Next range rifle? One with a bolt?

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Dashunde

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I have a few AR-10 and 15's, 10/22's, pistols a'plenty, and a Mossberg... but I don't have a single bolt rifle.
I'd like a small bore bolt rifle and scope for slower paced precision and to teach my daughter to shoot.
I'm looking for good accuracy at 100 yards, minimal recoil, from relatively inexpensive rifle/scope/ammo.

What do you recommend for a good balance and matchup between cost, accuracy, and ammo?
 
If you're only going out to 100yds, then I suggest a .223 bolt gun. Reduced recoil, great caliber for beginners and shares the same ammo as your AR 15's. Accuracy and precision loosely defined as the ability to hit what your aiming at and doing it repeatably.

Once started on this path, you'll likely want to test your limits. And be forewarned...the cost of accuracy and precision is exponential! :what: Enjoy!
 
For what you want, .223 sounds like a perfect fit. Ammo is very affordable, lots of options available as far as make and model, and very tame recoil. Thompson Center has a compact version of their Vantage rifle that would probably make a very good trainer for your daughter, not sure how it would fit you. Me personally, the compact rifles I've shot I've found too small BUT I'm 6'5" so I'm not a good indicator of how it will fit the average person.

https://gun.deals/product/thompsoncenter-venture-compact-bolt-action-223-rem-37999-free-store-pickup

If you want to go full sized, the Savage 11 is a good deal right now in the $400-500 range.

If you want to go cheaper, you have the T/C Compass, Savage Axis, Savage Axis II (the Axis with an Accutrigger), Remington 783, and Ruger American all usually available under $400 and some under $300. I'd probably favor the American (and go with a Predator model if I were buying for me). There are other options too, those are just the ones that seem to be the most recommended.

Finally, this is the .223 bolt I just bought. Probably a little heavy for your daughter to shoot off hand, but one heck of a rifle for the price.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/weatherby-vanguard-223rem-heavy-barrel.html#.XlgfKvdMErc
 
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ApacheCoTodd said:
These weirdos on here with their bolt action 7.62x39s have REALLY got me to thinking about that platform of late.
Click to expand...

I represent that comment

index.php
 
I would say that the 223 rem is the cartridge to go with. The rifle can be a varmint weight bench gun or sporting weight. There is a ton of great reasonable price guns out their.
The main thing that it fits your daughter. So a youth rifle may be the best way to go.
 
I’ll put in another plug for the .223. Cheap to shoot and hit all of your other check boxes. And make no mistake, although I wouldn’t call a .223 a long range rifle, you can reach out with them. I’ve gone out to 600 with 80 grainers. Of course, by that time you can almost catch the bullets with a catchers mitt. Out to 300 is pretty easy to do.
 
Ruger American ranch. It’s very light for a girl to hold, the 16” barrel helps the balance. It also comes threaded so even if you’d like to reduce the recoil of .223, you can
 
The CZ527 in either .223 and 7.62x39 is my favorite rifle in this scale. A little pricer that some other choices, and it's best in classic walnut and blued steel -- the factory synthetic stock is just so-so.

You can get a .223 action into an MDT chassis later on if you prefer the high tech approach.

CZ 527 Carbine.jpg CZ527Chassis.jpg CZ527FS.jpg
 
A good .223 stick shift works for that range, and much, much farther, accurate, low recoil plenty of ammo options and unendingly fun to shoot.
 
Hi all, thanks for all the replies.
I guess I should have mentioned that my daughter is only 8... so I'm not sure she'll be too keen on a 5.56/223 yet, and I don't want to chase her off with it.

I thought about going with a 17HMR.. but it has a very limited usefulness and its within $50 of a 223 or 308.

At this point, logic says buy a little 10/22 Compact for her (its already on my list anyway) for $250, add a decent scope after she learns open sights and let her pewpew as much as she wants.
If she takes a solid interest (and develops a desire to be accurate) I'll move her on up into something more capable.
But knowing her, she'll probably want her own shotgun...
 
Dashunde said:
I should have mentioned that my daughter is only 8... so I'm not sure she'll be too keen on a 5.56/223 yet, and I don't want to chase her off with it.
Click to expand...

An 8 year old with a properly fit stock will have absolutely no issues with a 223. I’ve instructed a lot of kids in intro to rifle courses, and haven’t ever struggled to have an 8 year old manage a 223, so long as the stock is short enough and the rifle light enough for the child to manage. My boy started shooting 223 when he was 4, supported on shooting sticks.
 
Dashunde said:
Hi all, thanks for all the replies.
I guess I should have mentioned that my daughter is only 8... so I'm not sure she'll be too keen on a 5.56/223 yet, and I don't want to chase her off with it.
Click to expand...
At 8 years old, and based upon what my kids enjoyed when they were that age, I wouldn't have her trying to shoot paper at 100 yards. They tend to enjoy MUCH more shooting reactive targets, not punching boring holes in paper, and they don't appreciate the skill level that it takes to shoot accurately at 100 yards. Give her something very accurate, but sized to suit her - like a CZ 452 Scout - and a reactive target (golf balls, bottles of water, a 5" target ball like this: https://www.caldwellshooting.com/ta...MIndHNtqeH6AIVChgMCh2tfQ-wEAQYBiABEgJgsfD_BwE . Put the target at 25 or 50 yards and let her tear it up.

When I started letting my kids shoot "fun" targets instead of boring paper, their interest in shooting increased about 10x. They went from not wanting to shoot, to loving it, and soon they were running a 2" to 1/4" KYL target end to end at 50 yards.


452 Scout with Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44.
vQJMv9b.jpg
 
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Dashunde said:
Hi all, thanks for all the replies.
I guess I should have mentioned that my daughter is only 8... so I'm not sure she'll be too keen on a 5.56/223 yet, and I don't want to chase her off with it.

I thought about going with a 17HMR.. but it has a very limited usefulness and its within $50 of a 223 or 308.

At this point, logic says buy a little 10/22 Compact for her (its already on my list anyway) for $250, add a decent scope after she learns open sights and let her pewpew as much as she wants.
If she takes a solid interest (and develops a desire to be accurate) I'll move her on up into something more capable.
But knowing her, she'll probably want her own shotgun...
Click to expand...
I think you have a great idea to start with a 22lr. The gun is light enough quite enough and more than fun enough to get started with a love of shooting!
 
As another point of reference, my son started shooting 22LR from the bench at 2yrs old, and from sticks while he was still 3.

Recoil on even 243win/6.5 Grendel/6 creed class of cartridges is quite manageable for an 8yr old child, the stock and overall weight and length simply need to be matched to suit the child’s frame.
 
I take a .22 to the range anytime I take a new or inexperienced shooter with me. Cheap shooting with no recoil and minimal noise. Something to give them a break during shooting sessions.
Easier gun to let them shoot and you to observe if bad habits show up. Take recoil and noise out if the equation.
 
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