22-250 or .223

[pandamonia]

Looking to go for my first centerfire for my foxing calibre, will probably use it to destroy some corvids and rabbits too.

 

Most likely will go for a Tikka T3 since it seems good value for the money.

 

cant decide which calibre to go for since these 2 seem very similar.

 

i think they use the same bullet heads .223 and .224 from what i can tell.

 

The brass seems the same price as the other.

 

22-250 will probably use more powder and faster barrel burn but will also shoot flatter and further than the .223

 

4000+ fps is a nice speed for a varmint rifle, i can pick up a 22-250 at a very good price unless i want to pay the extra £100 on the .223

 

any advice?

[Paddy Galore!]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind, Welcome to the 22/250 massive! (motto) We are savage, hear our roar!

[pandamonia]

lol i want to hear from the .223 loyalist club cus im sure there has to be a reason for going .223

[Paddy Galore!]

lol i want to hear from the .223 loyalist club cus im sure there has to be a reason for going .223

YEP! Less muzzle flip, cheaper factory ammo, cheaper on powder, virtually no barrel wear, and unless you live in scotland (or shoot there) the largest quarry is still only CWD and muntjac.

[pandamonia]

it will be modded anyway since its going to be a night time foxing gun which reduces flip. i will probably reload since £1 per shot for Hornady Vmax isnt cheap by any standard

[SSS]

If you want a fast, flat noisy expensive beast, go for the .22-250, but if you want something cheap, effective and accurate that will do the job just aswell, go for the .223.

It sounds like you have already made your mind up, but bear in mind the things that are said

[pandamonia]

If you want a fast, flat noisy expensive beast, go for the .22-250, but if you want something cheap, effective and accurate that will do the job just aswell, go for the .223.

It sounds like you have already made your mind up, but bear in mind the things that are said

 

is it much louder than the .223 with a good mod? and is it that much more expensive since the bullets are the same and the brass doesnt seem alot different..

 

i havent made my mind up yet but im just wondering what you owners think

[SSS]

Factory loads are more expensive, and if you reload, you will use about a third more powder. Remember, you won't be reloading for cost effectiveness, it will be more about accuracy.

.22-250 is a noisy old thing, and to get high velocities, you will need a long barrel to allow all the powder to burn.

Lamping on your own with one is quite difficult because you can't see the bullet hit home, even with a good mod.

If you reload and get it wrong, you will get a big 'flamethrower' type effect, a lot of muzzle flash.

All that said, they are an unbelievable foxing round, but, myself, I will stick to .223

[pandamonia]

Factory loads are more expensive, and if you reload, you will use about a third more powder. Remember, you won't be reloading for cost effectiveness, it will be more about accuracy.

.22-250 is a noisy old thing, and to get high velocities, you will need a long barrel to allow all the powder to burn.

Lamping on your own with one is quite difficult because you can't see the bullet hit home, even with a good mod.

If you reload and get it wrong, you will get a big 'flamethrower' type effect, a lot of muzzle flash.

All that said, they are an unbelievable foxing round, but, myself, I will stick to .223

 

 

From what i read about the caliber, the 22.250 has a more efficient neck casing allowing the powder to burn in the case and not the barrel and this was one of the reasons for its success.

 

since im using a PVS14 for NV i think i should stick to .223 with less recoil and muzzle flash it will keep my gen 3 in top nick! Also noise is not my friend lol i like a quieter shooting rifle.

 

but i am a junky for speed and power!

[vmax55]

.223 mate fantastic round for foxing.

[pandamonia]

is a 1 in 8 twist ok for shooting 40gr bullets in 223

[tikka tom]

222-50 all the way

[abiteachuck]

.223 would`nt swap mine for any other rem 700 ssfvs heavy and accurate

[Dekers]

Factory loads are more expensive, and if you reload, you will use about a third more powder. Remember, you won't be reloading for cost effectiveness, it will be more about accuracy.

.22-250 is a noisy old thing, and to get high velocities, you will need a long barrel to allow all the powder to burn.

Lamping on your own with one is quite difficult because you can't see the bullet hit home, even with a good mod.

If you reload and get it wrong, you will get a big 'flamethrower' type effect, a lot of muzzle flash.

All that said, they are an unbelievable foxing round, but, myself, I will stick to .223

 

 

It's been said quite effectively I'd say.

 

Nightime Foxing gun you say, well how far do you intend to shoot on the whole, a 22-250 will give you the edge on range over 223 but at night 200 yards is still not a problem with either, 22-250 has a louder propellant crack and sonic boom even with a mod.

 

No arguement that a 22-250 is a first rate fox tool in some respects but it only really comes into it's own in a small window when compared with a .223, and there are a number of minus points.

 

All in all you need to ask yourself what you really want/need of a night foxing tool!!

[pandamonia]

i have a habbit of wanting to shoot things which are further away than my calibre can manage, Gen 3 night vision really does cause me this problem lol.

 

17hmr can do 200 so what can a 223 do? kill a fox for eg.

[SSS]

I would like to see an HMR do 200 yards, many people claim it, but I want to see it with my own eyes. 150 yards is more sensible if I am honest.

.223 is more than capable of 300 yards, but with a lamp you will be looking at 200-250.

 

In the daylight, the gun is limited to your capabilities. People use the .22-250 for long range shooting, but I like to stick with ranges I can do, and I am capable of

[Dougy]

I would like to see an HMR do 200 yards, many people claim it, but I want to see it with my own eyes. 150 yards is more sensible if I am honest.

.223 is more than capable of 300 yards, but with a lamp you will be looking at 200-250.

 

In the daylight, the gun is limited to your capabilities. People use the .22-250 for long range shooting, but I like to stick with ranges I can do, and I am capable of

 

SSS,

i think you will find that the majority of people that shoot long range 22cal will prefer the 223 over the 22.250.

 

Muzzle flash if any will be subdued or totaly irradicated by a mod any way,

Shooting a fox at over 200yards in the dark is one hell of a long shot, and for a novice i would say verging on the edge of very risky to stupid as far as safety is concerned. Your better off sticking to within 200yards so its a more definate identification. Been there got the "T" shirt and its one i didnt want thank you

 

200yard fox with HMR just dont even go there.

 

 

 

 

This is from experience not from reading off tinternet

 

 

PS, dont rule out the 222, very accurate round, used to be a very popular target round

[Mr_Logic]

I'd steer clear of 222 in this day and age, but 223 is fine for what you want to do. So is 22-250, but you need a longer barrel to get the best out of it, and it's going to wear quicker also. I took a shot a few weeks back at a 500+ yard (range finder was used, but crow on brown field is not the best for ranging!). Missed it, but not by a lot. The result would have been the same with either calibre.

[Bazooka Joe]

i have a habbit of wanting to shoot things which are further away than my calibre can manage, Gen 3 night vision really does cause me this problem lol.

 

17hmr can do 200 so what can a 223 do? kill a fox for eg.

 

How does the gen 3 cause you this problem Pandamonia ? I'm intrigued...!!!

 

Also have you mounted this NV on it ? if so, piccies please.

 

BJ.

[Ackley]

the 22.250 is by far the better caliber,you can download the 22.250 is you wish you cant make the 223 perform like a 22.250

as to cost there is very little in it at the end of the day your not throwing hundreds of rounds down the range so what is a few pence for the extra performance

i keep hearong muzzle flip and weraing barrels outs,again its rubbish with a mod there is littel difference and throat wear well shoot a 40 gr pill through a 223 at 4000 FPS your going to wear it out quicket then a 50 gr pill running at 3600 in the 22.250

both rilfe will do what you want form them.the 22.250 will have the legs on the 223,but everyone will have there own opinion as they are quick to defend the caliber they own

out of the two i would opt for the 22.250 having used both calibers mentioned and seeing them both perform

personally i use a 243 AI for fox this out performs everything

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

the 22.250 is by far the better caliber,you can download the 22.250 is you wish you cant make the 223 perform like a 22.250

as to cost there is very little in it at the end of the day your not throwing hundreds of rounds down the range so what is a few pence for the extra performance

i keep hearong muzzle flip and weraing barrels outs,again its rubbish with a mod there is littel difference and throat wear well shoot a 40 gr pill through a 223 at 4000 FPS your going to wear it out quicket then a 50 gr pill running at 3600 in the 22.250

both rilfe will do what you want form them.the 22.250 will have the legs on the 223,but everyone will have there own opinion as they are quick to defend the caliber they own

out of the two i would opt for the 22.250 having used both calibers mentioned and seeing them both perform

personally i use a 243 AI for fox this out performs everything

 

Not in my experience. The 22-250 shows an advantage on paper over 250 yards, and how many foxes are shot at this range?

 

In the past 2 years lamping I have not shot one fox over this range on the land that I shoot over - most are shot at 150 yards or less.

 

I started off with a 223, and then moved to a 22-250 due to advice that I was given.

 

After then playing with a 0.17 Rem (more bad advice, but I am a slow learner) I then went back to a 223 and have not regretted it. On paper the 22-250 may offer some advantages, but unless you are shooting over huge fields then the 223 is just as good.

 

Everyone has their own opinion, but I have not had one fox get away using a 223. If you put the bullet in the right place then night, night Charlie.

 

Don

[Ackley]

Not in my experience. The 22-250 shows an advantage on paper over 250 yards, and how many foxes are shot at this range?

 

In the past 2 years lamping I have not shot one fox over this range on the land that I shoot over - most are shot at 150 yards or less.

 

I started off with a 223, and then moved to a 22-250 due to advice that I was given.

 

After then playing with a 0.17 Rem (more bad advice, but I am a slow learner) I then went back to a 223 and have not regretted it. On paper the 22-250 may offer some advantages, but unless you are shooting over huge fields then the 223 is just as good.

 

Everyone has their own opinion, but I have not had one fox get away using a 223. If you put the bullet in the right place then night, night Charlie.

 

Don

all i can say is mate you should get out a bit more,why limit yourself with a 223 if you can have a 22.250,

as i said everyone has there opinion which is best and is usually the caliber they use or why would they own it

theis debate will go on and on at the end of the day buy what you feel is right for your use

by the way lots of foxes are shot well past 250 yards,thats why i use a 243 AI

[smurf]

having shot both 223 & 22250 also a 222 , i would recommend a 22250 for longer ranges of 250 + the 222 is adequate for charlies up to this range but lacks stopping power after this ,the 223 is more economic to load than a 22250 ,i used to load 35 grain of varget behind a 55 nos were as a 223 is 20 odd grain so a plus point , if you are shooting factory in 22250 50 grain rems were good in mine ,i shoot a 243 AI & wouldnt consider anything else for charlies,also it has accounted for a few deer including red , the ground i shoot you rarely get a fox under 200yards & have taken foxes out to 450yards with my old 243so this is my prefered cal very versitile with the right bullet head IMO

[SSS]

the 22.250 is by far the better caliber,you can download the 22.250 is you wish you cant make the 223 perform like a 22.250

as to cost there is very little in it at the end of the day your not throwing hundreds of rounds down the range so what is a few pence for the extra performance

i keep hearong muzzle flip and weraing barrels outs,again its rubbish with a mod there is littel difference and throat wear well shoot a 40 gr pill through a 223 at 4000 FPS your going to wear it out quicket then a 50 gr pill running at 3600 in the 22.250

both rilfe will do what you want form them.the 22.250 will have the legs on the 223,but everyone will have there own opinion as they are quick to defend the caliber they own

out of the two i would opt for the 22.250 having used both calibers mentioned and seeing them both perform

personally i use a 243 AI for fox this out performs everything

Why would you want to 'download' a 'caliber'? That's just madness, if I want .223 performance, I will buy a .223, not a 22-250 and 'download'.

One more thing I want to point out, you say .22-250 is a 'better' calibre, How? there is no such thing as better, only more suited to a job.

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

having shot both 223 & 22250 also a 222 , i would recommend a 22250 for longer ranges of 250 + the 222 is adequate for charlies up to this range but lacks stopping power after this ,the 223 is more economic to load than a 22250 ,i used to load 35 grain of varget behind a 55 nos were as a 223 is 20 odd grain so a plus point , if you are shooting factory in 22250 50 grain rems were good in mine ,i shoot a 243 AI & wouldnt consider anything else for charlies,also it has accounted for a few deer including red , the ground i shoot you rarely get a fox under 200yards & have taken foxes out to 450yards with my old 243so this is my prefered cal very versitile with the right bullet head IMO

 

Not quite sure what you are saying here Smurf. - 'you wouldn't consider anything else but a 243 for Charlie's'.....

 

You must have some enormous fields then, with absolutely safe backstops.

 

Where I shoot I manage to call them in to below 250 yards and so everything is relatively easy. This may not be so where you are.

 

At an estate that I shoot on there were two keepers, who both believed in the big calibre argument - one had a 220 Swift and the other a 243. Any fox within 400 yards had a bullet whizzing in their direction, and the argument was that if they hit it then it was dead, or a large enough chunk knocked off it so that it would soon be dead.

 

The keepers drove round on quad bikes, and so any foxes that survived retreated at high speed at the sound of any motor, or disappeared as soon as they were lamped.

 

Strangely enough, I shot more problem foxes on this estate than the keepers - with my iddy biddy 223.

 

I'm just glad that the 223 suits the land that I shoot over - probably 10,000 acres in total.

 

Don