# Semi Auto 223



## rgriffi (Nov 29, 2007)

I am looking for a 223 and i am still a college student and i am looking for a good gun but not that expensive. I was leaning for a bolt action because i was a F class Competion shooter. but now leaning towards a Ruger mini 14 or AR-15. What do you think is best for the money


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

I have no experience with the AR-15 but I once owned a Mini-14 in .223. The operative word here is 'once'.

No matter what what type of load I cooked up, I couldn't get it to group better than 3-4 inches at 100 yards, much too big a group if you're shooting at a 150-yard coyote.

My experience seems to be reflected by others who've owned the Minis. They're fun to shoot but when it comes to accuracy, they just don't cut it. I bought it because I thought it would be the answer to running coyotes. Well, I didn't get any more coyotes than I did with my bolt action, I just burned up a lot more shells.

Good luck and shoot straight (just don't expect to shoot straight with a Mini-14. LOL) Saskcoyote


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Get the AR-15 you will not be let down. There is so much you can do to it after you have it it is not even funny. You can get different upers as cash allows and you can shoot many calibers from one gun.


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## 308 (Jul 10, 2007)

Ar-15's are pretty expensive. $1,000-$1,500 But they are graet guns


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## johngfoster (Oct 21, 2007)

Go with the AR-15. Even their lighter barrels are pretty accurate. I have a Bushy 16" M4 profile upper, and with a cheap Bushnell scope and cruddy trigger I'm still able to shoot about 1" @ 100yd with match ammo. You can accurize a mini-14, but it turns out pretty heavy I think. Never tried it and probably won't ever.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Best for the money???? Savage stainless weather warrior.

I have a AR15 DPMS Panther Bull 20 that groups an .3 inch, but a Savage will do the same thing for less than 1/3 the price. I also have a Winchester Featherweight in 223 that has had a lot of work done on it so it also groups 1/3 inch, but again the Savage will do it for half the price.

I have a Savage stainless seather warrior in 22-250 and it will group .6 inch with nearly any brand of ammo. I have many heavy barrel rifles and thought I needed a lighter walk around rifle. Cabela's had the Weather Warrior on sale for $479, but they had one of their annual promotions of spend $400 and get $100 off, so that brought it down to $379. I used my Cabela's card and got another $10 off in Cabela's points so I have a new 22-250 for $369. If you have time watch for the sales. A good (very good) AR15 will run you $1300, and an acceptable one will run you about $800.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

saskcoyote said:


> I have no experience with the AR-15 but I once owned a Mini-14 in .223. The operative word here is 'once'.
> 
> No matter what what type of load I cooked up, I couldn't get it to group better than 3-4 inches at 100 yards, much too big a group if you're shooting at a 150-yard coyote.
> 
> ...


From what I know, that is typical for a mini 14.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Remington SPS. The money saved over an AR will allow you to put a really nice scope on it. 
No need for a semi-auto if your making your first shots count like they should. Semi's just burn up more ammo.
No need for a heavy barrel in a hunting rifle as well, only for bench guns. You dont need the extra weight while hunting.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Mini 14 are poor accuracy guns unless a lot of money and time is spent dialing them in! You can buy a Colt AR and have a great shooting semi auto right out of the box. That being said and having owned both the Mini and the AR I sold both. I am back to bolt actions.

The AR was a good platform for coyote hunting but to costly for me to justify for the amount I used it. That may not be the same for you.

The Mini was a fun gun also but was a 100 yard and under rifle no matter what ammo or scope set up it had. My cousin had a couple and both of them have been sent down the road for the same reasons as well.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

There is nothing wrong with using a semi for hunting. It will allow you to concentrate on your shooting not having to worry about trying to work the bolt fast enough if there is more than one dog that needs some "speed hole's". All you need to do is aim and work the trigger and the gun will do the rest for you. Please do not become one of the "sights are for losers club".

It is true that you can get a nice bolt in 223 and a scope for less than a 15 but if that is what you want then get it. All the stuff we are telling you is just advice you will need to make up your mind

I am not very fond of the Mini-14. I had one and sold it to get a 15. Sometimes I still would like to have it but the 15 is just better. Mine shot very well better than some of the uppers I have but that is a different story. The new target model has that tuner that allows you to get much smaller groups. Some team that uses that won a competition but you do not see them on the firing line in any KD competition. I am sure you will someplace but very few.


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## pfast (Feb 8, 2007)

I own several rifles including a mini-14 and a ar-15. The AR is alot tighter in grouping than the mini but I find myself almost always taking the mini out when I go over all of my guns. like the last post said you will need to make up your own mind. What you hear on here is what works for that individual. Maybe im not normal but I love my mini but then again im not shooting long distances. Either way good luck in your quest and happy hunting. :wink:


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## skiles76 (Mar 1, 2006)

I've never had nor shot an ar- 15 so i can't say much about them but i do have a mini-14 target model which cost me less than an ar and i love it, The gun will be in my possesion for the rest of my life. but thats just my opinion.


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## HARRY2 (Jul 26, 2004)

You can build an AR for less than 800.00. I built one for 600.00 but it took along time to find all those deals.


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