22-250 vs 223

Camp Cook said:
I'll give it a shot (pun intended) :cool:

No one is saying a bullet from a 223 isn't going to kill something.

Using me as an example I'm saying that a much slower moving bullet out of a 223 will not have the instant smack down at greater ranges like a 22-250 has and not as much as a fast 6mm or 25 cal has.
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i agree about the bigger calibers like even a 243 or a 25-06 but Hoycanon said it well on the paper right but in the field no differences ....and im talking about 22-250 or 223.
 
medvedqc said:
in the field no differences ....and im talking about 22-250 or 223.
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If that's the case you could say the same about 308 Win vs 300 WinMag, 338 Federal vs. 340 Weatherby, 375 Win vs 375 H&H..... the list goes on. Sure, if the animal is hit well the end result is generally the same, that's the case with most any caliber so a point not really worth mentioning. To say the 22-250 and 223 are equal when there's a 400-500 fps difference is a bit ludicrous. I shoot both calibers quite a bit and there's quite a dramatic difference between them in the field. I also shoot a 257 Wby a lot and to say the 257 Roberts is the same would be equally foolish.
 
bearkilr said:
If that's the case you could say the same about 308 Win vs 300 WinMag, 338 Federal vs. 340 Weatherby, 375 Win vs 375 H&H..... the list goes on. Sure, if the animal is hit well the end result is generally the same, that's the case with most any caliber so a point not really worth mentioning. To say the 22-250 and 223 are equal when there's a 400-500 fps difference is a bit ludicrous. I shoot both calibers quite a bit and there's quite a dramatic difference between them in the field. I also shoot a 257 Wby a lot and to say the 257 Roberts is the same would be equally foolish.
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Out to 250 there is a dramatic difference with bullets of equal weight... but a fast twist .223 with heavy bullets will put on an accuracy clinic beyond 300, versus the standard .22/250 twist and load... all IME.
 
hoytcanon said:
Out to 250 there is a dramatic difference with bullets of equal weight... but a fast twist .223 with heavy bullets will put on an accuracy clinic beyond 300, versus the standard .22/250 twist and load... all IME.
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Like the OP, most guys that are torn between the 223 and 22-250 are primarily interested in varmints, not punching paper with fast twist barrels and VLD bullets, but I get that it's possible to lopside the figures, aka apples to oranges, to prove a point. ;)
 
I also want the flattest trajectory that I can get.

A lot of the coyotes I shoot aren't hanging around waiting for me to dial in my scope so I can pop a pin hole thru them so they can run off forever before they drop.
 
bearkilr said:
Like the OP, most guys that are torn between the 223 and 22-250 are primarily interested in varmints, not punching paper with fast twist barrels and VLD bullets, but I get that it's possible to lopside the figures, aka apples to oranges, to prove a point. ;)
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Its not an apples to oranges comparison at all. Many, if not most, 223 rifles are now offered in twist rates able to handle heavy bullets capable of accurately hitting and killing varmints at extended ranges, and retaining more energy at those ranges than the lighter bullets from a 22-250.
 
CV32 said:
Its not an apples to oranges comparison at all. Many, if not most, 223 rifles are now offered in twist rates able to handle heavy bullets capable of accurately hitting and killing varmints at extended ranges, and retaining more energy at those ranges than the lighter bullets from a 22-250.
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Savage offered a 9 twist 22-250 a few years ago, not sure if they still do. Apples to apples the 22-250 wins.
 
CV32 said:
Its not an apples to oranges comparison at all. Many, if not most, 223 rifles are now offered in twist rates able to handle heavy bullets capable of accurately hitting and killing varmints at extended ranges, and retaining more energy at those ranges than the lighter bullets from a 22-250.
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Apples to apples is bullets of the same weight. Both are great calibers, but the 223 won't match the 22-250 in velocity and energy, simple fact. That doesn't make it any less of a caliber.
 
I like the 22-250 with a 1:8 twist and a 77 grain Berger match, gets out flatter and does out shoot my 223s. For coyotes however I stick with my 6.5 x 55
 
bearkilr said:
Apples to apples is bullets of the same weight. Both are great calibers, but the 223 won't match the 22-250 in velocity and energy, simple fact. That doesn't make it any less of a caliber.
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If that's how you measure it then maybe the 22-250 should be using the same powder charge as the 223. Why just bullet weight? ;)
 
CV32, so you're implying a 9 twist 223 will out perform a 9 twist 22-250? or am I misunderstanding what youre saying? :)
 
bearkilr said:
Apples to apples is bullets of the same weight. Both are great calibers, but the 223 won't match the 22-250 in velocity and energy, simple fact. That doesn't make it any less of a caliber.
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It is not simply a matter of case capacity but what is available to the consumer... these days fast twist .223's are common but not so much .22/250's... sure, if you build two custom guns with same length barrels, and same twist rates, then the .22/250 is the clear winner.
 
Maybe we could re-frame our thinking with a more familiar analogy: Which is a better hunting cartridge, the.30-06 or the .300 Winchester Magnum? Conventional thinking establishes that, with comparable bullets: a) the .300 hits animals noticeably harder at all ranges; b) inside 350 yards or so, the .30-06 will do anything you ask in style; c) at 500 and beyond the .300 is probably better because it will hit at 500 like a .30-06 hits at 350. The .300 also drops less and drifts less in the wind, so that is an advantage at 500 and beyond, assuming the accuracy of the rifle is up to the task.

However, all of these facts aside, most people will agree that very few shots are made on game in the real world beyond 350 yards. If you are the kind of specialized shooter who plans to do this on a regular basis, then you will: a) have the experience to read wind and make corrections; b) have the time and a good rest to think it through; and c) have a super-accurate rifle with a tuned handload, usually involving a long-range bullet and an appropriate barrel twist, capable of bringing the animal down in short order. In this situation, you've probably got a cartridge selected for its excellence in this rarefied job, and you are prepared to buy whatever you need.

Putting it all together: the .223 (or .30-06) should be excellent to 300 or 350 yards for animals within its class. Beyond that, you need a specialized rifle and skill set, anyway, so choose carefully with a mind to making the most out of your opportunities.
 
Hey my Ford escort gets me to work, but my Mustang is more entertaining during the trip.
And the 22-250 will kick a 223 a$$ everywhere except cost, and that's two cents per round.
Get off your wallet.
 
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