Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Lightweight 223 Blueprint

Thinking about building a small .223 to carry deer hunting in the Adirondacks. I Missed out on buying an H&R Ultra Wildcat Model 317 recently and am thinking about building a similar gun. The 317 has a 20” ultralight barrel and is 39” overall. Weight is about 5 1/4 pounds. I want to end up with a similar sub MOA gun.

Anyone ever build a rifle like that. Pictures and experiences appreciated.

At 64 I’ve shot my share of deer and have other deer rifles and calibers so no “it’s too small for deer” posts please. I hunt by myself and am selective on shots. Currently my favorite deer rifle is a early L461 Sako rebarreled to 6x45 shooting a 100gr Norma Oryx.

Thanks.

Frank

If it were me I would try find a .223 Kimber Montana, these are mighty fine.

Kimber Montana, I agree. Too bad that Barrett’s mini Fieldcraft never came to be.

Another option would be to go the Howa mini action route. Never had one and don’t know much about them.

Or a Rem 700 donor with a Rock 5r in Rem factory Mountain Rifle contour dupe. Not sure if they still do the skinny stainless, but I ordered and used several not that long ago. McEdge stock either ADL or BDL.

I guess that’s a no. I’ll keep an eye out for a Montana. Thought someone might have built one. Found another source for a 317. May go that way. Doesn’t even come with sling swivels though.

I just purchased something similar, I ran across a CZ 527 synthetic American suppressor ready. It has a 16 1/2 in barrel and is threaded if you need it. It is about 5 1/2 lbs. Its a mini mauser action, controlled round feed and detachable box mag. I haven't shot it yet, so I can't comment on accuracy, but the CZ I have had have easily been moa to sub moa.

Sounds like a nice gun. Let us know how it shoots.

If you're going to build, the Defiance Anti on a Manners UC with a light contour bbl would be fun to spend your money on.

Prairie dog gun I take it?

Kimber Montana.

I'd be looking for a pencil barrel Sako over a H&R 317; same thing and at least a decade less wear. Throw in a McMillan Edge.

That does sound mighty slick actually

Adirondack deer rifle for solo hunting not jump shooting or drives.

Defiance these days. I built one on a lefty Rem 700, pacnor mtn contour, 8 twist, cut at 21" in a Bansner Sheep hunter with aluminum bdl bottom metal and flip flop pad. Shoots 75 amax very well. 6 shot group went .5" but rarely bench it anymore. Do shoot prairie dogs, coyotes and a deer in WY every once in a while with it. It was sub 6 pounds but can't remember exact weight.

Thanks 30338. Any chance for a couple of pictures?

If you need a closeup let me know. Its all work and one of my favorites.

The Defiance anTi would be the way to go if you want light.

I've built several (.223AI's) off M7's and 700's. M7 with 1/8 21" Mt rifle contour barrel in a Bansner stock with flip flop pad is nice. M700 with 1/8 22" Douglas #1 in an Edge stock is really nice as well. Today I'd use the anTi action and go 1/7 on the barrel at the length you desire in a lighter contour with the lightweight stock of your choosing.

Very nice Rifle.. Love to see a closeup or 2.

Thanks.

Frank

My build(still waiting on action and stock)

Defiance AnTi, 7 twist 18” #4 Bart CW, AG Composites privateer...

Frank, Here you go. Muzzle mics at .555. 21" barrel. With the 20 ounce 6x on it, goes 6 pounds 15 ounces. So bare rifle is around 5 pounds 11 ounces. Had the bolt cerakoted green. Pic of group prior to camo, 6 shots of 75 amax with RL15. Flip flop holding up well so far on butt.

A good factory gun to start with is a Interarms Mini Mark X in 223.

I just picked a used one up and am in the process of pillar bedding it and some other tweaks. With it's 20" barrel, it was 5 lbs.,14 oz. on my postal scale. Nice adjustable trigger on it, also. Sometimes called a Mini Mauser, it more like a small Sako with the exception of the Mauser-looking bolt shroud. After Interarms, they were imported by Charles Daly and later by Remington as the 799 (not the 798). The Remington 799's had a nice laminated stock, though it added another pound to the gun.

There's one on Guns International right now, for what it's worth..... -Al

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...remington-mag-clean.cfm?gun_id=101599354

30338,

Thanks for all the pictures, exactly what I was looking for.

Beautiful rifle.

Thanks again.

Frank

I think current Howa Minis have 8” twists. One of those and a stock and floorplate from Oregunsmithingllc will come in pretty light at about a grand, give or take depending on how cheaply you can get the barreled action. Good luck finding a Montana!

Then again, there’s always the Tikkas.....

I built mine on a model 7 with lots of weight saving measures. Its still not a light as a micro action would be. I think id go for the montana too. Even if you rebarreled it, youll be in it less than building something on a remington or clone. Mine is a 6tcu. Ive killed lots of deer with the 223 but your 6x45 is definitely "better" to me.

3 pages in and you are the first to mention Tikka. Why complicate things when you can get an out of the box Tikka Superlite that will probably shoot circles around most lightweight customs? And for far less money than the custom rifle. Then there's that.....

Montucky by fhuqking light years. Hint.

Sako/317's suck heavy ass,due mag constraints. Hint.

Doubly so on a 461 in 270. Hint.

Cheezy 527's are pieces of fhuqking schit too,for like reason(s). Hint.

Same goes the Micro Mouser. Hint

'Course I've Seven's and 700's so chambered too(223,223AI,270,amongst others). Hint.

OEM magbox shim slide,bolt stop shortened,exhaust port flared. Shot it out and rebarreled 270. hint.



Mike Rock 1-7" at 21" duped,shank shortened,magbox shim slide,bolt stop shortened,exhaust port flared...yada,yada,yada,the usual. hint.



Teekers suck HEAVY ass,due their fhuqking Dog Schit magazines. Hint.







In extrapolation. Hint.



I shoot it all and then some. Hint.

You've been led to water.

Thank me later.

Hint....................

the montana has some ergos that aint been replicated anywhere else. fits me like a glove. ive gone the t3x route ... still have one unfired but its for sale.

Big Stick,

I enjoy your posts.

You’re right about the 317 and L461 and magazine length. Nice little actions though. Do greatly diminish potential of .223/AI though. I do like the 317’s connection to Vern O’Brien though. Legend has it that one of his .17s took a monster up in your country.

Where do you come up the actions for your builds? How do you get from a .473 bolt face to .378? What’s your #1 barrel choice? Do you have trueing work done or just screw on the barrel? Stock? Trigger?

Thanks.

PM’d you.

I know I majorly screwed up not grabbing one of the Montana 223’s last year. Those were a score and a heckuva awesome platform.

Beretzs,

They sure are hard to find for sale. Must be great.

if i was reduced to 2 rifles, it would be the .223 montana and my stainless boat paddle 77/22

Did anybody mention a Tikka Superlight in .223?

I LOVE mine!

Check your PM's. I have a line on a .223 Montana for you.

I have had my share of 223s and 223AIs including custom M700s and a 461 or two. They stay for awhile then go away.

For several years now I have had a Montana. It is going NOWHERE.

It feeds better than any 700, I am sure because the action is narrower and it’s less of an offset from the mag box to the chamber.

With what I know today, I would wait for a Montana, grab it when it became available and keep it forever.

Someone said this earlier in this thread. If I had to pare down to two centerfires, one would be the little Montana 223. The other would be the hard decision.

Man... you’re not making it easy!

Lone peak Fussion Ti action carbon fiber Mcmillan game scout or classic and lw barrel will get you there if you got the cash.

Kimber Montana for the win!
I have one salted away with the barrel chopped and recrowned to 21" and two stocks cut-down for 12 and 12.5" LOP for future grandkids.

Yeah, and I don't even like the oogly buggers, though I admire what they can do and the machining. Go figger.

Had a Kimber I punched to 223ai. Was a mistake to sell that one years ago. Its the easy answer if shooting righthanded probably.

Montana 223 with an 8" Lilja installed by Dave at IT&D is a consistent hammer...same as the Evil Twins

Thanks Stumpy! Its been a while since I've seen some of your rusty rifles, camo'ed with your teenage daughter's Nail Polish......

and since you always talk about leading people to water.... have ya ever considered takin a bath, and brushing the teeth you have left, while you're anywhere near the water?

I know ya love takin pics with your rifles in the water, when you're out shooting fish with them.... and all that rust helps camo them Alaska style....

one of these days, you'll have to explain exact what you mean when you are "Sucking Ass", and letting your Lab schitt in your rifle's magazines...
does that make ya shoot better, or help your rifles smell like you do?

That genuine Authentic Alaskan Trailer Trash Jibberish is sorta hard to follow.... without a Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring and an Alaskan Translation Dictionary...

you can respond whenever, as it 5 AM up in your A/O.... so you are probably passed out on your bathroom floor in a pile of barf, next to the toilet when you were doing your nightly ritual of Worshipping the Bathroom Throne...

See ya in the funny paper there Gilligan...

Well after a few recommendations by reliable posters like Fotis, we get this.

Have learned slowly that Sticks recommendations can easily be a contra-indicator.

I'm "sticking" to my Tikka Superlight idea....

Question re the Montana 223's, are they built on the same size action as the other short action Montana's or are they a micro version of the 84M? I'm guessing they use the same size 84M action but want to verify. Thanks.

ETA obviously the bolt face is different, so a different bolt is needed.

Same action, smaller bolt face.

Thanks

Appears seafire went on a binder of his own yesterday.

They are the same size, but have different machining for the ejection port and a few other areas.

The Kimber Montana idea seems about ideal.

I have a build on a short 700. Mine is .204 but the idea should work if you want something right on 7 pounds. I started with a SS 700 action, McMillan Hunter's Edge stock, a PacNor super match stainless barrel, factory sporter contour, fluted, finished at 24 inches. I have a non-AO Leupold 4.5-14X VH on it in Talley ringmounts. It is 6.98 pounds. Light enough to pack, heavy enough to shoot well.

You could do something like that with a shorter barrel. You could do it on a Seven action. In fact, you should be able to get a Remington Seven stainless in .223 and I think it has the 1-9" twist, at least the later ones. (Best check on that, though, I think I remember remembering that but I'm not sure sure.) Should have a 20" barrel.

Truth is, after hunting with Kimbers the past 6-8 years, to me Remington actions with skinny barrels don't look right, don't balance right. I like 'em but maybe not for super light builds.

I learned the lesson after having barrels installed on many 700's and one 70 in my quest to go lighter.

The Montana's I used for donors were 750-800 and I got a great action, trigger and stock and sold the barrels so 650-700 to start.

I am not saying 700's are bad in any way, with a good trigger and a McMillan they are nice but the Montana is great value as a donor.

If not shooting lefthanded, that sounds so easy. May have to buy a donor just for future righthanded shooters in the family.

I have a lightweight 223. It was kind of a parts rifle. I had a M700 blued action and found a 20” 223 M7 factory barrel. I scored a deal on a B&C lightweight stock. It is never going to be a long range tach driver but it sure is fun to shoot. I haven’t shot it in a few years though. I was contemplating selling it or building something else.

I've got 'em on Teeker,Seven,700 and Montuckys if only fhuqking obviously. Have shot 'em in Sako,Krico,CZ and Howa too(Custom all). The Montucky simply steals the fhuqking show and by lightyears. If only as plainly cited,fhuqking prior. Hint.

Many of 'em,are in fact very Long Range Tackdrivers. I wouldn't want anything slower than 8" RPM,if only because I shoot 7,7.5,8,9,10,12 and 14" RPM in extrapolation. Hint.

I shoot it all and then some. Hint.

You've been led to water.

Thank me later.

Hint..............

Buying a Montana in 223. Thanks DaninAlaska and Akwolverine for the help.

What’s the heaviest bullet you shoot for a deer bullet with the 9” twist and which powder?

Thanks.

Frank

Tagged.

Thinking of a 6-7#, 21-22" barrel 222 build.

Fur and feather exploder.

Was thinking of a Model 7. Run 40 grain bullets, up to 50s maximum.

Weight isn't the impetus,projectile length is. Tough to beat the Hornie 75 BTHP as a default for everything,when suffering 9" RPM. Hint.

Slide the magbox shim,shorten bolt stop/ejector,add a smidge of exhaust port flare and nice thangs happen by default,with Lever' fueled Smooches crowding 3000fps. They are NASTY Little Fhuqking Hammers.

Hint...............





40/50's suck heavy ass,compared to the good stuff. Wind,impact velocity and transonic slips,if only as starters. Hint.

'Course I shoot it all and then some. Hint.

The Electric Chair(far left) is a Seven based 223AI 20" 10" RPM that'll fling 40's at 3950fps,which of course pale to 50's at 3700fps and they of course suck ass compared to a 75 at 3150fps,in the same chambering. Hint.



8" RPM as a minimum.

Deuces suck,especially in Retard Twist Rates. Hint.





Didn't last long and became a Hawk Hill 7" RPM 223 SALAMI for 88's. hint.




Just sayin'.

Thank me later.

Hint..............





LongTimeDumber,

Pardon your Emotions making less than zero fhuqks to me,or said rifles.

Hint.

LAUGHING!..............

Amazingly ugly rifles.

I kinda like ‘em. Pretty is as pretty does.

Are you shooting yet?

Still waiting on a set if Talley lows that are in the USPS. Shouldn’t be much longer.

Real nice score on the Kimber. You're in tall cotton now.

deleted

How is that Kimber Montana 223 working out so far? I picked up a Montana in 223 and the floor plate tilts up enough to prevent the bolt from cycling when there are no cartridges loaded (just cycling the bolt to dry fire etc). I got a new spring and floor plate and had the same result. So sending it in. Rifle was purchased new and supposedly made recently (per one person I spoke with at Kimber).

Just getting started with the Montana. Put an old low power scope on it for barrel break in and will change it out shortly for load development. No feeding issues. Will actually feed an empty case out of the magazine most times.

that's like teasing a baby with an empty spoon

Good deal. Any idea when yours was built?

I don't know when it was made. Has the grey stock, the sub MOA guarantee card and is non-threaded. It has a pre bolt recall serial number.

I remember selling it to you.....I realized my mistake about 6 months later and was able to replace it before they became scarce..... I had a 6x36 Loopy on it but just switched it out to the 3.5-10x36 Super Sniper and like others have said.....last one I’d sell.

toss a tikka stainless in a krg bravo

sportsmatch and swfa

ez button.

dudes pack around a spare tire but complain about 8lb rifles.

makes no sense.

I wasn't aware they had a bolt recall. Mine is a newer one with the green stock and threaded barrel. I like it much just need to get the follower issue worked out. Really love the stock and trigger.

Built my lefty 700 right after and the 8 twist pacnor has been stellar with the 75 amax. The Montana did really well with 75 bthp. Glad you found another!