Help pick a .223

[Eddie in Delta]

I'm thinking about getting a .223 to shoot targets, rabbits, and coyotes.  I also considered the .22-250, but I don't reload, and .223 rounds are cheap.  Currently I use my .300 WM when rabbit hunting (I like the scoped rifle feel and how the bullet gets there fast, which my .22 doesn't do), but want something a little more economical to shoot.  I like in rural southern Utah, and the places I hunt are in sand dunes with sagebrush and tamarac thickets.  I'm still a high school student, and I usually have time after school to go hunt, but .300 WM shells are expensive (not to mention the noise.)

The current options are the Tikka T3 lite, CZ, or a flattop AR-15.  I usually walk several miles out in the desert, so a heavy varmint gun is out of the question.  Are sporter barreled ARs accurate?  Which would you pick?

[victorcharlie]

Eddie:  I don't know why a varmit weight would be to heavy.  When I was your age I'd walk 5 miles up hill both ways, in the snow with no shoes on, carrying a 10 lb shotgun.........

You believe that?

A good 20 to 22 inch sporter weight weight should shoot fine......probably not what you want for dog cities, but a few shots a day should be no problem.  I'd probably pick the Tikka.....

[Bart Solo]

A 300 WM for rabbit hunting? !?  Anything ever left of the rabbit?

[Gregory]

[quote="Eddie in Delta"  I usually walk several miles out in the desert, so a heavy varmint gun is out of the question.  Are sporter barreled ARs accurate?  Which would you pick?[/quote]

My Bushmaster Varminter is accurate but it's heavy,  I'd be looking for a lighter bolt gun if your going to be walking alot.

[Ramrod]

The little CZ American model is a great walking around gun. It's only 6-1/2 lbs. and carries easily with one hand.

[NYH1]

eddie, I would check out one of Rock River Arms (RRA) AR-15 "Varmint rifles". I have a RRA AR-15 A2 "Tasc Rifle" w/ a 16 inch barrel. Mine is just for plinking. My friend has a RRA "Varmint Rifle" w/ the EOP and a 24 inch barrel. He does hand load and his gun is shooting 3/8 of an inch groups at 100 yards. The only thing he did was replace the back receiver pin with a "sex screw" to tighten it up a little bit. The rifle shot around a 3/4 inch group @ 100 yards out of the box with factory ammo. He has 3 bolt action rifles in 223 Rem. He gos out west prairie dog hunting. He likes the AR-15 over a bolt action because the distance he shoots is from point blank to over 400 yards. When you shoot that far at that small of a target your going to miss. If you miss with the AR-15 you correct and pull the trigger never losing sight of them. If you miss with a bolt action you have to cock the bolt and more often then not you loose sight of your target.

RRA's  quality is outstanding from what I've seem so far. The FBI and the DEA are using RRA AR-15's.

I also have a Remington model 700 BDL in 223 Rem. it shoots about 1/2 inch groups @ 100yards. I had the stock bedded and a trigger job done. I love this rifle........but I'd love to have a semi-auto rifle that shoot just as good! I'm thinking about getting a RRA "Varmint Rifle" myself.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=AR1505&storeid=1&image=rveop.gif&CFID=6258699&CFTOKEN=50982517&jsessionid=c030f24f465ew$5C$D9$