why .223 over 22-250

I use the Hornady 223 REM 75 GR BTHP STEEL MATCH. At 400 yards you are just under 2000fps, which is plenty to knock down a big yote and does it well.

Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle- 100- 200 - 300 - 400 - 500
2790/1296- 2561/1092 - 2344/915 - 2137/760 - 1941/627- 1757/514
 
I was seriously looking into getting a 22-250 over a 223 until I went to the store and saw how much more choice there was in factory 223 loads. Not a problem if you reload though.
 
For me it was ammo cost, and the fact I could shoot it to 300m just fine, which is as far as I would attempt a shot at a living animal.

22-250 isnt going to make a coyote any deader at ranges less then 300m.
 
Having killed coyote with both I think when using lighter holow points 200 yards and less (90% of coyote kills) they are even enough. When you get past 200 you can tell a difference. The extra hydrostatic shock really starts to show with the 250. With the heavies it is more pronounced.
 
cath8r said:
I built an 8 twist 22-250 around the 75 amax. At 3200 fps it really leaves the .223 in its wake. 400-600 fps advantage out of the gate. I don't believe guys getting over 2700 with this bullet in .223
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I had no problem pushing this bullet to 2900 fps in a Savage 223 9 twist. A 300 fps advantage is still respectable and definitely makes a difference. Having a custom barrel installed wasn't worth it to me, 223 does what I need it to do just fine. Also I don't have to rely on reloading, factory ammo is nearly as good.
 
cath8r said:
I built an 8 twist 22-250 around the 75 amax. At 3200 fps it really leaves the .223 in its wake. 400-600 fps advantage out of the gate. I don't believe guys getting over 2700 with this bullet in .223
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223AI, lapua brass, and moly gets me well over 2700.....
 
cath8r said:
Buddy of mine built a high end .223 around the 75 amax and had problems putting varmints down beyond 250 at .223 velocities. Accurate though.
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I believe his problem related more to his choice of bullet rather than his choice of cartridge. Had he chosen a V-Max, that was intended to be explosive on targets with little density his results would improve dramatically. Match bullets aren't really the answer for game, and you might observe a similar problem despite the higher impact velocity with your .22-250.
 
Boomer said:
I believe his problem related more to his choice of bullet rather than his choice of cartridge. Had he chosen a V-Max, that was intended to be explosive on targets with little density his results would improve dramatically. Match bullets aren't really the answer for game, and you might observe a similar problem despite the higher impact velocity with your .22-250.
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And there you have it. 75 amax is a great long range match bullet. Not a great coyote bullet at 223 speeds. The farther the shot, the less likely the bullet will perform. I shot a coyote with 75 amax at 250 yards, it was curled up sleeping. The bullet entered and exited twice and did not expand. Add to the fact that at the speeds I was shooting at, they dropped like a rock. 37" of drop at 400 yards. My 40 grain 250 loads drop 15" at that distance. That leaves a lot more margin of error if the range is not certain.

There are good target bullets, heavy with high bc, and good varmint bullets that kill as advertised. There is not much overlap between the 2. 60 grain Vmax is flat based with a crappy bc. 69, 75, 77gr hpbt bullets can work, but make ####ty varmint rounds. If hornady would make a 69-75 grain vmax with boat tail and high bc, I'd be all over it. The fast twist heavy bullet theory is a waste of time in 223 if your primary objective is killing coyotes. The 53 grain vmax will out perform the 60 for drift and drop due to its higher bc. This is the bullet that more hunters should look too.
 
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I'm not sure I agree. I use the 75 grain BTHP for yotes. Wind drift is less of a factor than lighter bullets in an open field and still fragments properly at 2000fps, which makes perfect dog medicine.


The other consideration over 22-250 ( which I also shoot) is barrel wear. Rounds ripping out at less than 3000fps tend to wear a barrel much less than a bullet at just under 4000 fps. I have two new barrels on order, one for 22-250, and one for .257 Roberts. Both shoot in excess of 3500fps and wore out before 3000 rounds.


Further consideration is the availability of ammo. 223 ammo can be found anywhere, but 22-250 has less choices and can cost double. I reload, but not for common calibers when its readily available. If you like to shoot lots for cheaper and have a longer barrel life, 223 has a few more points to its credit. That said, you should still be cautious of high end velocities with 223 if barrel wear is a concerning factor.
 
sharp shooter said:
Ok,

so most of the folks on here are saying 223 because of barrel options and shooting out to 500 plus yards. Does anybody here shoot coyotes at 500 yards and if so, how are the results with the 223's?
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I do, and I haven't experienced any of the issues that some here have purported to have seen. Mind you, I also do not expect bang flops at 500 yards on coyotes with anything at all. A 250 yard coyote with a 50 gr or 40 gr vmax, sure I generally expect a dog to curl up in a ball and die right there, but I expect the same thing if it had its shoulders punched with a 75gr amax/hpbt..... Difference being that with a 75 I expect a big exit hole.

As to 300 or 400 yard wolves, placement and bullets matter more than anything else..... Mind you I also have zero qualms about shooting big bucks with a 75gr amax at that range if the proper presentation is offered.
 
Big_red_truck said:
Do you guys think .223 is sufficient for wolf at 400 yards or so or would a 22-250 be more ideal?
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Depends on the size of the wolf. I shot a 75lb ontario wolf square in the shoulder with a 52gr match hollow point (2850fps) at about 150 yards. I did not recover the wolf (which was pure white). These are target bullets, they are NOT ideal for "punching the shoulder" at long range. To some people a wolf is a great trophy, and a hunt could be specific and costly. I would feel under gunned with the shot in question. 243, 6mm, 270 etc would be better choices. Any bullet can kill, but some are better at it than others.
 
Two principal reasons for a 223 over a 22-250. Shooting cheap/surplus ammo and shooting large for bore projectile out of the faster twist barrels available in 223. The first mostly applies to AR users.

If you load, then after the identical cost of dies, brass, and projectile the cost is the same and the 22-250 is superior. Replacing a barrel at 3,4,5K rounds, whats the deal.....i mean, the barrel doesn't owe you anything. Barrels are expendables just like powder, primer, brass, and projectile. They get a few seconds use...at a fraction of a second a time....and they are replaced.
 
nowarningshot said:
Two principal reasons for a 223 over a 22-250. Shooting cheap/surplus ammo and shooting large for bore projectile out of the faster twist barrels available in 223. The first mostly applies to AR users.

If you load, then after the identical cost of dies, brass, and projectile the cost is the same and the 22-250 is superior. Replacing a barrel at 3,4,5K rounds, whats the deal.....i mean, the barrel doesn't owe you anything. Barrels are expendables just like powder, primer, brass, and projectile. They get a few seconds use...at a fraction of a second a time....and they are replaced.
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X2 Bingo
 
so i've gathered that most 223 shooters here use the 1/8 twist to stabilize the heavier bullets. I've been finding it difficult to find a rifle with this twist rate. The Tikka T3 Lite is offered with these specs, but I'd prefer a heavier barrel. What about the Savage Model 10? It has a 1/9 twist but would that make much of a difference? I would like to get this thing out to 500m+.
 
I have a buddy who has killed them at that approximate distance several times with a Deuce, and one at 350 with a 17 Remington, the .223 will certainly do it if the shooter's capability is up to it.
Cat
 
Big_red_truck said:
Do you guys think .223 is sufficient for wolf at 400 yards or so or would a 22-250 be more ideal?
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Neither is ideal on a wolf at 400 yards or 100 yards for that matter... yes, yes, they "can" do it, on perfect hits, but they are far from ideal... and I would not recommend trying them at 400 yards. Wolves are not coyotes, they are tough, tenacious creatures... I always recommend deer cartridges and loads for wolves... starting with .243/6mm & 6.5mm/7mm and standard .30 cals are not too much. I like my .260 with 129 IB and 7-08 with 139 IB... these are NOT too much for wolves... or deer.
 
Just curious if anyone can speak for barrel life if a .223 shooting 35-45 grain bullets at 3500-3800 fps. Seems the .22-250 gets a bad rap as a barrel burner but wouldn't a .223 wear out a barrel just as fast with said combinations?
 
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