223 or 22-250

[jstone]

Looking at buying a rifle.. 223s ammo is cheaper but 22-250 better long range gun. Whats better for yots or cats?? Advice Please.

[BlackRidge]

22-250 for any long distance shots, especially for varmints, not sure how much they run price-wise

The only real benefits of the 223 is the cost of ammo (like you noted) and the amount of accessories/versatility of the 223 platform (usually AR)

Both have more than enough power to down yotes/cats

 

[Special T]

If your not a very good shot like me you need the 223 for 2 reasons... You will need to keep your shots to about 300yrds And Or you will need the AR for follow up shots.    If you are a dead eye then the 22-50 is your rifle in some kind of bolt action... and if your gona go bolt action and not AR then you might as well get the 22-250 becasue your not going to shoot it as much..  I'm still saving up for my AR. 

[demontang]

If you are looking at a bolt gun go 22-250 and if you got the cash for a AR and like them go that route. They both will knock down a yote or cat the 22-250 has the edge in power and range and really isnt that much more to shoot as long as your not plinking all the time with it.

[Swag]

This is a question that I ask myself every time I get ready for stand,  & for me it has do do with the type of ground I am hunting.  On the more rolling ground when there is lots of opportunity's to lose sight of the yote I perfer the ar, so I can get the multiple follow up shots if need be.    But if it is relatively flat I would roll with the 22-250.  I will also say it is much better way to learn when hunting yote's with a bolt gun other than with a Ar, you less of a tendency to educate yote with careless shots just because you can rattle them out there quick.

[Huntboy]

It would depend on how open the country that you are hunting is. Close shots with a 22-250 will tear a cat up.

[VarmintVentilator]

Have both, like both.  Been using the 22-250 the last couple of years though.  My load combination for this gun is a tack driver.  But as far as the 223 being cheaper to shoot, it's suppose to be one shot one kill, right.     Riiiiiiight!   

[jstone]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Think i will be picking up the 22 250 for my christmas gift

[trippledigitss]

Get em both - they are both good! Thats what I did. (I can never make up my mind so I do that alot, buy at least 2 of everything, drives my wife nuts. Couldnt decide between the red or the silver motorcyle, got em both, couldnt decide between the desert camo or mossy oak shotguns, got em both, couldnt decide between the SA Pony, or DA Mustang.... well you get the picture... probably why I'm always BROKE!)  

I got an S&W MP15 in .223 and I love it, also got the Howa Axiom in 22-250 and it is great too. Both kill dogs just fine. As far as the ammo, they really cost about the same anyway when you get into the varmint hunting rounds, like the Vmax stuff. Ammo was a big concern of mine too when 1st picking rifles but then someone on here pointed out that really you are not shooting a whole bunch of rounds when you are hunting anyway. Figure I've killed 4 dogs from one box of ammo and still got 16rds left, so its really not that expensive....

[brew]

It would depend on how open the country that you are hunting is. Close shots with a 22-250 will tear a cat up.

??  I've shot critters with my 22-250 at 30 yards with 40 gr HP's that are coming out of the barrel at 3500 FPS and have not had them exit....no pelt damage and have them taxidermied on my safe......how far are you talking about shooting??  after 400 yards the major difference is how much you've paid for your scope not whether its a 223 or 22-250

[jstone]

I will be hunting some very open country around wenatchee and maybe by yakima. So i would say 200 yards atleast

[bearhunter99]

I don't think it matters all that much really, more pesonal preference than anything.  I have a 22-250, .204 Ruger, .222 and a .220 Swift and haven't noticed any one caliber to be ay better than the other really.  The most important thing is good glass and having a rifle that you are extremely comfortable with.

[rock]

22-250 it case you get a cougar come in

[CAMPMEAT]

22-250 it case you get a cougar come in

My buddy shot a cougar 3 Sundays ago with an AR 223. Dead with one shot.

[Bob33]

The 22-250 is about 100 yards faster than a .223.  That means the 22-250 has as much velocity and energy at 100 yards at a .223 does at the muzzle.

I really doubt that either would lack sufficient energy to kill a coyote at 500 yards, with the right bullet and good shot placement.

The primary advantage of the 223 is lower cost of ammunition.  If that doesn't matter, go with the 22-250. 

The biggest factor in answering the "how far will it..." type questions is usually not the caliber.

[Straight Shooter]

Although the .22-250 is undoubtedly a better performing cartridge, I still prefer the .223 (I own 5 of them).  The .223 is very accurate, cheap to shoot, ammo readily available and will kill anything (knowing its limits) that I'm shooting at within 300 yards.  If I want/need better performance, I'll move up to the .243 (a great dual predator/deer cartridge).

[Slenk]

I had a .223 , have a 22-250 now and like it a lot better.
I don't shoot a spray and pray gun though either.
Not much difference in cost of ammo if you reload.
Slenk

[DaveR]

I have, and like both. I don't think you could go wrong with a 22-250 for the big vermin. If you plan on rodent's though. You better get a .223. 22-250's don't last when the shooting is good. Unless you have 4 or 5 of um on the tailgate. I started out with a 22-250. Then I went to Idaho on a chuck shoot. That lead to pdogs, and gophers, n squirrels. Prepare yourself for the same thing happening to you. Either way you will NEED both I guess....It can turn out bad. The wife will end up using them on you. Cause as the wind picks up. Most of us need a bigger, and bigger gun. There is no end to it....Good Luck!

[hoosier85]

Is it just me or is this just us guys that cant make up our minds on calibers. everytime I take my wife to look at guns for her she is always dead set on what she wants and has tunnel vision. she will handle a few guns but go right back to the same one everytime. Myself on the other hand, it takes me months to figure out what caliber  and what kind of gun i want. I don't know were i am taking this reply but i guess what i am trying to say is am i the only one that notices this??   


oh and both rounds are great, i guess what it would come down for me is what platform do i want to use and price and availability of the ammo.

[Bob33]

But as far as the 223 being cheaper to shoot, it's suppose to be one shot one kill, right.     Riiiiiiight!   

What if you want to make a couple thousand one-shot kills? 

[700xcr]

If you want to do alot of high volume shooting I would get the 223rem. and with less barrel heat.

[fair-chase]

Is it just me or is this just us guys that cant make up our minds on calibers. everytime I take my wife to look at guns for her she is always dead set on what she wants and has tunnel vision. she will handle a few guns but go right back to the same one everytime. Myself on the other hand, it takes me months to figure out what caliber  and what kind of gun i want. I don't know were i am taking this reply but i guess what i am trying to say is am i the only one that notices this??   

I look at guns the same way as your wife. I have exactly what I want in mind and nothing anyone can show me will deter me from my original plan. Before setting foot in the store I already know what make, model, caliber, scope, and accessories I want on a particular weapon. Once I have that one I will start planning the next, usually a couple of years of planning a platform before I commit. That being said there have been a few instances where I have bought second hand guns on a whim just because the price was right, but I never find as much enjoyment out of the ones I just stumble upon. The second hand guns in no way sidetrack me from my original goal though. My wife calls it stubbornness. I call it determination.