223

[slipper 116]

hi, just after some info on the 223, will be buying second hand, so is there anything to look out for, how long do the barrels last? my local gun shop has a cz thats about ten years old, and a tikka and a sako, all within my budget, so any advice on what to check, do the barrels burn out after time?

Also i would be looking to reload, do i need to apply for anything for keeping the powder?

[Lewdan 17]

Hi Slipper, not sure what your budget is but you can get a new howa 223 @ a reasonable price, have a look on the web, i was lucky to get mine 2nd hand but in s new condition paid £300. Very good rifle , a little on the heavy side but made to last you wont be disapointed

Good Hunting.

LD

[slipper 116]

thanks pal, my budget is about 400 ish, how many shots can you put through them before accuracy drops off, like with the hmr i was cleaning every 10 shots to keep it on song, you,ll have to excuse me, i,m just after as much info as possible before i commit

[Lewdan 17]

I clean mine after every outing, may be only 2 shots fired ( if out foxing ) or after a day at the range where i may fire 50 rounds, its just a personal thing. Cant say accuracy is effected even after range firing, as long as barrel is left to cool now and then.

as said mine was purchased used and i must have put quite a thousand rounds through it by now and its still accurate even with my old eyes the other thing is they are much easier to clean than a fussy .17.

Cheers.

LD

[3175darren 1,093]

thanks pal, my budget is about 400 ish, how many shots can you put through them before accuracy drops off, like with the hmr i was cleaning every 10 shots to keep it on song, you,ll have to excuse me, i,m just after as much info as possible before i commit

I allways use the pull through as soon as I open the box to put it back, but have allways set mine to be true on a clean barrel first shot like my deer caliber,but I have seen me put 20 -30 shots through it, without cleaning it in a afternoon with no obvious loss of acuracy,if you use the lock and load and get your head seated at the right distance from then rifles rifleing, the gun wll last yrs and give good service superb round well worth investing in,

[rimmer 33]

Slipper i very much doubt that you will shoot your barrel out, get the Sako if its in your budget it will be the best of the three. i have a sako s491 in 223 it is spot on and i mean spot on even after thousands of rounds, i also reload, you dont have to have any special arrangements or inform the police but there is now a question on the application form when you renew that asks if you reload.

What model is the sako in the shop????

[slipper 116]

i,m not sure what model it was i,ll check in the morning,i know it was a 1 in 8 twist what difference does this make?, was,nt saying i will shoot the barrel out, as i only got out once a week and only see the odd fox but if say it was owned by a keeper for four years do you think the barrel will still be ok? also i forgot to ask about the mod, what is a good fair priced mod? thanks for the reply atb

[rimmer 33]

yes the barrel should be fine, the only time a 223 barrel will get shot out is on a range target shooters burn barrels out but even then i have not heard of a 223 barrel that hasnt lasted for thousands of rounds.

a mod should cost around 250 for a good one its best to shop around, dont buy an old T8 they rust inside and you cant see it so aviod secondhand T8`s if you do get a second hand one go for stainless.

[slipper 116]

thanks mate

[GEOFF.223 83]

make sure the rifle had a private owner and not from a shoot were various people will have shot the gun for payed deer stalking as they will have the zero checked with every person, so if the dealer can say o yes that was Jim's rifle he shoots the odd deer rather than ooooo that was a rifle from a shoot up in the highlands.

 

and also the majority of heavy barreled gun tend to be shoot more as there more associated with target shooting.

 

and sorry to tell you this but tikka are the most common rifles used on payed shoots.

 

just make sure the dealer knows it was a private previous owner you should be grand and previously stated the howa do a good rifle cheap i have a heavy barrel .223.

 

on of the shops local to me says the howas have been a fair bit more accurate than the more expensive ones and work real good with cheap ammo. i don't know if this is 100 percent true but mine is happily doing 5 shot group's touching at 100m using a sand bag and a 5-25x56 falcon menace i have also hit a fox shape target i made in work at 530 yards