.204 vs .223

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ruger22

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I am looking for some unbiased advice from anybody. Also some experences and opinions too. Allow me to explain my situation...

I would like to own just 3 or 4 rifles with good scopes that work well for me. I am not cheap. Just rather get to know a few guns well. Maybe a little custom work. Then lots of practice. I have a ruger 10/22 and a Tikka T3 in 30 06.

I want to buy just 1 varment/fun to shoot gun. The savage Model 12 Varminter Low Profile – with AccuTrigger at 10 lbs, a beauty but too heavy for coyote hunting. So I have chosen the Tikka T3 varmint, 8 lbs. I have a scope for it, a Burris Fullfield II, 4.5X-14X-42mm with ballistic plex. But I am pulling my hair out on which caliber. For now it will be a bit of varmint hunting and mostly targets. In 6 or 8 years when I retire I want to go after gofers and coyotes big time. The 22 250 works for lots of guys. But for me loses out due to blast and not as fun to shoot.


for the .223 remmington:
Real cheap FMJ ammo. I do enjoy fun target shooting.

Cheap white box types of HP ammo. Maybe shoot great or just ok. Won't know till I buy.

Lots of ammo variety. I do not handload.

May buck the wind better out to 350 yards with bigger bullets that the 204. I do not know. I hear different opinions on this.

Barrel may last longer that the 204. I hear different versions of this too.
Is it pressure or velocity that wears a barrel?

Maybe I can compensate for greater bullett drop with the 223 if I learn to use the ballistic plex. Any body have experence with this.


for the 204 ruger:
Current "shortage" of ammo is getting better and will end soon. The 204 is just too good balistically. Easier on ladies kids or landowners vs 22 250 or 223.

Limited bullet selection will continue to improve.

Will never see cheap surplus type ammo in 204. But should be on par or a bit better than 223 or 22 250 for good hunting ammo.

I will see the bullet impact. Big help since I often shoot on my own.

I want to retire around Lethbridge AB. Wind some days will be an issue. If the wind is too big of a spoiler I will just buy a .243. Thereby killing the small advantage the 223 may have.

Any experences or opinions most welcome...
 
for a serious gopher gun, high volume shooting, the 223 wins

the 22-250 would be my pick for a hardcore yote rifle

the 204/223/22-250 all will work. the 204 has flatter trajectory, more energy, less drift, etc compared to the 223.

I love my 223, but if the 204 was available when I bought my rifle, I'd of probably picked it :)
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ruger22 said:
for the .223 remmington:
Real cheap FMJ ammo. I do enjoy fun target shooting.

Cheap white box types of HP ammo. Maybe shoot great or just ok. Won't know till I buy.

Lots of ammo variety. I do not handload.
Click to expand...

When you don't hand load the availability and cost of ammo factors out weight the slight margin of the 204 ballistic performance.

.243 is also a nice alternative for open country shooting. I think the .223 should be your first choice.

Danny
 
I would like to own just 3 or 4 rifles with good scopes that work well for me.
Click to expand...

This statement is an early indicator of a serious brain malfunction... you really need way more than just 3 or 4 rifles.:p
Repeat after me.... I am a gunnut and I need many guns!:D

I like both the .223 and the .204 as a small varmint rifle.:cool:
 
todbartell said:
for a serious gopher gun, high volume shooting, the 223 wins

the 22-250 would be my pick for a hardcore yote rifle

the 204/223/22-250 all will work. the 204 has flatter trajectory, more energy, less drift, etc compared to the 223.

I love my 223, but if the 204 was available when I bought my rifle, I'd of probably picked it :)
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Click to expand...

There it is all in a nut shell!:cool:
 
I'd opt for the .223 for the sake of economy & choice. Factory ammo is cheap and available in many different styles and bullet weights. If you reload, your choice of component bullets is much, much better than for the .204 Ruger. I'm still not convinced the latter should be used on larger varmints such as coyotes. Gophers, praire dogs, ground squirrels sure...'yotes, only with the heaviest, most well constructed bullet available and keep the range within the bounds of common sense. Just my $0.02 :)
 
prosper said:
But your whole argument hinges on him NOT reloading.


IMHO, reloading is a requirement whether 223 or 204 is chosen
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What can I say? When you don't reload, you viable options are limited. I have been there and know the pain.;)

Danny
 
.223, if you arn't handloading ammo is cheap and easy to access, this will be th most common of the cartridges to find. And whats this about managable recoil for ladies and children. Shooting a 22-250 out of the rifle your talking about is like getting hit with a fart blowing in the wind, so recoil isn't an issue. I like the ballistics on the .204 but im hesitant to buy cartriges that arn't a few years old at least. Makes me glad I held back on the SAUM series from remington. .223 and 22-250 are good and imbedded in the shooting sports and won't be leaving us anytime soon and either will do the job for you. really it just comes down to personal preference.

p.s. if you want to find recoil get yourself a winchester m-100 semi auto carbine in .308 pushing 180 grain bullets, worst kicking gun I ever used.
 
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Recoil IS an issue, cause it means you can't spot your own shots through the scope, especially at high power. With my 204 at 32x, I can SEE the .20 cal hole appear in the target at 300 yards. Can't say the same about my 22-250
 
Because you include coyotes, then I would also suggest the 223. You can buy handloads from the 40gr Vmax to the 75gr Amax. Even 60gr soft points that can stand up to deer.

As a non reloader, the 223 is way better. If you decide you want to shoot longer then 400yds, the heavier 223 bullets will easily do the job. You can go out to 1000yds.

The 204 is a shrunken 22/250. For what it does, it does very well but there just isn't the depth of options at this time. Plus I would be nervous going beyond 350yds on a coyote with a 35gr bullet.

If you want to do volume PD shooting, white box Win 223 will be way cheaper then 204. If someone ever brings in WOLF 223, that will be cheaper still.

Until you reload, go with the one with the most options.

Jerry
 
^ Careful - a lot of factory varmint rifles do not have the twist required to stabilize the heavy 1000yd-capable 223 bullets. The Tikka you're looking at should be OK if memory serves. Not sure what the twist rate of the Savage is, though. And though you certainly can take a 223 to 1000 (even the 204 with the 40's should be supersonic to 1000, just), you might be better served with a different gun if you want to make those sort of ranges habitual.

Although, if I could pull a central theme out of this thread it's that you should reload ;)
 
savage 223's are blessed with the 9 twist so should have no issue with the 69/75/77gr bullets.

Ballistics are identical to the 308 using the 175gr MK so really no issue (or issue depending on what you think of the 308) to go 1000yds/m. Wind drift is significantly higher then the 6.5 and 7mm but you must reload to in order to use these cals.

RELOAD, RELOAD, RELOAD.

Factory ammo in 223 has way too many options today. Wind drift with the 204 would be severe given the very low BC of the present bullets.
Jerry
 
Recoil IS an issue, cause it means you can't spot your own shots through the scope, especially at high power. With my 204 at 32x, I can SEE the .20 cal hole appear in the target at 300 yards. Can't say the same about my 22-250
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Gophers are reactive targets tho. If you look up and bits of them are still landing - it's a hit.
 
if it was just gophers, I think it'd be hard to beat the 204

just yotes, the 243 is great, just ask Boonerbuck.

happy medium is a 223 AI or a 22-250

seeing how its limited to factory ammo, I'd go 22-250. A guy can shoot the Winchester white box 45 gr JHP stuff for $25 / 40 rounds or so, which isnt too bad...
​
 
oh, and on the topic of using a Ballistic Plex for the 223, I'd just get a elevation turret put on your scope (Leupold does it on their scopes for $100), and just click the MOA up, hold dead on, out to as far as you want. just need to know the MOA drop from your zero...its really quite simple.

the Burris BP worked great for me on my 223, and now I have the Leupold Long range duplex on the rifle. Equally as good, and combined with a turret, makes hits out to 350 yards easy, and past that, pretty fun.

Get a good rangefinder, a turret, and a drop chart. Holdover is a thing of the past ;) Wind is still the enemy of the 223 though...
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Foxer said:
Gophers are reactive targets tho. If you look up and bits of them are still landing - it's a hit.
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True, but what if you miss, top and to the right by a few inches? By the time you get the scope back on 'im, he's moved, and all you can see is a cloud of dust, with no idea where your shot went. (Assuming you called this one as 'dead on')

Don't get me wrong, they're both (22-250 & 204) great, I own both and shoot both a lot
 
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