I have tried my damndest to like a 223. I have had several. One would not shoot good groups no matter what I tried. One wouldn't feed without the rounds popping out of the action when I worked the bolt. Another had a horrid 12 twist that wouldn't shoot many bullets I wanted to use. And the single shots were a pointless exercise as like anyone, I wanted to plink and have fun and it was slow and awkward. The ar15 just wasn't quite the answer either.
The rifles that include the 223 are normally built for standard sized rounds like 243 or 270 etc...and the 223 is sort of an afterthought and the mag is half assed designed to fit the bigger space, sometimes causing problems like the one I mentioned.
The round itself is great, usually accurate and affordable and no complaints there.
Without spending a grand, what rifles have you guys found to be a good fit for the round?
I have tried the Remington 700, Remington Model 7, CZ 527, Howa Mini, Tikka T3x, and the AR 15 in 223 Remington. I agree the Remington 700 was built for the larger stuff and you end up with a heavier rifle than necessary for the cartridge. The Remington Model 7 was light and carried well I just didn't care for the 20 inch barrel. In my opinion the muzzle blast of a 223 is pretty obnoxious on any barrel less than 21-22". Plus the light barrel shot ok. I have had two CZ 527's in the 223 and they were both very accurate and the action is sized perfectly for the cartridge. You can basically scope a CZ and have it weigh as much as a Remington 700 without a scope. The same could be said for the Howa Mini which I have now. I have not shot the mini yet, so I can't speak to it's accuracy. The Tikka T3x is a long action with a bolt stop to make it work for the shorter stuff. It wasn't as light as the CZ, Howa, or the Remington Model 7, and mine shot ok. The trigger was nice, but I didn't like it enough to keep it. The AR15 was not for me. I just couldn't warm up to it. My recommendation is to look at the CZ 527 and the Howa Mini.
