HALLAUSTIN
New member
Which has a flatter trajectory? Which damages less meat? What would you choose?
22-250 vs. 223
- Thread starter HALLAUSTIN
- Start date
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
If you don't shoot the eating part, you don't damage meat.
To around 250 yards, there's not enough difference in trajectory to matter. It's out past 300 where the .22-250 becomes The Boss.
I'm not as interested in Ma Bell shots as I was twenty or forty years ago, so I'd stay with my .223. It's good for prairie dogs to 300.
To around 250 yards, there's not enough difference in trajectory to matter. It's out past 300 where the .22-250 becomes The Boss.
I'm not as interested in Ma Bell shots as I was twenty or forty years ago, so I'd stay with my .223. It's good for prairie dogs to 300.
DiscoRacing
New member
I have (3) .223 ..and (2) .22-250
And I dont shoot much out to 300yds... so I really dont see much difference except in FPS.
And I dont shoot much out to 300yds... so I really dont see much difference except in FPS.
DiscoRacing
New member
Was only referring to published speeds Jim...
... no... didnt see the difference with the eye
... no... didnt see the difference with the eye
I've got both. I love the 22-250, it has so much more power, and range estimation is not so important. That said, I shoot my 223 a lot more, it's just more pleasant to shoot and out to 300-ish yards it works just as well as the big boy. Hits on smaller animals with the 223 are not quite as dramatic as using the 22-250, but it still works. If I had to pick one for a first rifle or all-around rifle, it would probably be a 223.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Scorch said:
I'm curious why you feel this way?
.223 and .22-250 both shoot the same bullets. The .22-250 can do it about 20% FASTER than the .223.
Doing this means a bigger case, more powder, and so more noise, and slightly more recoil (something I could measure, but not feel). Shoots flatter, too...
.22-250 costs a bit more, and performs a bit more. If it is useful to you, then its worth it. IF not, then, not.
I've had rifles in both calibers for decades. If I'm hunting, I use the .22-250. For playing & plinking (and defense, should the situation ever arise) I use the .223. But that's because of the rifles they are in, not the cartridges themselves.
Doing this means a bigger case, more powder, and so more noise, and slightly more recoil (something I could measure, but not feel). Shoots flatter, too...
.22-250 costs a bit more, and performs a bit more. If it is useful to you, then its worth it. IF not, then, not.
I've had rifles in both calibers for decades. If I'm hunting, I use the .22-250. For playing & plinking (and defense, should the situation ever arise) I use the .223. But that's because of the rifles they are in, not the cartridges themselves.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Even with the right powder ,if you want the velocity advantage of the 22-250 your going to be going through barrels much faster.
Not necessarily. I can launch 35gr bullets from a 24" 22-250 at over 4,400fps (real chronographed speed) at an estimated 58,000 psi. The SAAMI max for 22-250 is 65,000, which is not terribly barrel friendly but 58k is approximately the max pressure before barrel wear goes exponential.
That's only 3,000 psi over 223 levels but over 500fps faster.
I guess I can somewhat understand the muzzle blast feelings but I do not share them. Once a gun is loud enough that I need hearing protection I've never been bothered by differences between cartridges.
I suppose there are localities where a slightly quieter gun might help appease to neighbors but, having many, many times fired 204 and 22-250 right beside each other, I can't tell enough difference (from any distance) that it concerns me at all. Any of the cartridges in the "light, high-speed" world seem more or less "HolyCrap" loud to me, it's just a matter of how many exclamation points come after the HolyCrap!
Clifford L. Hughes
New member
HallAustin:
When I shoot prairie dogs I use my 223 in the morning until the wind comes up; then I switch to my 22-250.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
When I shoot prairie dogs I use my 223 in the morning until the wind comes up; then I switch to my 22-250.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
HALLAUSTIN
New member
Thanks for the good information. I said meat when I should have said hide/fur
mrawesome22
New member
Using a vmax or match bullet with the 22-250, you'll get a .224" entrance hole in a coyote, and no exit hole.
Turns the chest cavity into soup de jour.
Hunting at long ranges in wide open spaces like I do the varminter has a clear and real world advantage. I can be up to 100 yards off with the range estimate and still get a hit, where the 223 would be a miss.
Shooting at targets at known distances, flip a coin.
If you handload, there is no reason to pick 223 over the varminter.
Turns the chest cavity into soup de jour.
Hunting at long ranges in wide open spaces like I do the varminter has a clear and real world advantage. I can be up to 100 yards off with the range estimate and still get a hit, where the 223 would be a miss.
Shooting at targets at known distances, flip a coin.
If you handload, there is no reason to pick 223 over the varminter.
Primarily muzzle blast, my 22-250 is considerably louder and more concussion when firing than my 223. And recoil starts to become a factor when you shoot a couple hundred rounds per day. Sure, a few rounds, there's hardly any recoil at all to a 22-250, but after 200 rounds it becomes annoying. Takes me a lot longer to get tired of shooting the 223, and by then I'm done anyway.
Yes, on several points. It uses >50% more powder which translates pretty well into increased muzzle blast and recoil, the rifle is a full-sized Mauser sporter vs my 223 which is an Interarms Mini Mauser, and the 3,900 fps with the 22-250 will vaporize small animals while the 223 at 3,200 fps just dismantles them.
Marco Califo
New member
Military Surplus Ammo and Brass
No one else has mentioned this.
If you do not reload, then surplus military ammo is MUCH cheaper for 223 (IMI M193 55gr FMJBT ammunition 30 round box $10.00/30) than factory 22-250 ($14 to $20 for 20 @ Midway). That is a 52 to 67% savings by going with 223. And yes, varmint bullet loads are available in the same price range from Fiocchi, although a 223 FMJ will leave as small a hole as any.
If you DO reload, you can get 1,000 rounds of quality LC 223 brass for $89 with the primer crimp removed @ www.gibrass.com
Wideners has 22-250: R22250 22/250 Unprimed Brass $34.00 per 100, or $340 per 1,000.
This is a 74% savings by going with 223.
223 also loads with less powder than 22-250.
So, you have to ask yourself: Would you rather shoot a lot?
Or, spend much more to have better specs on paper, with limited practical advantage?
No one else has mentioned this.
If you do not reload, then surplus military ammo is MUCH cheaper for 223 (IMI M193 55gr FMJBT ammunition 30 round box $10.00/30) than factory 22-250 ($14 to $20 for 20 @ Midway). That is a 52 to 67% savings by going with 223. And yes, varmint bullet loads are available in the same price range from Fiocchi, although a 223 FMJ will leave as small a hole as any.
If you DO reload, you can get 1,000 rounds of quality LC 223 brass for $89 with the primer crimp removed @ www.gibrass.com
Wideners has 22-250: R22250 22/250 Unprimed Brass $34.00 per 100, or $340 per 1,000.
This is a 74% savings by going with 223.
223 also loads with less powder than 22-250.
So, you have to ask yourself: Would you rather shoot a lot?
Or, spend much more to have better specs on paper, with limited practical advantage?
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
At one of the varmint hunters' websites, I've read commentary that the 35-grain bullets don't exit and are thus preferred by the hide sellers.
Q1: 22-250
Q2: too many variables to give a definite answer.
Q3: I have both and 204 as well. I shoot the 223 the most simply because I'm used to it.
If you are talking about pelt damage, its a bit of a crap shoot. They both use the same bullets but the 22-250 sends them at a higher speed so you would assume it would make a bigger wreck. Here's what I've seen using 40 grain vmax out of a 223: most often you will only have an entrance wound with zero exit. Vmax are highly frangible which is good for varmints but it also makes them a bit unpredictable on impact. I've put one into the back hip of a coyote at 20 yards and had no exit at all. I've put one between the eyes of a coyote at 60 yards with no exit. I've put one in the ribcage of a coyote at 115 and seen surface splash blow a hole big enough to put a golfball through but the innards were left intact. I've put one in the boiler room of a coyote at 240 and had it damn near take his opposite shoulder off on the way out the door. And I've shot one in the front shoulder at 160 yards that I had to work to find any blood on at all. (thought I had scared her to death). There's been lots more but those are some of the ones that stand out in my mind as doing differently than expected upon impact. Overall, I would say 80% of the time I will not see an exit wound with that bullet from my 223.
Q2: too many variables to give a definite answer.
Q3: I have both and 204 as well. I shoot the 223 the most simply because I'm used to it.
If you are talking about pelt damage, its a bit of a crap shoot. They both use the same bullets but the 22-250 sends them at a higher speed so you would assume it would make a bigger wreck. Here's what I've seen using 40 grain vmax out of a 223: most often you will only have an entrance wound with zero exit. Vmax are highly frangible which is good for varmints but it also makes them a bit unpredictable on impact. I've put one into the back hip of a coyote at 20 yards and had no exit at all. I've put one between the eyes of a coyote at 60 yards with no exit. I've put one in the ribcage of a coyote at 115 and seen surface splash blow a hole big enough to put a golfball through but the innards were left intact. I've put one in the boiler room of a coyote at 240 and had it damn near take his opposite shoulder off on the way out the door. And I've shot one in the front shoulder at 160 yards that I had to work to find any blood on at all. (thought I had scared her to death). There's been lots more but those are some of the ones that stand out in my mind as doing differently than expected upon impact. Overall, I would say 80% of the time I will not see an exit wound with that bullet from my 223.
Last edited: