# 223 vs. 22-250



## Austin419

I'm in the market for either of these guns. I will be coyote and hogs along with other varmints and predators. Which caliber would y'all prefer? Thanks guys!


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## On a call

Personally I would choose a .243 if you have a big game also you would like to hunt the .243 allows you to do that. A .223 and or 22-250 is limited to vamit and small game. The 22-250 is a great round as it the .223 which there is a TON of ammo out there.

But the .243 is a excellent round. Do not over look it.


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## whackemstackem21

221 rem. fireball for predators. n if you want to save the pelts


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## poe

22-250 would be my pick. 243 may also be a good choice. 243 would prob be a little better hog gun but if you load right 22-250 should be fun.


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## youngdon

Out of the two choices you gave, I would choose the 22-250 UNLESS the cost of ammo is a big factor for you. I would assume that from where you are located that a 300yd shot is pretty much your maximum and a 223 will certainly do that and ammo is real plentiful and cheap. A 22-250 on the other hand is a much faster and flatter shooting round unless you pay for the ultra-premium 223 ammo which will match standard velocity 22-250 ammo. If you reload the cost of ammo becomes a non-factor although the 22-250 requires a bit more powder the bullets are exactly the same. The cost of the extra bit of powder is negligable. The 22-250 will when loaded correctly out perform the 223 by several hundred feet per second, thereby shooting flatter and delivering more punch.

Now if you want to step outside of the parameters that you set forth in your initial query, and bring the .243 and the 204Ruger and OK the 221fireball too. Buy the .243, it is flat shooting and the bullet range goes from 55gr to 105gr. It will vaporize prairie dogs (well, at least the midle half) and drop the biggest whitetail. The .204 is a great round and accurate as they come IMO and cheap to load, the draw back is that coyotes are the limit IMO. Yes you can kill a pig with it but you really don't have any room for error and truthfully the bullets are just a bit thin in the jacket area for something that may require that much penetration. The 221 fireball is IMO (sorry Wack and Stack) a round that is on its way to obsolescence. Brass will be harder and harder to find and loaded ammo prices will follow suit. Yes I know it has hung on this long and it is a neat round but practically speaking it is NOT practical. Put the .222 and the .222 mag. (sorry Brian) in that same getting harder to find column.


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## Austin419

I have killed hogs with a 22 so I'm sure either will do the trick for yotes and mr piggy


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## Helmet_S

youngdon said:


> Out of the two choices you gave, I would choose the 22-250 UNLESS the cost of ammo is a big factor for you. I would assume that from where you are located that a 300yd shot is pretty much your maximum and a 223 will certainly do that and ammo is real plentiful and cheap. A 22-250 on the other hand is a much faster and flatter shooting round unless you pay for the ultra-premium 223 ammo which will match standard velocity 22-250 ammo. If you reload the cost of ammo becomes a non-factor although the 22-250 requires a bit more powder the bullets are exactly the same. The cost of the extra bit of powder is negligable. The 22-250 will when loaded correctly out perform the 223 by several hundred feet per second, thereby shooting flatter and delivering more punch.
> 
> Now if you want to step outside of the parameters that you set forth in your initial query, and bring the .243 and the 204Ruger and OK the 221fireball too. Buy the .243, it is flat shooting and the bullet range goes from 55gr to 105gr. It will vaporize prairie dogs (well, at least the midle half) and drop the biggest whitetail. The .204 is a great round and accurate as they come IMO and cheap to load, the draw back is that coyotes are the limit IMO. Yes you can kill a pig with it but you really don't have any room for error and truthfully the bullets are just a bit thin in the jacket area for something that may require that much penetration. The 221 fireball is IMO (sorry Wack and Stack) a round that is on its way to obsolescence. Brass will be harder and harder to find and loaded ammo prices will follow suit. Yes I know it has hung on this long and it is a neat round but practically speaking it is NOT practical. Put the .222 and the .222 mag. (sorry Brian) in that same getting harder to find column.


Very well say buddy.


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## youngdon

Thank you my friend, I appreciate and respect your astute observations as well.


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## youngdon

Austin, I'm sure the 22 will do the job. However it is not enough gun IMO


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## Austin419

i was saying that ive killed hogs with a 22 so the 22-250 or 223 would do plenty good


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## trappertommy

I agree with youngdon ..well stated.... 6mm is another option .. almost the same as the 243.. todays world cost is everything ....if you shoot alot. i burn about 300 rds aweek so the 22cal. is best all around deer and dogs 6mm 243
good luck with your search..


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## Bigdrowdy1

2x on YD. In hunting the best shot placement is not always presented. In ideal conditions you could probably kill a hog with a pellet gun but I wouldnt want to go hunting hogs with one. Though all of us are expert shots (LOL) There are times I dont know why I missed or why I hit my target there. I think what one should take into consideration is what cal is most efficent to do the job without major overkill and still be a humane cal to use in respect to the animal being persued. We owe it to our sport as well as the animals we hunt to do what we do right and humanely. We are the curators of our sport what we do and how we do it says everything about us as hunters. Thats my way of thinking.


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## Helmet_S

Bigdrowdy1 said:


> 2x on YD. In hunting the best shot placement is not always presented. In ideal conditions you could probably kill a hog with a pellet gun but I wouldnt want to go hunting hogs with one. Though all of us are expert shots (LOL) There are times I dont know why I missed or why I hit my target there. I think what one should take into consideration is what cal is most efficent to do the job without major overkill and still be a humane cal to use in respect to the animal being persued. We owe it to our sport as well as the animals we hunt to do what we do right and humanely. We are the curators of our sport what we do and how we do it says everything about us as hunters. Thats my way of thinking.


That is shooting it straight right there. Well stated.


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## coyotejon

300 yard shot with a .223 is attainable, but with stiff or gusting wind it can be tough. Typically you have about a 7 inch drop out to 300 with a .223 which is definitely enough to screw your shot in less than ideal shooting conditions. I shot 40 rounds out of my .223 at 100, 200, and 300 yards yesterday with an insane gusting cross wind, and grouping at 300 was pretty tough. I'm not sure how much a 22-250 drops at 300 but I am sure some one will let us know.


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## Mattuk

On a call said:


> Personally I would choose a .243 if you have a big game also you would like to hunt the .243 allows you to do that. A .223 and or 22-250 is limited to vamit and small game. The 22-250 is a great round as it the .223 which there is a TON of ammo out there.
> 
> But the .243 is a excellent round. Do not over look it.


OAC and youngdon are spot on and I would take the .243


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## youngdon

A .223 rem shooting a55gr v-max at 3240 fps and a 200yd zero will be -7.1 at 300...-21.4 at 400....-45.2 at 500

A 22-250 shooting a55gr V-max at 3680 fps and a 200yd zero will be -5.3 at 300....-16.1 at 400....-34.2 at 500


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## youngdon

Mind you that you can certainly shoot either of these rounds at higher velocities, and that will change the amount of drop but the ratio between the two will remain constant given identical velocity increases. IMO the 22-250 has more potential to boost velocity over those stated. Energy is a whole different set of numbers. It does not matter if the bullet only drops a miniscule amount over a given range if it does not have the energy to penetrate the target. Unless you are shooting to hear a bong. If you believe differently you have probably been smoking a bong. LOL


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## Mattuk

Bongs are such a giggle don, the noise type! My .22-250 was a flat shooting rifle straight out of the box if your only after fox or coyote its the one to have.


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## HowlinRed

Mattux, what was your .22-250 and did it ruin the fox hide?


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## RoughNeck

This is the age old question on what caliber you would have, All are good rounds just depends on if you reload or buy them from a store, or if you like the AR. Most say this gun shots better or that gun does. It is up to you ive seen yotes run off with both 22-250 and 223. If you like the gun then pick it cause your buddy will tell you his which is diffrent shots better. I shot an AR and a bolt action 223 and have never had any problems with them. But my brother shots a 22-250 and likes it so it is up to you as to which one you pick as for me the 223 is the way to go. (JMO)


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## Mattuk

HowlinRed said:


> Mattux, what was your .22-250 and did it ruin the fox hide?


It was a tikka 595. Well I guess so, we don't really worry about the hides as we are just controlling numbers. There is no market that I know of over here.


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## JTKillough

I love an AR15. The 223 cal will put coyotes down all day long and when offered in a semi-auto, it just makes things quicker. That said, if I am going in for serious coyote work, extended ranges and pin-piont accuracy, I am taking my 22-250. This cartridge is absolutely the best predator round hands down. Have I killed more coyotes with it, NO, but I still believe in its ability to get ur done. It has range, power, and with a good rifle and load, pin piont accuracy. The 223 will operate at a cheaper rate, but cheaper just doesn't fall into my equation. The 223 can get it done, the 22-250 will get it done.


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## showmeyote

All this is very good info Austin. YD nailed, it and OAC is right with him my friend. I would choose the 22-250 over the .223. I have both. If cost is the issue, go with a .223, its just that simple. .243 is a great round, and guys are loading them down to 58g, it is rather amazing. At a reloaders aspect.


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## youngdon

I shoot Nosler 55gr BT's out of my 243. They are accurate and deadly.


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## showmeyote

Don have you chronod the 55s yet


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## youngdon

No, I don't own one.


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## hung4wheeler

I shoot the new 35 grain ballistic silver tip ''lead free'' it goes 3800 fps with only a 5 inch drop at 300 with a 100 yard zero shot a coyote the other night and it was nasty 250 yards and the old song dog just flipped over backwords


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## poe

I run 55gr ballistics silvertips out of my .243 and have had very good results. It just dosn't make it out as often now that I have the 22-250.


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