Is 223 cheaper to reload than 22-250?

Originally Posted By: Zion9It's all in the title. Trying to pick my caliber. In college don't have a bunches of money. Thanks

Yes... 223 is cheaper to reload.- powder costs are about 60% of the 22-250.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Zion9It's all in the title. Trying to pick my caliber. In college don't have a bunches of money. Thanks

Yes... 223 is cheaper to reload.- powder costs are about 60% of the 22-250.



But your only talking pennies, actually 4 cents per round if you use varget and buy in a 1 pound container.
 
Originally Posted By: buggybuilderBrass is easier to accumulate and is less expensive.
Small primers are probably priced about the same.

True, If you have a way to get a bunch of 223 brass (cheap) it would make sense to go that way.
 
Just going off some rough figures I'm coming up with 5 to 10 cents a round cheaper on the 223 compared to the 22-250 depending on the quality of the components you use.
 
That would definitely add up. It also seems like 223 brass is always for sale from AR shooters who just mow through it on a daily basis. Haha
 
If memory serves the last time I priced my 22-250 vs 223 the difference was about $.05-.06 of powder, not including brass cost. I usually don't figure brass into the mix and chaulk it up to more of a starting cost when I buy a rifle (same goes for a sling, bipod, buttstock shell holder, etc) and when I have to buy more brass I consider that a maintenance cost
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. 1x 22-250 brass is generally 30-35 cents a pc and 223 for me is free. I pickup range brass or get it from relatives who shoot factory ammo and do not reload. so that is one plus for my 223 shooting the second plus is I have a pretty good supply of brass so I don't have to spend 15min looking for each piece I fire. Doesn't mean I don't pickup what I can find, I just don't scour the area like I will for my 250.

I would consider the ballistic advandages/disadvantages when deciding between these to calibers and then consider the price of reloading them to determine what will suit your needs. If its more than 10mph wind the 223 will stay home and the 22-250 or one of my other calibers will get the job.

I love my 250's for pdogs, gives way more dramatic impacts but along with the extra speed comes barrel heat. To combat this I being a second or third or sometimes a 4th rifle and will rotate every 20 or so shots depending on how much shooting is going on.
 
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Bullets cost the same, primers cost the same and as was pointed out the cost per round additional for in increase in powder is almost miniscule compared to what they cost as factory ammo. If all you ever need is a .223 (and most likely it will be) then get you a .223 and be happy. But remember that you can always load a 22/250 down to .223 (or even less than .22 Hornet if you a mind to) but you cannot load a .223 up to 22/250 levels.

Since you are going to handload, you just may want to consider a .223 AI and have pretty much the best of both worlds. I was rather late in getting me one but after owning one for several years now I likely shoot it more than my .223 rifles and my .220 Swift combined.
 
Really no 223 in winds over 10 mph? I guess the root of my problem is I am in need of a rifle in a caliber that works great but is inexpensive to shoot...cause I'm in college. I live in east TN so I didn't think I would need the range of the 22-250...and would maybe like to shoot a fox without it exploding. Plus I was under the impression 223 is a bit more fur friendly.
 
not saying you cant shoot it when its windy(if i do the 55gr SBK is the ticket), I just have other rifles that buck wind better and in the wide open plains it is often windy and we get some weird swirly winds coming through the hills so it makes judging wind difficult.

PS: im in college too! hopefully everything will go smooth for finals this week and then if all goes well graduation this spring!
 
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Originally Posted By: Zion9Really no 223 in winds over 10 mph? I guess the root of my problem is I am in need of a rifle in a caliber that works great but is inexpensive to shoot...cause I'm in college. I live in east TN so I didn't think I would need the range of the 22-250...and would maybe like to shoot a fox without it exploding. Plus I was under the impression 223 is a bit more fur friendly.

Well.. It appears obvious that you just need to get yourself a .223.. It is a tad more expensive to load a .22-250 with the added costs of brass and powder, but for some uses it's worth it. I used to shoot coyotes with a .223 AR but moved to a 6.8 SPC II AR and back to .22-250's and .243's after seeing a marked increased in the numbers of spinners and runners I was getting using the .223 AR. If you hunt fox, bobcats, and 25 pound desert coyotes, a .223 is about perfect.
 
Well I would be hunting the larger coyotes in the east. I'd rather not lose one. Does 223 pack enough punch? I would be using a bolt action, so follow up shots wouldn't be as quick.
 
Originally Posted By: 3DHUSKEROriginally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Zion9It's all in the title. Trying to pick my caliber. In college don't have a bunches of money. Thanks

Yes... 223 is cheaper to reload.- powder costs are about 60% of the 22-250.



But your only talking pennies, actually 4 cents per round if you use target and buy in a 1 pound container.

By my count it is about .10-.12 cents per shot for powder. That is with having to pay Almost $30 per pound with tax included. 7000 grains per pound divided by 25 grains per load equals 280 rounds per pound.
 
Sure I can save a few cents loading 223 instead of 22-250, but I shoot both calibers, and have no less than 2000, .223 loaded, and around 500-700, 22-250 loaded. Both calibers are loaded with Hornady 55gr. V-Max for hunting, and 55gr. Hornady soft points for general plinking.

Buy whatever your budget allows at this stage of you life, and upgrade later when you have a little more bank. Good Luck,----Riflemann
 
Zion, there a lot more fast twist 223's out there than there are 22-250's.

Meaning you can load a heavier bullet in a 223 for them monster east coast coyotes.

I had a 250 and got rid of it. I shoot a 223AI and run 75 amax bullets in it. No problems yet.

Good luck
 
I also live in Tennessee and yes a 223 will do anything around here that you need it for. I own and load for both and I shoot my 250 more but I kill several deer with it as well. I'd go 223 if I was you based on ease of getting brass
 
Whatever caliber I decide on, I'll be shooting it out of a savage axis more than likely. Twist rate is 1 in 9 for 223 and 1 in 12 for 22-250. That is pretty standard I believe. 1in 9 Will stabilize a 55grain well but not too much larger right?

I was all set on 22-250, then began thinking about price....theeeeeeen watched some yote hunting vids where they were using a 223 and wasn't sure anymore. It didn't seem to have the knock down power (lot of spinning dogs and some run offs) as the 22-250. I know a 223 can kill anything on the planet...eventually....but I really prefer to kill the animal as quickly as possible without having to make it suffer any longer than it has too. (Maybe the 223 shooter just sucked)
 


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