.22-250 v.s. .223

Bobby Ironsights

Bobby Ironsights

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Is there any real reason why I can't squeeze just as much accuracy out of a .22-250 as I would get out of a .223?

I'm looking at the savage Model 12 Long Range Precision Varminter, single shot, and it's chambered in a number of cartridges.

I've already got a nice model 40 single shot .22 hornet, so if I'm going to move out further, I can't really see any good reason not to move onto the 250 and skip the .223 entirely. I would have bracketed the .223 between the .250 and the hornet anyway, right?

Plus, I'd have the velocity gains in the .22-250 available to me, if I wanted to shoot some scorchers at some point, eh?

P.S. I only handload, and never shoot surplus, and I'm a paper puncher, and am unlikely to hunt much, were I to start.
 
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For barrel life I would probably just stick with the .223cal, but I'm an amateur when it comes to long range shooting and info.
 
:p

For barrel life I'll stick with the hornet, at 10 or 11 grains of powder per round, I expect to see grey hair and grandchildren before I see the end of this barrel.

No, I'm not concerned about barrel life, unless it dips below 2k rds of peak accuracy, but that's a good point.
 
The 22-250 is only on average about a 300fps gain over the .223 for the same bullet weight, and if you can get cheap .223 ammo then it would be the likely choice for punching paper.
 
If looking at a factory rifle, the limiting factor may be twist rate. Savage does make a 9 twist 22/250 and if you can get that, a great rig. If only the 12 twist, big waste for LR shooting.

75gr VLDs from Berger and Amax should be able to make good use of that extra case capacity to reach 3300fps or so. A 223 can push to 2950fps SAAMI spec, so it's no slouch either.

For that extra velocity and reduced wind drift, your barrel life will be cut in half.

Sounds like fun.

Jerry
 
Grtwhthntr said:
The 22-250 is only on average about a 300fps gain over the .223 for the same bullet weight, and if you can get cheap .223 ammo then it would be the likely choice for punching paper.
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22-250 with 36gr varget and 52gr bullet will go 3610fps
223 with compressed load of 26gr varget will go 2858fps

my math shows 752fps difference and there is more room in the 22-250case, 38gr of varget will get you up past 3800fps.

I personally chose 223 for barrel life. but if your not conserned about barrel life get the 22-250 for sure.
 
crout said:
22-250 with 36gr varget and 52gr bullet will go 3610fps
223 with compressed load of 26gr varget will go 2858fps

my math shows 752fps difference and there is more room in the 22-250case, 38gr of varget will get you up past 3800fps.

I personally chose 223 for barrel life. but if your not conserned about barrel life get the 22-250 for sure.
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I was pulling info from a Hodgdon manual for 40gr bullets. It also lists the 22-250 with 52gr loaded 36gr varget as 3784fps and .223 with 53gr loaded 27gr varget as 3389fps. I was more or less just trying to point out it would be less expensive to shoot the .223, and for punching paper the little bit of velocity isn't that critical.
 
Depending on what your idea of Long Range is.

The 22-250 with 55grn bullets would do well out to 300-500m. The only problem is the light bullets do not do very well in the wind and I think the 400-500m mark would be a stretch for those little legs.

The 223 with 68-70grn bullets will shoot very well out to 900m and beyond.

If you can find a factory 22-250 with a 1:9 twist then I think that would be the best of both worlds, heavy bullets and more velocity than a .223.
 
I have the LRPV in .223 with a 1:7 twist. I hope to shoot 80gr SMK's out to 1000yds this summer.
Bobby, have you found a LRPV in Canada recently? When I was looking last spring, there were none.
 
pmt said:
have you found a LRPV in Canada recently? When I was looking last spring, there were none.
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I had to back order mine from wholesale sports. For an out of the box rifle it sure has turned out to be a dandy.

.223 with a 1:9 twist.
 
Probably depends a lot on the type of rifle. I do know this: I can make a short range BR rifle in 223 which is competitive with the 6PPC's (though not quite there). I can't do this with a 22-250. Nor can anyone else IMO.
I have shot a fast twist 22-250 (I could drive 80 grain Sierras at close to 3400 from my 28 inch barrel) and it wasn't that great. I would say real accuracy was around 5/8 moa at best. I will be setting the same barrel back and chambering it in 223 and we'll see what the difference is. Probably won't get to it this season (concemtrating on 308's). Regards, Bill.
 
mysticplayer said:
If looking at a factory rifle, the limiting factor may be twist rate. Savage does make a 9 twist 22/250 and if you can get that, a great rig. If only the 12 twist, big waste for LR shooting.

75gr VLDs from Berger and Amax should be able to make good use of that extra case capacity to reach 3300fps or so. A 223 can push to 2950fps SAAMI spec, so it's no slouch either.

For that extra velocity and reduced wind drift, your barrel life will be cut in half.

Sounds like fun.

Jerry
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Hey Jerry, how many rounds would half be? 1000, 2000?
 
Bill touches on an important point and that is inherent accuracy. There are no absolute hard and fast rules, but generally speaking, the 223 is a more inherently accurate cartridge than a 22-250. A 6PPC is inherently more accurate than a 223 and a 223 is more inherently accurate than a 22-250.

If it were easy to make a 22-250 put 5 shots through the same hole at 200 meters, F-Class and benchresters would be using them all the time, yet a 222 firing the same bullet, could give a PPC a good scare.

Speed is the most important attribute of a varmint cartridge and the 22-250 has it in spades.
 
I have heard that about the 22/250. My only experience was with factory and varmint grade rifles and it was more then accurate enough.

Interesting that in its orig form, it doesn't get much respect but improve it, move the shoulder a few thou this way and that, and voila,

Best thing since sliced bread especially when the neck is opened up to 6mm and 6.5mm.

Must be that sharp shoulder :)

Jerry
 
Was the 22-250 not tried at the benchrest game back in the 50's around the time that the 'deuce came out. As I recall the articles it worked quite well but as pointed out above it just didn't quite measure up to the 'deuce which then lost ou to the PPC's.

The bench rest game is not quite the same as long range shooting as practiced now and given that the 22-50 is pretty hard to beat as a varmint round it would likely be a lot of fun to play with if a proper twist barrel could be found. I wonder though how the faster twist would affect the accuracy life of the barrel given that the 22-250 is already harder on the throats?

44Bore
 
In a game where tenths of an inch count huge, the 22-250 has not showed itself - to my knowledge - as a distinguished uber-accurate round. The 22-250 is in-itself another example of a wildcat turned mainstream, having been wildcatted off the 250 Savage case. As for being used in the 50's as a BR round, my books say it came out commercially in about '63

if you want fast AND accurate in .224 bullets, look at the 220 swift, but it too is a barrel masticator
 
This is what I think for what its worth ,can paper tell how fast the bullet going through it is going I think not dead paper is dead paper. So 223 wins you said you don't hunt so velocity isn't a factor. I have both the 223 is more accurate then the 22/250 not by much but when it comes to paper i think it matters. You said you reload so 223 wins again brass is half the price of 22/250 and the 223 uses 10 grains less powder another win and you can shoot more big plus if your a paper puncher my 223 has a 1 in 9 and my 22/250 has a 1in 12 the 223 is much more flexible i think they are both great calibers and i wouldn't be without either but if i was to own two of one caliber it would be the 223 and i do that's my 2 cents.I hunt with mine this is where the 22/250 shines a little brighter but I wouldn't feel under gunned with my 223 PS there all savages and I like them I like them a lot.
 
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