22-250 recommendations

[MongooseV8]

Im with LynnJr these days anything under 200 yards is what we call a close shot. Ive found that wearing dull fde type clothes has helped a lot but we dont get anymore 30 yard 22lr opportunities anymore.

223/22-250 for close shots less than 300 yards.

243/7STW for the longer shots.

[sigstroker]

OP
In car terminology if that will help. The 22-250 is a Corvette and the 223 is a Volkswagen.
They will both get you to the store but that is where the similarities end.

The truth is 300 yards is only the end of the driveway. Sure the Corvette will get there quicker, but the difference isn't worth worrying about.

[sigstroker]

If you end up getting 2 of them, make the other one the .204 and really see some big speed. Post video of flying varmints.

[digelectric]

If you end up getting 2 of them, make the other one the .204 and really see some big speed. Post video of flying varmints.

[Dogbite]

I'm a varmint hunters and what I tend to see is the varmints are getting smarter and smarter the more they get shot at.
You step into a field fire the first shot and everything under 250 yards runs off or goes underground.
For varmints velocity is what equates to those spectacular hits. Slower rounds don't give you those flipping in the air impacts the faster rounds do.
The 22-250 is every bit as accurate as the 223 it's just not as anemic.

So true - The little critters get educated. I hope everyone on this forum is smart enough to not drive their vehicle or walk out to check what's left of the critters. The surviving critters see the vehicle or person and get educated. Their gone when you come back the next time to have fun. I would walk and then crawl to my vantage point before engaging. Sometimes several hundred yards. Try that with 2 rifles, ammo, water ECT. The little critters never knew where the danger was coming from and lengthened my engagement time considerably.
It's been years since I exploded pests - Just typing this is getting me interested again. I just might be assembling that 6mm I always wanted but could never justify. My 22-250AI was amazing but a 6mm at similar velocities would be the cat's meeeyoww.

[LynnJr]

The truth is 300 yards is only the end of the driveway. Sure the Corvette will get there quicker, but the difference isn't worth worrying about.

Actually the small 22 caliber bullets have very low BC numbers so the velocity is what gives you the flat trajectory. Varmints aren't usually found in a dense forest so wind is always a problem. Squeaks prairie dogs and ground squirrels aren't very wide so wind is a major factor in your hit ratio.
The 204 is 100% a varmint round as it only shoots light bullets.
The 223 is a compromise gun in that it does everything decently but nothing great.
The 22-250 is a 4450 FPS varmint gun with the light bullets and it also crushes the 223 with the heavy bullets.
Barrel life is the downside of any high performance round and each shooter needs to factor that in to there realistic hunting expectations.
Shooting cheap military surplus ammo means less hits so more missed shots and varmint hunting hits is what started the game of Benchrest so I don't think many varmint hunters want less accuracy.

[JTROKS]

I have a Winchester HBV in 22-250 since mid 90s. It’s a heck of a gun!

When you go to a dog town the 223 Rem will get most of the work. Bring a 1/8 twist AR and 1/9 twist bolt gun with the ammo they shoot accurate with and you’ll take any P-dogs out to 300 yards. You just won’t get that explosive effect on the varmints. 243AI will take out P-dogs at 600 yards no problem.

[Milsurp1]

[digelectric]

My 22-250AI was amazing but a 6mm at similar velocities would be the cat's meeeyoww.

[ar15barrels]

If you’re talking 6mm creedmoor, isn’t that a pretty expensive round?

There are many 6mm cartridges.

243 is the most popular.
Some others: 6mm Remington, 6mm PPC, 6mm BR, 6mm Creedmoor, 6x223, 6x222magnum, 6x47Lapua, 6XC, 6TCU and many other less popular ones.

[peterinsj]

Twist rate with non lead bullets

I won a Howa 1500 in 22-250. Its a tack driver with some 45gr Barnes TSX loads I developed but I couldn't get good results with anything heavier. That rifle has a 1:12 twist.

Savage has a couple of rifles in 22-250 with a 1:9 twist rate. If you want to be able to shoot lead free loads heavier than 45gr in the 22-250 that faster twist Savage would be the best non-custom build I've found.

[Dogbite]

[QUOTE
If you’re talking 6mm creedmoor, isn’t that a pretty expensive round? What do you like about it vs the others discussed?[/QUOTE]

There are many 6mm cartridges.

243 is the most popular.
Some others: 6mm Remington, 6mm PPC, 6mm BR, 6mm Creedmoor, 6x223, 6x222magnum, 6x47Lapua, 6XC, 6TCU and many other less popular ones.

Randal is right -
May Great platforms to choose from
I don’t have any personal loading data on any 6mm rounds so my advice would be from reading data only – Worthless -.

I did shoot my friends 243 AI only 5 rounds (He was very possessive and hovered over me – Very irritating.) I was unable to make any hits 500 to 600+ with his rifle. I could give you a 100 excuses but it is what it is LOL. I was able to destroy a pest with my third shot Approximately 570ish +/- (Short & right). My 22-250AI wouldn’t have done that.

I was toying with the idea of a 6mm BR for a long time but a 243AI is most likely - Cheap brass and everything has already been figured out by smarter people. I don’t really need to load long projectiles so this would work for my purpose.

This is all wishful thinking on my part because I will have to find a couple of locations first before I jump in all the way. My funds are limited and I have other projects that need to be completed. I ready do miss destroying pests.

[digelectric]

[sigstroker]

The Creedmoor is intended for long range, and will be more expensive to shoot than a .243., which is fine to 800 yards or more. The long range bullets don't work well with the common .243 twist. .243 ammo is everywhere, just get what's on sale.

[digelectric]