1000 ft/lb v 1600/1700 ft/lb. How much do you really need to kill a rabbit?
And a lot more powder. The .222 is cheaper to reload.
I used to shoot far more rabbits than foxes with my triple. 10 to 1 probably and I kept most of the carcasses. Unless you're just playing and using your quarry for target practice you don't need more than 300 yards capability. You don't really need more than 200.
If I knew I'd be shooting mostly 200 yard-ish rabbits and a few foxes, I'd pick a .222. And that is what I was shooting so that is what I bought. Had it been foxes with a few small deer (where legal) it would have been a .22-250. It's not really revolutionary thinking.
Well certainly not 1000FPE to kill a 3lb bunny.
I find it very odd that you believe that a calibre generating 1200Ftlb is " perfectly suitable" - Yet you dismiss the 22.250 as over kill.
Yes the 250 produces significantly more energy - but the same argument could be had , for the 22 Hornet against the 222 ... and make a point that a 222 is overkill. Then why not use an HMR and just get closer etc , etc. - you see where I'm going with this.
It seems to me that the 222 isn't overkill because you own one ,.. and obviously rate it. I am sure that many air rifle shooters would think that the 222 is over kill when they are shooting and killing bunnies with sub 12 ftlb - and the U.S shooters would read this and find it crazy / astonishing that are even talking about the 22.250 being unsuitable for varmint shooting , considering that was what the calibre was designed and created for
Lets face it , If you hit a rabbit in the body with a 222 its going to make a real mess, especially with a varmint bullet. Most of the meat will be not edible ( I have a 223 and shot hundreds of rabbits with it) . That's
exactly the same with the 22.250.
IME , the level of damage caused is more influenced by the bullet selected , than the specific 0.224 calibre used. For example my 223 shooting a 40gn SBK at 3800fps causes more meat damage than my 22br using heavier / slower pills ( which has ballistics very similar to the 22.250) Fortunately both calibres are easily accurate enough to head shoot rabbits and therefore keep the meat. However the 22.250 will allow to significantly extend the range.
Also , it must be said that not all rabbits are for the pot , are they ? , They may be culled for pest control in which case it doesn't really matter what the damage is done.
Form my experience of owning several different .224 CF calibres ( including - 22 H , 222 , 223 , 223AI , 22.250 and 22Br) The extra speed and power produced by the 22.250 not only gives the benefit of less drop , less wind drift and harder hitting , but it also means that varmint bullets are less likely to ricochet and therefore safer.
Now regarding the costs - the 22.250 costs about 10p a shot more than my 223 (for the additional powder used). Therefore I can have a great afternoon with a high performance centrefire and shoot 20 rounds or so , for a couple of quid extra.
I am not knocking the 222 at all. its a great little round - but I think saying that a calibre that has been
specifically created for shooting varmints - isn't suitable, is flawed. Horses for courses I guess
Alan
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