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22-250 or 243
- Thread starter Tnwhip
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shortgrass
Well-Known Member
Split the difference and go .22/.243 with a 1 in 8 twist.
Go with a .243 Winchester. I found myself in this same situation, but after much research and experience, I concluded that the .243 WIN has to be the best all around varmint cartridge out there. Components are everywhere for it, its fast, pretty easy on powder, long barrel life, high BC bullets including the 87gr V-MAX (my favorite) which has a G1 BC of .400, really high for a lightweight varmint slug. It had everything I was looking for. Its also extremely accurate,mine, which is a Remington Model 700 ADL Varmint with 6.5-20x40 Leupold Target, shoots 1/4inch-3/8inch groups easy at 100yds and well under 1/2 MOA out to 700yds, where my range card ends. Yes, there's faster wildcats out there and other cartridges, but none are as efficient, easy to supply, and rifles and ammunition can be found anywhere for the .243 Winchester. I hope this info helps. I have nothing against the great .22-250, but past 400yds the .243 takes over.
Hunter2678
Well-Known Member
Do an 8 twist .243, its simply too versatile ...you can run 75 and 80s in it if you wanna go light and they wont choke out or you can run 105s around 3050-3100fps and buck the ever living bejeebus out of the wind on long shots. If its 300 yds and in, then a 22-250 would be all you' really need.
lloydsmale
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either would make a great coyote gun. Me id proably go 243 just so i would be better armed if i ever decided to shoot a deer with it.
What about a 6mm 22-250? 22-243 with the heavy bullets? The most practical is the standard 243. Most of my shooting is well under 300 yards and the most is 500. this is just a coyote and crow rifle. I have other rifles for deer.
shortgrass
Well-Known Member
The .22/243 with a 8 twist barrel is a 'heavy for caliber' set up. Instead of the of the 6mm/.22-250, look at the 6mmXC. Norma factory cases are available for it. Use the 8 twist for the XC, too.
Why don't you just keep it simple and go with a .243 Winchester?
benchracer
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Realistically, if 500 yards is your max, a 12 twist and 53g VMAX's @ 3900 or so would likely be a pretty good combo. Plug the numbers in to a ballistic calculator and you'll see what I mean.
The 75 and 80 grain AMAX's don't show a significant wind drift advantage until after about 300 yards or so.
A 9 twist barrel reportedly will allow you to use 75g BTHP's and might stabilize the 75g AMAX, while still allowing good performance with lighter bullets. The 8 twist would be better if you are sure you want to shoot the heavies.
+1 just read his max range is 500 and 300yds is the average. We are going to load 53gr V-MAXs in my cousins .22-250 for the same applications.
DarryH
Well-Known Member
I grew up shooting fox in Iowa. It can be very windy there.
I never had anything but 52 and 55 grain bullets back then.
These were great at 300 yards, and pretty good to 400 yards, but 400 was iffy.
Wind played havoc on this caliber, even at 300 yards.
With these new heavy bullets and the ability to choose appropriate rifling, I have to say I love this caliber again.
The .243 was much better on windy days. It was a bit harder on pelts, so it was not used as much.
How far out do you want to shoot????
I would still choose the .243 for shooting in the wind.
With the VLD bullets available now......wow!!!!
I still consider the 22-250 to be a 400 yard round at best.....but keep in mind....
am talking from a hunter's perspective, NOT a target shooter's.
I have a 24" barreled AR15 in .223 caliber, with a 1 in 8: twist.
With Black Hills 75 grain BT ammo, and no wind, I have been shooting a LOT
of sub-MOA groups at 300 yards. So think what the 22-250 can do!!!!!
One last thing.....as a hunter.....lighter weight bullets make it easier for me to
see my bullet impact through my scope. Heavier bullets create more muzzle jump. A good, well designed compensator/muzzle break can make a world of difference.
I never had anything but 52 and 55 grain bullets back then.
These were great at 300 yards, and pretty good to 400 yards, but 400 was iffy.
Wind played havoc on this caliber, even at 300 yards.
With these new heavy bullets and the ability to choose appropriate rifling, I have to say I love this caliber again.
The .243 was much better on windy days. It was a bit harder on pelts, so it was not used as much.
How far out do you want to shoot????
I would still choose the .243 for shooting in the wind.
With the VLD bullets available now......wow!!!!
I still consider the 22-250 to be a 400 yard round at best.....but keep in mind....
am talking from a hunter's perspective, NOT a target shooter's.
I have a 24" barreled AR15 in .223 caliber, with a 1 in 8: twist.
With Black Hills 75 grain BT ammo, and no wind, I have been shooting a LOT
of sub-MOA groups at 300 yards. So think what the 22-250 can do!!!!!
One last thing.....as a hunter.....lighter weight bullets make it easier for me to
see my bullet impact through my scope. Heavier bullets create more muzzle jump. A good, well designed compensator/muzzle break can make a world of difference.
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
I shoot several 22-250's, but all are slower twist barrels (12 twist). Kind of always wanted an eight or nine twist barrel in 22-250, but so far have resisted. The .243 Winchester is OK at best. If your action will handle the 6mm Remington, I'd go that route. Might also look at the 6XC. Nothing but a 22-250 necked up to 6mm, and a very nice round. The 6/250AI round will do 3000fps with a 105 grain Amax, and maybe another 50fps with some seriously hot loads. But it does 3000fps with four grains less powder!
The problem with the .243 is the shape of the case, and not the volume. Neck is far too short for a 6mm bullet. The T.P. is right in the throat, and that leads to a shorter barrel life. Ackley tried a version, and it was a tad better, but still nothing to write home about. The 6/250AI isn't much better, but the 6XC isn't bad. Yet a generic 6mm Remington will have a much longer barrel life, and the longer neck helps you with the 100+ grain bullets.
Looking at long range 22 center fires, I like the Jaybird. Kind of like an improved 22-250 built off a .243 case. A far better design than Jim Carmichel's designs. Here's a round that is built for the 80 grain bullet from the start, and you factor in an eight twist barrel to give you that long range 22 that will perform very well. Cases are formed out of generic .243 brass, and trimmed to 2.00" Kinda like a .243 AI with a 35 degree shoulder, but necked down to .223.
gary
The problem with the .243 is the shape of the case, and not the volume. Neck is far too short for a 6mm bullet. The T.P. is right in the throat, and that leads to a shorter barrel life. Ackley tried a version, and it was a tad better, but still nothing to write home about. The 6/250AI isn't much better, but the 6XC isn't bad. Yet a generic 6mm Remington will have a much longer barrel life, and the longer neck helps you with the 100+ grain bullets.
Looking at long range 22 center fires, I like the Jaybird. Kind of like an improved 22-250 built off a .243 case. A far better design than Jim Carmichel's designs. Here's a round that is built for the 80 grain bullet from the start, and you factor in an eight twist barrel to give you that long range 22 that will perform very well. Cases are formed out of generic .243 brass, and trimmed to 2.00" Kinda like a .243 AI with a 35 degree shoulder, but necked down to .223.
gary
