Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Going for speed - 22-250, 220 swift, or 223 WSSM?

Been using Vihtavuori N550 with the 52gr SMK's in my .220 Swift AI.

I agree. I tried to get him to buy a 243 but he had to have the wssm. Kids (sigh).

Dober, I have a 1 in 8 Twist Swifty, thinin HARD about going up to the similar 220 Weatherby Rocket. I will be curious to see what kinds of performance you get. I have a few hundred 75gr A-max's but plan on turning them into gopher missiles over a stout dose of 4064 or H-414.

Back onto the OP's topic, for the kinds of shooting you are describing and wanting to do you need a moderate speed 22 like a Hornet, K Hornet, 222 or 223. I have one of each of those. THEN, and only then, should one tinker with a super 22 as having only an uberspeed number will really crimp your style on a prarie dog or gopher shooting spree. You can only shoot the big uns a few times each day compared to a slower more overall much fun 224's. As well, a heavybbl'ed 222 or simlar will allow one to watch the hits and misses, and adds much to the fun. Running 36gr Varmint Grenades or 40gr BT's or V'Max's makes the 222 and 223 pretty fast, and a lot like the 220 Swift loads of old. 99% of ones shots are well within the easy kill range of those calibers, as well. We all like to talk and right about rodents at 500 yards and a lot more, but you will make more hits and have tons of fun blasting them at closer ranges, and closer ranges are much more common.

Good luck and good hunting.

PS hard to go worong, despite their homliness, with a pair of Savage rifles in 223 and 22-250 along with a 22RF of some type. Easy as that, despite my love for uberfast and odd wildcats.

super speed + paraire dog shooting = short barrel life if one is finding lots of DG , it takes lots of restaraint or multiply rifles or over heating will happen

I like R17 in the 1-8 twisted Rocket with the 75 and 80 A-Max, though the Berger 90 Target bests both from the bench at 200 yds..

Thanks! Just got to get out there now and give them all a run. I am leaning heavily towards making my Swift a Rocket.

I'm very happy to own a Swift (tang safety 77V) but thought I should tag this praise/wisdom in case I get wandering eyes some day.

Shrap -

What rifles is that, it sure doesn't look like a Remy

For an out of the box shooter it's hard to beat the 22-250. Brass is plentiful and cheap (you'll want a lot of it), and they're easy to make shoot. The other two are a bit more exotic and have the cool "everybody doesn't have one" factor, but unless that's what you want then the 22-250 is the king of battle on the prairie dog fields.

Coming year big 22's will be legal for deer and antelope in Wyoming. Looking for a walking varminter/coyote/light deer rig. Just about decided on 22-250AI but now thinking barrel length and twist rates and even bolt action vs Encore....suggestions?

65, My .22-250 AI is almost 20 years old, it has been a great coyote, varmit, turkey and whitetail rifle..(I hunted alot in states the .22 cal. was legal.) I tried a fast twist AI, but never warmed up to the idea..I prefer to drive 50 to 64 grain bullets out of my .22's..If I want a heavier bullet I will go to the next bigger caliber..the 64 grain WW, 63 grain Serria, and 60 grain Nosler Part. have been great killers on deer size game, as has the 55 grain Serria HPBT and 50 grain Blitzking..My AI has a 27 in number 5 barrel on it as that is the wt. and length I prefer..a number 4 would also be very nice..Wind is the enemy of the .22 caliber as you well know..Otherwise this has been great caliber for me..have also used the Cheetah, std. 22-250 and the great .220 Swift..they are all excellent..

Thanks for the input, buddy and I have been going to NE part of the state and shooting the river bottom whitetails last few years looking for a "moderate" rifle for that.

65, One thing I would point out and I think any .22 cal. shooter would agree..Even when these bullets exit, the blood trail can be slim..Although many may not like to hear it, I liked the high shoulder shot with these rifles..

Speed......means more heat...more noise..more recoil....

more expense....think 223 Rem 8 or 9 twist..53 V max @ 3400

or so with std load...or how 'bout the 204 Ruger w/12 twist and

the 40 V max @ 3800 on 26-27 gr charge and a bullet BC of .275 w

which is much flatter than any of the varmint .224 bullets..yes

these aren't your selections...but very good p/dog factory rifles

in Tikka or Savage of course...better yet go custom with 20

Vartarg..20 Practical..20 BR...or 223 AI...seeing your bullet

hits in the p/dog field is the best of all...even with a 14#

rifle in your caliber choices hits will be hard to watch...

one reason i am leaning to the 22-250 is that in a pinch i could find some factory ammo.
I know about the challenges of moderate rounds.....65 in my sign-on comes from my love of the 6.5 in general and 65x55 Swede specifically.
Bullet Placement!

Jeff,

being a 6.5 shooter, I also have multiple 22.250s, 223s, fast twist 22.250s... considering your stated desires, and performance of a cartridge ( factory ammo ) I'd recommend looking at a 243... with a fast twist, you can run bullets out to 105 grains with a 1 in 9 twist, heavier with faster custom twist... and on the low end, 55 & 60 grainers at 4000 fps.. bullet selection is as diverse as the 22 cal line, and better at long range wind bucking capability....

I really think the 243 is more versatile and flexible than the 22.250.... of course, I can be picky, as I have multiple configurations of both....

Thanks Seafire....one huge drawback to the 243....I already have several and would have no excuse to buy/build another rifle! My father and I hunt with a matched set of 1885 in 260Rem(me) and 243(his)

Tikkanut,

For closer range <400, pdogs with a set of 204 Tikka's one is a varmint, the other is a lite. Also have a 223 AR that's pretty good up to 400, and a A7 243, and 25-06 that is a tack driver.

But, I have shifted to 260's for Longer range Pdogs, or I fall back to the 25-06.

So me checking out the Swift or 22-250 is because they are rounds I haven't owned.

It is a custom rifle made by Dennis Olson, starting with a Sako L-57 action then a Lilja 27 inch fluted barrel and a select piece of American Walnut...

Man I would be afraid of scratching her, pretty rig!