5.56 bolt action is it a fun range gun or waste of money?

[billt]

Although his gun's barrel is stamped .223, the CZ is a European action and CZ has said these 527's safely chamber and fire 5.56 (or so the story goes).

I fire 5.56 MM in my .223 chambered CZ-527 LUX Carbine all the time. I no longer segregate my brass. I treat 5.56 MM and .223 brass all the same. The case dimension's are identical. The only difference is in the throat, (freebore) of the barrel .

[TomReloaded]

My chamber exceeds 2.400 inches, and its stamped .223.

I think a ton of 223 barrels are lawyer proofed for 5.56.

[milotrain]

I like the idea of a custom .223 rifle, but it won't really be cheap to build or to feed. The only cost savings (for me) would be in the fact that I don't need a new stock of bullets, brass or powder.

I'd build it on a 700 action with a 30" barrel in 1:7.5-1:8. Get a tight body no neck turn reamer made around lapua brass and the 82gr Berger/75gr-80gr Amax/90gr VLD. See if I can get any of those to go 2800fps, if not then re-chamber it to a .223AI, if I'm close.

I like the .223, it's an excellent 600 yard round (with the heavy match bullets currently made), even though people dismiss it. The 80Amax is a cheap and excellent bullet. What's there not to love?

[offrdmania]

.
I have a new respect for 5.56 after shooting it from a CZ 527 Carbine that my son recently acquired. (I have a 527 Carbine in X 39). Although his gun's barrel is stamped .223, the CZ is a European action and CZ has said these 527's safely chamber and fire 5.56 (or so the story goes).






I've taken a similar approach with my .308 version and have zero'd the factory ghost ring setup to bullseye a 12" plate @ 100 yds. I've kept the rail, mounts and Leupold 2.5 X 28 for 200-yd zeros when conditions warrant it.

Nice

[Click Boom]

A few of you have mentioned shooting steel with 223. What bullet do you use?

It's not a bolt action, but I would like to shoot on the steel range with my AR. But Sac Valley, for good reason, does not allow FMJ at steel on the 2-600M range.

Looking to rework some 308 loads for an older 700V. Have not loaded for it in a long time; lost records. Last loads were 165bthp Sierra Gameking for antelope; very accurate. Used 4060 powder with Federal match cases. Lost record of powder weight, oal, etc.

Ehhhh...I would say there's no good reason for that. at least with the targets I get, it would be virtually impossible to punch thru with 223 at that kind of distance, even with 10's of thousands of rounds.

[smle-man]

I think that sporter weight .223 bolt action rifles are a whole lot of fun. I also think the best deal on the planet are the CZ mini mausers now imported by Century. This is mine from the 80s when Interarms was bringing them in. It has never given me a lick of problems and is sufficiently accurate for any shooting I'll ever do. I bought it in the mid 80s for a range that I shot at where the rule for shooting at steel plates was standing only- no other position. The CZ was a nice blend of sufficient weight to hold accurately without getting tired over a long course of fire. This one is 1/12 twist but I think the newer CZs have a faster twist.

[6mmintl]

to me a .223 bolt action is a waste.
I already have ARs in 5.56 so what would I need a bolt action .223 for?
It is a pretty marginal round anyway. does not have the best ballistics and would not deliver much energy.
I would advise you to get a bolt action in .308 instead.
YMMV.

You will have to try a custom 1x8 twist .223 out beyond 600 yards maybe to 10000 with 80 grain SMK's/Berger/JLK's to appreciate its comparable ballistics to the 308's 168/175 SMK's for accuracy and wind bucking on paper.

What is a waste of time is loitering on the 50/100 yard sniper lines trying to hit a 8" pie plate target and believing your doing really well.

Its not a waste or a waste of of time cartridge.

[smittty]

Depends on what you want to do with it.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the caliber, but if you are looking at .223 so you can use your AR ammo, don't expect tiny groups.

That's just not true!

I have a Mossberg MVP Predator and it shoots tiny tiny groups. Cover three shots with a dime at 100 yards. I thought my rifle was a lucky one but my friend ended up buying the same rifle and his is just as accurate. We're mostly shooting the cheapest ammo we could find. Even the super cheap Russian steel case ammo groups well under 1".

Regarding a 223/556 bolt gun...I've had mine for several years and at this point it's still a toy and sometimes wonder why I have it. I probably wouldn't buy it again.

[kcjr1125]

MVP LC in 5.56 is my next purchase. Hopefully, hits retail in April.

that thing is soo ugly but soo sweet at the same time. i think i would do that guy in 308 not 556.

i do have the MVP predator in 556 already with a nice redfield revenge 3-9 scope that i LOVE for range time, its a great little plinker.

[Duy12B]

CZ 527 owner here. Love it. Everything is cheaper. Ballistics are great for the cost of a round... Only thing that sucks is the effect of the environment on the bullet... But I think you get used to it eventually... And you get better because of it. 600-700 yards on a 6" plate is fairly easy. Wind gusts are annoying though.

[milotrain]

Apparently bob gill shot a 223 at this years California palma match. Placed seventh. This should prove plenty.

[billt]

Comparing a .223 to a .308 is like comparing a turbocharged 4 cylinder to a fuel injected V-8. It has to beat it's brains out to do the same thing. And it won't do it for long without failing it's owner. I own several of both calibers, and anyone who thinks the .223 can shoot right alongside a .308 out to a grand, is a wishful thinker....... Nothing more.

[tacticalcity]

I tend to think of a bolt action gun as a precision rifle, and only opt for it when shooting a longer range round. I have a 22lr bolt action single shot rifle but I inherited it. It was not something I personally would have picked out.

5.56mm, 223, 300 Black - semi-auto.
308 - either semi-auto or bolt action
7mm, 30-06, 338, 50 - bolt action

But that is all personal preference. If you enjoy shooting a bolt action gun then go for it.

[tacticalcity]

that thing is soo ugly but soo sweet at the same time. i think i would do that guy in 308 not 556.

i do have the MVP predator in 556 already with a nice redfield revenge 3-9 scope that i LOVE for range time, its a great little plinker.

I agree, the new MVP LC calls for 308.

[spamsucker]

For squirrel shooting to 400m I use 40-45gn HP's in a Lake City with a just compressing load of IMR 3031 and a CCI #41. Those are sick fast and the load isn't too warm.

For long range from 600-1000m 70gn bergers and 75gn hornady BTHP's with IMR 4064. I prefer commercial brass for heavy bullet loads so I can get that extra grain or so of powder without compressing the load.