.22-250 or .243?

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colonelklink

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Hi everyone. So I'm looking for another rifle. I notice my 30-06 is serious overkill on most of the deer I shoot lately and I have been wanting to get into some coyote hunting also. I'm debating between the .22-250 and the .243. I know that for deer the .243 would be best but I wonder what it would be like on coyotes. Also I enjoy killing paper and really want something I can print tight little groups with at 3-400 yards. A tall order I know. I hand load also so that should give me a little more flexibility. Also are there any other interesting rounds you guys can suggest that might fit the bill? Thanks.
 
Hard to beat a .243 for slamming yotes, Savage Model 14 will give you good groups.

Have you thought about a .270, maybe an older sako finbear? Big for yotes but it will kick the sh*t outta them for sure.

What about a good ol' .25-06, they really crack, a nice BDL?

.22-250 is my favourite round for yotes, ever shot a Kimber ProVarmint? you should
 
243 is a good deer round that is flat enough to double as an excellent varminter. The 22-250 is just a little small for deer IMO. And x2 on the 25-06 as a contender for the role you're looking to fill.
 
I think the .243 is more versatile. If the .22-250 is allowed for it where you are, there are bullets for it that will kill deer, but the .243 is a bit better for that, and as good for coyotes as the .22-250 is. To "print tight little groups with at 3-400 yards" the specific rifle, your shooting, and your hand-loads will make bigger differences than which of those two cartridges is used.
 
As others have said the 243 is an excellent deer cartridge and would compliment your '06 nicely.
Years ago when I lived south of Saskatoon my 243 served double duty for deer and coyotes...
 
Yup the 243 will work well for both deer and varmints. 100gr slugs are excellent on deer and with varmint bullets down to 55gr it will work well. I worked up a 55gr load for a friends salvage turned out great accuracy, haven't had a chance to try in my 243 but it is in the works. Nothing wrong with a 22-250 either, i burned out several barrels over the years. Lots of different cartridges will work well for deer and varmints, some are harder on fur if your skinning though. Make a choice and if your not happy make another and soon your gun cabinet is full.:D
 
Given a choice between a .22-250 and a .243, I'd choose a .243. There isn't much a .22-250 will do that can't be done with a .223, and perhaps one in a thousand can actually make use of the .22-250's ballistic advantage. With bullet weights from 55 grs to 120 grs, the .243 with a fast twist barrel, is pretty versatile, and although I don't approve of it being used as a moose or elk gun, folks seem to be able pull it off now and then.

Just to muddy the water though, perhaps consider a .25/06 or a .257 Weatherby. These cartridges nip at the performance of a .270 on big stuff and have plenty of reach for small.
 
Between those 2 go with the. 243. I have shot deer with a 22-250 but the. 243 does a much nicer job and as someone mentioned alot longer barrel life. I debated the same thing a couple years ago and went with the. 243 (even though I use the 30-06 for deer) and never regretted it.With the right hanloads it is a great paper puncher as well. Mine likes 43 grs of imr 4350 behind a 87 gr Hornady hpbt. I had never used it for deer but lent it to a new hunter this year and shot his first deer with it.
 
Once you start to use a 243 you will want to use it for everything, I got a 6mm and started to use it for deer, when my hunting partner saw how good it was he got a 243. Now we both take them moose, deer, bear and what ever else I want to hunting. I have a 22-250 but have never used it for anything more than paper, I keep hopping to take out one day but seem to always grab the 6mm. At one time I thought the 30006 was all I would ever need but for me the 6mm was just addicting. Just for reference I load 100gr nosler partions and use them on everything, my partner uses nosler 95 gr accubonds with great success.
 
go with the 243, you won't be sorry. And, please don't use a 22-250 on deer. I know all the arm chair shooter's will say "it can get the job done", but why not use something that is know to be better suited for the job.
 
.243 hands down for versatility...most factory rifles will be 9.25-10 twist and will shoot 55 gr to 100 gr bullets very well.
The 22-250 is great for small varmints and paper, but keep in mind most come with a slow twist 12-14 and will favour lighter bullets. Most .22 caliber bullets in that weight range have thin jackets and would not be suitable for deer.
 
If you live someplace that doesn't force you to use a .22 centerfire or smaller outside of big game seasons get the .243. The .22-250 is a capable deer gun with in the shooter and its limits, the .243 is still a better coyote cartridge then the .22-250 is a deer cartridge.
The .22 centerfires shouldn't be looked at as flat shooting when thinking of them as a deer cartridge, the energy delivered by the .223 or .22-250 with a 60 grain Nosler Partition is comparable to the .44 magnum and .30-30 respectively. So with a reasonable performance limit of 150-200 yards they are still very deadly and in my experiences give spectacularly quick kills. If the hunter puts the bullet where it needs to go and with moderate recoil and reasonable muzzle blast its very easy to achieve.
I believe a lot of deer hunters would loose less deer if they hunted with a .22-250 they were familiar and comfortable with then with the magnums they only fire a few shots through to check the zero before each deer season.
 
The 243 is your best choice, but the 22/250 loaded with TSX or Partition bullets would be a very close second. This armchair shooter would not hesitate to shoot a deer with such a load.
 
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