Recommend a bolt action rifle that will shoot 5.56x45

[Trey45]

Here's the issue, I have a ton of 5.56x45 ammo and I'd like to shoot some of it in a varmint rifle, a bolt action varmint rifle. I'm also not looking to break the bank doing this. I have considered maybe getting an upper for my AR for varminting, but would much rather have a bolt gun for this. I'm really looking hard at Savage, particularly the Model 25 in .223. I'm open to other suggestions as well. All the surplus 5.56 I have is 55 grain, I have no 62 grain if that helps. I'm not too concerned about using JHP or JSP for this, the sole reason for this rifle is to shoot the 5.56 I already have on hand. The longest distance I might be shooting would be maximum 450 yards, and that won't be often, realistically, most shots would be under 200 yards.
I know there's issues with the lead in shooting 5.56 in a .223 rifle, I'm hoping there's someone on the forum here who has first hand experience with what I'm wanting to do, and can point me in the right direction.

[Doc Highwall]

When you are looking at them think about what bullets you might want to shoot, not just weight but also length. My 223's have 1-7" or 1-8" twists so I can shoot just about anything. As a matter in fact there is a group buy going on now for a 60gr that will work with a 1-8" twist at 1600 fps.

[Trey45]

I thought I was pretty clear about what I wanted to shoot with this rifle? Surplus 5.56x45 ammo. Not reloads. Not .223. Only 5.56x45 surplus 55 gr ammo. It's either a bolt action, or I'll have to buy a varmin upper for my AR. I would rather shoot a bolt gun for this though.

[Johnch]

Both my brother and I have Savage 10 FV in 223

Both will out shoot what we are able to

Hard to beat them for out of the box accurcy

John

[Bullshop Junior]

Get a stevens 200.

[Bullshop Junior]

I thought I was pretty clear about what I wanted to shoot with this rifle? Surplus 5.56x45 ammo. Not reloads. Not .223. Only 5.56x45 surplus 55 gr ammo. It's either a bolt action, or I'll have to buy a varmin upper for my AR. I would rather shoot a bolt gun for this though.
Dude! The 5.56X45 IS a 223!

[Trey45]

No dude, it's not.....

[Bullshop Junior]

No dude, it's not.....
Well then, Why was I able to shoot it in my Remington 788 223? It is the same stuff. So is 5.56 NATO

[Trey45]

I'm not getting in a pissing match with you daniel, there are countless articles all over the net proving that 5.56x45 and 223 are not the same thing, go look them up. It's better to be informed than opinionated.
There ARE differences between the .223 Remington as shot in civilian rifles and the 5.56x45 in military use. While the external cartridge dimensions are essentially the same, the .223 Remington is built to SAAMI specs, rated to 50,000 CUP max pressure, and normally has a shorter throat. The 5.56x45 is built to NATO specs, rated to 60,000 CUP max pressure, and has a longer throat, optimized to shoot long bullets. That said, there are various .223 Remington match chambers, including the Wylde chamber, that feature longer throats. Military 5.56x45 brass often, but not always, has thicker internal construction, and slightly less capacity than commercial .223 Rem brass.

[Bullshop Junior]

I'm not getting in a pissing match with you daniel, there are countless articles all over the net proving that 5.56x45 and 223 are not the same thing, go look them up. It's better to be informed than opinionated.
There ARE differences between the .223 Remington as shot in civilian rifles and the 5.56x45 in military use. While the external cartridge dimensions are essentially the same, the .223 Remington is built to SAAMI specs, rated to 50,000 CUP max pressure, and normally has a shorter throat. The 5.56x45 is built to NATO specs, rated to 60,000 CUP max pressure, and has a longer throat, optimized to shoot long bullets. That said, there are various .223 Remington match chambers, including the Wylde chamber, that feature longer throats. Military 5.56x45 brass often, but not always, has thicker internal construction, and slightly less capacity than commercial .223 Rem brass.
Almost any military ammo is that way. So going by what you are telling me, that means you better not shoot LC 30/06 (er 7.62X63) in a standard 30/06, or LC 308 (er 7.62X51) in a standard 308.

[redneck1]

im not sure about the 30/06 and the /63 ammo but no unless a factory rifle is chambered for a nato cartridge it isnt recomended to shoot either the 5.56 in a .223 or the /51 in a .308 not only for the pressure differances but nato brass is usualy thicker wall than standerd brass .. easy way to make up your own mind .. call remington and see what they say

[Bullshop Junior]

I don't know about the deal with the chamber. I DO know that the cartridge dimensions are the same, and that is what I was referring too.

[Piedmont]

He has very specific questions. He is concerned about the leade in a factory new barrel and will that be a problem with his military 5.56 ammo? What bolt rifles are set up from the factory so they will handle 55 gr. military ammo? I don't know the answer, but that is the main question.

[GabbyM]

What sort of varmints? Palm sized or 22 pound ?

[Trey45]

Ground hogs mostly.

[GabbyM]

M-193 is loaded to high pressure. Off the top of my head it's at least 60K PSI or a touch over. About what we see in the new short magnum rounds. This opposed to 30-06 military and 7.62 x 51mm NATO which are loaded at modest pressure. So while the 30 caliber may run a higher pressure in a SAMI bolt gun it's still well within usable range. On the other hand. Any pressure gain in a 5.56 NATO load and you're closing in on 70 K PSI. Since it's pretty hard to blow a thick cupped military type primer I've never heard much in the way of horror stories of chaps shooting 5.56mm in a 223 rifle. I”ve read in magazine articles and the WWW forums all about it. But most shooter just run em through and never notice a glitch. Just like our friend Bullshop JR.

[Doc Highwall]

They are proof pressure tested at the same pressure according to SAAMI. I would say he just wants a blasting around gun. The thing to remember is some of the military rounds are made with aluminum in part of the core making them longer then a standard bullet with a lead core requiring them to have a faster twist. You never know what you might get at a good deal on military ammo and I would error on the side of a faster twist.

[garandsrus]

Trey45,

Keep in mind that the FMJ bullets in surplus ammo will ricochet pretty badly. Varmint bullets are designed to blow up when hitting anything. FMJ are designed to keep going.

One other point is that the accuracy you are likely to get from surplus ammo and 55gr bullets may not be adequate for varmint hunting. My match ammo shoots well under an inch at 100 yds (AR-15) while 55gr FMJ goes about 2" at the same distance.

I also have a Savage bolt action .223 with the Accustock and it seems to shoot pretty well. I have only used reloads though, no surplus.

John

[Trey45]

To boil it down, I'm considering a Savage Model 25 LV .223 with a 1-9 twist barrel. Am I going to blow the damn thing up and me with it if I shoot my military 55gr 5.56x45 ammo in it? I have an AR that I shoot this ammo in, and if I have to I'll get a target/varmint upper for it for precision shooting, but I would much rather use a bolt gun. I'm not really worried about shooting sub moa with milsurp ammo, at the same time I'd rather not have to buy .223 ammo to shoot since i have a plethora of 5.56x45 ammo on hand, most likely a lifetime supply of it.

[Heavy lead]

To boil it down, I'm considering a Savage Model 25 LV .223 with a 1-9 twist barrel. Am I going to blow the damn thing up and me with it if I shoot my military 55gr 5.56x45 ammo in it? I have an AR that I shoot this ammo in, and if I have to I'll get a target/varmint upper for it for precision shooting, but I would much rather use a bolt gun. I'm not really worried about shooting sub moa with milsurp ammo, at the same time I'd rather not have to buy .223 ammo to shoot since i have a plethora of 5.56x45 ammo on hand, most likely a lifetime supply of it.

Doubt it, but do a chamber cast first and measure the throat, if the throat is tight, lengthen it.
Then you should be fine.

[Doc Highwall]

It sounds like with the amount of ammo that he has the throat will burn forward fast enough.

[GabbyM]

M-193 does ricochet something fierce though. About every third shot will sound like an old western movie. Pop bing bing biiiing. I've seen them hit a mile away after first contact at 400 yards. They can bounce farther but you just never see it. I do know that FMJ chi com cheep ammo and cheep SKS shot by non members trespassing shut down my old shooting range at Windsor Illinois. I never saw the barn but it was over a mile away and had hundreds of holes in it. All the club has now is a 100 yard range that points in a different direction. Plus a huge locked fence to keep dumb asses out. Soooo ,, if I were you I'd shoot the mil surplus into a back stop then load up some proper varmint rounds. Unless you think you're Luck Skywalker and can reach out with the force to pull the bullet back.

Ball ammo is good for position shooting XC stuff. Standing, kneeling and that sort of practice.
When you want to hit something smaller than a tennis ball at 400 yards you can forget it. I've seen it tried on prairie dog shoots from all sorts of high price rigs and it's just not going to happen. Ground Hogs are large though and could be hit well past a quarter mile. Prairie dogs are about half the size of a mans hand.

Unless you want to invest a pile of money into a scope you may as well get a Stevens M200 in 223.
You can get to 400 yards with a light rig. I have three big scopes here that I bought before prices went nuts. Anymore you're looking at serious cash to take a rifle to long range. But then I've become a poor man the past ten years. So maybe 2K plus money isn't an issue for you. But there is no reason in the world to shoot M-193 though anything heavier than a Stevens M200 with an economy grade scope.

Back when I was young with good eyes I could out shoot M193 accuarcy level by at least a 4X factor with match ammo from iron sighted service rifles. Just no use throwing dollars onto dimes.

[Uncle R.]

Of course there really are differences in chamber / throat specs between .223 and 5.56 rifles - and of course there really are differences in the cartridge specifications although I'm not convinced that GI brass is always thicker than commercial .223 cases.
<
Most of the casual shooters I know are unaware of the differences and the potential for higher pressure and they interchange the two with no concerns and no problems. After years of observation and never seeing any problems result I pretty much do the same.
<
Blow up a good bolt rifle from using 5.56? Highly doubtful. A Savage / Stevens "110" action like any good bolt rifle will easily withstand pressures in such a small case that will flatten and extrude primer cups, give expanded case heads and loose primer pockets after one firing, and even show visible case head distortion. (Shudder!) That's why we're told to "work up" our loads carefully as we approach max - the case and primer are the weakest links but if you work up gradually there are plenty of warning signs (in a strong modern rifle) before disaster strikes.
<
If you should happen to be getting 70K pressures due to a minimum sized chamber or very tight throat or for whatever reason the cases will tell you something's wrong long before you "blow up" the rifle. That doesn't mean you can skate on the edge of case destruction without concern - because some cases are stronger or harder or thicker than others and you want to have a margin for error when that weaker case comes along.
<
I know it's not considered proper to say it out loud but the other sign of that standard warning about "working up" is - no warning signs, no problems.
But,
But,
"You may be getting 60K pressures!"
Well - if case life is good and primers or pockets aren't deformed and there are no problems or signs of problems the correct response is "So what?"
<
The real problems from shooting ball in your .223 are likely to be bad accuracy and ricochet potential as mentioned above. I doubt you'll be able to do any serious target shooting or varminting with M193 because of those two issues. Have you considered selling the dang stuff? It's worth a small fortune right now to the hoarders and mall ninjas. You could use the cash to buy components for real varmint ammo. Just a thought.
<
Uncle R.

[shotman]

well Tray you got all kind of answers. The main thing you will run into is barrel erosion if you put 3000 plus through a non chrome lined barrel. I will have to side with uncle on this one sell it and buy domestic or blast away in a AR15
I have shot a few in a rem 788 it does make the bolt open harder so I dont use it in the good gun

[NickSS]

I have shot several thousand rounds of M 193 ball ammo in bolt guns. Specifically in a Sako, Win Model 70, a Savage model 110 and in Browning A bolt. I have also shot additional thousands in AR 15s and Mini 14s. I never had a problem with the stuff. I have also reloaded military brass to the tune of more thousands of rounds with 55 gr ball bullets and velocities that match GI ball without problems. I would recommend a 1 in 9 twist that way if you ever want to shoot heavier hunting bullets you can do so. In addition, You may find that FMJ bullets do not perform well on game animals especially at longer ranges.

[Lloyd Smale]

this argument is as old as the hills. For the most part either will shoot in either gun. Ive yet to find a 223 that wouldnt shoot 556 or a 556 that wouldnt shoot 223. another fact is that about any 223 bolt is going to be capable of taking more pressure then an ar15 is.

[jsizemore]

A 12 twist barrel will handle up to a 63 grain bullet, at least it does in my 223. You would need to find someone with a Wylde reamer or throat it a little longer to handle the 5.56 pressure.

[softpoint]

No problem. As long as you get a twist rate that will handle the weight bullet thats in the ammo you have. Remington's newest .223 tactical rifles come with 1/9 twists so you can shoot .5.56 with the heavier bullets. (not the real heavies, but up to 69 gr. anyway) Believe me, if 5.56 ammo would blow up .223's you'd already have heard about it plenty of times☺You could get one of the cheap Stevens m200 rifles. They are cheap, have rough triggers that can be fixed, and almost always shoot very good.

[dualsport]

It seems you can't go wrong with a Savage for accuracy these days. Amazing quality for the price, accuracy wise. Butt...if you want something a bit different from the crowd, check out the Weatherby Vanguards. Mine is a tack driver, and I get to say "It's a Weatherby". Impresses the locals.

[Tom W.]

Doesn't CZ make a rifle chambered in 5.56?

[Storydude]

Trey, if you are worried about the difference between 223 and 5.56, have a local friendly gunsmith run a 5.56 reamer in to touch up the throat.

Easy, simple done.

I have a local guy run a 5.56 into ANY thing I have chambered for that little varmint round.

[redneckdan]

I think a savage 25 would handle the NATO rounds. The cartridge will fit in the chamber. Proof loads are hotter than any NATO round. Renting a NATO reamer from one of the various companies wouldn't be a bad idea. It would make a dandy walking varminter for hiking farm fields and potting wood chucks out to 200 yds or so.

In my opinion, I would go with the stevens 200 short action. Its a couple hundred bucks cheaper, a stronger action also. So if or when the throat gets roasted you can rebarrel with a higher quality barrel in .223 or something with a little more horsepower.

[Trey45]

I spoke with a rep at Savage about the Model 25 LVT and was assured in no uncertain terms that the use 5.56x45 NATO in this rifle will not harm it in any way. They know people are going to shoot 5.56 in .223 rifles, so they ream the chamber for the NATO but stamp the barrel .223. That was good enough for me.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y243/SimonLegree/M25.jpg

[Pat I.]

That's a pretty rifle and and if it's yours you made a good choice. I've owned 6 or 7 Savages in 223 and every one of them shot good right from the start. Someday when you're bored you should try pulling the bullets on 50 or so of your rounds and seat some decent Sierra 55 grain varmint bullets for some "Mexican Match" ammunition. The accuracy might be pretty satisfying.

Sometimes asking for opinion gets you a lot more than what you were looking for.

[NHlever]

One way to answer the OP's question would be a quick call to the manufacturer of the guns in question. Many bolt action sporters have nato chambers, perhaps more than you might think. I know that Ruger used the 7.62 nato chamber for it's 308's for a long time anyway, and they may use the 5.56 chamber as well.

[Trey45]

Yes, that's my new rifle, got it yesterday and got the scope this morning, sighted in already at 100 yards. Good to go. I was surprised to find out they chamber their .223's in 5.56 Nato, but it makes sense, since they assume people are going to use the Nato round in their rifles. I'm a happy camper. I'm may try that "mexican match" suggestion at some point!

[mike in co]

oh well

[.357]

stevens 200 cheap ugly and i didn't cry when i dropped mine out coyote hunting, you can't tell either.

[.357]

haha my advice is a day late and a dollar short, nice gun though i have a simular looking one in 22lr

[Three44s]

Thanks Trey for bringing up this subject.

I bought a .223 Savage take off barrel for my nephew for Christmas to swap to in his short action and you handed me some peace of mind with your findings from the Savage Rep.

Enjoy that .223/5.56 bolt gun!


Three 44s

[Trey45]

Hey screwbolts, try reading the entire thread, I called them. Any reason why you felt it necessary to use the largest font possible to convey your thoughts? And what's with the thousand question marks? Here's an idea for you, if you have nothing worthwhile to add to a thread, keep walking. Take it how you want it. But you need to rethink how you carry on around here.

[Dan Cash]

Doesn't CZ make a rifle chambered in 5.56?

They make a fine one but it will not handle bullets over 62gr and even those are sketchey as the twist is something like 1:14. 40 gr through 55gr bullets are very accurate.

Regarding the 5.56 vs .223 argument; it is not the cartridge so much as the chamber that is different. The first Kimber rifles (from the first Kimber company) were chambered with a very tight chamber. Mill surp ammo provided very sticky extraction, loose primer pockets and on occasion, a very hard to open bolt. Most commercial rifles have very generous/sloppy chambers. I have not had problems with my CZ in this regard save that the milsurp 5.56 shows pretty high pressure.

[Doc Highwall]

Actually the military chambers are slightly larger then a civilan chambers and the military ammo is held to a slightly smaller dimension giving just a small amount of extra clearence for battle field conditions. I am talking very small here only .001-.002"

[Screwbolts]

Trey45, it was supposed to be pretty blue and not large font. the key must have stuck. I have removed the reply,

Chill Man! I wont try to comment on your cast boolit questions

Ken

[bear5150]

mark twain was right..you don't shoot 556 in a 223 caliber..thicker case walls, shorter neck, more pressure..Mossberg makes the only 556 bolt action that rifle that shoots 556..they are in use with the swat team.

[pull the trigger]

To boil it down, I'm considering a Savage Model 25 LV .223 with a 1-9 twist barrel. Am I going to blow the damn thing up and me with it if I shoot my military 55gr 5.56x45 ammo in it? I have an AR that I shoot this ammo in, and if I have to I'll get a target/varmint upper for it for precision shooting, but I would much rather use a bolt gun. I'm not really worried about shooting sub moa with milsurp ammo, at the same time I'd rather not have to buy .223 ammo to shoot since i have a plethora of 5.56x45 ammo on hand, most likely a lifetime supply of it.

You have a warehouse full of ammo?? That is awesome!!! Can we be friends?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Trey: After 3 pages of argument,,,Bear 5150 beat me to it.

The Mossberg MVP series bolt gun has a 5.56 chamber, and it is also AR style magazine fed so you can blast away at multiple vermin to your hearts content. :Fire:


It is also pretty reasonably priced, and you can get the one with the 3x9 scope already mounted for about $600, Street price,,, don't be fooled by the MSRP on the website, these guns are going for a lot less than MSRP.

If I was looking for a .223/5.56 bolt gun that is the one I'd be seriously looking at. They are also sold in many of the larger retail stores so it's not like you are going on a "quest" to actually find one, they are getting to be pretty common.

I have seen several of these guns show up at our local 3 gun shoot and the young guys who shoot them do pretty well. The guns pick up the rounds off the magazine very efficiently when the bolt is operated smartly which you would think would be a problem. The ability to use AR Style P Mags is another plus.

As you know Magpul P Mags are the best, and you probably already have some.

Here's a link to these guns. https://www.mossberg.com/products/rifles/centerfire/mvp-series There are a bunch of different models to choose from and you should find something that fits your needs.

If you can't find one for the right price locally then try Williams Gunshop Auburn in Auburn MI. 969-239-3030 Talk to Kevin and tell him Randy Buchanan from CA sent you. That shouldn't do more than double the price!

He will ship to your local FFL. I have bought several hard to find guns from him and he is a great guy to deal with.

Randy

[kerreckt]

Savage 11 or 111. I have one that shoots surplus ammo, as well as, I can. With Accu-trigger less than $400 new. Savage states that it will shoot 5.56x45. I hope so, I have shot a ton of it out of mine.

[Tackleberry41]

As stated the only one marked as 5.56 is the Mossberg rifle. Will you blow up a 223 gun using 5.56, unlikely. I was jsut cutting whatever 5.56 I found back to 223 specs to use in my stevens, but traded it in on a Mossberg as I wanted the external mag. And the twist on the mossberg is 1-9 so will handle heavier bullets than many other 223 chambered rifles. Get to fast a twist and it wont like the light really fast varmint bullets. I wouldn't mind being able to use the heavy 80s, but will live with it as is.

[tygar]

Both my brother and I have Savage 10 FV in 223

Both will out shoot what we are able to

Hard to beat them for out of the box accurcy

John

This is a no brainer! Get whichever Savage you like. They are good price & the best out of the box.

Plus a good scope. Good gun, good scope, good groups!

[Hickory]

You know this thread is over 7 years old.

[marlin39a]

Ruger American Ranch. Chambered in 5.56. I regularly shoot mine at 200 yds. I have it sighted in with 40 gr V-Max, but now shoot 60.

[MT Gianni]

You know this thread is over 7 years old.

Yes but he posted Savage told him 5.56 would blow up a Savage bolt inside of 4 rounds.

[buckshotshoey]

And.... im pretty sure they didn't make a 1 in 9 twist barrel back then either.

[charlie b]

May be an old thread, but, I was just about to go looking for a bolt rifle in this caliber. Savage was high on my list so was happy to see they chamber theirs to handle 5.56 as well as having a 1:9 twist. A trip to the gun shop may be in order.

[tazman]

I have a Savage 25 and a Savage 10 in 223. Both have 1 in 9 twist and both handle 69 grain Sierra Matchkings superbly. Also shoot well with smaller bullets. Not so much with heavier.

[M-Tecs]

I am at a loss to understand why some have such a difficult issue with this. One of the most basic fundamentals of rifle loading is establishing bullet to lead angle clearance. If you want to fire factory 5.56 in a 223 marked chamber just check to ensure you are not jamming the bullet since the only real difference is the throat length.

[Gtek]

"I am at a loss to understand why some have such a difficult issue with this" Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buzz64]

CZ 527 Varmint (US is 1 in 9 European is 1 in 14...I have both) or Savage 12 LVBSS

[higgins]

Do it the easy way. Contact Savage to see how it's chambered and if it is approved for 5.56x45 mil spec. ammo.

[Kestrel4k]

Do it the easy way. Contact Savage to see how it's chambered and if it is approved for 5.56x45 mil spec. ammo.
He may have done it the easy way; contacting Savage over 7 yrs ago & verifying that exact thing ...

[charlie b]

Yep, just read through the posts here, #45.

[charles1990]

ANY modern 223 chambered bolt gun that is also used for 243, 308 etc will shoot the military cartridges with ZERO issues. My X7 did, my Ranch rifle does etc. etc.. Over 2000 in the former, now up to 800 in the latter.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is parroting the CYA lawyer talk from gun makers.

NO ONE has ever produced a rifle as I described coming apart from shooting milspec ammo.

Can't speak to ARs as all mine say 5.56 NATO.

[charlie b]

Never concerned with pressures, only the throat length, as shooting heavier bullets would be desirable. Since Savage does that then I will go out and look for one that I like.

And, yes, I will probably be firing single shot most of the time.

[charles1990]

Don't get the heavy bullet thing. A 50 gr TSX will kill anything you would ethically hunt with a 223.

[M-Tecs]

Don't get the heavy bullet thing. A 50 gr TSX will kill anything you would ethically hunt with a 223.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammo/special-forces-to-civilians-black-hills-mk-262-mod-1-review/

[charlie b]

Not concerned with hunting, only paper. Heavier bullets for longer ranges.

[tazman]

If you can afford one, get a Ruger Precision Rifle. They are listed as 5.56 capable and have a 1 in 7 twist. They also have a reputation for shooting well.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have a CZ 527 FS in .223 Rem. It is a tack driver with honors on my reloads. It does well with any ammo I can find if it is no heavier that 55 Gr. The 1 x 14 twist precludes the use of heavier fodder. I have a light and small Leupold scope mounted and a sling. It is light and compact and a joy to carry and shoot. IIRC it cost me about $450 ten years ago in a local gun shop brand new. With the full length stock and very nice wood it is a nice looking rifle and I certainly like it a bunch. I have fired surplus 55 gr ammo in it by the case with decent results.

A Savage might be cheaper and better but it will not look as good. Ya pays your money and takes your choice.

[55fairlane]

Anschutz 1710 ....that legendary trigger, the perfect fit to you stock and accurate, but a little spendy at $2400

https://s1.postimg.org/8m7bsq4j2n/014227.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Otherwise savage or CZ......never Ruger anything

Aaron

[charlie b]

I stumbled on a new one today. Walmart. Saw a camo Axis with a heavy barrel for $399. Turns out it is a new offering this year in .223 and .22-250 (and maybe others). On the shelf the Walmart tag said Axis XP so I had to look at it up close. Yep, it is an Axis II XP with the accutrigger. Bushnell 4-12 with AO.

Picked it up. Will try it out this weekend.

PS I notice that Cabelas and Sportsman's advertise it online now as well.

[Texas by God]

Good deal, charlie b. don't be afraid to shoot 5.56 x45 ammo in it. It'll take it!
I've shot quite a bit of 5.56 in a number of Savage, Remington, and Ruger bolt actions with nary a problem but accuracy. I tuned an older Axis a few weeks ago (non Accu trig) and other than loading the mag I liked the gun and it shot great.

[robg]

Tikka t3 shoots both with no problems.

[Mr_Sheesh]

charles1990 - Folks that're shooting longer ranges for Coyotes / Rockchucks often find that a 62+ grain bullet (CB or j-word) will have a flatter trajectory, at longer distances, so it's easier to HIT what you're shooting at with heavier bullets; 50 grain ones'll lose velocity fast past a certain distance. So it depends on what you're shooting and what you're shooting AT and what range you plan to shoot at (And it sure seems like the Varmints get a vote, pesky things will be where ever is MOST inconvenient.) And personal preference of course. Paper targets are harder to knock down, but at least they're at more predictable ranges! :)

[charlie b]

Yep, that's why I wanted to make sure that Savage used the longer throat to accept the heavier bullets. 1:9 twist so that's ok for anything less than 70gn and maybe even a little heavier if conditions are right. I'll be happy to shoot out to 500 or 600m.

[LAH]

You know this thread is over 7 years old.

It is & I'm wondering how much of the warehouse full he has shot?

[charlie b]

Took the Savage out to the range today.

Not really boresighted. Not even on the paper. After twenty rounds the scope worked loose. Tightened everything back up. Got it on paper. Was shooting about 1.5" groups at 100yds with Federal bulk ammo. Will try some better ammo next weekend and will try some shots at 200yd.

I like the gun. Will work on adjusting the trigger as well. Magazine fed well. Plastic latch worked well. I fed single rounds most of the day.

Cheap Bushnell scope (4-12x40 with AO) was nice and clear. Adjustments weren't bad. Got it zeroed easily. Have not checked change in zero with change in magnification or AO change.

Was so much fun I will get some dies for it and start loading.

[Kestrel4k]

Glad you like it - I think /everybody/ should have a bolt-action .223. The bullets in Fed Bulk are probably pretty poor, for handloading I'd try the Hornady Vmax first. :-)

[charlie b]

So far Sierra 69gn Matchkings will do less than 1" on regular basis. I had one group that was 10 rounds at 3/4". H335 powder, Rem primers.

[Bill*B]

You .223/5.56 shooters might like to know that Midway is currently selling Speer 55 grain soft points for $77 per 1,000.

[Bama]

Here's the issue, I have a ton of 5.56x45 ammo and I'd like to shoot some of it in a varmint rifle, a bolt action varmint rifle. I'm also not looking to break the bank doing this. I have considered maybe getting an upper for my AR for varminting, but would much rather have a bolt gun for this. I'm really looking hard at Savage, particularly the Model 25 in .223. I'm open to other suggestions as well. All the surplus 5.56 I have is 55 grain, I have no 62 grain if that helps. I'm not too concerned about using JHP or JSP for this, the sole reason for this rifle is to shoot the 5.56 I already have on hand. The longest distance I might be shooting would be maximum 450 yards, and that won't be often, realistically, most shots would be under 200 yards.
I know there's issues with the lead in shooting 5.56 in a .223 rifle, I'm hoping there's someone on the forum here who has first hand experience with what I'm wanting to do, and can point me in the right direction.

+1 for Savage

[Bama]

+1 for Savage

Check Cabelas, Believe I saw something on a sale and there was a rebate also on the 12fv's