.223 Superlight Compact

[Yak Angler]

I have been enjoying reading the other thread but didn't want to hijack it

I am just about to order my .223. I was originally going to buy a heavy barrel survivor model but would like to have open sights , specifically a peep sight set up like my Anschutz rifle has and I like stocks with a very short length of pull because most of my hunting is done wearing heavy jackets etc.

From what i have read these .223 superlights come with open sights and drilled and tapped for a scope rail.

My questions is should i buy one of these superlights and look for a peep sight that can be mounted to the pre-drilled scope mount holes,  or factoring accuracy into the equation buy a regular wood stocked handi in .223 which i believe come with a 24" heavy barrel and have my gunsmith mount a peep sight set up on it and then cut 2" of the stock to shorten the length of pull.

What do you guys think is the best way to get an accurate .223 with peep sights

Any and all suggestions are welcome and thanks in advance.

[ironglow]

  Adam;
  before you order, check with the guys who have had the superlights in .243. I could be wrong, but it seems there have been some complaints concerning the superlights in .243..just check it out...

[Yak Angler]

I have read prior threads with complaints on accuracy for the .243 superlight but all i have read so far with regards to the .223 seem to be decent reviews, there have deen some complaints of shotstringing but for what i intend to use it for shot stringing shouldn't be much of a concern.

I just thought that since it already had the short stock and front sight that it would be the easiest way for me to get a .223 with a peep sight setup rather then have to go the gunsmith route and cut down one of the full size stocks to get it to my prefered lenght of pull

Whats the difference in accuracy between the heavy barrel models and the superlight in .223???

[quickdtoo]

The bull barrel or standard barrel are no doubt more accurate than the Superlights if you're shooting for groups or colony shooting prairie dogs, but for a hunting rifle where you're gonna be making one shot kills, possibly needing a second shot, the Superlights are just fine, specially when you consider how nice they are to carry. I dunno about you, but I spend a heck of a lot more time carrying my rifles than I do actually shooting them, so weight and handling is important.

As for the sights, see the Peep and Firesights link in the FAQs, Williams makes 3 sights that mount to the two rear scope mount holes. For the stock you can get a youth stock rather that cut the stock unless you want a specific LOP, ALL H&R single shot stocks fit all of their rifles.

Be aware that the Superlight compact 223 has a synthetic youth stock with sights, the Superlight comes with no sights currently, they've been made before with wood stocks and sights tho too.

Tim

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/handiRifle.asp

[Yak Angler]

The bull barrel or standard barrel are no doubt more accurate than the Superlights if you're shooting for groups or colony shooting prairie dogs, but for a hunting rifle where you're gonna be making one shot kills, possibly needing a second shot, the Superlights are just fine, specially when you consider how nice they are to carry. I dunno about you, but I spend a heck of a lot more time carrying my rifles than I do actually shooting them, so weight and handling is important.

As for the sights, see the Peep and Firesights link in the FAQs, Williams makes 3 sights that mount to the two rear scope mount holes. For the stock you can get a youth stock rather that cut the stock unless you want a specific LOP, ALL H&R single shot stocks fit all of their rifles.

Be aware that the Superlight compact 223 has a synthetic youth stock with sights, the Superlight comes with no sights currently, they've been made before with wood stocks and sights tho too.




Tim

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/handiRifle.asp

Hi Tim,

Im logging on from work so i need to make this one quick, lol

What kind of accuracy difference should i expect . the model im looking at as a possibility over the bull barrel model is the superlight compact that comes with a 20" barrel and open sights, any idea of what kind of group size this gun should be capabale of with decent ammo.

Thanks

[quickdtoo]

H&R's standard is 2" or less 3-shot 100yd groups with factory ammo, that's the least to expect, 1"-1½" should be easy with handloads or selective factory ammo, keep the barrel cool and it will shoot fine for hunting purposes.  The heating issue makes it frustrating when working up a load, the barrel gets too hot to shoot well and the frustration level goes up. What I do when I go to the range is take lots of guns to shoot, that way I can shoot a 3-shot group, put the gun in the rack to cool with the action open so air can flow up thru the barrel from the chimney effect, shoot something else while it's cooling, shoot it again after it cools. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,159585.msg1098705882.html#msg10987058829

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,189920.msg1098949434.html#msg1098949434

[Yak Angler]

Thanks Tim

This time of year in my area you would need a full auto .223 to heat a barrel, up

Its to bad H&R doesn't make a heavy barrel .223 with a youth size stock, that would be the best option for me.

But maybe i will give this superlight a try , i just have to make my mind up and buy one I guess

[Datil]

 I and my Daug in law bought each a 223 Sl She got hers youth stock I got mine with out sights,
 Both are good shooters out of the box. Marv.

[bigvarmnt]

Adam, I believe you can buy a heavy barrel and put youth stocks on it. I think about all stocks are interchangable. You can buy and sell the stocks pretty easy on the classifieds. Tim or someone will correct me if I'm wrong. I have a heavy barrel and a superlight and prefer S.L. then standard contour for swinging around in tighter quarters. Good Luck!

I don't think any heavy barrels have sights.

[quickdtoo]

Thanks Tim

This time of year in my area you would need a full auto .223 to heat a barrel, up

Its to bad H&R doesn't make a heavy barrel .223 with a youth size stock, that would be the best option for me.

But maybe i will give this superlight a try , i just have to make my mind up and buy one I guess

The standard 22" barrel is heavier than most sporter barrels, so heavy that many unfamiliar with H&Rs think they're bull barrels. Get a standard 223 and add a youth stock and you'll be there. 

Tim

[ironglow]

  Thanks for your imput Tim, I wasn't condemning the superlights..just warning Adam that there were some rumbles..which you have answered.
  Now that i am 73, the superlight idea appeals more than ever..and it looks like the superlight complaints are not as egregious as they first seemed.
   I guess most of the complaints about superlights were concerning the .243..is the story the same ?

[quickdtoo]

Yup, the 243 gets the most flack and folks need to know up front what they're getting into, but even it will shoot good with a little patience as long as only a shot shot or two are needed.  I like the Superlight so much, I'm having Wayne rebore one of my 243s to .264" for a 260 Remington, it'll make an excellent carry gun for deer for this old guy!! 

Tim

[ironglow]

  Yep Tim;
   I even am threatening to take my NEF  heavier barrelled .223 next season instead of my 30/30 Marlin. I figure with about 60 gr Win Power Points or some such bullet..and good placement..I should be able to bring down any of these relatively large whitetails.
   The barrel on my NEF .223 is 22" long and about 3/4' across the muzzle..is that considered standard or bull barrel ?

[quickdtoo]

Standard barrels are under .700", usually .650"-.680" or so, bull barrels will be about .800".

Tim

[ironglow]

  Thanks tiom;
   I only had a tape rule on hand to measure with..but a remeasure shows it must be .800

[Hodr]

I have short arms and like a light barrel. Has any one ever shortened a 223 H&R barrel down to 18" with a good deal of success.  My brother in law and I just trimmed and crowned a 45-70 to 18" and I am overjoyed with results using factory 300 grain hollow points at at 100 yds.  Can't wait to try making a 223 walk around brush gun/coyote buster for 200 yds and under.  Like driving a hot rod instead of a station wagon.

blindhari

[Catshooter45]

I had a friend re-chamber my .223 to a .225 Winchester.  Nosler 60 grain partitions at 3200 fps into less than an inch at a hundred work for me for deer.


Cat

[Yak Angler]

I might be out of luck all togeather for the .223. Called wholesale sports today and they are out of stock on every .223 H&R model they normally carry

Oh well i might be getting that 45-70 sooner then i thought

[quickdtoo]

Bud's has the Superlight youth for $276 shipped.

Tim

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/351/products_id/89093


Oops, forgot you're in Canada.  

[Yak Angler]

I know there are some days when i question why i ever moved back to Canada from the U.S.

I have dual citizenship and lived in P.A and Nevada previously and i tell you what, for this type of hobby there is only one country in the world to live in and its not Canada. Plenty of good reasons to live to Canada but firearms ownership isn't one of them. Not yet anyway.

[watsisname]

Have you tried Dante Sports in Montreal? www.dantesports.com/en/index.html

[Big Blue]

Davidson's Gallery of Guns has both in stock. Price depends on your local FFL. In my case they are $307 out the door. That includes shipping, tax, transfer and background check.
http://www.galleryofguns.com/Genie/default.aspx?pg=list&mfg=Harrington+%26+Richardson&mdl=All&cat=2&type=Rifle&cal=223&fin=Blue&sit=All&inv=Y
Don

[Big Blue]

I'm also looking at buying my first super light in .223, probably in the morning. I have a Stevens 200 in .223 that started life at 6.5lbs., but with the addition of a Simmons Aetec 4-14x42 the rifle now tips the scale at 8lbs. 1.4oz. It shoots good groups, but at that weight it is better suited to varmint hunting from the edge of a field than it is to carrying in the woods. The super light, at 5 1/3 lbs., is ideal for woods carry. Even with a scope I can easily keep the weight down to just a little over 6lbs. The heat issues with the barrel should be of no concern to me for hunting.
Don

[Big Blue]

Well after all this Superlight talk tonight, I couldn't wait 'til morning and ordered a new Superlight in .223 online tonight. Now I just need to find a nice light weight scope to compliment this rifle.
Don

[Yak Angler]

Congrats im glad you were able to find one,

as soon as they come off backorder i will be buying one myself as well, but will be keeping it open sights to maintain the lightweight of gun, there are plenty of scopes out there that won't add more then about 3/4 pound to the gun so thats not too bad, you should have basically a 6 pound scoped rifle when its ready for the field, still alot lighter then anything else out there in .223 that I've seen.

[Big Blue]

Congrats im glad you were able to find one,

as soon as they come off backorder i will be buying one myself as well, but will be keeping it open sights to maintain the lightweight of gun, there are plenty of scopes out there that won't add more then about 3/4 pound to the gun so thats not too bad, you should have basically a 6 pound scoped rifle when its ready for the field, still alot lighter then anything else out there in .223 that I've seen.

I have a Nikon 3-9X40 Buckmasters that weighs 13oz., not a light weight scope by any means, but even with that additional weight it should still only weigh 6lbs. 1 oz. That's a full 2lbs. lighter than my Stevens 200 in .223. I will keep my eyes open for a lighter scope and maybe at some point add that to keep the weight under 6lbs. Of course there are other rifles out there that can equal the light weight of this rifle and even do it with a lot more style and panache, but Kimber rifles are just a bit more pricey.
Don

[quickdtoo]

The Weaver 4x32 that's on sale at Natchez weighs under 9oz, a good scope for about $90 shipped. 

Tim