Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles FMJ, shoot oro not

O.K ya'll know i am still really novice at this. i am just asking a Q to clear up a rumor. i was told not to shoot full metal jacketed bullets becuase it will damage the riflings in the barrell. i have also been told it wont hurt anything. I just thought you guys would probally know more than my (expert) friends. Thanks in advance

Nickel plated might, hard steel jacketed might, neither will ruin a barrel, might accellerate wear a bit. Regular copper jacketed FMJ, no problem.

Jeff

Shooting FMJs won't hurt the barrel. Shooting FMJs as targets is fine. FMJs at critters? Nope. There are much better bullets out there for that.

I am planning on using them for target shooting only. I think i owe it to the animals to give them a good clean kill even if it is a varmit. not that I am a tree huggin animal rights activitist or anything, Just seems morally correct. Anyhow. i have alot of 224 caliber bullets now all i need is the brass, rifle, scope and powder, Seems like it would ba a waste to quite when I am so close. Now the delima, 223 or 22-250? Hmmm.

You'll get no disagreements on the ethics.

What ranges are you shooting and what varmints? The .223 is tough, really tough, to beat out to 300 yards or so. The .22-250 (or the Campfire favorite .223AI) is the game after that.

I plan on using this as my coyote gun when I get back in the south so I really want to range. When I grew up I had whatever I could get my hands on for guns and that menat my 22 and the 270 my dad gave me. I have shot out past 400 and dropped coyotes with the 270 so I just thought with the 22-250 I would have near the same range i am used to shooting. I like a 223 but it is very range limited for what I want to do with it. I also like bolt action rifles . I got the m16 semi auto out of my system with 4 years on Marine Corps Service. Great wepon, just not my preference.

You're a grunt, huh? And, I take it that you're still in? Semper Fi!

If you go with the .22-250, you won't need the .223. In fact, for 'yotes, you might even consider the .243. Better at longer ranges, and double duty as a deer rifle as well.

No longer wearing a salad suit (got out of the corps after 4 years)but still military, Defending the Good Ole USA from right here at home now. I had thought about a 243 but I think the 22-250 will suit my need well. Thanks for all the advice and help

FMJ bullets are mainly a no-no where safety is a concern. They could just keep going and going so in most hunting applications they are not considered safe.

Gunz- thanks for your service!!

I've shot the AR in 223 for so many years that I know a well built one shoots under 3 inches at 600 yards. But you have wind drift and drop to deal with. Heck mine usually win or come close at the 1000 yard line too.

Anyway for your purposes-- 22-250, 204 ruger(hey they make that one in an AR platform FYI.....) are good choices. 22 bullets are cheap and tons of them to pick from.

Get a solid rifle and expect to rebarrel every 1500 rounds or so. Depending on your accuracy requirements. You'll be really happy I think.

You will also learn that velocity is not all there is to long range. You have to have high BC to help out. IE for really long ranges you may well be better off with a larger round again.

Jeff