Hello, new to the forum sorta. Been lurking for awhile off and on. I’m looking to get my first bolt action .223 and would like some input in some somewhat budget options. I would like something that I can later get upgrades such as a stock or chassis system. I have quite a few ar’s, a howa 1500 in 6.5cm and a savage model 10 in .308. This will be strictly a fun range gun, I enjoy the .223 and have wanted a bolt action for awhile. Thanks in advance!!
- Thread starter Elh11480
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Install a new bolt face and a new barrel on your existing Savage Mod 10 and you have a pretty good rig for not too much money. The bolt change is $50? add a Criterion barrel for $325 and you're there. You will need a new mag to fit your stock/chassis.
Great idea. If you don`t want to do that and want to keep your 308, you might consider a 110 in .223. My 110 Storm has been great, very accurate and no issues functionally. It`s a hunting rifle, though, in all respects,not a precision target rifle, but will shoot sub-MOA groups with no problem with loads it likes. SH is a Tikka web site, so you`ll be inundated with Tikka recommendations. They are very fine rifles, without question.
The new RemArms is 1-8" 5r. I'd have one right now to test, but other things took priority.
Another vote for the Tikka T3x in 223. Mine is a Varmint model, it shoots like a laser!
Yeah, this has also been on my mind. I don’t really want to get rid of my .308 though. Appreciate all the recommendations. Right now going back and forth between the howa 1500 action once brownells has them in stock and a tikka t3x. Anyone recommend the ruger American? I know they make nice chassis for them.
What bullet class and type are you going to use? It really depends on how nice a rifle and what it's intended use. A truck rifle, plinker, varmint hunting, LR trainer. A Ruger American is okay, people have done well with them. But they aren't as nice as a Tikka or Howa.
For off the shelf options a Tikka or one of the new 8 twist RemArms 700 SPS tactical or varmint are the way to go. Tikka will be the better rifle out of the box because of the trigger and the stock. The Tikka stock is tupperware, but it's semi-serviceable tupperware whereas the hogue and 700 varmint stocks are flimsy trash. A stock upgrade is very beneficial on either rifle but it's necessary right away with the 700. The good news is that you can find used KRG Bravos for $250-$300 fairly easily for the 700.
I would go the 700 route if you really want a heavier barrel only because you can't get many non sporter barrel Tikkas right now, T3X Lite and Lite SS are the only ones somewhat consistently in stock. The CTR's have been out of stock for a while with no ETA on another batch coming in, and the Supervarmint at $1600 is currently the only non sporter barrel Tikka 223 that you can find in the US and is in semi custom price territory. The Lite I find to have plenty of meat on the barrel in a 223 so it being a sporter contour isn't a big deal, I had one that was reamed to 223AI and it was never an issue.
I would go the 700 route if you really want a heavier barrel only because you can't get many non sporter barrel Tikkas right now, T3X Lite and Lite SS are the only ones somewhat consistently in stock. The CTR's have been out of stock for a while with no ETA on another batch coming in, and the Supervarmint at $1600 is currently the only non sporter barrel Tikka 223 that you can find in the US and is in semi custom price territory. The Lite I find to have plenty of meat on the barrel in a 223 so it being a sporter contour isn't a big deal, I had one that was reamed to 223AI and it was never an issue.
The Rem Arms 700 ADL is what I had ordered, but cancelled in lieu of MT tires. And like you said I had planned on using a KRG stock which can be had at a reasonable price. I've seen $310-$325 shipped used. My intended purpose is a walking stick varmint rifle/ LR trainer. I do have H&S Precision stock and a Remington Mountain rifle laminate stock. Following Trigger Monkey's help I'll install a Magpul bottom metal kits to use AICS style mags. I shot a chuck @ 584 yards with a burned out Rem 700 ADL 22-250 1-14" using handloaded 55 gr Berger Target Match Flat Base bullets. I think a 1-8" twist 223 has even better potential for varmints. At the bare min it's a cheap LR trainer.
There are unobtanium right now. I’ve been looking. 6.5 CM or 308 are around.
I am looking at the Howa/Weatherby myself with the KRG Bravo stock for a similar setup. Shoot out the factory barrel and upgrade to a Howage barrel.
I have two Howas and they have been sub MOA in stock configuration, for the price it’s not a bad rifle just not a custom setup. (Not a poor, but trying to be realistic)
I have two Howas and they have been sub MOA in stock configuration, for the price it’s not a bad rifle just not a custom setup. (Not a poor, but trying to be realistic)
TIKKA TAC A-1, .223, IN STOCK AT EURO OPTIC, 10 MINUTES AGO....
That’s a nice looking setup!! Minus the optic, what did that run you?
I appreciate all the suggestions. I think if I buy off the shelf, then I would like to have a tikka. I’m not sure if I should go with the varmint or the ctr, when and if I can find one. I have a budget of around $1000 for something right now. I absolutely love to custom build something. What’s the “cheapest” I could build a custom .223? I know the words cheap and custom really don’t belong in the same sentence, just out of curiosity. Thanks again to all!
That’s a nice looking setup!! Minus the optic, what did that run you?
I appreciate all the suggestions. I think if I buy off the shelf, then I would like to have a tikka. I’m not sure if I should go with the varmint or the ctr, when and if I can find one. I have a budget of around $1000 for something right now. I absolutely love to custom build something. What’s the “cheapest” I could build a custom .223? I know the words cheap and custom really don’t belong in the same sentence, just out of curiosity. Thanks again to all!
$900 Origin Action
$450 Proof SS prefit
$100 used 700 trigger
$300 used KRG bravo
By time you get a couple mags and pay shipping and tax you’d be about double your budget but it would be worth it.
That could take some time, I’m really in no rush and might look into that! Any idea how good the pacific tool and gauge actions are? They seem to run alitttle cheaper
PTG is a shit show, I wouldn't order a thing from them. They also aren't even in the same league as a Bighorn and I don't think you can get prefits either unless you do a barrel nut which is gay.
I would also be interested if anyone has any current experience with the Savage 12 LRPV, particularly in .223.
My gun started as a factory 12LRPV with factory 26 inch 7twist barrel. The throat was to short for 90 gr bullets so I rented a throat reamer and lengthened it. I didn’t like the target trigger that came with it. If I got under a pound of pull it would malfunction. I wore the original barrel out and put a prefit Shelien barrel on. I do like the action right bolt and left single feed. Here’s a 20 shot group I shot at 300 yards this morning.
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Thank you sir, appreciate very much the info. A question. Prior to your reaming the throat, did you shoot the gun as it was originally out of the box? If so, how did it perform?
Heres my little .223 rem
Love this rifle. Dont think ill ever sell this one. Has been good for me at mid to longer distances on varmints and steel targets. And cheap to reload as well.
A couple pictures on different days. Thats why the coloring is different between the two pictures.
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With 80 gr. it shot sub moa and it shot the best group I’ve ever shot at 400 yards.
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Thanks. Impressive! Both the gun`s performance and your shooting. Very positive feedback on several sites now concerning the Model 12 LRPV.
That’s a beautiful rifle right there. I can’t seem to find the lrpv in stock anywhere.
I`ve got a feeling that`ll be a problem for me as well. I just hope I (we) can special order them through someone. My buddy tried to order a lite Tikka in .223 with a stainless barrel and finally gave up. His LGS just could not find one through a distributor.
Thanks. My buddy has a thing about supporting local stores. It`s beside the point now because he went with another Tikka in blue as opposed to SS.
Thanks. I`m just kind of looking ahead right now. If I`m not accepted for membership in the club that has the longer distance ranges, this will all be moot anyway.
I’m doing the same kind of build. I sold my 1/4moa 223 desert tech conv kit and now I regret it. I have a Archmedes and a 223BF and I’ll chamber it for the Berger 80.5 and 80 ELD-M at 2.525 on a Foundation with my old trusty Cronus on a ARC M-BRACE. IBI 1/7tw MTU blank.
The only thing I haven’t settled on is the barrel length. I had no issues going 800 with a 22in so I might do that but the foundation usually balance a little bit better with more weight up front so I might do 24.
I would have regretted that too lol ive been thinking about buying a desert tech. but have never been behind one. i live out in the sticks here in kansas and nobody around me has one. are they comfortable to shoot? are they awkward? i would hate to drop 6k+ just to try one out and end up hating the ergonomics.
I bought one a long time ago where there wasn’t a whole lot of options on the market and their QC was much better and the price was reasonable. I most likely wouldn’t get one today unless I was lookin for a really compact rifle. Also the ergos don’t fit everyone, the bolt lift is heavy and the trigger is okay but no anywhere close to a modern R700 trigger. They also don’t balance as well on a barricade than a traditional rifle.
Right now it lives as my dedicated ultra short subsonic thumper bush gun with a 450BM pushing the 395 SubX and some 500gr cast and every once in a while I put the 308barrel and do long range subsonics to 300-400yards for shit and giggles. I did get a Magnum bolt and will probably do a 7-300 PRC next year for 1600 yard shooting since I don’t own any long actions builds and I already got a spare LA mag bolt, LA magazine and barrel extension.
What’s the f/tr model? I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with it.
First question is what is YOUR budget. As I'm sure you know, when it comes to rifles the sky is the limit....
If you're thinking chassis down the line, Rem 700 rules that roost, so for the widest range of options you will be limited to a Rem 700 short action.
Do a lot of research. The internet is RICH in information. It takes time though. Having been then there many times, I now "cry once but pay once". It pays in spades to take your time, save some money in the meantime, and buy the best of the best when you know exactly what you want.
Gorgeous well put together rifle. Love to have one like that but I'm on a different schedule these days. Very nice!!
I started out with a Remington 700 vls in .223. Couldn’t get the proper cheek weld so got a McMillan a3-5 for it. Shot it for a year and learned a lot, now the 700 is back in the vls stock because the twist rate is too slow for actual long range work with heavies. Traded my mark 5 moa scope for a mark 5 mil. The McMillan stock now has an origin action with a pva osprey 1:7 twist, again in .223, with a detachable box mag vs the bdl on the 700. Could have probably saved some time and money jumping straight to what I have now, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way and dont regret any of it. Hopefully some of my lessons learned save you some time and money lol.
Tikka T3x Varmint .223 Rem 23.6" Barrel 6-Rounds
The Tikka T3x Varmint is perfect for a fast-paced varmint hunt. This bolt action rifle is chambered in .223 Rem, has a 23.6-inch barrel, and can hold 6 rounds. Finished in black, it features an adjustable sing-stage trigger, a two-stage safety, and a synthetic stock with an extra wide fore-end...
grabagun.com 
