BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
12-16-2003, 10:07 AM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 690
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
If you are considering only .223, Which I like a lot, take a look at this website;
http://www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster_Varminter.htm
This is a very good article about the accuracy that can be achieved with a semi-auto.
http://www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster_Varminter.htm
This is a very good article about the accuracy that can be achieved with a semi-auto.
12-16-2003, 10:22 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coralville, IA. USA
Posts: 3,802
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
Well...asking about the best among those listed is like asking what's the best truck to buy; Ford, Chevy or Dodge.
All of the listed manufacturers make good varmint guns. Granted, some have better features in some respects than others, but your question is going to get a lot of biased responses. All of the heavy barrelled varmint rifles by each of the manufacturers listed will be accurate, and they're all proven reliable designs and they are mostly in the same price ranges depending on the grade of finish you want (stainless vs. blue, laminate wood vs. synthetic stock, etc...).
I personally own a Ruger M77VT MkII 22-250. It shoots consistant .75MOA or better groups with every type of factory ammo I've shot through it. I also very much like the fit, feel and finish of the Ruger varmint rifle (I love the med. contour "Target Grey" stainless and fine quality laminate stock). I also really like its controlled feed bolt. I don't have to play catch with it with spent cases, I just pull the bolt back slow and pluck the spent case off the bolt face.
I will say that if you're looking for value for your money, and prefer function over form and beauty, then Savage is the way to go. Don't let the relatively low prices fool you into believing that the Savages are inferior guns. Savage rifles, perticularly the HB varmint guns, have a well deserved reputation for incredible accuracy. Savage puts the time and effort where it counts, in the barrel. Also Savage has the Accu-Trigger on all their varmint rifles which is, IMO, the finest factory production trigger on the market for a rifle that costs less than $1000. It is completely user adjustable, has almost no creep or overtravel, breaks cleanly and can be set safely all the way down to 1.5lbs. I can't find a 'smith that'll take my Ruger's two-stage trigger below 2.5lbs for liability reasons. I was just at Gander Mountain and they are selling the Savage 12FV with Accu-triggers in .223Rem for $430. Not bad for a rifle that'll probably shoot 1/2MOA groups right out of the box.
I think that the best thing you could do is go to your local gun shop and compare the different rifles and find the one you like the best. They will all serve you well, I think.
Mike
All of the listed manufacturers make good varmint guns. Granted, some have better features in some respects than others, but your question is going to get a lot of biased responses. All of the heavy barrelled varmint rifles by each of the manufacturers listed will be accurate, and they're all proven reliable designs and they are mostly in the same price ranges depending on the grade of finish you want (stainless vs. blue, laminate wood vs. synthetic stock, etc...).
I personally own a Ruger M77VT MkII 22-250. It shoots consistant .75MOA or better groups with every type of factory ammo I've shot through it. I also very much like the fit, feel and finish of the Ruger varmint rifle (I love the med. contour "Target Grey" stainless and fine quality laminate stock). I also really like its controlled feed bolt. I don't have to play catch with it with spent cases, I just pull the bolt back slow and pluck the spent case off the bolt face.
I will say that if you're looking for value for your money, and prefer function over form and beauty, then Savage is the way to go. Don't let the relatively low prices fool you into believing that the Savages are inferior guns. Savage rifles, perticularly the HB varmint guns, have a well deserved reputation for incredible accuracy. Savage puts the time and effort where it counts, in the barrel. Also Savage has the Accu-Trigger on all their varmint rifles which is, IMO, the finest factory production trigger on the market for a rifle that costs less than $1000. It is completely user adjustable, has almost no creep or overtravel, breaks cleanly and can be set safely all the way down to 1.5lbs. I can't find a 'smith that'll take my Ruger's two-stage trigger below 2.5lbs for liability reasons. I was just at Gander Mountain and they are selling the Savage 12FV with Accu-triggers in .223Rem for $430. Not bad for a rifle that'll probably shoot 1/2MOA groups right out of the box.
I think that the best thing you could do is go to your local gun shop and compare the different rifles and find the one you like the best. They will all serve you well, I think.
Mike
12-17-2003, 07:39 AM
#5
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 259
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
As driftrider said I would go with a Ruger if I was to buy a rifle for out of the box conditions. If I were to build myself a gun, I would start with a remington and build a MGA Ultra Light. Match Grade Arms is a company here by the house that a friend works at. They build custom rifles and I believe the Ultra Light to be one of the best.
Based on price and possibly upgrade the remington would be cheap compared to a Ruger.
All rifles can be made to perform well but Ruger will probably perform the best out of the box, saying that I have seen some perform pretty shady and need some work.
Based on price and possibly upgrade the remington would be cheap compared to a Ruger.
All rifles can be made to perform well but Ruger will probably perform the best out of the box, saying that I have seen some perform pretty shady and need some work.
12-18-2003, 04:28 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 227
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
Personally I would go with the remington my opinion is that it is the most acurate out of the box rifle you can buy. I don't have experience with the 223 but my 700 BDL Varmit will shoot 3/4 inch groups all day if I do my part. My 243 ADL will shoot 1 inch with any factory ammo I put thru it. But just like cars or anything else you can always get stuck with a lemon.
12-21-2003, 08:05 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Garfield NJ USA
Posts: 3,067
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
I have two 223 varmint rigs, a Savage 112 ( not accu-trigger) and I have a load worked up so that I'm consistantly sub-moa at 100 yds. Ugly no frills gun but it is a tack driver in the right hands. The other one is the surprise, a Howa 1500 varminter supreme. Right out of the box with Winchester 45 gr varmint factory. Bore sight, 3 rds at 50 yds, 4 rds at a 100 and the next 10 shots covered a quarter. Look at it this way, figure out what your bugdet is gun plus glass. In this type of rig going with a slightly cheaper gun and good glass is IMO the way to go, but if you have the budget than why not.
The 223 is really cheap to shoot, the 22-250 give you longer legs and the 243 can switch roles come fall.
The 223 is really cheap to shoot, the 22-250 give you longer legs and the 243 can switch roles come fall.
12-22-2003, 01:27 AM
#9
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Brunswick, OH
Posts: 272
RE: BEST VARMIT RIFLE IN 223 CALIBER
I agree with driftrider. You can't just pick a rifle without testing the feel of many. Most of the companies out today make quality rifles. I like my Colt and Bushmaster AR-15s. I shoot .33 in. groups normally with my Bushmaster and .75 with my Colt.
I have friends who prefer to use bolt guns and shoot similar groups. Go to a local shop and get your hands on as many firearms as possible and see which one feels good to you
. Then you have to decide how much you want to spend [
]. Even at prices under $500 you can find excellent guns like some of the Rugers and Savages.
Good shooting!![:-]
I have friends who prefer to use bolt guns and shoot similar groups. Go to a local shop and get your hands on as many firearms as possible and see which one feels good to you
. Then you have to decide how much you want to spend []. Even at prices under $500 you can find excellent guns like some of the Rugers and Savages.Good shooting!![:-]
