22-250 or .223?
- Thread starter L42A1
- Start date
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
How long is a china mans name??
For me I would use a 223 I like the22-250 better but I shoot too much and end up needing to have them re barreled to often.
I know is a bit of a stupid answer but the question is not the best. We could kick this question around a long time and still never come up with a definitive answer. Even if you just look at the 22-250 it can be almost 2 different guns by changing the twist for 1:14 to a 1:8.
I have a 22-250AI with 1:8 , a 223 with a 1:9 and another223 on order with a 1:7. I think if you really want to be sure you should buy one of each.
I know is a bit of a stupid answer but the question is not the best. We could kick this question around a long time and still never come up with a definitive answer. Even if you just look at the 22-250 it can be almost 2 different guns by changing the twist for 1:14 to a 1:8.
I have a 22-250AI with 1:8 , a 223 with a 1:9 and another223 on order with a 1:7. I think if you really want to be sure you should buy one of each.
I have shot my 22-250 for a couple years and I had a .223 for a little while.
Cheap .223 ammo is about 2/3 the cost of cheap 22-250, the .223 has lower recoil just barely allowing you to see your hits. The .223 typically comes with a 1-9 allowing it to stabalize slightly heavier bullets than the 22-250s 1-12 or 1-14.
BUT, I love my 22-250. I handload 50gr BSTs and 60gr SPs for plinking and varmints.
I have personally shot coyote with both calibers and the difference is amazing. Coyotes hit in the chest with a .223 will usually do a bit of kicking n spinning or run maybe 20-50 yds. Coyotes hit in the chest with a 22-250 drop, instantly, period. It turns there organs to goo, seriously!
The 22-250 has an extra 100-150 yards of effective coyote killing range with similar bullets compared to the .223. The 22-250 is also capable of 4000 fps, very few cartriges can say so, only the 204 ruger comes to mind.
If you really want to shoot coyotes, and have a rifle built to do so, buy a 22-250. You wont regret it.
If you want to shoot lots of rounds cheaply, with the ability to hunt coyote, get a .223.
At the end of the day the .223 is a 300-350 yard coyote gun, the 22-250 is a 400-500 yard coyote gun. They both shoot lighter varmint bullets in factory ammo which make them vulnerable to wind deflection. If you dont shoot farther than 350 yards than the only difference is the extra punch of the 22-250.
Cheap .223 ammo is about 2/3 the cost of cheap 22-250, the .223 has lower recoil just barely allowing you to see your hits. The .223 typically comes with a 1-9 allowing it to stabalize slightly heavier bullets than the 22-250s 1-12 or 1-14.
BUT, I love my 22-250. I handload 50gr BSTs and 60gr SPs for plinking and varmints.
I have personally shot coyote with both calibers and the difference is amazing. Coyotes hit in the chest with a .223 will usually do a bit of kicking n spinning or run maybe 20-50 yds. Coyotes hit in the chest with a 22-250 drop, instantly, period. It turns there organs to goo, seriously!
The 22-250 has an extra 100-150 yards of effective coyote killing range with similar bullets compared to the .223. The 22-250 is also capable of 4000 fps, very few cartriges can say so, only the 204 ruger comes to mind.
If you really want to shoot coyotes, and have a rifle built to do so, buy a 22-250. You wont regret it.
If you want to shoot lots of rounds cheaply, with the ability to hunt coyote, get a .223.
At the end of the day the .223 is a 300-350 yard coyote gun, the 22-250 is a 400-500 yard coyote gun. They both shoot lighter varmint bullets in factory ammo which make them vulnerable to wind deflection. If you dont shoot farther than 350 yards than the only difference is the extra punch of the 22-250.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Talk to Jerry at Mystic Precision, he can give you all the .223 info you will ever need.
Finally someone
who has took the time to type a reply that MAKES SENSE. In hunting it is ALL about how much smack down the bullet can give.
CBY
who has took the time to type a reply that MAKES SENSE. In hunting it is ALL about how much smack down the bullet can give.
CBY
migrant hunter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I live in the praries and my longest shot on a coyote(with my .243) was 360 yds, which I would call an exception rather than a common occurence.
I was hauling around a heavy barrelled .223 cz varmint with a busnell elite 4200 50mm on it. The gun,bipod and scope were more than I needed to be carrying for called coyotes at 100-200 yards. I just traded it all for a stevens 200 .223. I have only just shot gophers with it, but if I can hit a gopher at 206 yds, I can hit a coyote farther.
500 yards shots are rare, and without a spotter to range for you it will be very hard to get a shot off at that kind of distance. Unless the yotes stay put for several minutes(dead cow?) you won't have time to get ready for that kind of a shot.
I have nothing against the .22-250, but I don't believe that my 60 gr v.max is at a disadvantage when it comes out of a .223 case.
I was hauling around a heavy barrelled .223 cz varmint with a busnell elite 4200 50mm on it. The gun,bipod and scope were more than I needed to be carrying for called coyotes at 100-200 yards. I just traded it all for a stevens 200 .223. I have only just shot gophers with it, but if I can hit a gopher at 206 yds, I can hit a coyote farther.
500 yards shots are rare, and without a spotter to range for you it will be very hard to get a shot off at that kind of distance. Unless the yotes stay put for several minutes(dead cow?) you won't have time to get ready for that kind of a shot.
I have nothing against the .22-250, but I don't believe that my 60 gr v.max is at a disadvantage when it comes out of a .223 case.
- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
500 yards or so. 243.
Greg
Greg
I went and bought BOTH! Consistent with my policy of "Don't buy ONE, but TWO of them." 
Seriously, my .223 is my carry; go-to; groundhog and coyote gun. I also have a .22-250 700 SPS cut down to 18.5" for coyotes as my back up rifle. Both rifles are mounted with Leupold Mark4 optics for all weather performance. I like the Mark4 internals. Total peace of mind.
Back to the OP (original poster) and their concern...
I like the .223 for the smaller powder burn, the minimal kick so that I can watch the drama unfold when the groundhog is tagged. Both my .223 and .22-250 hunting loads involve the Hornady 50 gr VMax bullet. Nice and simple that way.
I like the .22-250 since it really results in awesome drama on the groundhogs. Maybe one of these years I will be successful with my first coyote. I'm still working on it. I have the confidence that if a 'yote' who thinks they are out of range, can/will be tagged with my VMax booolit!
Cheers,
Barney
Hope this helps the decision making process!
Seriously, my .223 is my carry; go-to; groundhog and coyote gun. I also have a .22-250 700 SPS cut down to 18.5" for coyotes as my back up rifle. Both rifles are mounted with Leupold Mark4 optics for all weather performance. I like the Mark4 internals.
Total peace of mind.Back to the OP (original poster) and their concern...
I like the .223 for the smaller powder burn, the minimal kick so that I can watch the drama unfold when the groundhog is tagged. Both my .223 and .22-250 hunting loads involve the Hornady 50 gr VMax bullet. Nice and simple that way.
I like the .22-250 since it really results in awesome
drama on the groundhogs. Maybe one of these years I will be successful with my first coyote. I'm still working on it. I have the confidence that if a 'yote' who thinks they are out of range, can/will be tagged with my VMax booolit! Cheers,
Barney
Hope this helps the decision making process!
22-250 Hands down over the .223 after 300 yards- 500 yards is a long shot on a dog- better to get a 243 win or better yet a 6mm rem for that range !
Personally I would go with a 223. My 22-250 was shot out after 4000 rounds (1 year) while I rebarreled my 700 factory varmit after 10,000 with no loss of accuracy. This 700 was shot out to 600m with 55 vmax and the elevation was excellent, but any wind would blow it out of the scoring rings. I rebarreled only to get a faster twist and use heavier bullets. A 1:8 223 with 75-80g bullets will beat a 55g slug from a 22-250 anytime past 400m.
