What firearm to choose??

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AMace

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I'm currently on the market and am ready to buy a new rifle.

I want this to be a "year round" gun, which in New Brunswick means it has to be less than .23 cal.
My (personal) requirements are this:

I want it mostly for target (local range is set up for 200, with gongs at 300 & 400 that I'd like to hit consistently), but I also want it for predators/varmints. Out to 300 I want/expect killing power and would like to keep it sub MOA at 300.

I don't have restricted permit (yet), so AR platform is out, and I want a bolt anyway.

I'm torn between .223 and a 22-250. I doubt I'll shoot more than 200 rounds a year, and it'll probably decrease as new guns come in from year to year.

I will be reloading whatever caliber I decide on.

The firearm I've chosen (unless someone can REALLY convince me it's terrible, or something else of similar price blows it out of the water) is the Savage Model 110 Predator Hunter Max 1. (It has a fluted barrel, accu trigger and accu stock). It does come in .223 and 22-250.

From what I can read, a 22-250 barrel "burns out" somewhere beyond 3000 rounds, kicks to the point you can't see your bullet hit your target, but is much faster, accurate, and harder hitting out past 250 yards than the .223 is. I have never fired either of these guns. Based on that info, what would anyone with these requirements choose? (Ammo reload cost is not a concern to me- unless it's like triple the cost...)

Any advice before I make a big choice like this would be appreciated, I don't get to buy a lot of new toys these days! (The Savage is $1100, and I plan on $800 or so for an optic, hoping to get a x16 or x18 for that price
 
Found a Mossberg MVP in .223 to be very accurate out past 300 yard and has plenty of steam for coyote plus it is chambered .556 so you can shoot .223 as well and cheaper on ammo!
 
Weight doesn't scare me too badly as I see myself using it mostly at the range, and occasionally for varmint/Predator hunting- but it's going to be a field (sitting) gun, not so much a marching gun. If I plan on varmint hunting in the woods it'll more than likely be a shotgun or my 597; my preferred "close up and personal" bush guns.
I meant to also mention the gun(s) I'm looking at are
1:9 twist on the 22" .223Rem barrel and
1:12 twist on the 22-250Rem barrel.
Not sure if those barrels/twists will tell people how far the guns will reach we'll, but there it is. ��
 
If you want a screamer I got a 22-284 for sale. Shoots 80 gr Bergers at 35-3600 fps into tiny groups. Ringing steel at 500 yds is no problem. Only has 50 rounds fired. PM if interested. Otherwise for the distances you want to shoot I think either 223 or 22-250 will work fine.
 
It's gonna be the Savage Predator Hunter Max 1, 1:9 twist in .223Rem. Now to find a recipie for the most accurate/distance I can get!!
 
Ruger just released the Ruger Precision Rifle in 223. You might consider that.

I'd definitely go with the 223. We shoot the 223 out to 1000 yards, but never see guys out there with 22-250... as you said... barrel life is not very good.
 
Ah yeah, N.B restriction suck, I certainly wont be looking forward to that when I return. I would personally go 223, you have a wide range of gun selection, easily accessible reloading and box of the shelf options with lower cost than 22-250 and you don't have a practical barrel life issue.
 
BadAsMo said:
Ruger just released the Ruger Precision Rifle in 223. You might consider that.

I'd definitely go with the 223. We shoot the 223 out to 1000 yards, but never see guys out there with 22-250... as you said... barrel life is not very good.
Click to expand...

Unless it is a custom most 22-250 don't come in a fast enough twist for anything over 55-60gr bullets. If it is a 7 or 8 twist you can launch 80-90gr bullets are close to 3000 fps.
 
+1 for RPR in .223 or tikka t3x varmint or hb, whatever it's called now. For just shooting varmints, it is better to go with 1:9 twist or slower. Reason is because varmint bullets (55 gr or lighter) when the barrel gets hot, have jacket failure. If the twist, like 1:8 Or 1:9 is fast and the barrel is hot, then bullet spins too fast causing the light jackets in varmint bullets to come apart prematurely. I am not sure if this applies to Barnes varmint grenades. But, if you are shooting 69gr+ weights, the slow twist rates do not stabilize the heavy bullets. This is critical as you are at sea level. At higher elevations we can cheat a bit in the summer by using a slower rate of twist with heavier bullets.

Check out Bryan litz's twist rate calculator on the berger bullets website.
 
Horse96 said:
+1 for RPR in .223 or tikka t3x varmint or hb, whatever it's called now. For just shooting varmints, it is better to go with 1:9 twist or slower. Reason is because varmint bullets (55 gr or lighter) when the barrel gets hot, have jacket failure. If the twist, like 1:8 Or 1:9 is fast and the barrel is hot, then bullet spins too fast causing the light jackets in varmint bullets to come apart prematurely. I am not sure if this applies to Barnes varmint grenades. But, if you are shooting 69gr+ weights, the slow twist rates do not stabilize the heavy bullets. This is critical as you are at sea level. At higher elevations we can cheat a bit in the summer by using a slower rate of twist with heavier bullets.

Check out Bryan litz's twist rate calculator on the berger bullets website.
Click to expand...

I used to have a 9 twist 223 and no problem shooting 36 or 40gr no matter what the barrel temp was. I also had a cz 223 with a 9 twist and 40gr sierras were 3800fps and never a failure.
 
204 is crap for medium to long range compared to a 223 with 80 grain smks

204 is fine to maybe 300 yards on a calm day, but not in a wind.
 
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