Rifle for offhand shooting

[topcat666]

Good morning.

Could I ask if anyone has any views viz a rifle for offhand shooting,as,I suppose,plinking really up to 300 yards?

My thoughts are to shoot 5 shots prone (on elbows),5 shots kneeling and then 5 shots standing unsupported at 100 yards,dropping back to 200 yards and then 300 yards.

Given age etc.,I think I am looking for a light rifle that will be scoped by me and my preference is for a .223 which is more balanced than front end weighted so I think varmint barrels are probably out.

A fast twist would be preferable if I decide to take it out further distances shooting prone and if I choose to sell it on.

My local RFD showed me a Tikka T3 Hunter but a fast twist is not available but coukd be ordered for5 or 6 months time.

My researc is pointing me to a choice of:

Tikka T3/3x Lite or Hunter

Sako 75 (even 85 if I feel especially flush) Hunter

CZ 527 American

Browning X Bolt stainless stalker.

Finding examples to heft locally will be a challenge,I guess,but yours views would be appreciated about my potential choices.

Given my proposed "course of fire",with maybe 45 rounds over maybe an hour or,more likely,longer at our range.any problems with overheating a thinner barrel for .223 likely to be encountered?

Thanks for reading.

[Moorlander]

You appear to have answered your own question , light weight or you`ll be swaying around , especially if youve just walked several hundred yards or more , but you`ll have to watch out for a hot barrel /POI change , personally I`d go for Tikka or Sako with a low powered scope 1-4x24 or similar , you could also go for an AR clone , loads of barrel options there.

 

[Kalahari]

CZ 527, 1:9 twist, even the stiff barrelled varmint isn't too heavy to shoot offhand and it would be more resistant to heating up. Where are you? It does help if people put this in as it is possible that there is someone near you that has something you could at least dry fire to see how it feels.

 

David.

[topcat666]

Thanks for your replies.

I live in the north east of England and wanted to see a CZ 527 as I owned a CZ rimfire a couple of years ago but the RFD advised me that the prices for CZ were about Tikka level now so his customers were looking to Tikka,hence he showed me a new Tikka.

Someone mentioned having a Tikka M590 but not sure of the barrel contour on it. That rifle I will be able to see but I'm not in a rush.

The CZ interested me a s being a ^mini Mauser" and built for the small calibre.

 

[bradders]

You want a heavy rifle for offhand shooting

In US NRA highpower Rifle competition they use AR15s and load them us with lead weights so they anywhere between 12-17lbs depending on personal preference

A heavy rifle will sit in the hands and not move as much as a lighter rifle, which if you take time over your offhand shots will be all over the place, and with that said the ideal .223 rifle for your needs is in fact an AR15

[Kalahari]

Couldn't possibly be that the dealer had a Tikka in stock and not  a CZ? Or is my cynicism showing?

 

David.

[topcat666]

13 minutes ago, Kalahari said:

Couldn't possibly be that the dealer had a Tikka in stock and not  a CZ? Or is my cynicism showing?

 

David.

Surely not??

In fairness to the RFD,Sako/Tikka are very popular choices and for a reason but the order time for a Hunter fast twist does seem long.

Unfortunately,Bradders,whilst I acknowledge what you say,the days when I could lift 12-17 lbs of gun are gone-even if they were ever there to begin with,so a balanced rifle is probably my working template although a Tikka Hunter/Lite (the latter in particular) even scoped would be pretty light and will indeed lead to some muzzle wobble.

 

[Big Al]

I think out to 300yds you dont need a fast twist, I would be happy with a .223 or even a .222 shooting bullets in the 40gr-55gr range. Considering your unsupported shooting positions I doubt the inherent accuracy of the rifle will be the weakest link.

T3 or an older M590/595 with a 20" varmint barrel is manageable if you choose your moderator carefully. The CZ 527 varmint is also a good choice, if you can find one with the set trigger it would go well and with a 9 twist barrel as standard would cover you from 40gr to 69gr which is more than plenty of choice.

 

[Andrew]

I shoot the majority of my off hand with a Tikka T3 Lite in 308. The reasoning is that I hunt with an identical T3 except in 7mm-08. (Identical glass, trigger pull and sling) The 308 is simply cheaper to shoot. That said, my favorite off hand rifle out to 300 yards is, of all things, a CZ 527 Suppressor-cut carbine in 7.62x39. It's a factory 16.5" rifle that I restocked with a m527 Varmint walnut stock. With my 9" suppressor in place it points like a dream. The trigger is excellent and handloading for the thing is economical and rewarding. It is very accurate.

In the end, it's not the rifle but how much you enjoy shooting it that keeps you out there, and the more you shoot, the better you get.~Andrew

[orsoncart]

I needed a comb raiser on my CZ527 to get a good cheekweld with a scope. I get a steadier hold  that way, for off hand shooting. 

[topcat666]

Many thanks again for the feedback.

At present,I'm keeping my powder dry,so to speak,and will try and travel around to see some rifles.

No one has mentioned the Browning so I'm minded to discount it and look CZ/Tikka/Sako.

Something will turn up before Christmas.