Practice Rifle .223 or 6.5 creedmoor

[1pocket]

i have several howa rifles and they make an excellent 223 model in short and mini action. imo howas can not be beat for the money you spend and the value you get.

i also own a ruger american bolt action in 5.56 which for 500 dollars will shoot under 1" groups at a 100 yards all day long with even cheap steel case ammo. at 200 yards it shoots 1-2" groups

 

[KHawk66]

223 REM hands down! Savage Axis or Ruger American for economical, both need trigger work. Tika TX3 with a lightened trigger adjustment.

Bayou Shooter has a great point with a pellet gun. I have used a pellet gun all my life, both open sighted and scoped. I attribute that to good form. I don't think there is a more economical approach.

 

[Turkeytider]

223 REM hands down! Savage Axis or Ruger American for economical, both need trigger work. Tika TX3 with a lightened trigger adjustment.

Axis II has the Accutrigger. You can adjust it down pretty good.

 

[kwcreager]

I have 3 rifles, a crappy Remington 597 .22 LR and two Browning X-Bolt's (7mm-08 and .300 win mag). To improve my shooting, I am thinking about getting another X-Bolt in either .223 or 6.5 creedmoor. The practice X-Bolt would be a dedicated practice gun and would be used if I do a little predator hunting. Between the .223 or 6.5 creedmoor, which would you get?

Asking because I want to keep the 7mm-08 and .300 win mag as dedicated hunting rifles and the round count down on them.

for practice, get rid of the recoil, i agree with most everyone 223

 

[Chas1]

.223 way cheaper to shoot.

 

[dogz]

And from left field.............I'd most certainly go 223 but I'd find a way to add a 22 LR bolt gun which is still an incredibly useful tool.

I have an old 77/22 with a K4 with a dot in it. Most every trip to the range I run 4-6 clips (10 round) thru it offhand. I set up 1" target dots and I go one clip from my right side, then one clip thru my left. Still as good as it gets

 

[mww982]

And from left field.............I'd most certainly go 223 but I'd find a way to add a 22 LR bolt gun which is still an incredibly useful tool.

I have an old 77/22 with a K4 with a dot in it. Most every trip to the range I run 4-6 clips (10 round) thru it offhand. I set up 1" target dots and I go one clip from my right side, then one clip thru my left. Still as good as it gets

I'm looking at that as well. I'm thinking about the CZ457 at one, I like the adjustability of it for when I take my kiddos shooting.

 

[436]

.223 Rem that will run 65gr to 80gr bullets hands down. Cheers

 

[alyef]

I subscribe to practice with what you shoot so go with the Browning and a 223

5.56 NATO or 223 WYLDE ?? They are higher pressure barrels 62k psi vs 52k psi 223. And 223 can be shot from a 5.56 NATO. Both 5.56 NATO and 223 can be shot from a Wydle barrel. The Wylde has the high pressure of the 5.56 and the precision of a 223. Example of a Wylde bolt rifle: https://hawkinsprecision.com/portfolio/223-wylde-bolt-action/

 

[LRNut]

Depends on how/what you define as needing to practice. If it is LR, then reading the wind is the most important, but in my experience, it is best to practice LR with rifles that you are actually going to hunt with. The wind drift of a .223 is ridiculous compared to a 300 Win. I have a .308 (way better than a .223) that I shoot at 500 yards, but it is nearly a waste of time to shoot at targets farther than that in windy conditions. A big reason to practice is to learn what you can and can't do. For example, what is the strongest wind you can hit a 10" target at 600 yard or 800 yards 90% of the time? A .223 isn't going to teach you that. Far better to get another 300 Win and use that as your LR practice rifle. Personally, I have 2 28 Noslers, 2 Lapuas, 3 RUMs, and an Edge. All have about the same wind drift so I can practice constantly without wearing out the barrel of my primary hunting rifle, which is one of the 300 RUMs or one of the 28s.

If your goal is to practice field positions such as offhand and sitting, then go with the .223. I shoot more .223 than any other round, but 99% of my shots are on PDs, which teaches me I normally don't have all day to shoot and it is great for trigger control. But the fact that I have to shade my shots (or hold off considerably) at 200 when the wind is blowing isn't realistic big game hunting practice - in a 15 mph wind my hold off is over 3 MOA - but half of that with a 28N.

You won't get good at shooting in the wind if you worry about barrel life. Took me a while to learn that.

 

[Tom Gresham]

Also, there's the option of reduced loads in the 7mm-08.

 

[Plowboy85]

My preference is a 223, cheaper and ballistically inferior to a 6.5 needmoor. To me a practice gun should require you to improve your skills, therefore a 223 will be a better option compared to a needmoor.

 

[mww982]

Also, there's the option of reduced loads in the 7mm-08.

Wanted the excuse to buy another gun.....

 

[Tom Gresham]

If the goal is to get another gun, then carry on! I fully support that crusade.