I thought about building a nice walking rifle, but ended up just buying CZ 527s, which were/are available in the lighter-recoiling cartridges you're after. I've got .17 Hornet, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball and .204, but they make them in .222 and .223, and in special runs of .17 Remington, too. They have single-set triggers and in general, pretty well done. I did have to bed the recoil lug of my .204, as the mortise was cut "off" and the barrel was rubbing against the stock. I opened up the mortise, poured in some Acraglas Gel, and put some tape around the barrel and centered it up, about an hour's worth of work (and a day or two of letting the Gel set up).
It's not my best shooter, but it will poleaxe a coyote like a lightning bolt.
