.22-250 max range ?...I need a long range gun

TReX300

TReX300

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I'm looking at getting another new gun and was hoping for a heavy barrel .243. But since I'm a lefty I'm having a hard time getting what I want here in Canada without spending some big $$$. I've been thinking about going with a .22-250 instead but I'm not overly familiar with that round. What would be considered an acceptable maximum effective range of one? Where I live is quite open and agricultural and shots at Coyotes can be taken at some serious long ranges. 400-600yrd shots can come up frequently which is why I was wanting another .243. Right now if there was a Coyote across from the house I'd have clear shooting for almost 1000yrds. The other thing I have to take into consideration is that there is a .243/6mm caliber restriction in some of the areas I hunt so I cant go with anything bigger than that.

Thanks
Tim
 
The 22/250 set up in a good rifle/barrel/scope combination will go out to 500 no problem.
So will some others.
The 257 Weatherby is another to look at, as is the .220 Swift.

Any of the 6MM's along with the .260 Remington and 6.5X55.

Barrel twist and glass are more important , IMHO , than the caliber itself.
A 243 with a short barrel and slower twist will not be as effective as the 22/250 with a faster twist....
Cat
 
At the ranges you're talking I would start at a .243 and go up from there. 25/06 may be a good cal to consider.
I also live in similar country where I can see a coyote over a mile away but with that much open space comes some pretty strong winds 99% of the time. Ive shot .223, 22-250, 220 Swift and .243 and for long shots I much prefered the .243 and really wanted to try a 25/06 (for coyotes).

Cheers!!
 
TReX300 said:
Where I live is quite open and agricultural and shots at Coyotes can be taken at some serious long ranges. 400-600yrd shots can come up frequently which is why I was wanting another .243. Right now if there was a Coyote across from the house I'd have clear shooting for almost 1000yrds.
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When can I come over? :D

What about a .204?
 
Hey TreX! TT here;) . Thought about the Swift?
That flat country your in will have some serious wind too won't it. I know you reload so why don't you try a custom chamber of some type. Anybody that shoots a .219 Zipper shouldn't be shy of a wildcat of some type. I built a .22/284 but wouldn't advise that unless you want the weight of a barrel that can make use of it. There's the Middlestead which is a .243 necked down to .224 and is one baddass chamber. Wish I had built one so likely will some day:D .
However your set on 6mm and for good reason with the wind. Here goes the pitch for the Savage;) . Barrel comes off and can be rechambered easily. How about the left hand long action with the longest barrel in .243 and having it reamed out to something along the lines of the 6/06. There are several chambers available. Do a google on 6mm Gibbs or 6mm Catbird:eek:. Clymer rents reamers if a local smith doesn't have one.
.204 seems to be a flat shooter but long range coyotes with the light bullet has my concern. Hawgs PD's and gopher sure but coyotes are purty tuff 400 or more yards away/tt
From Jarret's site!
243 Catbird

68-70 gr. Bullet.................4100fps
85 gr. Bullet......................3800 fps
95 gr. Nosler Partition........3500fps

The .243 Catbird was originally conceived to be an ultra-long range 6mm varmint round, but will work quite well for a deer cartridge also. It is a .270 Winchester case necked down to .243 and blown out with a 35 degree shoulder. This case is delivering some impressive velocities. Our original goal was to get 4000 fps with a 68-70 grain bullet. However, we surpassed this goal with 4100 fps. This cartridge will pack plenty of punch for either long range varmint hunting or medium range deer hunting. Cases for this chambering are quite easy to form. You simply run a .270 Win. case through a Catbird full length sizing die, load it with a reduced load and fire-form it by simply shooting it through your gun. There are two versions of this cartridge. One of them has a tight neck and the other has a standard neck. The cases for the tight necked version must be neck turned before they can be loaded and fired. Once cases have been fire-formed for either version they can be simply reloaded as any other cartridge. While this cartridge may not be for everybody, many people will love the high velocity and the accompanying flat trajectories that can be achieved. This round is quite possibly the fastest 6mm cartridge ever developed. Of course, you have to give something to get something. She is a “barrel eater” expect about 1500 rounds of good accuracy.

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I've whacked a few hundred yotes and a few wolves with the 22-250 out to 561yds without any problems, and it is a deathray.

However, I'm having a replacement built for whacking dogs, and opted this time around for a 243AI.

At extreme ranges (or angles), a fast stepping 6mm is a better mousetrap.

I shot one this morning at 352 yards as he ran straight away (7-08 AI w/140gr AB @ 3030fps), and it sure was nice to have enough rifle/bullet on that shot.

Sounds like you know the 243 already...I'd personally stick with it.

280_ACKLEY
 
Ive been looking for the same kind of cartridge
you will need a high bc (I think a bc of .4 should do)
and you will need high speed 3600fps or better
so far Ive looked into the 6mm tips and in order to get the .4 bc you need a 87 grn tip or higher from berger sierra or hornady
Ive also looked at the .224 tips and you will need 80 grn matchkings or higher,
75 grn amax or higher, berger 75grn vlds or higher
as for cases that will reach those speeds
the 6mm-06 should give approx 3700-3750 for a 87grn tip
the 243 catbird is approx 3800-3850 fps for a 87 grn tip
6mm-284 is approx 3400 fps for the 87 tip
243AI 3600-3650fps
for .224 cals
there is the 22 cheetah Im not sure on the velocities for the heavier bullets but a 55grn should get 4100 fps
22-250AI 75grn amax 3600fps
.223wssm 75grn amax 3500fps
not sure about the velocities but maybe a 22-6mm would be an idea
let us know what you decide on cuz im interested in the ultimate varmit cartridge
daniel
 
You can't just stuff a 75gr amax in a standard 22-250, or it'll come out sideways. You'd need a fast-twist barrel to do that
 
Right. 1 in 12 is pretty standard for the '250 (and most .224 centerfires), unless you go custom; although I've heard that Savage is producing a fast '250 this year from the factory
 
prosper said:
Right. 1 in 12 is pretty standard for the '250 (and most .224 centerfires), unless you go custom; although I've heard that Savage is producing a fast '250 this year from the factory
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Actually 1:12 is quite rare for the 22-250, all that I've seen are 1:14 Twist.

The 223 Rem is typically 1:12 from the factory, and fast twist (1:8) can be found as well.

The 1:14 twist tubes I've owned in 22-250 had a hell of a time even stabilizing a 60gr bullet...
 
I have a .22-250 and a .25-06 and for the ranges you've mentioned, I'd go with the .25-06. I have it in a Savage 112BVSS and for a fairly inexpensive rifle I am more than pleased with it's performance. I did put a pretty good scope on it though, a Leupold VX-III, 6.5-20 with Varmint reticle. I haven't shot it all that much yet, especially at long range, but with one of my first batches of reloads I got a 0.486" three shot group at 185 yds.:D I have nothing but good to say about the rifle/scope combination. :rockOn:
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I think I might look hard into a .243AI or .22-250 AI. All I have to do is find someone here in Ontario to work with. I wouldnt trust our local guy to clean my gun much less do any real work on it. One more question, will a heavy barrel make that much of a difference over a sporter for one or two shots at long range?

Thanks
Tim
 
the 22-250 is affected more by wind drift than the 243 or the 25-06 but if you can't find a lefty heavy bbl 243 or 25-06 at a reasonable price, you probably don't want to get a custom round either.

a 22-250 will work well, for long range shoot the heaviest bullet that will shoot accuratly.

the 204 really starts to die out past 400 yards.
 
280_ACKLEY said:
The 223 Rem is typically 1:12 from the factory, and fast twist (1:8) can be found as well.
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Just thought I should add that Savage chambers these in a 1:9 quite commonly, including the Stevens 200.

Grnhawg: My lord those are some tempting calibers! I did a quick search on the middlestead and the first link I followed showed a 30 grain pill doing 5270fps!! :eek:

Looks like I could gain about 1000fps using the 55 grain ballistic tip that my 223 rem likes so much. :evil:

I'm assuming these would need to be done in a heavy barrel to allow enough meat around the chamber and help manage heat - meaning you couldn't just rechamber an existing sporter weight 223 to try this caliber?
 
will a heavy barrel make that much of a difference over a sporter for one or two shots at long range?
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Nope. I was shooting pop cans at 500yds the other day with this rig one shot after the other.

Basically a stock CDL 243 with a Rifle Basix trigger, Callahan shroud/spring and a turreted VX III 3.5-10 shooting 65gr V-Max's. A McMillan ADL classic is on the way, but other than that she will stay as is.

P1040523.jpg
 
TReX300 said:
T..... I wouldnt trust our local guy to clean my gun much less do any real work on it. .....
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:p:p:p Trust, what about return time?
Epps are probably the closest for us. :( you leave the gun when you go up hunting and you pick it up when you come back :cool:

The winds down here are not as strong as those of prairie sample... I think a 22-250 would do. My friend uses one. I have a 6,5x55 and intend to work on that.
 
Chuck...thats a nice looking rig you have there. The CDL is actually one of the guns I was thinking about in .243. I can get it left handed and even though its not a heavy barrel it's at least a 24" standard not a 22" like most of the others. Was the trigger rreally bad enough that you had to replace it? My old 700 BDL in .243 actually had a pretty good trigger. I've heard thought that the Remingotns aren't what they used to be. I was we lived closer I'd like to give yours a try. Not to often I come across a lefthanded gun thats actually something I like or have a use for.


Trust, what about return time?
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I forgot you know the same guys I do ....lol!!!

The 6.5x55 is nice I have a buddy that shoots one aswell. the only thing is I shoot quite a bit in what is now Amherstburg and they dont allow anyhting over .243/6mm. I have also heard froma firend that works for the town that Essex will be going the same way within the next year. It will possibly be this fall at the same time the Sunday firearms hunting comes into effect.

Tim
 
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