.22 Centerifres

[Shadowrider]

Well, I could post this under varmints or I could post it under rifles or I could post it just about anywhere, buuuuuut, since danr said I could "hang" with you guys, I thought I'd see if there's any valuable advice in here.

Besides, I'll be reloading for it anyway, so the question qualifies.

I have had my eye on buying a .22 centerfire for a long time now but keep going in circles as to what to get. Being a reloader, I looooove those numbers and those charts. Out in the field, dead is dead and the critter probably could care less what my nifty little books say about how fast that bullet was flying when he got zapped. So, I guess the problem really is of my own making.

I have studied the charts on the .220 Swift, the .22-.250 and the .223. My favorite is the .22-.250. What are your opinions of these three calibers, bearing in mind that ease of reloading, availability/cost of components and versatility are my concerns.
SR

 

[deadeye2]

Shad,
I like the 223 Rem and the 22-250, I have one of each. I have messed with a couple 220 swifts and just didn't like the round. Many people love it. I feel the 22-250 is about as good as you can get.
Be safe, have fun!
deadeye2

 

[Arkie55]

SR,
I don't have any of those rifles but I do have a .222. Reloading for this little rifle is a lot of fun, it is cheap, and I can get pulled remington core-lokt bullets for 3.00 per hundred about 60 miles south of me. Mine loves IMR 4064 with the 55grn bullets. It shoots just over 3000 and will shoot through the same hole at 100 yards. It is a real crow buster and a pleasure to shoot.

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Never forget your dreams and work hard to make them a reality.

 

[danr55]

Well, It's about time you decided to hang out over here. I like all of the 22 centerfires. I have the first 223 varmint gun that I ever built and it still shoots sub 3/8 inch groups. I've tried the 22-250, the 222 and it's magnum alter ego, the 220 swift, and several of the 22/243 derivitives. I think for accuracy, the triple duece is probably the winner unless you want to try the PPC loading. The velocity winner, is without a doubt, one of the 22-243 derivitives. My personal favorite is the 224 Durham Jet. For all around application on varmints, and Antelope, I don't think you can beat the improved version of the 22-250. It is only 100 or so feet behind the Swift and it uses about 2/3 the powder. The biggest mistake the most folks make with the 22 caliber centerfires is that they try to use a 22 inch barrel. With that much powder and that small a bore, you need a full 24 inches to get everything this round has to offer. With the 223 and the 222 though, anything over 22 inches becomes a hinderance more than it helps. If you just want a vanilla factory rifle with ammo over the counter, you'd have to go a long way to beat the 22-250.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[deadeye2]

danr55,
Thank you, you said all the things that I was going to say, with grace!
Be safe, have fun! deadeye2

 

[Shadowrider]

Thanks guys. You have increased my opinion of this place tremendously!

Arkie, thanks for the info on the .222. I had forgotten about that one.
deadeye, thanks for the vote of confidence on the 22-250.
danr,danr,danr,
You can complicate a guys life faster than a woman can change her mind.

Those 243 derivs sound pretty neat, but for a first gun I'll probably keep er simple. Now I'm thinking .222 or 22-250.
SR

 

[WDSWIFT]

Shadowrider, Assuming that where you'll be hunting will be in the wide open spaces compared to around here, I'll cast my vote for the 22-250. I have a 220 Swift and love it dearly, but I'd be less than honest if I told you that it wasn't a finicky cuss like the other 3 I've messed with. Once you get a load or two to work it will shoot the eyes out of 'chucks at 200 yds day in and day out.
The 3 22-250's I am reloading for right now use about the same load as my Swift, and they are all good shooters.
I emphaticly aggree with Danr55 that ya need to get that barrel length up to 24" or longer. I have a 26".
For where you are the 223 may be a little "short" on a given day. Good luck on your choice of Brand of rifle.WD.

 

[danr55]

Now Rider, That's no way to talk to an old man. You need to be nice. If you're not nice, I may introduce you to the most accurate of all the 22 centerfires and really complicate your life. Buy the 22-250 in a fairly heavy rifle with a good trigger and put quality optics on it. Then you can begin to decimate the prairie puppy population of North America. Be careful though, there are only about 8 to 10 million of these critters left. They may be becoming endangered. (What a joke!)

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Shadow - everyone has given you great advice, and I have to go along with their votes for the .22-250. Out here, my shots rarely exceed 250 yards on ground squirrels, so my .223 does fine. Most shots are actually around 150 to 200 yards. (I even use my .22 mag, just for challenge and sneaking up a little closer to them.) It's a wonderful dilemma, trying to choose a new gun, isn't it?

[This message has been edited by Calif. Hunter (edited 01-16-2001).]

 

[Mountain Boomer]

I don't know any thing about reloading and can't figure out why I am here. But since I am here I will offer what I know about my 220 swift. Factory loads are a bitty to find and it doesn't shoot the lighter loads as well as the heavy ones. Mine tends to shoot the 55 grain Winchester solid nose bullets the best. I am not sure of the actual group size but, I can group them on top of each other at 100 yards. I love the little gun but, it can be a pain to find ammo for.

 

[Nodak Hunter]

I've used both a .223 and a .22-250 for rodents and 'yotes, and I am a big fan of the .22-250. Flatter shooting, less finicky (at least in my rifle) and a real confidence builder, you can't beat it.

Both of my rifles are basically identical Remington heavy barrelled varminters, and by having this, I do see one advantage to the .223. You can pick up cheap factory ammo anywhere for practice, or if you are out in the field and run out of ammo or forget which box it was in and find yourself with a .223 rifle and .243 ammo or whatever. Factory ammo can be had for as little as $5 per box. It ain't the greatest ammo in the world, but it's there and it's low cost makes for a good practice session.

Whichever way you go, with a little experimenting, all of these rounds mentioned here are formidable varminters.

[This message has been edited by Nodak Hunter (edited 01-20-2001).]

 

[Slamfire]

I think you are headed in the wrong direction. Get a .221 quieter, cheaper, just as accurate. It'll get you invited back to some places a .22-250 or .220 will get you thrown out of.

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[danr55]

Slamfire, The venerable Jet is great, but I don't know many folks that can get close enough to a coyote to use one.

OOps. Are you talking about the Fireball? That's better, but still not up to the standards of the 22-250 for long range work.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

[This message has been edited by danr55 (edited 01-20-2001).]

 

[Shadowrider]

Slamjet,
I'm not at all familiar with the .221. What is it? I gather from danr's appreciation of it,

it isn't a long range rifle? SR

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..."The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been"...

 

[Slamfire]

It's that pistol cartridge Remington developed when they started the hand cannon craze, the Fireball. In a rifle with a 22" barrel it is good to about 200, which is nearly the usfulness of the .222. As far a getting close to the 'yotes, they seem to be running around in the suburbs quite boldly. Not that I think they should be hunted there.

 

[sandburr]

What happned to the 219 Zipper? I thought it was a real nice round>

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JHP

 

[danr55]

You're right sandburr, it is a nice round. Unfortunately, the Zipper, along with the 250 Savage, the 257 Newton, the 300 Barnes Supreme, the ICL Wapiti, the 33 OKH and so many other great cartridges have just fallen away from lack of use. It's really too bad to, because alot of these are being reinvented with contemporary components and are being given different names and the folks that really worked out all the kinks aren't getting any of the credit. Then, I guess that's life.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com

 

[sandburr]

Well I guess we here in the Ozarks are a little behind the times! A lot of whitetail hunters still use 250Savage. I have a Marlin 219 Zipper I still like very well. I just like those old rounds! That is one reason I am looking for a 32-20.

 

[danr55]

If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret. I have a Ruger Ultralight in 250 Savage that I love to hunt with. It's a great little rifle. Not a thing wrong with that caliber.

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Dan AZ www.huntandlodge.com