SOLD/EXPIRED Good .223 setup under 800 bucks??

[Marolf]

Any ideas for a newbie on a quality .223 setup for prairie dogs? I would like to keep it under 800 bucks for the rifle and a decent scope, possible? Is that a good caliber for coyotes too? I was thinking it would be cheaper to shoot in the long run as my buddies tell me you can go through 800 rounds in a day of dog shooting !!! I have cash burning a hole in my pocket now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Todd

 

[TheRoaminRaider]

my buddies tell me you can go through 800 rounds in a day of dog shooting

your buddies are full of something, but it is definitely not shooting expertise. There aren't that many people that could/would shoot that in a day, even at a range. Any one that needs 800 rounds to hunt anything needs to find a new hobby, because they are flat out doing it wrong. Maybe you should ask these "friends" to buy you a rifle since they are spending somewhere around $250 ( for the dirt cheapest russian steel cased 223 ammo) a day on whatever the heck they're doing (it isn't hunting, and I refuse to call it that). You should most likely take your $800 and spend it on some basic instructional courses (NRA or otherwise) and find some new friends. Sorry if I seem like an ***, but that doesn't even make sense, and if you believed it, you need to take a few steps back and learn the basics.

 

[Gary Kaney]

Amen to that.

 

[th82457]

My suggestion would be to look at either a CZ 527 with set trigger or a Savage Model 10 or 11 with Accu-trigger or a Remington SPS. All have a good reputation for acccuracy, I have a 527 that shoots very well. Cabela's currently has 3-9x Bushnell 4200 scopes for $199 and Bushnell 3200 4-12x scopes for $219. Either scope would work well on a .223. If you do not reload, look at Fiochhi factory varmint loads with a Hornady V-Max bullet - reasonably priced and accurate in my guns. Hope this helps.

 

[cjkostic]

I concur with other posters. 800 shots a day? I go for PDs a couple of times a year and rarely shoot 500 rounds in 3 days! Of course, my shots are all well-aimed and within range of the rifle/caliber I an using at the moment. Oh yeah, they are usually effective in hitting their target too. You should have no problem finding a good-quality set up for $800.00. I see Rem 700s, Win 70s, Browning A-Bolts and Savages all the time for less than $500.00 for a .223 or 22-250. You do not even need a heavy barrel model. I have a fluted sporter barrel on my CZ (22PPC caliber). The rifle weighs about 6 lbs, has a set trigger and shoots great. I have a bipod and monopod on it so I can carry the rifle and a shooting mat anywhere I want. To me the scope is more important than the rifle in many ways. I'd be sure to get some good glass in the 6-18X range. I have a Leupold VX-II on my CZ and have seen these very scopes for sale in the $325.00 range. Total investment is around $1000.00 for my CZ-- more than you want to spend, but the rifle accounts for that. If I were you, I'd be looking for a Rem 788 in .223. They can be had for $400.00 and will make the prairie poodles wonder "who is that guy?"

Just saw another post before mine -- CZ527s are good shooters and easy to carry.

 

[BillR]

I love to shoot PD's. Do it every chance I can get. But these stories of guys shooting a 1000 rounds a day must be just that as on my best day of shooting I would be lucky or unlucky depending on how you look at it to shoot more than 200 rounds of center fire. I might shoot another 50-100 rounds of rimfire along with that but thats one busy day for me on a dog town and also if you do much moving than you are shooting sometimes less.
Go buy a Rem SPS Varmint in .223 and put a good scope on it and your good to go.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Any ideas for a newbie on a quality .223 setup for prairie dogs? I would like to keep it under 800 bucks for the rifle and a decent scope, possible? Is that a good caliber for coyotes too? I was thinking it would be cheaper to shoot in the long run as my buddies tell me you can go through 800 rounds in a day of dog shooting !!! I have cash burning a hole in my pocket now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Todd

First of all, Welcome to the site.

A 223 is a good cartridge for the reasons you mentioned. Are you looking for a 'very accurate' bolt type rifle, or an AR platform? Do you have a scope you can use for the time being?

Again, welcome to the site, there is a wealth of information on this site. Just ignore the stuff that doesn't fit or isn't helpful.

AJ

 

[alf]

Go buy a Rem SPS Varmint in .223 and put a good scope on it and your good to go.

There's your answer right there.

Buy before the first of the year and there's a $40.00 cash rebate too.

 

[heavy hitting 300]

heavy barreled sps with and get a nice 20 power scope id recomend a vx-II luepold. that will run you a little over your i budget i believe but it will be worth it. id just say maybe change cal to 22-250 or 243 win. but good luck to you and where are your pals hunting pds at shooting 800 rounds a day? i wanna go hahaha.

 

[orion2000]

A used heavy barrel Savage, and a used Leupold scope should keep you under your budget with enough left over to buy a few boxes of different kinds of ammo to see which one your rifle likes... Most accurate factory rifle I ever owned was a heavy barrel Savage in .223. Sold it to buy a "better quality" rifle that was not nearly as accurate...

Not sure where you live, but in Kentucky, I have not seen a coyote yet that didn't drop to a well placed shot from a .223.

 

[Aldon]

I picked up a used ADL .223 with camo plastic stock originally sold at Dicks and was planning on using action to build something else.

It shot about 1.75 moa.

I was going to do my first devcon bedding job on my custom barreled Sendero so I decided to practice with the ADL first.

Took it to the range and it shoots well better than .5 moa.

It is one of the mos enjoyable rifles I have to shoot and inexpensive to load and play with...

Suffice it to say that with the incredible accuracy, I will not be tearing it down for rebuild.

I have less than 800 in the rifle, optics, bedding and brass etc....

 

[johntree63]

pm sent on a 223 adl deal

 

[strombeckj]

A .223 is a perfect round for PD's. I use to shoot factory federal 50gr HP's I would get from Wally World for $53.00 for 200. I think the same stuff goes for about $86.00 today and the brass is good for reloading (use to be LC, not sure now)

I would suggest a decent scope in the $200-300 range like a weaver, millet, sightron, nikon w/ 14X mag and a remy or savage on sale will do the trick.

My .02cents

Jon

 

[surgicalshot]

You mentioned you were a "Newbie" and had a question. I have been a Firearms & Sniper Instructor for many years. I hear many interesting questions and comments. There is no such thing as a stupid question, but there are possibilities of a stupid answer. We are glad to see that you are becoming addicted to the hobby just as we are. I have been observing this site for over a decade and you can really get good information here. You have very good suggestions in previous replies.

Whichever rifle you decide, make sure you also have good optics. I always hated spending money on optics and wanted to spend it and on the rifle. Your rifle performance can be limited by your optics. For PD hunting and long range shooting, you will want 14 power or more with ADJUSTABLE TARGET TURRETS. You do not want a rifle that you have to carry around your only penny you have left, just to adjust your scope..... LOL...

Best Wishes!