile barrel, so a roughtech, veil, … (9 month wait) 1 in 8 twist, 22 inch barrel, .7 muzzle diameter
• bergara extreme hunter (self import as they were only made for one country, 6 month) 1 in 9 twist, 18 inch barrel, .654 muzzle diameter

I like the look and shortness, light weight of the bergara but worry that the 1 in 9 twist might not stabilise mono-bullets. I won’t be shooting more than 3-4 rounds in a sitting So do not worry too much about the thinner stainless fluted barrel ( t3x superlight-esque), 6 round hinged floor plate magazine is a plus for me as well.

I realise the tikka has the best reputation but I sort of dislike the not completely flush 4 rd mag… (and apparently the .223 mags are known for feeding problems after a bit of use)

Howa is a known performer if the interwebs is to be believed , like mags that work pretty good according to research but we only have 1 exclusive dealer so aftermarket support might be…spotty

Hope you guys can chime in on using mono .223 in the shorter, slower twist bergara barrel? Anyone tried it in another 1 in 9 twist?
( if I understand correctly you can get away with a slower twist rate but need extra speed to get the accuracy up?

p.s. shortening barrels is a no-no here… rifle has to be checked and tested by the gvt if shortened and is not worth the paperwork and hassle…

thanks all!

Well Ac-13, at least redneckbmxer24 has apparently owned a variety of rifles, to include perhaps representatives of the three you have under evaluation, so that`s one. Hopefully he`s correct in that there may well be others who can post perhaps even more detailed comparisons. Regardless, good luck in your selection!

 

[saddlerocker]

What kind of Mono bullets do you have access to or are wanting to shoot/load?
That will allow people here to better know if they will stabilize in an 18" 1:9 twist or if you need a 1:8.
I dont think you NEED heavies for under 250yd.
50-62gr TSX would work in an 18" 1:9 I suspect.

Of the 3 you listed I would pick Tikka or Howa, but of course they are the longest wait for you. I had a 22" Weatherby Vanguard (Howa) with a varmint-type profile in .223 that was very nice and super accurate with 40gr v-max (it was 1:12 Twist).

 

[Pappasniper]

I bought a T3x SUPER VARMINT last year and this gun shoot s great. I like heavy bullets and this gun delivers. And it needs no upgrades even though I did a few.

Tikka gets my vote.

PB

 

[epeet]

Tikka over Ruger American. I had the Ranch, wanted to love it, it was just such a POS compared to a Tikka. Maybe the Gen 2 adds the $100 in polishing it needs to be a better firearm, but I don't know that I'll ever buy another one.

 

[mosin46]

am a tikka fan as well but i can tell you that my 6r 223 mag sucks. expensive,no way to get inside of it to try and fix things. when loaded it will only feed rounds 1 & 2 out of 6. without 6 loaded won't feed either. 3r works fine so far. if from europe did you look at cz 600? cheaper than tikka and mine shoots just as well or better ammo dependent than my tikka (out to 600). extra mags do not exist however. so,stuck with 1 5r.

 

[Kickin45]

Although I am a Tikka and Howa fan, with your long wait times and difficulties with parts, I’d go with the Bergara for the simple fact of REM footprint.
IF you ever want to tinker with the rifle (and you will) Remington 700 parts will be much easier and prevalent to come by.
Just my 2c