The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi just been into shooting for a year now and joined my club this year and in the process of receiving my licence. My first rifle will be a 223 this will be my main rifle so waning to buy brand new, I will be shooting at 100 metres and would love in the future to travel to another range for longer range. So to the question I keep going back and forth to a couple of rifles
Mossberg MVP lc 223
Tikka T3 super varmint 223
or any other suggestions

The Mossberg is a good deal at my club £950 and think its a great piece of kit esp with the design (pistol grip style) but just don't know anything about Mossberg quality or accuracy, but heard nothing but good about Tikka's (can't go wrong people say) I am not going to compete or anything just competing with myself. I am also going towards heavy barrel due to advice by others so any suggestions will need to be heavy barrel, I would of been all over a Tikka with a wooden stock but they don't do one with heavy barrel. My price limit is £1250 and will only use it for target shooting.

Thanks for any help

My advice would be to find what's comfortable and fits. These days, as with cars, there is not much new that is unreliable or crap quality. There is always the odd lemon, but you have to be unlucky to pick that specific one.
For off the shelf rifles, it pretty much comes down to fit and aesthetics for you. Other things to look at are how easy it would be to fit a bipod or a scope etc.

I have a couple of Tikka's both being extremely accurate and silky smooth action, If the Mossberg is as good as they make the A500 shotguns you would not go wrong there either, my a500 has been cleaned twice in 40 years mainly because the amount of blood/dirt on it but even without cleaning it the shotgun has never missed a beat and considering it is a working gun it has seen a fair bit of use

I have a Mossberg MVP LC (in .308), and also a Mossberg MVP Varmint in .223.

The MVP LC is a good rifle, although the barrels are a little on the short side.. 18'' in .308, and (I think) 16'' in .223.

The MVP Varmint has a 24'' barrel, and is very accurate with the right ammo... so far its only gone as far as 50yds, but the "On Target" software reckons it shoots a 0.3 MOA group... (I'll find out properly on Saturday as we're shooting at 100 and 300 yds.)

The Varmint is also a bit cheaper than the LC.

One thing with the Varmint is the stock is quite short as its designed to be shot from a bench... but the LC has an adjustable stock, so should fit no matter what position you're shooting from.

Generally Mossbergs are a little rough and ready, the bolt isn't the smoothest, etc, but they do shoot well, and are reasonably priced.

Yes the thing what really puts me off is the bolt action , seen people on YouTube saying it’s sloppy and seen a review on Ozzie’s YouTube channel were the bolt snagged when loading ammo were the tikka always gets praised for the smooth action

joeuk wrote:Yes the thing what really puts me off is the bolt action , seen people on YouTube saying it’s sloppy and seen a review on Ozzie’s YouTube channel were the bolt snagged when loading ammo were the tikka always gets praised for the smooth action

bolt smoothness/slop makes very little difference to the accuracy of a rifle, Mauser 98 based actions have a load of slop but they managed two world wars, a fair few other conflicts and were the basis of many hunting and target rifles.
Unless you are doing comps that require a very fast reload then I doubt the action will have any impact on your shooting (assuming it is true )
why limit yourself to the two options? there are a load of manufacturers out there that produce models in your price range, have a look/feel of them and see if any of them meet your needs, as to smooth operation? I have found with my rifles the action smooths out with use and correct lubrication, so maybe have a look at the Savage,Bergara,Howa,Remington et al options.

Perhaps reconsider the calibre if you have aspirations beyond 600 yards.
223 will limit you in future and you soon get the hankering to push far out!
6mm or 6.5mm are far better choices.

I have 243 on my ticket so will be buying something like a CZ or Ruger , hence why I never included these on my list for 223, any other suggestions would be great and looked into. Sounds daft but wanted my main rifle to be special (without going silly money) .

About the slop of the Mossberg I was just concerned that I would be fighting to load ammo which would spoil my shooting which then in turn will effect my accuracy due to frustration

Another one for the Tikka here, great rifle. Fit and finish excellent and lots of aftermarket parts - you can trick them up with extended mags, new stocks, all sorts of bits.

I would say though you don't need to buy new, I bought mine second hand with 200rds through it (308) and I benefited from a 20moa rail attached, thread cut with an invisible thread protector and an upgraded trigger - all done by a very well known gunsmith. Mine is the heavy barrel with an adjustable stock and I paid circa £750 for it (IIRC). I've popped a decent vortex on it, brake and bi-pod and it will do out to 1000m if I needed it to.

My advice would be to slowly ask around, someone somewhere will be selling something that will outshoot you at a good price. Shooting people like kit, if I think about some of the guys I shoot with they're always selling something to fund a new piece of kit usually they've tricked it up already and because they compete they know the round count and rifle's history. Approaching it like this will give you more money to spend on glass and lose less if you ever decide to sell the rifle. You'll most likely keep you glass for ages whilst swapping out rifles as your tastes/ requirements change so in my opinion it's money better spent there.

Saying that there is always something nice about having a new thing but I think that sheen wears off quickly and I'd rather have the cash...

Thats the good thing with Tikka is all the aftermarket stuff, I have looked at second hand market but as I am new to the game I am worried that someone selling one as not looked after the barrel from new, don't get me wrong some guys at my club keep records of everything. I have seen some older T3 that have been kitted out with rails, stocks etc at good price but this becomes a new thread like T3 vs T3x, sometimes I wonder if I am over thinking my selection. The Mossberg is good value for money hence the interest but don't want to jump at the purchase just for this reason and the fact its a tactical stock with pistol grip.Please forgive all my post I am one of those people that after do research research and more research before spending my money .