.223 Rifles

Buying .223 Rifles in Australia

Magnum Sports lists more than 200 rifles chambered in .223 Remington, the most popular fox, goat and pest calibre in Australia: Tikka T3x and T1x-style hunters, Howa 1500 and Mini Action, Savage Axis, 110 and 12 series, Lithgow LA102, Ruger American, Remington 700 and 783, Bergara B14, Sauer 100 and 404, Blaser R8, Franchi Horizon, Weatherby Vanguard, Browning X-Bolt, CZ 600, Sako and Voere, in bolt-action hunting, varmint and precision configurations.

A .223 bolt action is a Category B firearm in NSW, so it needs a licence with a genuine reason such as hunting or primary production, a Permit to Acquire and compliant storage. The .223 is cheap to feed (see our .223 ammunition page), light in recoil and accurate, which is why it is the first centrefire most Australian hunters buy; it is right for foxes, goats, wild dogs and small pigs, and marginal on large deer, where a .243 or .308 is the better choice.

Prices start at $787 for the Howa 1500 Short Action and $889 for the Savage Axis, with scope packages from $966 (Savage Axis Compact) and $1,083 (Remington 783), the Ruger American from $1,118, the Tikka T3x from $1,454, the Lithgow LA102 from $1,675 and the Blaser R8 from $5,684. More than 120 .223 rifles are available today, led by Tikka (33 on hand), Savage (17), Lithgow (14), Sauer (10), Bergara (8) and Franchi (7).

  • Prices.223 rifles from $787 (Howa 1500) and $889 (Savage Axis); scope packages from $966; Ruger American from $1,118, Tikka T3x from $1,454, Lithgow LA102 from $1,675, Bergara from $1,099, Sauer from $1,473, Blaser R8 from $5,684.
  • Availability212 .223 Remington rifles listed, 125 available now; Tikka 33, Savage 17, Lithgow 14, Sauer 10, Bergara 8, Franchi 7, Ruger 6 and Blaser 6 on hand.
  • DealerMagnum Sports, 19 Babbage Road, Roseville Chase NSW — NSW Firearms Dealer Licence 413159984 — (02) 9882 2689

First centrefire? A Howa 1500, Savage Axis or Ruger American package in .223 with a scope fitted is the value route; a Tikka T3x Lite is the rifle most hunters wish they had bought first. We fit and bore-sight the scope and stock .223 ammunition for collection with the rifle.

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      189 products
      Cz 600 Ergo
      Cz 600 Ergo
      Cz 600 Ergo
      CZ
      $1,850.00
      Tikka T3x Wild Boar Fluted 2022 Special Oz Edition
      Tikka T3x Wild Boar Fluted 2022 Special Oz Edition
      Tikka T3x Wild Boar Fluted 2022 Special Oz Edition
      Tikka
      $2,879.00 from $2,770.00 Save $109.00
      Tikka T3x Lite Compact
      Tikka T3x Lite Compact
      Tikka
      $1,799.00
      Tikka T3x Lite Veil Wideland
      Tikka T3x Lite Veil Wideland
      Tikka
      from $2,999.00
      Tikka T3x Laminated Grey Stainless
      Tikka T3x Laminated Grey Stainless
      Tikka
      from $2,568.99
      Tikka T3x Hunter Stainless
      Tikka T3x Hunter Stainless
      Tikka
      from $2,309.00
      Tikka T3x Forest
      Tikka T3x Forest
      Tikka
      from $2,399.00
      Franchi Horizon
      Franchi Horizon
      Franchi
      $1,149.01
      Sold Out
      Browning X-Bolt Stalker Black
      Browning X-Bolt Stalker Black
      Browning
      $1,374.00 $1,249.00 Save $125.00
      Sold Out
      Browning X-Bolt SR Ovix
      Browning X-Bolt SR Ovix
      Browning
      $2,259.00 $2,053.00 Save $206.00
      Sold Out
      Browning X-Bolt Hunter
      Browning X-Bolt Hunter
      Browning
      $1,593.00 $1,448.00 Save $145.00
      Sold Out
      Steyr Scout
      Steyr Scout
      Steyr Scout
      Steyr
      $3,549.00 $3,226.00 Save $323.00
      Sold Out
      Steyr Pro Varmint SX
      Steyr Pro Varmint SX
      Steyr
      $3,932.00 $3,574.00 Save $358.00
      Sold Out
      Steyr CL II Mountain
      Steyr CL II Mountain
      Steyr
      $4,022.00 $3,656.00 Save $366.00
      Sold Out
      Cz 600 Trail
      Cz 600 Trail
      CZ
      $1,900.00
      Sold Out
      Tikka T3x Sporter
      Tikka T3x Sporter
      Tikka
      $4,699.00
      Sold Out
      Tikka T3x Lite Polyfade Hexagon Black Rock Camo Stainless
      Tikka T3x Lite Polyfade Hexagon Black Rock Camo Stainless
      Tikka
      $2,604.00 $2,367.00 Save $237.00
      Sold Out
      Tikka T3x Tactical
      Tikka T3x Tactical
      Tikka
      $3,368.00 $3,061.00 Save $307.00
      Sold Out
      Tikka T3x Super Varmint Stainless
      Tikka T3x Super Varmint Stainless
      Tikka
      $3,297.00 $2,997.00 Save $300.00
      Sold Out
      Tikka T3x Lite Green
      Tikka T3x Lite Green
      Tikka
      $1,600.00 $1,454.00 Save $146.00
      Sold Out
      Franchi Horizon Fully Loaded
      Franchi Horizon Fully Loaded
      Franchi
      $1,429.00 $1,299.00 Save $130.00

      Common questions

      What is the best 223 rifle for hunting in Australia?
      For most fox and goat hunters the Tikka T3x Lite ($1,799) is the benchmark for accuracy and trigger out of the box; the Howa 1500 ($787 up), Savage Axis II and Ruger American ($1,118 up) are the value picks; the Lithgow LA102 ($1,675) is the Australian-made option; and the Bergara B14, Sauer 100 and Blaser R8 sit above them for finish and feel. For varminting from a bipod choose a heavy-barrel Tikka Varmint or CTR, Howa Varmint or Savage 12.
      How much does a 223 rifle cost in Australia?
      At Magnum Sports .223 bolt actions start at $787 for the Howa 1500 and $889 for the Savage Axis, with scope packages from $966; mid-range rifles such as the Tikka T3x, Lithgow LA102, Bergara B14 and Sauer 100 are $1,450 to $2,500; premium Sako, Sauer 404 and Blaser R8 models run $3,400 to $16,899 (September 2026).
      What licence do I need for a 223 in NSW?
      A Category B licence for a bolt-action .223 (centrefire, not self-loading), with a genuine reason such as recreational hunting on rural land, sport shooting through a club or primary production, plus a Permit to Acquire for the rifle and storage that meets NSW requirements. Pump-action and straight-pull .223 rifles moved to Category C under the 2026 reforms.
      Is a 223 enough for deer?
      It is legal for deer in NSW and fine for small fallow and hog deer at sensible ranges with a good 60 to 69 grain bonded or soft-point load, but most experienced hunters use a .243, 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 for deer and keep the .223 for foxes, goats, wild dogs and pigs under 60 kg. If deer are your main target, buy the bigger calibre first.
      Which 223 rifles are in stock?
      More than 120 are available today, including most of the Tikka T3x range, Savage Axis and 110, Lithgow LA102, Sauer 100, Bergara B14, Franchi Horizon, Ruger American, Howa 1500, CZ 600, Voere and Blaser R8. Remington 700 and 783, Weatherby Vanguard and Browning X-Bolt in .223 are mostly ordered in.

      Answers written by the licensed dealers at Magnum Sports, Roseville Chase NSW. Last reviewed September 2026. Firearms law differs by state; check with your state registry before you buy.