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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.

This....... regret selling mine sometimes but..... maybe I'll buy another. Super accurate and was just fun to shoot.
 
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I have two Tikka T3 Lite .223 rifles, one stainless T3, the other a Superlite. The stainless is 1-10", the Superlite is 1-8". They both wear Leupold FX3 12x40mm AO Target scopes in modified Talley rings.

I kid you not, I shoot in the high .2" five shot groups with 50 grain TTSX handloads at 3230 fps. And it ain't about me, it's the rifle and load. If you can see it you can hit it. Groups for Nosler's 50 grain Ballistic Tip Varmint are even better. Below is four shots with the BT.

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I'm working up a load for the Superlite using Nosler's 70 gr RDF for longer range (600+ yard) shooting. If the progression of preference takes you to a bolt action, buy a Tikka.




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I've got a Kimber 84 (made in Oregon) in .223. It is my most accurate rifle, and it's not a big heavy beast either. In fact it's quite a trim little gun with that nice mini-mauser action. Leupold 2x7 compact scope, and Conetrol rings. It's definitely a keeper!

My only complaint about .223's in bolt guns is that the twist is almost always too slow for the heavy bullets we now have available.
 
I haven't seen one response mention the Thompson Center bolt rifles?
Any input.
My nephew just got one but due to the holidays hasn't shot it yet.
He says fit and finish for a $400 MSRP rifle were very good. I'm looking forward to a range report.

Here is TC's ad site, of course they will say it's the best thing since sliced bread, just like they all do.
Nephew got his for around$280, in a promo sale, I've seen them listed at about $350.
 
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You'd have to weigh that against lost sales due to proprietary mags.
No way track it though and the Mini has probably seen its high water mark with the AR craze.
I havn't been a mini fan since it became common knowledge how inaccurate they are. I like the design and calibers a lot. I doubt that many sales have been lost. Most people that buy guns are not as aware of magazine interchangeability issues as we are. They are told that a magazine costs whatever it does and that is just what it is. Ruger spends plenty of money on marketing to understand positives and negatives about any particular design. If there was money to be made by changing the design, they would have. California laws have been a huge driver of Mini 14 and 30 sales as the rifle has never been defined as an evil assault rifle.
 
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In fact, when they recently released the American Ranch in 7.62x39, they could have incorporated the AK magazine. But they elected to use the Mini 30 mag. Didn't hurt them, as this rifle is an absolutely red hot seller.

And now that I'm backed into a corner, many of the folks that know the Mini 14 is inaccurate, are the folks that have never shot one. I remember very well, a day when me and my friends said any AR is horribly inaccurate.

Magazine interchangeability requirements are a relatively new concern. In the old days, nobody shared magazines. Now, guns are chastised if they do not use a Glock or AR magazine, and nothing else seems to matter. Yep, Glock and AR mags are cheap and plentiful. That has not always been the case. And ironically, because of my long time affinity for Mini's, I have more Mini magazines than any other. I was pleased the Mini 30 takes a Mini 30 mag.

Now back to the topic since I've wandered...

Mossberg was very wise to incorporate AR mags in the MVP series. And that's the main reason they interested me and I've owned two. And in the Ruger American series using their own chintzy plastic low-cap magazine, that's why I never owned one. Ruger is now extremely wise to release the American Ranch .223 that takes AR magazines. If they would have released that little rifle taking Mini 14 magazines, I could have also been pleased.
 
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And now that I'm backed into a corner, many of the folks that know the Mini 14 is inaccurate,
I'm wondering if part of the reported inaccuracy of the Mini is due to its terrible ergonomics and stock sights. The ones I have shot did not shoot very accurately- or maybe it was ME not being able to shoot it accurately and not necessarily the gun. These were older .223 models with stock sights and were uncomfortable for me to shoulder. I am hoping the new PCC fits me better than a mini - and it will need to be a LOT better or it ain't gonna work for me!
 

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