223 versus 22.250

Rivertrash:
When I shoot prairie dogs I shoot both calibers: the 223 in the morning before the wind picks up and later the 22-250. The 22-250 tames the wind better than the 223, but not much. After the winds picks up, it's not the caliber that counts, it's the shooter's skill at doping the wind.

Semper Fi.


Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
4runnerman I have a 22-250 made in 1978 that has at a minimum of 5k rounds through it and it shoots 1" MOA with quality ammo. How many rounds and how do you tell if a barrel is shot out

When it starts to not pull tight groups any more. 5000 rounds is a fair amount,but i would think you have a few thousand more to go. Bullet speed and a few other things come into play with barrel life also.
 
Muscrat says:
I have a 22-250 made in 1978 that has at a minimum of 5k rounds through it and it shoots 1" MOA with quality ammo.
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When the .222 Rem. was "the" cartridge to win benchrest matches, as well as the 22 PPC round did, they both started loosing accuracy at around 3000 rounds. This is for people shooting the smallest groups and setting the records. Each burns about 22 grains of powder.

It's been proved over the years that when the powder charge weight doubles for a given caliber, barrel life gets cut by 3/4ths. This applies to cartridges and barrels shooting sub 1/4 MOA at 100 yards. As the 22-250 burns about twice as much powder as those cartridges, it's barrel life will be around 700 to 800 rounds....for a sub 1/4 MOA rifle.

If the barrel starts out shooting 3/4 to 1 MOA, then it will probably go 3 to 4 times as many rounds before one will see accuracy falling off. Sometimes even more rounds.

One other thing that most folks don't want to believe. Someone who can shoot very accurately will notice a given rounds accuracy falling off much quicker in barrel life that someone who's not a crack shot.

All of which is why there's a wide spread in what folks say a given cartridge's barrel life is.
 
I've been reloading for the 22-250 using nosler varmint bullets (55gr). 34gr of varget. Off a bench it's about 1" MOA for the first 3 shots then when it warms up it opens up. Either way that's good enough for varmit and deer hunting.

It's been in the family since new. I would like to get it restored does anybody in know of someone in Texas that is good?
 
It's been in the family since new.

Understand that one muscrat-- I still have my Red Ryder BB gun. Trip down memory lane is always fun for sure.:D
 
Favorite make?

Well, um...no. Not for this purpose. I have used an H&R Handi-rifle that was a tack driver (5 shots 1/2" @ 100yds), and good bolt actions from Ruger and Remington. As Sod Rats are a high volume proposition here in MT, I think an accurized flat-top AR with a 22" bull barrel might be ideal.
 
As usual when a .223 vs. .22-250 thread come up you have the ".223 is cheaper" folk show up. And as usual they are wrong. The cost difference between "quality" ammo for each is very small. Toss that in with the fact that you're hunting not burning 100's of rounds down range thru your tacticool gun and it makes any difference in price completely null and void.

You will save a penny or 2 when reloading but they use the same bullets, brass last a long long time, primers cost the same, etc. The .22-250 is the better cartridge. It shoots flatter, it has less wind drift at any given range, it has more range. What's not to like.

LK
 
It's been proved over the years that when the powder charge weight doubles for a given caliber, barrel life gets cut by 3/4ths. This applies to cartridges and barrels shooting sub 1/4 MOA at 100 yards. As the 22-250 burns about twice as much powder as those cartridges, it's barrel life will be around 700 to 800 rounds....for a sub 1/4 MOA rifle.

If the barrel starts out shooting 3/4 to 1 MOA, then it will probably go 3 to 4 times as many rounds before one will see accuracy falling off. Sometimes even more rounds.

One other thing that most folks don't want to believe. Someone who can shoot very accurately will notice a given rounds accuracy falling off much quicker in barrel life that someone who's not a crack shot.

All of which is why there's a wide spread in what folks say a given cartridge's barrel life is.
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Seriously? I must have shot out my .270WIN in the a single summer, then?

Bart, this is going to chap the b-hinds of benchrest guys everywhere, but it is still true: Less than one in a million shooters can consistantly hold to 1/4" without a bench and a rest, and nobody can cart a bench and a Lead Sled around with them in any practical situation..... what practical good is changing out a barrel after less than 1000 rounds when the improvement in accuracy can't be appreciated by the shooter?

Listening to benchrest guys talk about accuracy is like listening to dragster mechanics talk about driving ..... most of it just isn't relevant outside their niche.

While I may not be a "crack shot" benchrest shooter, I can use my equipment to the utmost of it's capability, without a bench to lean on ...... minute of prairie dog is good enough...... I seriously doubt that will be enough of a difference in accuracy due to barrel wear between two factory rifles fed factory ammo in either caliber to notice.......
 
Question: How do you tell when you need to replace a barrell?

Answer: When the rifle becomes less accurate than you.
 
.223 ammo is more common and can be shared with your favorite AR.
.22-50 shooters flatter, but is harder on barrels.

If I were starting from scratch, and plan on having more than one gun in the same caliber-range, I'd buy a .223 today.
 
+1 for the .204 Ruger, flat, fast, and shoot like a laser beam. 39 grain Hornady off the shelf ammo is about a buck a round but if your roll your own they are less than a quarter per shot
 
jimbob86, Having shot BR I can tell you no one I knew replace a barrel because it was wore out. It was replace when it lost the accuracy edge to be competitive and that was a choice made by the owner of that rifle.

I never heard any complaints about having to replace a barrel that was just part of the game and you don't shoot BR if you don't have the money.

I do agree talking BR accuracy is boring to someone that doesn't understand it but for the guys talking about it is interesting.

I never look at the 22-50 being harder on barrel than the 223. what I look at your going to get less shots with the 22-250 as the barrel heat up faster and takes more time to cool down. If your a volume shooter you can toast a 22-250 just as easy a 223 barrel.
 
Going back to the OP (Remember the OP?), I'm pretty sure that the .223 will do just as well as the .22-250 on ground squirrels to 100 yards.

For that matter, so would a .17 Mach II or .17 HMR. :D
 
Why the different choices? Because the idea when using a centerfire on vermin is overkill! The .223 will, with cheap, common, 45-55gr hollowpoints, split a gopher plum in two, leaving a few scattered chunks, and (ideally) a cloud of red mist.

Prarie Poodles & 'chucks weigh more, and more energy ensures the desired graphic, er, I mean humane, results.

Also, the louder the BOOM, the longer the little buggers will stay in their holes.

...and a western gopher shoot can be a high volume afair, with up to 300 rounds fired in a day.
 
you don't shoot BR if you don't have the money.
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Replace " shoot BR" with "build and race dragsters", and add "and desire to excell in a an extemely esoteric niche competition" right after "money", and I think we have hit the nail on the head, there .....

I do agree talking BR accuracy is boring to someone that doesn't understand it but for the guys talking about it is interesting.
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Oh, I believe I understand it perfectly: It seems to me to be a competition born of an alliance of mechanics and checkbooks ..... with very little practical application ...... And I am quite sure that while a bunch of dragster mechanics could expound for hours on the various minutae of cubic inches, fuel composition, carb adjustments, tire selection, and gear ratios, a rusty 1986 Toyota Corolla will beat them in a race around my block ....... and carry 5 people doing it.....


Jeff Cooper said it a long time ago:

Specialization is for insects.


(Remember the OP?)
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Certainly!

I am looking to purchase a longer range ground squirrel gun than my .22 and am interested in something in the 223 or 22.250 range. Seems the 223 would be cheaper to reload but does anyone have opinions on which would be the best for 100+ yard shooting at varmits? Thanks
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I will defer to the Good Colonel on this:

The best rifle is the one you have.
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If you do not have one that does what you want, decide what it is you want your rifle to do ...... Shoot prairie dogs at under 300? Or turn prarie dogs into "pink mist" at under 300 yards? If the former, then a .223 will do that (as will a .222 Rem, .221 Fireball, and do so cheaper than .22/250 ..... If the latter, then move on up to the .220 Swift ..... or settle for a happy middle with the .22/250....
 
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