Wanting to build a 223 or 7.62x39 rifle

[dtdk]

So I am thinking I would like to build an intermediate cartridge rifle.
Something to shoot up to around 300 yards with.

My thoughts are
Oryx chassis
Glass I have in my stash
Finally either a Howa or Ruger American as a base to start with.

My question is, do the Ruger 223 actions share the same footprint as their short action rifles?

 

[Shankin McStaby]

I dont have any answer for you about the ruger, sorry.

I’m doing nearly the same exact thing, save for the oryx chassis. I ordered up a Howa short action .223 from Brownells on the cheap, modded the trigger, and modded a KRG bolt lift to fit. Waiting on the XLR Evolution chassis and Talley 20MOA base I found in the PX to show up, and I’ll be just about done.

Good luck with your build, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[dtdk]

I wish those barreled actions were still reasonably priced. Now it's cheaper to buy a rifle and pull the action.

I have also been thinking an HCR might not be a bad idea.

Edit for auto correct

 

[spife7980]

Yeah, the the 223 uses the same short action. The issue is that they don’t feed very well from anything. The rounds pop out of normal aics mags before they can get started into the chamber so they will just rattle about and jam half the time.


@MDT_OFFICIAL could you explain the specific mag necessities to run a 223 from the oryx?

 

[Shankin McStaby]

I wish those barreled actions were still reasonably priced. Now it's cheaper to buy a rifle and pull the action.

I have also been thinking an HCR might not be a bad idea.

Edit for auto correct

I ordered that barreled action 2 weeks ago. It was regularly priced at $380, but they were having some kinda sale, and I was able to score it for $350 shipped.

 

[dtdk]

Well the cheapest one is 418 now, and complete rifles can be bought for 299.

 

[brianf]

i might be wrong but had there been a few 7.62 x 38 bolt actions.
if i remember there were always issues with feeding/ejecting?

might be totally off base

 

[Shankin McStaby]

$299 is damn cheap. I’ve seen complete rifles down to $400, but not $300. At least not with a heavy/threaded barrel. Where did you find that deal?

 

[dtdk]

$299 is damn cheap. I’ve seen complete rifles down to $400, but not $300. At least not with a heavy/threaded barrel. Where did you find that deal?

It is the standard barrel version and on GunBroker. If it was heavy and threaded I would have bought it

 

[Shankin McStaby]

Oh ok. That makes a little more sense. Even still, the heavy barreled actions can be had pretty cheap. I’d imagine that Brownells is going to have a tax day sale. Couple that with a mil/le discount (if that applies to you), and the activejunky thing, and you should be able to get into one pretty cheap. It’s what I did.

 

[Gtscotty]

Are you planning on using a short (.308 length) Howa action, or the super short mini actions? Can the mini actions even be set up to feed from an AICS?

I'm interested in doing something similar, but want to be able to load 80gr ELDs out to ~2.5". I didn't think the mini actions could handle that length, but I assume the short action can.

 

[kentuckyMarksman]

I noticed one of the Howa Mini Action 223 rifles on Gunbroker is being advertised as a 1:8" twist. Wonder how it shoots.

 

[dtdk]

1:8 with 223 is the way to go. Imo

 

[dtdk]

What's the activejunky thing?

 

[...]

why not split the difference between .223 and 7.62 and just go with a .300BO ?

 

[Gtscotty]

I noticed one of the Howa Mini Action 223 rifles on Gunbroker is being advertised as a 1:8" twist. Wonder how it shoots.

That's interesting, their 2018 catalog shows the mini .223s twisted at 1:8, but the regular short action .223s twisted at 1:9. I would have sworn that when the minis came out they were twisted 1:9 like the rest of Howa's .223s.

Either way, that's a nice feature, I'd take an 1:8 twist .223 over a 1:9 twist any day. I wonder what the max oal you can fit in a mini mag box is?

 

[Shankin McStaby]

What's the activejunky thing?

Active Junky

Sign up, and shop their vendors (Brownells is one of them), and you’ll get x% back from your purchase. Takes a little time to get the money back.... kinda like a mail in rebate, but I’ll take it.

I’m personally using the short action, not the mini action. This will allow the use of AICS type mags. Only downside is that all of the short action .223 Howas that I’ve seen are 1:9 twist barrels. Should still be good for 69-70 grain pills though.

 

[dtdk]

Cool thanks

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I have had two 7.62x39 bolt rifles, a Century Mauser conversion, and a Savage 10FCM Scout. The Mauser was simply a bad choice. But the Savage is one of my favorite rifles for walkabout shooting.

I removed the Scout mount right off the bat, not a Scout kinda guy am I. The bore is 308 diameter, and it's shoots surprisingly nicely with 110gr V-Max handloads. The scope is a Cheaper Tasco 2.5-10x42 MilDot on a conventional EGW Steel 20MOA base.

This is an older and discontinued Savage model with a 4rd D/M. It may still be available from the aftermarket.

I also own Mossberg MVP .223, which likes nearly every AR magazine I've tried (some of the plastic ones are a bit tight). No Oryx yet, but they are showing it as a possible option on a signup request sheet.

With the Bushnell AR Drop Zone 223 BDC scope, it's bang-on at 100, 200, and 300yd distances on a 100yd zero, has aim points for 400yd, 500yd, and the top of the lower reticle wire can be used where it gets thick for 600yd. It's BDC is configured to match 55gr-62gr Ballistic curves. It's a heckuva combination with Fed Fusion MSR 223 62gr.

If I were a Prepper, this one would be my goto rifle.

What I will suggest to you is a Ruger American Rifle chambered for 6.5 Grendel. It accepts AR style magazines, and 10 rounders can be obtained from Midway. I'm guessing, but I think they'd work. I'll probably find that out myself, since I just bought a 6.5G 20" Upper.

It looks like there may also be an Oryx chassis for this action, too.

I'm looking at the Ruger American Rifle Predator 22" 6.5 Grendel for something like what you're describing.

The 6.5 Grendel will fit the cartridge profile you're looking at, and will outperform either the .223 or the 7.62x39. Factory loads are available ranging from 90gr American Eagle Varmint/Predator, to Federal Fusion MSR 120gr PSP Deer Loads.

Greg

 

[MDT_OFFICIAL]

Yeah, the the 223 uses the same short action. The issue is that they don’t feed very well from anything. The rounds pop out of normal aics mags before they can get started into the chamber so they will just rattle about and jam half the time.


@MDT_OFFICIAL could you explain the specific mag necessities to run a 223 from the oryx?

You will need to use our .223 polymer mags