223 or 22-250?
- Thread starter hate2work
- Start date
The answer to that will vary from person to person (widely) and depends on what you're using the caliber for...I have both. I like the .223 because I can see my hits, cheap to load for and easy to find components. 22-250 I like because I feel like it hammer's coyote's and ground squirrels with a little more authority but for the most part they are a pretty interchangeable caliber IMHO.
TheBig1
New member
Provided that you reload, you may find this article interesting, I know that I did.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2011/6/2/the-adaptable-22-250-rem/
I'm actually in the process of playing with these possibilities now.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2011/6/2/the-adaptable-22-250-rem/
I'm actually in the process of playing with these possibilities now.
NdIndy
New member
Meh, flip a coin.
The last time I did the math, using by the books loads, on average the 22-250 burned 30% more powder for a 10% increase in velocity. That was using by the book loads, and averaging every load for every bullet weight in the book.
I was bored
And shortly after that I got the usual "My 22-250 loaded up with 100 pounds of c4 can do 40 bajillion fps, lets see the .223 do THAT!" type responses.
It was both sad and funny.
The 22-250 has more potential, but it's not going to be an OMG difference.
The last time I did the math, using by the books loads, on average the 22-250 burned 30% more powder for a 10% increase in velocity. That was using by the book loads, and averaging every load for every bullet weight in the book.
I was bored
And shortly after that I got the usual "My 22-250 loaded up with 100 pounds of c4 can do 40 bajillion fps, lets see the .223 do THAT!" type responses.
It was both sad and funny.
The 22-250 has more potential, but it's not going to be an OMG difference.
Rustydust
Active member
Aah. So many variables. I have but one .22/250 yet I have three .223 rifles with one of them being the AI version.
The .223 can do 90% of what the .22/250 (or for that matter the .220 Swift) can do. And 90% means that 9 times out of 10 you are in good shape with the smaller round. BUT, sometimes you need (or at least want) that 10% more. Sometimes it's a difference between a DRT or a crawl off. The .22/250 shoots a wee bit flatter of course so sometime you get a hit with it that you would have missed with the .223 round. Yeah, the bigger case burns barrel faster, it's louder (with good muffs no biggie) brass cost more, burns more powder, blah blah blah.
If you are going to shoot colony varmints and shoot 400 yard or less the .223 will serve you well. If you want to toss them a bit higher and hit them a bit further then the .22/250 will be your boy. And if you want to make your odds better at a coyote going down Right Now then the bigger round will serve you best for that.
But all in all if you place your shots where they need to go (of course) and use a bit of common sense (oh I wish!) then the .223 will do what you want it to do most likely. A fine all around cartridge for sure.
The .223 can do 90% of what the .22/250 (or for that matter the .220 Swift) can do. And 90% means that 9 times out of 10 you are in good shape with the smaller round. BUT, sometimes you need (or at least want) that 10% more. Sometimes it's a difference between a DRT or a crawl off. The .22/250 shoots a wee bit flatter of course so sometime you get a hit with it that you would have missed with the .223 round. Yeah, the bigger case burns barrel faster, it's louder (with good muffs no biggie) brass cost more, burns more powder, blah blah blah.
If you are going to shoot colony varmints and shoot 400 yard or less the .223 will serve you well. If you want to toss them a bit higher and hit them a bit further then the .22/250 will be your boy. And if you want to make your odds better at a coyote going down Right Now then the bigger round will serve you best for that.
But all in all if you place your shots where they need to go (of course) and use a bit of common sense (oh I wish!) then the .223 will do what you want it to do most likely. A fine all around cartridge for sure.
22-250 hands down or like rusty dust aid 220 is a sweet round it can do just about every thing you can with the 22-250 as yardage goes i have seen my dad take foxes in the head with winchester 70 bbl 22-250 all kinds of work done to it it barks like no tomorrow but its an fast flat and accurate gun
DiRTY DOG
Well-known member
223 is 90% of a 22-250. If you want something more than a 223, step up to a 243 with 55gr BTs @ 3900 fps.
The '250 isn't that much different than a 223. In fact the 223 has a lot of advantages despite it being slightly weaker than the '250. Less noise and blast, cheaper factory ammo, better selection of bullets and factory ammo, less powder, less muzzle jump so you can see your hits in your scope, fits in a AR 15, cheaper brass, etc...
The '250 isn't that much different than a 223. In fact the 223 has a lot of advantages despite it being slightly weaker than the '250. Less noise and blast, cheaper factory ammo, better selection of bullets and factory ammo, less powder, less muzzle jump so you can see your hits in your scope, fits in a AR 15, cheaper brass, etc...
i can shot a wood chuck lift my head and hear the thud and see the dust cloud when it make in packet can't do that with a 223 the 223 is cheaper but accuracy and distance and power no need for th 223 yes it is loud very very loud but my bbl does not budge when shot its a tank to lug around but worth it. i would take a 220swift of a 223 again accuracy and flat shooting i alway shot vry well when i was in the army and when deployed i had a burris scope i brought from home on it. if i could see it i could hit it but it is not as fat as the 22-250 just my opinion i have one and a 220 and a 222 the 22-250 will out shot them all hands down
MoYoBomber
Member
223 will do most everything I need done but I don't own one. I like my 22-250s a bunch. Crank a 50 grain Ballistic Silvertip at full throttle and I can hold "in the hair" on a coyote to just over 300 yards the way I am sighted in.
Take a 223 with a 40 grain Ballistic Tip at full speed and you are running with the 250 to about 300 yards and burning less powder. This load will work wonderfully outta the 223 for 99% of what you would ask of the little cartridge.
Take a 223 with a 40 grain Ballistic Tip at full speed and you are running with the 250 to about 300 yards and burning less powder. This load will work wonderfully outta the 223 for 99% of what you would ask of the little cartridge.
gord mccoo
New member
I agree with Rustydust. (If you need more pop move up to the 243.)
You'll get to save a few more furs using the 223, but very few predator rounds kill like the 22-250. I can't imagine how anyone could say there's not much difference in the two.
On broadside shots behind the shoulder, either round will go bang flop. What makes the 22-250 infinitely better is its forgiveness in shot placement.
Some people will say "make better shots," and that's all good and well except I'm not going to pass up running shots or shots where the vitals are blocked and they've got to be shot in the arse, behind a cactus at 300 yards. I've got one simple guideline, and that's to do my darnedest to kill every coyote I call.... Hence my liking for my powerful rounds like the 22-250 and several 6mm cartridges.
All that being said, my little 18" CZ varmint is one of my very favorite rifles.... You just wouldn't catch me hunting for money with it very often.
On broadside shots behind the shoulder, either round will go bang flop. What makes the 22-250 infinitely better is its forgiveness in shot placement.
Some people will say "make better shots," and that's all good and well except I'm not going to pass up running shots or shots where the vitals are blocked and they've got to be shot in the arse, behind a cactus at 300 yards. I've got one simple guideline, and that's to do my darnedest to kill every coyote I call.... Hence my liking for my powerful rounds like the 22-250 and several 6mm cartridges.
All that being said, my little 18" CZ varmint is one of my very favorite rifles.... You just wouldn't catch me hunting for money with it very often.
FairChase93
Active member
Personally I think this debate comes down to how your going to run the 22-250. If you handload and run the 22-250 up to the top end where it really shines, it will flat out leave the 223 behind in the dust. Anymore most people it seems are running in 3400-3600 fps range and if that's the baseline to compare against you just as well be shooting a 223.
Either way both are great calibers that work for a multitude of different applications.
For everyone that says the 223 only gives up 10% to the 22-250, in the firearms world 10% is a heck of a huge performance gain really. Guys go to huge extremes to gain less.
Either way both are great calibers that work for a multitude of different applications.
For everyone that says the 223 only gives up 10% to the 22-250, in the firearms world 10% is a heck of a huge performance gain really. Guys go to huge extremes to gain less.
NdIndy
New member
For almost every gun out there you have a choice between speed and accuracy. The load that gives you the best of 1 usually doesn't give the best of both.
Its like cars, you can have fast or you can have longevity. In the car world you're usually tooling around town or down the interstate on 20-30 hp. Even if your engine peaks at 500000hp, you do almost everything on 20hp. I can take a 300hp engine, spend 20k on it to make it a 500hp engine, and it will spend 98% of its life making 20hp. Is up to me to decide if i want to spend the money to make 2% more fun, and if I'm willing to accept the additional wear and tear.
Or i could buy a car with an engine designed to hold up to 500hp and either be happy, or spend 20k to make it a 700hp...
No matter what you end up with, theres always the option of spending more to make more. And you'll still almost always need, 20hp.
The next one up will always have a higher potential.
Its almost purely the ops subjective choice, either will do the same job. 1 can just be pushed a bit more than the other.
Its like cars, you can have fast or you can have longevity. In the car world you're usually tooling around town or down the interstate on 20-30 hp. Even if your engine peaks at 500000hp, you do almost everything on 20hp. I can take a 300hp engine, spend 20k on it to make it a 500hp engine, and it will spend 98% of its life making 20hp. Is up to me to decide if i want to spend the money to make 2% more fun, and if I'm willing to accept the additional wear and tear.
Or i could buy a car with an engine designed to hold up to 500hp and either be happy, or spend 20k to make it a 700hp...
No matter what you end up with, theres always the option of spending more to make more. And you'll still almost always need, 20hp.
The next one up will always have a higher potential.
Its almost purely the ops subjective choice, either will do the same job. 1 can just be pushed a bit more than the other.