looking for direction

[jllywrm68]

Not sure this qualifies as long range but maybe you can point me in the right directions. I'm looking at a single shot 223 for target/competition and occasional groundhog hunt. Trying to keep it inexpensive until I see if this is really something I want to get into. So far H&R ultra and the CVA Optima centerfire. Any input as to the quality accuracey of these rifles? Like I said if there is a better forum or site for this question please direct me. Thanks.

 

[BryanLitz]

If you're talking about the break-open single shot rifles with hammers, they've not been very accurate in my experience. Even in small calibers like .223 Rem, they might group 3 together, and have 2 way out. I've attributed the problems to the lock time, and the mass of the hammer swinging.

Not a bad rifle for the money, but you get what you pay for.

-Bryan

 

[300ECHO]

It's like Bryan said neat little rifle for the money. I bought a H&R 223 bull barrel with plastic stock when I got back into shooting a while back as a practice rifle till I could buy a good bolt gun! The small cal h&rs do ok if you figure out how it likes to set on the rest. Mine I free floated the sides of the forearm to were only the screw holding it on made barrel contact and with front rest on back half of the forend plus some handloads (read: fireformed brass) netted a few .5moa groups at 300yards+ but that was not the norm! If I had worked at H&R before I bought it I wouldn't have for 2 big reasons 1 being that the receivers are Chinese castings (those flats on the sides are where they machined off the word CHINA and lot#) and2 the fact that 90+% of the crew knew nothing about and/or didn't give a **** about firearms, now having said that they did a good job of bluing the *** lol! I think you would be much better served with a Stevens (savage) model200 in 223rem or even 308win!! For $50 or so more you have a rifle you don't have to completely readjust your hold and setup on rest/bags(cycle bolt as opposed to breaking it in half) is safer(if the h&r blows a primer where does the gas go?) a better barrel, a solid American made receiver and more! Want to change calibers and or get a more accurate or different style barrel just get a savage prefit barrel from any of the well known barrel companys and maybe a bolt head depending on what the caliber change is provided its still a short action cartridge. Want a different stock instead of reinforcing the flexyplastic one then there's plenty to choose from, triggers same thing can adjust the factory trigger or get one of the many aftermarket triggers. Basicly you can upgrade the rifle piece by piece according to your needs/wants and the fun part for a lot of us—Budget!! Oh freefloating the barrel, gluing an arrow shaft or2 into the forend and a simple epoxy bedding job with all the factory parts some cheap weaver bases/rings and a say $100ish bushnell,Nikon maybe even a tasco can make for a good shooter teaching you where to spend your money on what with future rifle projects/upgrades, my stevens taught me a lot from maintenance to bedding to better reloading to well ….I don't think you will regret it my 2cents

 

[jllywrm68]

Thanks guys, lots of good info. Basically I wanted something inexpensive to see if I wanted to go farther. The Savage sounds like a good idea. I'd have to buy anything and find I couldn't get any sort of accuracy and consistency with it. I'm gonna hold off for a while and do more research. Thanks again.