Seek discussion on bolt/lever 223 rifle choices

[41mag]

Over 20+ years I've had access to or owned all the action types for the cal .223.....

just really do not care for the AR/mini-14 style to service the round; I've grown rather interested in it.

My own order of preference for this caliber is :
1) lever;
2) single shot;
3) bolt;
distant last, semi-auto anything.

The BLR223 years ago was very satisfying yet after 4 shots the barrel was too hot & remained inaccurate until cool again;

the single shot Ruger #1(?) was fatally flawed for high price;

My buddies precision Remington bolt gun was scary accurate at 100 yards, yet I don't want that longLongLONG barrel;

Have AR on hand but never seem to get it out to the range. Had great accuracy at 200 yrds before I borrowed the scope off of it. Had a mini-14 for 20+ years & got barely 200 rounds out of it due to lack of interest.

So you fans of non-AR style 223, what's your thoughts? Perhaps I could live with a Mannlicher style stock on a bolt carbine. There seems to be plenty of bolt actions out there.

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[WAYNO]

Since barrel length is an issue, you've already eliminated my top choices, so...

The Ruger American Ranch Rifle. In spite of the miniscule price, these are extremely accurate.

The Mossberg MVP. A little more expensive than the American, many choices of configurations, and extremely accurate. And they use standard AR mags.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I really like the CZ 527 carbines...they come in .223 or 7.62 x 39mm.
( CZ states that the 527 can also use .556 )
If I had the coin , I'd get one of those.

I have shot one in each caliber and both were excellent "pointers" and plenty accurate with the issue iron sights out to the 100 yard target at the range.
The one big down side to me is the magazine...they are expensive for what they are and also proprietary.
Andy

 

[Mark W.]

Mossberg MVP

 

[RVTECH]

I recently shot a Remington Model 7 in .223 - and it would be my first choice.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Takes 40 round clipazines trombone style!

Remington Law Enforcement - Rifles - Model 7615P Patrol Rifle

 

[41mag]

say now....that 223 version looks pretty close.....thanks for the idea

Does anyone here actually have/shoot one of these? the Mossberg I mean....or even the Savage....

I like the idea of AR magazines, just don't care for the rest of it.

 

[RVTECH]

2) single shot;

I missed this part - try to find a NEF Handi-Rifle - I FINALLY found one and I am not disappointed! These are no longer being made and the .223 is/was one of the more popular calibers in it so they are getting a little hard to find.

 

[etrain16]

Interesting, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a lever .223 - just a quick search showed a Henry, sounds like Remington may have one too.

Just curious though, considering .30-30 rounds tend to be rounded for stacking in the mag (no piercing the primer in front if you were to drop the rile), would that mean you need a special rounded bullet in a .223 round to prevent something like that from happening?

 

[WAYNO]

say now....that 223 version looks pretty close.....thanks for the idea

Does anyone here actually have/shoot one of these? the Mossberg I mean....or even the Savage....

I like the idea of AR magazines, just don't care for the rest of it.

I have the Mossberg MVP. Come up to Canby Gun Club when you're out and about and I'll let you try it out.

I owned one originally, sold it, missed it, and then bought another.

 

[etrain16]

I have the Mossberg MVP. Come up to Canby Gun Club when you're out and about and I'll let you try it out.

I owned one originally, sold it, missed it, and then bought another.

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View attachment 404873

Those do seem like nice guns - I've considered adding one to the list myself.

 

[Argonaut]

There is a nice looking Savage 2400 on Gun Broker in 222/12 gauge. They are made by Valmet. One of my favorite guns is the 2400 12/308 I bought in 1977. It is an incredible gun that in my opinion is better than the Valmet 412 made later. I would ream the chamber to 223 and you would have a perfect survival rifle. It is too cheep at 600.00. Please buy it before I have to. It uses Sako type integral scope rings that go back to dead zero after being R&R. It is very short and handy. My 12ga/308 is regulated to shoot at 100 yards (you can actually adjust that if you like) I can shoot the 308 and cover it with a 12 gauge slug. It is the ideal early season gun where grouse and bear are open at the same time. I always have it in the truck or camp to use if someone's gun has a problem. It has killed many many deer, some bear. The gun uses the Remington M32/Krieghoff design action. I also have a left hand CZ 527 carbine in 7.62X39 that is a very nice rifle. No junk plastic or anything phony about that gun. Great old world craftsmanship.

 

[41mag]

I've shot those various 222/12 etc in the past buddies always had to buy then try to bring me in on joining their enthusiasm. I never could develop an interest despite the basic 'good idea'.

The AR7 was of considerable interest until a buddy left me his over one summer. When he returned from his extended trip I was fine with handing it back without trying to buy it from him. However I may have to find a way to convince WAYNO his EBBR (eevilblackboltRifle) posted above is looking for a new home....

Even a decent Marlin 30/30 lever would serve me just as good as needed.
I've yet to look closely at the Henry 223 lever version.
One of my favorite long-gone was a Mannicher stock M77 in 308. Maybe one of my top 3 favorites all time was an old single shot Stevens M44 1/2 that had been rebored to 38-55. It was magic medicine on pop cans out around 100 yards with simple buckhorn sights.

But I've come to view the AR mag 223 bolt rifle to be on a very short list.

 

[MountainBear]

The Mossberg is nice in concept. But in order to make the gun feed from AR mags, they use a little hinged flap on the bottom of the bolt to pick up the cartridge and strip it out of the mag. This little flap is held on by a single small roll pin. The engineer and gunsmith in me cringed the first time I saw it and still does.
Remington 7 and 700's are nice, but you pay for nice. The pump .223 are fun, but not a current catalogued item and have gotten spendy.
For the money right now, I think it's hard to beat the Ruger American Ranch. It has a 5.56 chamber so it will run commercial and milsurp ammo. Short and threaded barrel is nice. The mag is low capacity, but they are easy to load, smooth to get into the gun, and seem to function. Wish they took AR mags or at least mini-14 mags, but it's not horrid.
The only two issues I've seen are the flimsy plastic stock, which is replaceable. The action is smooth, but the machining marks on the bolt have a weird zip sound when running the action. I've seen this successfully removed with a little lapping compound.
Accuracy on these little guns is excellent.

Long answer, but it's my $.02. Worth whatcha paid for it. Good luck with your search...

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

I fired someone's Ruger Gunsite at the range today; it was .308, but I hear the .223 is essentially the same.....very nice!

I do not know if the .223 is Controlled Feed like the .308.

 

[41mag]

I have a Ruger gunsite scout 308 and would probably really like one in 223....the magazine issue remains to be studied as noted above.

 

[No_Regerts]

Tikka T3, 1 in 8 twist, thank me later....

 

[Reed]

I'm hoping (and holding off on buying) that Ruger starts producing the Ruger American Ranch Rifle that accepts the Mini-14 Mag.

I am also interested in getting my grubby mitts on a Savage Hog Hunter in 308 or 223.

My Mossberg MVP Patrol rifles are fun to shoot, and accurate enough where they could come close to a work-horse, all purpose rifle.

 

[KKG]

I once spent my evenings Building a Lever Action Carbine from a block of Aluminum and some odds and ends from different Military Guns. I cut down an M-16A1 magazine to five(5) rounds. It actually shot very well. I only wish I had been able to bring it back to the "Land of the Big PX". Such was not to be the case.

 

[djharteloo]

I really like the CZ 527 carbines...they come in .223 or 7.62 x 39mm.
( CZ states that the 527 can also use .556 )
If I had the coin , I'd get one of those.

I have shot one in each caliber and both were excellent "pointers" and plenty accurate with the issue iron sights out to the 100 yard target at the range.
The one big down side to me is the magazine...they are expensive for what they are and also proprietary.
Andy

I have a Ruger American 5.56 and its been a good rifle for the money.... But my CZ527 is my favorite firearm I own by far. Andy is absolutely right in that the only down side is the cost of magazines.