wildfowler.250 Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi, I was just wondering if I could get some .223 advice as im looking into finally getting a bigger gun I was looking at either a CZ or a tikka, good choices? which ones better ? normal prices?/ price differences? and worth the difference? I was also wondering, if i put a moderator on a gun, say a tikka lite or a cz american as opposed to a varmint model, (which would be heavier to carry around) it would no longer be "light" to carry. So what would be the avantages of going for a varmint model ? Any opinions appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatGun Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 I like the tikka light in.223. good gun in my opinion. Although they have gone up lately and the length of pull on the bolt is a bit severe for a small.223 cartridge. I specifically wanted a light weight rifle for foxing as I do a lot of walking and Im glad I did now ! It wears a p8 mod after trying the compact etc. I must say I would have went for the jet z if it was the same price as the p8 but there was hardly any noticable difference between the compact and standard p8. Some moan about the balance but it seems okay from my point of view. It comes screw cut and the 1 in 12 twist suits my foxing needs fine. I particularily like the detatchable magazine. I must admit Im not a fan of wood stocks as they arent as rigid as laminate or synthetic but thats personal choice really. Ive heard many good things about the cz range and a friend who uses his in .222 has some cracking groups through it. The howa lightening 1500 is also a nice rifle but they too have gone up as late. For hunting purposes the heavy barrel wont offer any advantages unless youre shooting ten foxes of the belt but some do prefer the heavier weight. Also with .223 recoil isnt really an issue with a mod on, as some prefer a heavier gun in .22-250/243 etc to help soak it up a bit. best thing you can do is have a feel of a couple and you will soon "know" which one feels right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 i've just been doing the same research - looked into Remmy 700, Tikka T3, Howa, and Titan. Ended up going for the Titan 3 - i thought the build quality was far higher than any of the others and it just felt much more comfortable to hold, and having had a chance to shoot Garyb's it was nice in the field. Even if you don't end up choosing one, please do go and have a look at one, i don't think you'll be disappointed. Incidentally i ended up going for the standard barrel as by the time you add a mod and scope they soon get heavy, and i don't intend to be shooting loads in quick succession / range shooting etc. which would warrant the extra weight. pic at.. http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...st&p=715027 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Thanks very much guys! Think I'll need to try out a few guns as you say to see what suits me best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 After seeing and shooting my mate steve b wales` Tikka T3-i went out and bought one a week later.I hav`nt looked back since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Thanks seems like a lot of people rate the tikka very highly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAULT Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 TIKKA TIKKA TIKKA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommo Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Just got a Tik in T3 Hunter .223, ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT GUN! Light, accurate, (I have Tik Mounts/Rings) Lovely lovely gun... Going to get a T8 for it when l can, T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Thanks seems like a lot of people rate the tikka very highly! That's because they are accurate, tough, reliable and excellent value. I had T3 Varmints in .223 and .243, both cracking guns. Get the Lite or the Laminated versions, and you'll be as happy as a pig in muck. Personally, if I was right-handed and looking for a .22CF, I would be all over that Tikka 595 .222 in the Sales section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Ruger mini 14 for me, nice and compact and a 1 in 9 twist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adymorris Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 I got a Howa 1500 Sporter with a black Hogue stock - run the barrel in and was grouping shots within the size of a 1p piece at 100 yards, trigger heavy but can be sorted with a trip to the gun shop - very accurate straight out of the box and likes cheap ammo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thanks very much for all the inputs! greatly appreciated Just a few final questions I was thinking about How much does a tikka light normally cost new ? (black barrel version) "length of pull on the bolt is a bit severe for a small.223 cartridge"...how does this affect how the rifle shoots/cycles? Does the tikka come screw cut ?...."It comes screw cut and the 1 in 12 twist suits my foxing needs fine" Just because the ones I have seen in gunshops ect didn't appear to be Is the Titan more expensive? A better shooter? How does the 595 compaire to the tikka light model? Once again many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Tikkas and Titans are about the same price £600-£700, the Titan has a 3 stage safety which i really like, but both have similar features/styles. Build quality is excellent on both, but i feel the Titan has just got the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) The Tikka 595 is a different kettle of fish: it's nearer a Sako in terms of refinement (the 595 and the Sako 75 allegedly use barrels from the same stock). The 595 won't shoot any better than a T3 (few, if any, factory rifles do in my experience), but the 595 just feels more solid. The T3's long bolt travel is no issue - it certainly doesn't affect the rifle's accuracy. The length of the action never bothered me at all, particularly as the T3's bolt is so smooth. Long-action rifles (such as the T3) do traditionally weigh more. New Tikkas are available screw-cut, but I am not sure on price or how dependable the supply is from GMK. It may be easier and quicker to buy a non-threaded T3, and get a decent 'smith to screw-cut it for you. I'd also disagree (respectfully) with Nick's comments about the Titan, based on my own experience. On the Titans I looked over and shot last year, the machining work around the action, particularly the bolt race, was not as smooth as the T3's. Quality control may have improved. Do consider the CZ 527 though. I really like the mini-Mauser action. Plenty of people on here rate them very highly, and they are available in synthetic/laminate configurations. Edited March 31, 2009 by Baldrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 respectfully noted Baldrick i think at the end of the day, you pays your money you takes your choice - have a play with them and whatever feels right for you is the one to go for, they're all good rifles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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