22-250 or 223
- Thread starter eddy615
- Start date
I dearly love the 22-250. Fantastic round with a lot of potential.
Best accuracy is often achieved with less than maximum loads. I have an older Remington 700BDL heavy barrel that I bought back in the '70s that I have just had another barrel installed. My best load is 52 gr Sierra HPBT over 33.7 gr. IMR4064.
It is not a maximum load and with the new barrel, I have put 18 shots into a quarter at 100 yards.
When I settle down and work on my timing, it will get even better.
I have 3 .223. A DPMS Panther Bull 20, A Bushmaster carbine, and a Mini-14 ( actually my son has that one) and it is WAY more fun to shoot the 22-250.
Best accuracy is often achieved with less than maximum loads. I have an older Remington 700BDL heavy barrel that I bought back in the '70s that I have just had another barrel installed. My best load is 52 gr Sierra HPBT over 33.7 gr. IMR4064.
It is not a maximum load and with the new barrel, I have put 18 shots into a quarter at 100 yards.
When I settle down and work on my timing, it will get even better.
I have 3 .223. A DPMS Panther Bull 20, A Bushmaster carbine, and a Mini-14 ( actually my son has that one) and it is WAY more fun to shoot the 22-250.
James R. Burke
New member
Just myself the 22-250 would be the way to go.
TriggerJunky
Moderator
22-250 is a good coyote gun, but so is .223 especially if your running it through a Black Rifle. 22-250 is a long range hunting toy. .223 is a more for plinking or predator/varmint...
I have a 22-250 and bought it because i wanted that specific chambering. It is an amazing round. Accurate, fast, flat, and powerful enough to take deer sized game if desired.
Unless you just want one or need the performance of the 22-250, you would be well off with the .223. It is a great round with alot of capabilities with predator and varmit sized game. Its no slouch either and ammo is so easily available and significantly cheaper if you plan on shooting often. With hunting predator sized game, its still easily a 300+ yard round if your set up is dialed in.
You will not have made a bad chioce with either but you should consider the type of rifle you want and your intended purposes, as stated above, when determining which will suit you best.
Infrequent use (hunting and occasional targets)
and hunting at long range- 22-250
Plinking/targeting alot, 100 and 200 yard hunting,
or just plain "fun gun"- .223
Unless you just want one or need the performance of the 22-250, you would be well off with the .223. It is a great round with alot of capabilities with predator and varmit sized game. Its no slouch either and ammo is so easily available and significantly cheaper if you plan on shooting often. With hunting predator sized game, its still easily a 300+ yard round if your set up is dialed in.
You will not have made a bad chioce with either but you should consider the type of rifle you want and your intended purposes, as stated above, when determining which will suit you best.
Infrequent use (hunting and occasional targets)
and hunting at long range- 22-250
Plinking/targeting alot, 100 and 200 yard hunting,
or just plain "fun gun"- .223
I have had this same question for a few weeks now. 223 or 22-250?
I went to a gun store and these guys say they shoot a lot, both at targets and prairie dogs and such. All these guys say that the 223 was the way to go and that it could be a good gun out to 500 yards or so. I think they were sold on the fact that this gun would be easier on barrels. I went on to ask them what gun they would pick out without spending a fortune and he picked out a Remington 700 VLS in 223.
These guys sold me on the 223 but after reading the posts on this thread I am reconsidering due to the 200-300 yard range of the 223 that y'all are talking about.
So, my question to y'all is what kind of range and accuracy does the 22-250 have over the 223?
I went to a gun store and these guys say they shoot a lot, both at targets and prairie dogs and such. All these guys say that the 223 was the way to go and that it could be a good gun out to 500 yards or so. I think they were sold on the fact that this gun would be easier on barrels. I went on to ask them what gun they would pick out without spending a fortune and he picked out a Remington 700 VLS in 223.
These guys sold me on the 223 but after reading the posts on this thread I am reconsidering due to the 200-300 yard range of the 223 that y'all are talking about.
So, my question to y'all is what kind of range and accuracy does the 22-250 have over the 223?
I hace a Remington VLSS in 22-250. I bought it because my uncle has a 22-250 that was a blast to shoot, so I had to have one. I do enjoy it but I wonder sometimes if I should have gotten the same rifle in 223. Brass is easier to find for the 223, takes less powder to reload. At the moment I only shoot at the 200 yard range, but really want to do some long range PD hunting so I chose the 22-250. I see your dilema as I already have a 22-250 and still think I want a bolt 223. I think the 22-250 is a bit more versatile, IMO.
jglsprings
New member
Got one of each.... I use them for different things. AR/223 for FUN! Browning 1885 single shot for gopher FUN!
They are both a hoot to shoot! They both work great on varmints The 250 stretches a little farther a little easier. The AR with multiple uppers is much more versatile (it matches my multiple personalities). It's the platform that makes most of the difference.
Is there an extra "3" in that velocity figure? The sonic boom would kill any little gopher it went over!!
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CPTMurdoc30
New member
Barrel life is shorter on the 22-250 just because of all the powder you are forcing down a small hole.
If you don't shoot like the zombies are coming and just keep pumping lead down range the 22-250 is by far a supurior cartridge. For varmint hunting it will give you more range and the red mist factor is much better than the 223.
I have a 700 VLS in 223 and love it a lot. I am now buying a RRA predator Pursuit Rifle at the end of this month for my fast shooting ground hog days. I hope to take it out west in the next few years for some P dog smackin action.
I had a choice of the VLS in 223 or 22-250 the store had them marked $100 different from the 223 to 22-250 in the exact same 700 VLS.
barrel life depends on many factors. If you shoot it hot and keep shooting it barrel life will shorten.
avg bbl life on 223 5000 to 8000 rounds
avg bbl life on 22-250 3000-4500 maybe 5000 if you shot right.
If you don't shoot like the zombies are coming and just keep pumping lead down range the 22-250 is by far a supurior cartridge. For varmint hunting it will give you more range and the red mist factor is much better than the 223.
I have a 700 VLS in 223 and love it a lot. I am now buying a RRA predator Pursuit Rifle at the end of this month for my fast shooting ground hog days. I hope to take it out west in the next few years for some P dog smackin action.
I had a choice of the VLS in 223 or 22-250 the store had them marked $100 different from the 223 to 22-250 in the exact same 700 VLS.
barrel life depends on many factors. If you shoot it hot and keep shooting it barrel life will shorten.
avg bbl life on 223 5000 to 8000 rounds
avg bbl life on 22-250 3000-4500 maybe 5000 if you shot right.
I have owned and shot a 22-250 for 30 years. I love it. I have rebarreled mine 4 times (a couple of times it didn't really need it).
Typo, I'm sure. Out of the 22-250, you can get 3,800 fps pretty easy. Out of a 223, you will do good to get 3,200 fps.
Having said all that, I still like shooting my 22-250, but my 223 gets shot more nowadays.
Thirty-three thousand?
Typo, I'm sure. Out of the 22-250, you can get 3,800 fps pretty easy. Out of a 223, you will do good to get 3,200 fps.Not so bad, really. After 4,000 rounds you will notice a deterioration in accuracy, replace the barrel after 5,000 rounds. Most people will never shoot 5,000 rounds through their 22-250. Or their 223, for that matter.
Having said all that, I still like shooting my 22-250, but my 223 gets shot more nowadays.