Jack-of-all-trades varmint/coyote round

[therifleman556]

I'm looking to possibly add a varmint rig to the safe. I'm looking for something that will reliably kill coyotes, while not being to much gun for raccoons, crows, fox etc...
I've got dies for 22-250 and 223 already, but I'm concerned with launching 40-60 grain bullets around when there's possibly cattle or other assets in the area. I've read multiple posts and articles stating that the 204 Ruger actually bucks wind better and shoots flatter than 22-250 with 50-55 grain bullets. I know I could get a Savage with a 12 twist or a Browning with a 9 twist for heavy stuff and give the 250 an edge, but will that mess with the rifles ability to shoot the lighter frangible bullets?

I picture 204 as being the just right caliber as far as limiting over penetration and ricochet potential, much like the 17 HMR for little stuff. I'm not against tooling up to load and clean another caliber of it's an ideal fit.

Are my concerns about the 22-250 unfounded, or is there merit to my way of thinking? I don't really care that the 250 could be used on deer, I'm done with the idea that my rifles need to be able to handle any situation.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[HARPERC]

Pretty tough to beat what you have. Bullet for bullet each has a selection that meats the different aspects of varminting. Some pretty frangible .224's that solve ricochet issues. If you want something different that's also workable.

 

[midnightmalloy]

22 creedmoor could be fun. If the barrel is high quality you shouldn't have any issue shooting lighter bullets out of a faster twist barrel.

 

[therifleman556]

Is that available in factory rifles?

 

[midnightmalloy]

Is that available in factory rifles?

I think MOA rifles is making them. Throw a new barrel on a short action and your good.

 

[Tom264]

.17 Rem.......

 

[therifleman556]

Let me rephrase the question; for the intended purpose, 22-250 or 204 Ruger & why?

 

[HARPERC]

.22-250

1) I don't care about fur, or feathers flying.
2) I'd set it up for heavier bullets, and it would still perform if lighter frangibles were called for.

 

[therifleman556]

That's another point worth noting, I don't hunt fur. That's not to say I won't, I just don't now. Part of me is just curious about the 204. I'm just wondering if there are any potential issues with the caliber.

 

[264win]

The 204 is a great round and sounds perfect for what you have in mind. It is will turn a crow into a cloud of feathers and could be messy on Fox sized game with varmint bullets, but there are bullets available for handloading that are fur friendly.

The 223 and 22_250 can be loaded with 40gr bullets but they need a very slow twist barrel.

 

[Tidus56]

17 fireball or a 204 Ruger, either should work great.

 

[benchracer]

I don't have personal experience with the .204 Ruger, so I can't tell you much about it. It seems hard core prairie dog hunters really like the .20's. Based on the cartridge guide below, the .204 Ruger appears to be capable of running with the 22-250 in terms of drop and drift:

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/20caliber/

From what I can tell, most rifles chambered in 22-250 are also chambered in .204 Ruger, so there doesn't appear to be a big difference in available features.

I DO have experience with the 22-250 and like it a lot. It is a true hotrod, capable of fantastic performance. My 22-250 is capable of launching 53 VMAX @ 3900+ from a 12 twist 26" barrel and easily produces sub 1/2 MOA accuracy.

Having said that, getting the most from a 22-250 WILL require handloading. Factory ammo tends to give up a LOT of speed and I have yet to see a factory load produce accuracy that I would consider acceptable in a varmint rifle. At least part of the problem with factory ammo is the SAAMI length of 2.350". The standard 22-250 chamber has a lot of freebore. My best handloads have all required OAL to be in the vicinity of 2.430 to produce consistent accuracy.

Choosing a rifle chambered in 22-250 is also a tricky excercise. Most factory rifles have a 14 twist, which is obsolescent and should be avoided. A 12 twist is the absolute minimum and a 9 twist is better. With modern bullets like the 53 VMAX, which I consider to be tops among .224 varmint bullets being made today, the 9 twist will not degrade performance. IMO, 9 twist is the way to go. It will give you a level of versatility and ballistic performance that is tough to beat.

The best way to get the right twist is to go with a custom barrel. That is the course I took for my personal 22-250. There are a few factory rifles that have the right twist and are worth considering. I notice the OP mentioned that he is considering a 12 twist Savage or a 9 twist Browning, which is wise. Some Savage models can also be had with a 9 twist. If I were looking for a factory rifle, I would personally be looking for the 9 twist Savage.

If you are looking for an efficient, turn-key, off-the-shelf package, the .204 Ruger is probably a better choice. For someone willing to make careful choices in how their rifle is set up and how their ammo is loaded (and doesn't mind burning more powder), the 22-250 is capable of performance that no .204 Ruger can match.

 

[therifleman556]

@benchracer
That's great depth, and useful insight. I take it you've tried a good variety of bullets in your 250s? How do the faster twists handle the lighter pills? Is accuracy affected by spinning something like the 40 grainers much faster than necessary?

22-250 definitely has ubiquity going for it, and I've got a couple hundred various bullets in the drawer that would work like the Barnes 36gr VGs and 53 V-Maxes. I suppose it can be downloaded some too for times when noise or other factors come into play.

Another issue in all this is rifle cost, I may have to go used to find something decent (and unfortunately all the 22-250s in my area are 14 twists). So it might come down to what's available when it comes time to buy.

 

[lewwetzel]

I'm looking to possibly add a varmint rig to the safe. I'm looking for something that will reliably kill coyotes, while not being to much gun for raccoons, crows, fox etc...
I've got dies for 22-250 and 223 already, but I'm concerned with launching 40-60 grain bullets around when there's possibly cattle or other assets in the area. I've read multiple posts and articles stating that the 204 Ruger actually bucks wind better and shoots flatter than 22-250 with 50-55 grain bullets. I know I could get a Savage with a 12 twist or a Browning with a 9 twist for heavy stuff and give the 250 an edge, but will that mess with the rifles ability to shoot the lighter frangible bullets?

I picture 204 as being the just right caliber as far as limiting over penetration and ricochet potential, much like the 17 HMR for little stuff. I'm not against tooling up to load and clean another caliber of it's an ideal fit.

Are my concerns about the 22-250 unfounded, or is there merit to my way of thinking? I don't really care that the 250 could be used on deer, I'm done with the idea that my rifles need to be able to handle any situation.

Thanks for any insight.