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Hunting
Coyote Hunting - From 10 Yards to over 1,000 Yards
223 or 22-250
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<blockquote data-quote="benchracer" data-source="post: 1032891" data-attributes="member: 22069"><p>I am a big fan of the 22-250, but I think the .223 is a better choice for your stated purposes. With what is currently available for the .223, it is an extremely versatile cartridge. Hornady Superformance ammo with the 53 VMAX takes the .223 very near factory 22-250/55 grain bullet ballistics. You can find everything from 40 grain varmint bullets to 77 grain match loads in factory .223 ammo. If you load your own, you can use lead bullets and either shotgun powders or Trailboss to produce rimfire equivalent loads that are more accurate and less expensive than most current 22LR ammo (if you can even find any).</p><p> </p><p>A big issue with the various .22 centerfires is factory barrel twist. Most 22-250 factory rifles have a 14 twist, which severely restricts which bullets will shoot well from them. The best .224 bullets, that have been recently introduced, won't work reliably in a 14 twist. Some manufacturers offer 22-250's in a 12 twist, which is better, but still rules out a lot of excellent .224 bullets. Only Savage offers one with a 9 twist, which allows you to use some of the heavier match bullets. For most 22-250's, though, anything other than a 14 twist requires a custom barrel.</p><p> </p><p>The .223 is less affected by this. There are many .223 rifles with 7, 8, or 9 twist barrels right out of the box, which allow the use of a much wider variety of ammo. The .223's mild velocities also tend to make lighter bullets less finicky when shot from a tight twist vs the much faster 22-250, which has been known to blow up lighter bullets when fired from tight twist barrels.</p><p> </p><p>The Remington SPS Varmint in .223 has a 12 twist, which means it will work very well with the Hornady 53 VMAX, but rules out use of match ammo with the heavier bullets. </p><p> </p><p>IMO, there are better choices out there for about the same money as the SPS, that will be more versatile rifles because they are offered with faster twists, and because they will need less in the way of upgrades:</p><p> </p><p>Savage offers fast twist .223 and 22-250 models in their 11 and 12 series rifles. Pick your features and prices. They come with an accutrigger that will give you a trigger that won't need to be replaced to obtain a decent trigger pull. Depending on the model, you might want to upgrade the stock, but finding a good replacement at reasonable prices won't be difficult. Another big advantage of the Savage rifles is their modular nature, which allows the user to perform a LOT of different upgrades with simple hand tools. A lot can be done with these rifles without going to a gunsmith.</p><p> </p><p>The Ruger American is an inexpensive rifle that, so far, is developing a very good reputation for out-of-the-box accuracy. It is being offered in sporter and predator models. The 22-250 is offered with a 10 twist, while the .223 is offered in an 8 twist. The American has a trigger similar to the Savage Accutrigger and has a barrel that is retained in a similar manner to a Savage, allowing for future barrel swaps without a gunsmith. The big weakness of the American seems to be the flimsy factory stock. Boyd's is offering laminated stocks that would cure that weakness quite handily.</p><p> </p><p>Another option is the Mossberg MVP. It, too, is offered in a variety of models, all of which sport a 9 twist barrel, chambered in 5.56 NATO (which will digest surplus ammo and .223 ammo), in various lengths. Among these are varmint and predator models. The MVP takes AR mags, has an Accutrigger style trigger, a Savage style barrel retention nut and, like the Savage, is constructed in a modular manner that will form an excellent basis for a future build. The predator and varmint models come with a good quality laminate stock that will not need to be upgraded. The varmint model can be had from the factory with a muzzle threaded for a suppressor. If you desire to load rounds longer than mag length, you can fit an AR mag with a single shot follower, which will allow for single feeding.</p><p> </p><p>I opted for the Mossberg MVP Varmint. It cost me $529 and was field ready after mounting a scope. It is good to go as is and won't need to be upgraded. There are a lot of excellent choices out there in .223 at very reasonable prices. Good luck with whatever you choose.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="benchracer, post: 1032891, member: 22069"] I am a big fan of the 22-250, but I think the .223 is a better choice for your stated purposes. With what is currently available for the .223, it is an extremely versatile cartridge. Hornady Superformance ammo with the 53 VMAX takes the .223 very near factory 22-250/55 grain bullet ballistics. You can find everything from 40 grain varmint bullets to 77 grain match loads in factory .223 ammo. If you load your own, you can use lead bullets and either shotgun powders or Trailboss to produce rimfire equivalent loads that are more accurate and less expensive than most current 22LR ammo (if you can even find any). A big issue with the various .22 centerfires is factory barrel twist. Most 22-250 factory rifles have a 14 twist, which severely restricts which bullets will shoot well from them. The best .224 bullets, that have been recently introduced, won't work reliably in a 14 twist. Some manufacturers offer 22-250's in a 12 twist, which is better, but still rules out a lot of excellent .224 bullets. Only Savage offers one with a 9 twist, which allows you to use some of the heavier match bullets. For most 22-250's, though, anything other than a 14 twist requires a custom barrel. The .223 is less affected by this. There are many .223 rifles with 7, 8, or 9 twist barrels right out of the box, which allow the use of a much wider variety of ammo. The .223's mild velocities also tend to make lighter bullets less finicky when shot from a tight twist vs the much faster 22-250, which has been known to blow up lighter bullets when fired from tight twist barrels. The Remington SPS Varmint in .223 has a 12 twist, which means it will work very well with the Hornady 53 VMAX, but rules out use of match ammo with the heavier bullets. IMO, there are better choices out there for about the same money as the SPS, that will be more versatile rifles because they are offered with faster twists, and because they will need less in the way of upgrades: Savage offers fast twist .223 and 22-250 models in their 11 and 12 series rifles. Pick your features and prices. They come with an accutrigger that will give you a trigger that won't need to be replaced to obtain a decent trigger pull. Depending on the model, you might want to upgrade the stock, but finding a good replacement at reasonable prices won't be difficult. Another big advantage of the Savage rifles is their modular nature, which allows the user to perform a LOT of different upgrades with simple hand tools. A lot can be done with these rifles without going to a gunsmith. The Ruger American is an inexpensive rifle that, so far, is developing a very good reputation for out-of-the-box accuracy. It is being offered in sporter and predator models. The 22-250 is offered with a 10 twist, while the .223 is offered in an 8 twist. The American has a trigger similar to the Savage Accutrigger and has a barrel that is retained in a similar manner to a Savage, allowing for future barrel swaps without a gunsmith. The big weakness of the American seems to be the flimsy factory stock. Boyd's is offering laminated stocks that would cure that weakness quite handily. Another option is the Mossberg MVP. It, too, is offered in a variety of models, all of which sport a 9 twist barrel, chambered in 5.56 NATO (which will digest surplus ammo and .223 ammo), in various lengths. Among these are varmint and predator models. The MVP takes AR mags, has an Accutrigger style trigger, a Savage style barrel retention nut and, like the Savage, is constructed in a modular manner that will form an excellent basis for a future build. The predator and varmint models come with a good quality laminate stock that will not need to be upgraded. The varmint model can be had from the factory with a muzzle threaded for a suppressor. If you desire to load rounds longer than mag length, you can fit an AR mag with a single shot follower, which will allow for single feeding. I opted for the Mossberg MVP Varmint. It cost me $529 and was field ready after mounting a scope. It is good to go as is and won't need to be upgraded. There are a lot of excellent choices out there in .223 at very reasonable prices. Good luck with whatever you choose. [/QUOTE]
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Coyote Hunting - From 10 Yards to over 1,000 Yards
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