Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Walk Around Varmint Rifle

Do you know how far out that coyote was and/or how far have you shot coyotes with the 221? I picked up the same rifle a few months back and have been thinking about taking it out some time instead of my 204 or 223 to give it a whirl. My other CZs are the Varmint models but the 221 is the American and it feels like nothing to hike around with it is so light.

I know exactly how far it was. 173yards on the nose.

200yards is as far as I have taken a coyote with it. I shoot the 40g NBT at 3200 FPS.

A 99 in 308 ain’t bad. I have some in 243 now, even better.


is lacroix sugar free

Awesome, thanks! Gonna have to give mine a try.

I replaced a Remington 660 in 222 with a stainless Remington 7 in 223. I don't know what your budget is, but have you considered a Ruger American Ranch Rifle or a Zastava M85 Sporting Rifle or a Remington 799?

Those ruger american ranch in 223 shoot great but dang they are loud, but come threaded.

I have one, but I haven’t fired it, should be a fun knock around rifle.

I have one in 300 BO. Not the most accurate rifle I own (1.5 MOA-ish with a 110-125 grainers) but it handles very nicely, and the trigger is great. I agree they're a pretty noisy little thing, and I imagine far more so in .223 than in BO.

One with a flush fitting magazine. Much good as I’ve read about those CZ 527’s, I just can’t get past that magazine hanging out the bottom ahead of the trigger guard where your hand should go for a walk around varminter.

[quote=Windfall]One with a flush fitting magazine. Much good as I’ve read about those CZ 527’s, I just can’t get past that magazine hanging out the bottom ahead of the trigger guard where your hand should go for a walk around varminter.[/quote

I'm with you. I just got a Howa mini action in the 6.5 Grendel, with the detachable mag, and I already hate it.

They make a floorplate bottom metal for it or you can bob the mag.

Bobbed mag.


Bobbed mag mini with Dip bottom metal at work. It works well.


Simple at home job with hacksaw and file. There is a tutorial on the 6.5 Grendel forum.

Here's another tutorial right here on the campfire.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...0/a-howa-mini-223-flush-magazine-success

My rifle is a 6.5 Grendel, and has a different mag than the 223 uses. It has a 5 shot factory mag, so cutting it down would leave capacity at only a couple of rounds.

I could go with one of the aftermarket floorplate assemblies, and do away with the factory setup, but quite frankly, I'm not impressed enough so far with the rifle to spend that kind of money on it.

Yep, I'd never own one for that reason. Damned ugly thing's right in the way.

Ruger American Predator 223 here. Bushnell 10X scope. Light, handy, good shooter.





Of course I had to spray paint it along the way,

For a “make me feel good” rifle I would track down an old full-length stocked Vixen.

For a USING rifle? I have owned a bunch over the years. That turn-over stopped when I got a Montana 84M 223. It is my forever carry-around 223.

The Tikkas are as accurate, but they don’t fit me as well … and I hate plastic in a rifle.

That the Bushnell Tac 10x? I threw one of those on my 840 in .222. Needed something straight power to clear the bolt handle, wanted more than 4x, and didn't want to spend Leupold money scoping a $150 rifle. It's been a great scope, only complaint is I wish the eye relief was a bit longer.

I believe it was discontinued a while back, but was marketed as the Bushnell Elite 3200 Tactical 10 x 40. Mine is one of the 1/10 mil click models. It's a decent little scope, I think it was $199 from Midway when I purchased it.

Here it is:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1009538182

I've got a Howa Mini Action in 223, 22 inch barrel...

earlier this year I picked up a Savage in 350 Legend... 18.5 inch barrel...

the barrel is like a medium varmint contour....I had one made by Douglas the same length and profile in 17 Fireball.
I'm going to do another, in 223 with a one in 7 Twist....

that contour and the 18.5 inch barrel balances real well for me....

a 6 x 45 barrel for it will be in my future also...

I also have a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Grendal., it has a 10 round magazine from the factory, in metal.

I have picked up several in Polymer for cheap, that don't clunk around like the metal one...

I kept looking for several other mags for it, in 5 round, and for a Grendal... but found nothing. even P Mag said they don't make them.

Then at the range one day, a retired Marine Buddy from over on the coast tossed me one of his 5 round AR 15 polymer mags and said 'Try that'...

Mags that say 223, work just fine using 6.5 Grendal rounds....

with 25 to 30 grains of powder ( many work), and bullets in the 85 to 100 grains, makes the Grendal a pretty darn good varmint rifle...

not necessarily for ground squirrels and prairie dogs, but for coyotes and such....85 to 100 grain bullets in 6.5 bore, exiting the muzzle from 2700 to 2950 fps MV, are darn hard hitting bullets, and are pretty darn flat shooting to boot.

not much of a coyote varmint shooter, but the Grendal with those 85 to 100 grain bullets, will certainly do the job, .. and the 100 grainers, work pretty darn well on deer also.

Love that camo job Shane.