223 or 22-250

[Fenwelder]

For pure performance 22-250. for barrel life .223.If you reload exactly even.for down range performance ,even. you could get into semantics with .17 firebal and 222 . But that was not the question,
22-250 and get a barrel that can be swapped out.
And that doesn't mean you have to spend the earth.
aftermarket trigger option good, and good bases / optics and moderator.
Good shooting is the sum of many parts.
22-250 is popular for many reasons. As is 223.

 

[gr cz527]

22 250. hands down. had a cz527 in 223 before the 22 250. flatter and punchy and i always get a warm fuzzy feeling when shooting the 22 250.

 

[NullMac]

243.

eats both their lunches

 

[guns 6br]

22_250 all day long I got a 223 in the cabinet nice little rifle but the 22_250 is the one I'd go for something about the 250 just makes me smile when shooting it

 

[Domer]

I take your point on 243 but you still need two rifles to do both jobs properly.

 

[cooksey]

.22-250 absolutely amazing calibre. I wouldn't have anything else for foxing. Did 2500 rounds in my last one it was 2nd hand and know It had probably done another 1000-1200 rounds! If you average it over 10 years that rifle had been about it isn't that bad for burning barrels out.

 

[Hunter 6.5]

In my books 22-250 is not barrel burning at all. By the way any chambering if abused could be barrel burner

 

[oldhamstocks]

Got a Rem 700 in .223 with a heavyish 24 inch barrel, think it's a 1/12 twist. It's a heavy beast in a GRS stock, but got a lovely trigger and is a pussy to shoot, extremely accurate with 55 grain.

Couple of questions - is that twist rate useless for non-lead? Is it possible to 're-barrel' to a tighter twist rate for non-lead and a bit of heavier bullet for longer-distance target (non-competitive).

Main use is for foxes, got a picatinny on it so can use a TD50L at night once I suss it out.

 

[Heym SR20]

Got a Rem 700 in .223 with a heavyish 24 inch barrel, think it's a 1/12 twist. It's a heavy beast in a GRS stock, but got a lovely trigger and is a pussy to shoot, extremely accurate with 55 grain.

Couple of questions - is that twist rate useless for non-lead? Is it possible to 're-barrel' to a tighter twist rate for non-lead and a bit of heavier bullet for longer-distance target (non-competitive).

Main use is for foxes, got a picatinny on it so can use a TD50L at night once I suss it out.

My 223 Rem 700 is a 1 in 12” Twist. Shoots the 51gn Peregrine bullets into well under 1” at 100 yards. I have set the sights to 1” high at 100 and I just aim centre of target and it kills Roe and Foxes as far as I want to shoot them. I had a Roe at about 200 the other day. Would have happily shot but she was a good strong doe so left her alone. Then a fox showed up and that got the good news.

 

[Bowland blades]

“drop” is t the only metric, the 22-250 will have a 300-400 fps advantage over the 223 so energy on target and wind will be greatly improved over the 223.

I have to say you cannot outrun the wind with velocity 200 yard shots taken with the same 50 grain lead soft point in like wind conditions will have about equal drift . Trajectory ? Faster makes flatter in the same bullet as range increases

 

[roebuckboy]

22.250 is a fantastic round , shot fox muntjac and cwd with it.
it is just a laser beam Whatever you aim at is dead, never had an issue with noise I have a stalon mod on it and it is no different than any of my other centerline rifles.
And it has got as much recoil as a airgun not saying the 223 is a bad round just can not fault the 22.250 !

 

[Polar Lynx]

This does not add anything but most often keen (young) people start with the 223 and stick to short to medium ranges and then with more experience move on to 22-250 and longer distances.
Some read about barrel wear and 22-250 and stay away for that reason but with good quality stainless barrels not shot too hot, barrel wear is a no-problem, imo.
A good 223 with standard 1:12 twist will handle a Barnes copper bullet good enough for roe, at least in my rifle, but personally I rather use Lapua Naturalis copper.

 

[JockStalk]

If you like loden, leather waistcoats, beards, real ale and badges - buy a 222
If you like the music of Duran Duran, the Peugeot 205 GTi, popsox and big hair - buy a 22-250
If you like comfy slippers, tea on the table at 5:30, know what’s in your piece box by the day of the week - buy a 223
If you like to be same sex attractive, smell faintly of Vaseline and can take a good hour on the tower of power - buy a 22 creed
If you like the opposite sex, are self confident, well read, quietly confident, with an air of fine single malt - buy a 220 swift
And if you self identify as none of the above, buy a 220 swift. In that path lies true discovery.

 

[Envillegc1]

I have just got a 22-250 and have 223.
All I can say is there is very little difference at the ranges you shoot at for fox a deer.

If you want the best of all things, 22 Creed.

That said if I had to choice just one rifle it would be a 243. 58/75gr Vmax deals with foxs and then pop in a deer round and learn the holds or use one of these new fangled scopes with ballistics in it.

 

[sako85708]

As Envillegc1 said above before you go mad spending loads on a new set up, try some 58 or 75gr Vmax you might be surprised. I went though the same dilemma many years ago my Remington 700 243 loved 58gr Vmax but they would'nt load from the mag without jams. I treated myself to a new Sako 85 243 for stalking but it would not group well with anything less than 85gr . So I gave into my itch and got a Sako varmint in 22 -250 and never looked back. I believe the 22-250 gives you a bit more room for error and why have a 1600e when you can have a XR4i.

 

[UpNorthMI]

.223 and 22.250 are both good calibers. If I had to select one it would be .223 based on ammunition and component availability along with the cost of shooting. It's a rather theoretical question as the proposed use really needs to be considered. Newer .223 rifles are just about all coming in tighter twists and they will support heavier bullets and non lead options.

 

[Bowland blades]

This does not add anything but most often keen (young) people start with the 223 and stick to short to medium ranges and then with more experience move on to 22-250 and longer distances.
Some read about barrel wear and 22-250 and stay away for that reason but with good quality stainless barrels not shot too hot, barrel wear is a no-problem, imo.
A good 223 with standard 1:12 twist will handle a Barnes copper bullet good enough for roe, at least in my rifle, but personally I rather use Lapua Naturalis copper.

my 1-12 is on the raged edge of stable with barnes ttsx 50 grain copper . Two quite close ( forming what looks like a very acceptable group , then put one say am inch off the first two) It ballances 50 eCX fine shoots 50 grain lead the same. eCX gave me poor expansion
My own 223 will in the near future go to a fast twist ( maybe a 1-7 even ) I would like to get The Barnes varmint granades shooting and some of the longer copper bullets we are seeing for the 22 creed ( keeping things short but dealing well with the wind ) This might go 1-8 if I get another bigger 6mm off the peg Creed or 243 but with a faster twist (which is now happening ) - Yeah my renewal papers are yet again going in !