Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints If you had the choice to get a .223 or 22-250, which...

Ooopsss...nearly forgot.

Howa makes an accurate rifle,for suprisingly little loot and they are pretty slick right outta the box.

A guy could do much worse................

You also should consider getting a .243. This cartridge is more flexible then a .223 or a 22-250. You can shoot light bullets such as the 55 gr ballistic tips at near 4000 fps for varmints and 100 gr heavy bullets for small big game.

Conrad

Valad,
Both the cartridges are fine and accurate, but I will re-vouch the .223 for all the reasons you say. The .223 will have a longer lifespan than the 22250 if you fire at the same rate.
My personal next step up from the 223 was the 22 Bench Rest wildcat...the 250 was just a hair much for my tastes and shooting habits.
The next 22 I plan on will be a 221 Fireball because it is cheaper still than the 223 after you've bought new brass, quieter, and still wicked deadly within 200 yards. And going the other way, I'm going to get a 6-250, because the 243 and 6 Rem are just a skosh too much for varminting, and I want to use the six on deer when I haven't loaded it with a death ray - windy day varmint load.
Decisions, decisions. That's what makes this stuff fun. Either way, good luck.

I would go with the .223 over the 22-250. Just had great luck with it accuracy wise! Plus if a guy is not a loader there is tons of cheap factory loaded ammo for the .223....Just another opinion

I've got both the .223 and 22-250 in both Remington and Sako. The .223 may not be my favorite cal. but I will never be without one. Hand loads for the .223 will perform with the 22-250 and although the remanufactured ammo is cheaper in cost it is loaded down to operate in the semi-auto. Cost is about 18 to 19 cents per round. The Remington 700 ADL is a great gun except for the synthetic stock and is a bear to bed correctly. The 700 VSSF is alot better stock but a heaver rifle for packing and this is what I'm shooting and it's a shooters dream. One thing for sure, you will never go wrong in owning a rifle in .223.
Tim K.

'Nother vote for the 223.
I'm on my 4th one. I keep buying and selling. Finally have settled on a Ruger Compact as my all-time favorite "walking" varmiter in 223.
I've also got a Ruger 77V in 220 swift ( To Heavy !). It don't get used nearly as much as the compact. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
Virgil B.

I just find the 223 rather anemic beyond 250 yards for woodchucks and eastern coyotes beyond 150.
I'm always surprised how loud the little 223 is and really don't find any merit in its lack of noise/recoil over a 22-250.
As far as the 223 staying with a 22-250 there is around a 500 fps difference handloaded or not. It is substantial in "whomp" factor.
I like the 223 as a second rifle but it leaves me unimpressed as a number one varmint rifle other than for high rate of fire type shooting.
Theres plenty of good factory ammo available. I just think the 22-250 is a better " one for all varmint rifle" for the East.

Another vote for the .223.



The difference in muzzle velocity may be 500-fps, but the difference at 400-yards is less than half that. Speer (the first book I grabbed) shows a 40-grain bullet with a BC of 0.144:



Muzzle: 3,800-fps

400-yards: 1,340-fps



Muzzle: 3,300-fps

400-yards: 1,140-fps



Difference: 200-fps



The .22-250 has less drop than the .223, but BOTH bullets will have over 30-inches of drop at 400-yards - meaning both shots will need to be doped one way or the other. There's not a lot of difference in dialing in a 31-inch drop over a 37-inch drop via turrets or "Kentucky windage".



IMO, all the pluses mentioned with the .223 far outweigh the minor ballistic disadvantage.

fwiw,
I have no love for the .22-250. My first true Varmint Rifle was a 40XB-KS .22-250 and I never did find a purpose for that rifle. That said I'm having a ball with my .223s... I go through a good bit of 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and H335 powder. Tis a fund load that gives no quarter to nutria, fox, and the occasional cat...(grin)

Regards, Matt.

A 40x can easily function as heavy varmint rifle. You have to set up in one place and take long range shots at rodents. I expect that you needed a walking varmint rifle which is light and handy so you can easily carry it.

Conrad

You don't mention what type of varmints you shoot or what range? I only shoot prairie dogs so I can tell you that the 223 is the way to go. Less powder and less muzzle blast. Barrels last longer. However I also use a 220 Swift when they get a little camera shy. You can make most of your shots with a 223 but some times you need a little more reach and the bigger case will give you that. You really need to start handloading though. You can always load your 22-250 down to a 223 level but not the other way around! I have had a rancher tell me that the day we used the 222 and 223 the dogs didn't seem to mind as much as the next day when we came back with the 22-250 and the 220 Swift. The bigger guns seemed to hurt their ears. We were shooting pretty close to the ranchers house! I guess I would go with the 223 and just realize that some varmints are out of your range.
Then get a 220 Swift for your next varmint rifle!
GWN