.22-250 vs. .243 win

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shoota

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Sorry to start another cal vs. cal thread but I am looking at picking up a coyote rig.

I was almost 100% sure I wanted the .22-250, but now with hornady claiming the new .243 win round at 4000 fps, I am wondering if I should go to the .243?

The gun I want would have the .22-250 in a 1 in 12" twist and the .243 in 1 in 9.25" since I am probably going to end up shooting ~50 grain rounds mostly I don't think I need to worry much about twist rates.

How about accuracy? is the .22-250 inherently more accurate than a .243? is the .243 loaded with varmit ammo going to be a barrel burner?

opinions :welcome:

cheers,
 
I think if you're just talking varmint/coyote rifle, I don't see what extra you're going to get with the .243 over the 22-250. If you want a more general purpose rifle that you may take a poke at deer or black bear with, then the .243 will definitely have the advantage, as far as I'm concerned.

I think both of these cartridges are VERY accurate, and so accuracy is simply a non-issue here, BTW.
 
A cartridge going from acceptable accuracy life to Barrel burner( Throat erosion) is usually be exceeding SAAMI pressures or using heavy charges of the slowest powders to get the heaviest bullets going their fastest.
Those heavy charges not only generate high chamber pressures and heat they tend to act like sand blasting medium while they are being comsumed and moving with the intial gas jet. Throat erosion city.

Theres alot of great ammo on the Market today for both calibers.

I would normally lend towards the .243 for long range work, but after watching several episodes of Predator Quest and seeing Les Johnson flatten Big coyotes with that superformance 22-250 ammo @ 4000MV, I would consider this cartridge as well.
I see Winchesters .243 Ballistic sT @ 3910 with 300 yd zero, will be a 3" up, 3" down shooter out to 350 yds if you can judge distamce or have time too with RF and drifting only a little over 8" with 10MPH on a 20F morning. Looks like a wicked little round for a .243!

Both are great cartridge's and will do the job, but again I would lean on the heavier round for long range work over the hot varmint caliber. Seeing as Coyote hunting is usually only a few rounds per hunt and not alot like in gophers, even a Deer class bullet could be used, but watch the background for over penetration and I'm not sure if you are concerned with hide quality or just removing the animal. The .243 will give you Whitetail Deer class with proper bullets as well.
 
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The .243 with 55 grain bullets is sure fast, but their BC isn't the greatest. I do in fact use my .243 for varmints on occasion and much prefer the 65 grain VMax bullets. They too reach mind bending velocities and retain that velocity a little further out. 70 grain bullets may start a little slower, but soon pass those little pills. 65 grain bullets at 3500 - 3600 fps, or even a little better definitely hit harder than any 50 grain bullet out of a .22-250 no matter how fast they are going.

I like the .243 for versatility too.
 
I tested 55s (Nosler's) at 3900+ in my .243 and decided that out to medium range they were fine, but by the time I got out to 600 yards they were grouping 2 MOA or larger. Twelve inch groups at 600 was disappointing from what I coinsider to be a half minute rifle. If your shots are going to be within a quarter mile, these things are dynamite, but if you want to stretch that .243's legs, a heavier bullet is a better choice.
 
The way I see it is:
243 Win is superior to 22-250 for long range varmint hunting because 6mm varmint bullets have higher ballistic coefficient than 22 cal bullets.
Higher ballistic coefficient means higher retained energy and less wind drift.

Do a couple of comparison using JBM Ballistics Calculator and you'll be convinced. My favorite long range bullet are 6mm 87gr V-Max which can be launched with accuracy at 3100fps and will still be going at 2000fps at 500yards and Sierra Blitz 80gr 6mm bullet which can be launched accurately at 3200fps but loses steam a bit faster than the heavier V-Max.

Finally, 243 Win is not a barrel burned if you drive 80gr-87gr varmint bullets at around 3100-3200fps.

If you need great barrel life, get a 222 Rem or a 223 Rem. You'll get 2-3 times the barrel life of either 22-250 or 243.

Alex
 
I see that we are all praising the .243. There is one thing that I notice with the .243 as opposed to the .22-250 is that there is enough recoil with the .243 that I often don't see the bullet impacts on game.
 
Again a note that comes to mind on Barrel burning. I'm not sure when you hunts coyotes in your area, but here I usually go with the breeding season, particularly in January and February. The rounds fired in a hunting Rifle on those cold days will mean a lifetime of razor sharp accuracy. 200 rounds at a setting tommorrow morning when it'll be 40C , well thats a different ball of wax, and there is where a .223Rem might be a better choice.
If its well zeroed and then a hunting Rifle only, don't worry about throat erosion unless you plan on doing alot of mid summer practise, which is not like the long range practise oppurtunities in the field whern it comes to long distances avaliable, and actual conditions.

Pounding tight groups on a bench @ 100yds in the summer will famaliarize you with your trigger, but it won't replace 450 yds over an open snow covered area, busting frozen water jugs with your bi- pod, sitting or prone.:canadaFlag:
 
22-250 has a surprising amount of recoil too. Nothing too bad but my rifle jumps like a shot deer so your not seeing hits either. YMMV
 
Boomer said:
I tested 55s (Nosler's) at 3900+ in my .243 and decided that out to medium range they were fine, but by the time I got out to 600 yards they were grouping 2 MOA or larger. Twelve inch groups at 600 was disappointing from what I coinsider to be a half minute rifle. If your shots are going to be within a quarter mile, these things are dynamite, but if you want to stretch that .243's legs, a heavier bullet is a better choice.
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Boomer, how would you rate the 243 I just acquired?
Put togeher by a pretty good gunsmith it has a 24" Shilen barrel on a Styer 98 action. I hate to say so, but it has a plastic stock, first one I ever had!
The barrel is about 1" at the chamber and about .7" at the muzzle with a steady taper.
I put an old Texas Weaver K6 on it, which may limit it's over all attainable accuracy. What do you think? is the K6 too low power to get the best out of the rifle?
I guess my answer to my question is the combination is probably better than I am.
Actually, a 6x is all I want anyway, about right for the odd shot at a coyote.
 
I went with the .243 for versitility. For coyotes I use the Horandy 65gr. Vmax. at 3600fps. I have only ever shot it out to 200yds the accuracy was very good. 2" groups off the edge of the truck tailgate with the scope on 6x.

Most of you fella's you probably laugh at me considering that good accuracy. But I don't drive tacks I shoot at coyotes and at that type of accuracy produces dead coyotes.

For deer I went with 95gr nosler partions, haven't shot any deer with it yet.
 
I have shot coyotes as far out as 600 yds with my 22-250 but now when I know the shots will be long range I take my 6mm Rem Cooper Varmint Laminate out of the safe. Last winter I was using 55gr NBTs at 4100 fps and 88gr Berger Varmint bullets at 3150 fps for long range coyotes. This winter I will be trying 69gr Berger Varmint bullets loaded with Superformance powder at 3750 fps. Most of my coyotes are still shot between 100-200 yds with one of my 204 Ruger rifles although.
 
H4831 said:
Boomer, how would you rate the 243 I just acquired?
Put togeher by a pretty good gunsmith it has a 24" Shilen barrel on a Styer 98 action. I hate to say so, but it has a plastic stock, first one I ever had!
The barrel is about 1" at the chamber and about .7" at the muzzle with a steady taper.
I put an old Texas Weaver K6 on it, which may limit it's over all attainable accuracy. What do you think? is the K6 too low power to get the best out of the rifle?
I guess my answer to my question is the combination is probably better than I am.
Actually, a 6x is all I want anyway, about right for the odd shot at a coyote.
Click to expand...

There's little to criticize in that package Bruce. I've owned some very accurate rifles that were built on Mauser actions, and your barrel contour is similar to my Lilja except that mine was cut to 22". The 6X scope shouldn't prove to be a detriment to your shooting out to as far as you can see your target, and its compact size will make your rifle handier and quicker than those mounted with large variables. Mine has a 4-12X, and even at 4X I have missed some shots due to the critical eye relief and over all bulk making rapid target acquisition a problem. I have a Bell and Carlson stock on mine, and frankly I hate it, the only reason I don't replace it is that I don't shoot this rifle enough to justify the cost of a new McMillan or Robertson. In the end, the proof is in the shooting, and if your rifle does what's asked of it day after day, week after week, and season after season, you have a winner.
 
My Solution - 243

I was in your shoes a couple of years ago. I looked very seriously at the 22-250 and the 243. I reload, so that tipped the scales for me as I found that the 243 was more versatile.

I went with the 243. Vmax and Nosler were a tossup. Then I discovered the 70 gr varmint (Nosler). What a sweet round. Bucks the wind nicely, stays flat and explodes nicely on impact. IMHO, it is the perfect varmint bullet for that cartridge. :D :D

I shoot it out of a Savage 110 Predator Hunter Mk. 1 - awesome rig!

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