OK guys, I don't want to start a battle here, but I am thinking about getting myself a varmint rifle (I currently don't have one) and I need your honest opinions on this two calibers for varmints, which one do you think is better and why? Which one do you like best and why? What are the pros and cons on both. ###Thanks in advance for your input.
for a all around varmit rifle I would suggest the .243 , The 22-250 is a little flatter shooting but the .243 will shoot a heavyer bullet , will handle the wind better and ###have more energy left at long range with the heavyer bullet . I use a .223 though
I like the 22-250 better for pure varmiting but the .243 can be used on bigger game (goats and deer). ###So you may want to consider what other calibers you currently have in the decision. ###If you currently own a 30 caliber I would probably go with the 22-250.
I'm no expert but I love my Coyote 22.250. I also have a .270 for larger game so the .243 wouldn't make as much since for me. ###My buddy prefers the .243 for coyotes (he has both) but I like the range of the 22.250. It's a lot of fun to shoot. I mounted a 3X9X40 Vari X II on it and I shoot anything from coyotes to squirrels.
I use the 50 gr. Winchester supreme ballistic silvertips and they seem to shoot best in my rifle.
steve
P.S. I have to give Hook the credit for my gun selections. Thanks again Hook!
If you're shooting the lighter bullets in the .243, it's pretty much 6 of one half a dozen of the other. ###There's very little difference. ###Both are excellent coyote rounds for out here in the open West. ###
I shoot a .243 more than a .22-250 but that's more the rifle than the round.
If forced to choose (nobody should be forced to choose... you should get both), I'd opt for the .243 just because it's an option for deer, antelope, etc. ###
Remember though, if you're hunting foxes or bobcats either one will likely turn them inside out once hit.
Thank you all for your prompt responses, ok, I see that we still have some controversy due to not knowing my exact needs, so here they go:
This rifle would be strictly for varmints (I already own a 30-30, 270 and 30-06 for bigger game like deer), but it would be fun to try a 243 with deer, however is not necessary, I would rather have the best varmint round of the two, whichever it is.
So with this been said, I want the best round of the two for varmints, taking into consideration, speed, reach, flatter shooter, energy and punch.
With this details now, let's see which one is your favorite now. (This should be fun :smile-big-blue::smile-big-blue
I almost forgot, Songdog, I am in total agreement with your statement, you should never be forced to choose, you should get both, which on this case what I always end up doing is getting the best choice first and later getting the other :smile-big-blue::smile-big-blue: As I said on another thread, I told my wife, you buy purses and shoes, I buy guns! :smile-big-blue::smile-big-blue: and just as a woman can never have enough shoes and purses, men can never have enough guns!:smile-big-blue::smile-big-blue:
Hey 1SoCalHunter, that helped a lot when you clarified your needs. With that in mind, I cast my vote for the 22-250. Has it all, including light recoil / fun shooting for long periods of time (without sore shoulder).
HOWEVER, my 2 favorite "varmint calibers" are the 223 & 22-250 and own both and I would hate to have to "choose" between the two. Glad I don't have to either, as we all have been saying. LOL
OK, let me get something straight here, so the 22-250 caliber is a flatter shooter and more accurate at longer distances and the 243 is more a bigger puncher with less accuracy at longer distances and doesn't shoot as flat? Would this be a true statement?
Now, I want to know what is the "effective" range for both of them if somebody out there knows.
(Edited by 1SoCalHunter at 12:50 pm on June 9, 2002)
1socalhunter; i see that you have several choice's for caliber's. i have shot coyotes with everything from a 22 hornet to ###a 30/378 so as far as accuracy and range limit's go i guess that's up to you how far you want and are able to hit the target.i have shot coyotes at 10 ft. and out to 400yds. so i guess what i am getting at is just how far can and do you want to shoot.i have seen guy's shoot and hit animial's out past 6oo yds and i have also seen guy's that could'nt hit a barn if it were 5 0 ft. in front of them. so make your choice wisely and once because after you sign on the dotted line it's your's and there's nothing worse than having a gun that you are NOT HAPPY WITH. ### best of luck in your choice. so cal hunter.
<font face="Comic Sans MS">OK, let me get something straight here, so the 22-250 caliber is a flatter shooter and more accurate at longer distances and the 243 is more a bigger puncher with less accuracy at longer distances and doesn't shoot as flat? Would this be a true statement?</font>
Actually this isn't true. ###You can push a 55gr bullet out of a .243 at 4000 fps without too much effort. ###You can do the same with a 40gr bullet out of a .22-250. ###When zeroed at 100 yards, the .22-250 drops 17.2" at 400 yards and the .243 drops 14.9" - so the .243 shoots slightly flatter. ###This is pretty minimal though. ###In this case the 40gr .22-250 bullet maintains about 432ft/lbs of energy at 400 yards while the 55gr .243 maintains 765ft/lbs of energy. ###Quite a bit more.
There is a cost for that extra power and it's basically felt recoil on your shoulder. ###For coyotes I'd be surprised if you ever noticed it. ###For a 300 shot day on squirrels... you'd start to notice.
As far as accuracy, they're basically equal if you want to talk about "potential". ###Comparing a .22-250 and a .243 isn't like comparing a .22 Hornet and a .22PPC. ###Even between the Hornet and the PPC there's still less than a MOA of "potential" accuracy and those to rounds are pretty much on the opposite ends of the spectrum. ###For all intensive purposes, you should consider the .22-250 and .243 equal when it comes to accuracy potential. ###Both are capable of 1/4 MOA accuracy in a custom rifle.
The good thing is that you really can't go wrong with either one of them. ###The only tangible trade offs I can think of are slightly heavier recoil in a .243 but also the added flexibility of a backup deer rifle.
Songdog:
Thank you very much for your valuable information. ###Now let me ask you something else, are the 22-250 and .243 capable of taking yotes at 200-250 yds. away effectively? Also, if you were to use a 22-250 to hit yotes 200-250 yards away, how many grains on the bullet would you use? The same question for the .243
hey 1socalhunter; there is a web site http://www.pointblank.com this is a ballistic's cal. for every thing under the sun just punch in the number's and shazam you have all the info you are looking for, point blank range for a certain size target, fps,energy,crosswind speed's ###ect. ect.ect. and all of the reloading book's have the basic info of the same type. ### ### ###so cal hunter
Songdog is pretty right on with the ballistics. ###Since you have a 270, I would go for the 22-250. ###I have the Weatheryby Super Varmint Master in this caliber and it shoots great. ###I also shoot the Win. BST 40 and 50 gr.
Its all I shoot out of this rifle. ###Sort of eperimenting with these moly coated bullets.
40 gr. Supreme® Ballistic Silvertip™ ###
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.214 ###
Description: Rapid expansion or fragmentation on impact. For Prairie dog, coyote, woodchuck.
###
Rifle Ballistics
I'm sort of in the opposite spectrum, looking for a smaller caliber for deer. ###I surrently use a 300 winmag for all big game. ###My daughters are expressing an interest in hunting. ###I'm now looking at a .243 or 7mm-08. ###The 7mm-08 has caught my eye. ###Sako Finnlight 75, but not sure if I want my daughters toting a 1200 dollar rifle around...
Both the .22-250 and the .243 will kill a coyote plenty dead at 200-250 yards. ###They'll both do the same out to 400 yards for that matter. ###Will they kill them past that? ###Yes, but the bigger question is can you actually hit it at that range. ###
I normally consider a [known] 400 yard shot at a broadside standing coyote about max for my shooting ability and that's pushing it (ask Mtngoat about the two that I missed within 100 yards last time out). ###But when the conditions are just right, that's "doable".
As far as bullet weight goes, I personally like the 40gr Ballistic Tip in the .22-250 and the 55gr Ballistic Tip in the .243. ###Those are pretty much the lightest commonly available bullets you'll get for those calibers. ###Penetration is rarely an issue with one of these bullets on a coyote so long as you can push it fast enough to get it inside the rib cage. ###I've seen some .17 caliber bullets blow up on impact and even some .22 caliber Hornady V-Max bullets do the same but I've never had that problem with the BTs - they're a varmint bullet but still have a fair amount of base weight to them.
Once again though - either one of those rounds would serve you very well. ###Pick the rifle that you like let the caliber be a secondary choice in this case.
I am firmly of the belief that the world would be a better place if everyone owned at least one Ruger #1 :wink-yellow: ... putting that aside:
Just about all the major manufacturers today make a solid quality rifle for the money. ###A few guys here have purchased the Winchester Coyote recently. ###You might check some of the other threads for some info there.
If you want a great shooting rifle for a bargin price it's really hard to beat a Savage. ###They've got a great reputation for accuracy that's based in reality not some gun writers mind.
On the other end of the spectrum is Cooper. ###If you've got a roll of hundreds burning a hole in your pocket I'd look at these. ###I don't think that there's such a thing as a disappointed Cooper customer. ###It's just that the $1000 entry price is a bit steep.
Between those two ends you'll find Ruger, Remington, Winchester and some of the newer ones like Howa. ###
If you really want to save a nickle but get a good shooting gun check out the NEF Handi Rifle. ###A number of guys here have them and they shoot very, very well considering the price. ###They're also switch barrel so you could end the .22-250/.243 debate right there...
Songdog:
I went to check out the Winchester Coyote, but it's too heavy for me. ###Now the one that I really liked was the Weatherby super varmint master in 22-250, but the price tag is pretty nice as well.
I think that for now I will wait a little until I see a rifle go on sale or maybe somebody got tired of his and I can buy it.
Hey Jesse (Bubba):
Thanks for the offering, I would be delighted to shoot it, it sure is a nice gun. ###If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?
Totally agree with you on your last coment, you get what you pay for...
I have a rem 700 v/s in 243 and it is a great coyote gun. That is it's sole purpose. 75 gr vmax -bucks the wind and a 7-10 mile breeze will really affect the .22 bullets. Recoil is minimun and it is a great shooter.Stay away from the weatherby. Too much free bore. The thing will shoot to factory standards but we are talking coyotes. You need accuracy-not their factory standard. jUST ASK HOW MANY VARMINTERS SHOOT A WEATHERBY. I think they make a nice looking gun but I'm not into looks. sPEAKING OF LOOKS-CHECK OUT THE SAVAGES. They have come along way in the accuracy dept for a factory gun. Sorry for the fat fingers. BDOG
Weatherby use to make a pretty good rifle. ###For $1000-1200 now a days though, I can't see going with anything but a Cooper.... unless you just don't like accurate and pretty rifles.
Great discussion, I am new to this site. Wow this is a great resource. songdog you seem very informed, are you a professional guide. I appreaciate your insight. I am looking at the Cooper .243, what do you think???????
Hey Cutthroat, you can try to figure all the ballistics you want, but the bottom line is what are you comfortable using? ###Which scope in on your gun? ###Does your gun feel balanced. ###Are you comfortable with the kick, if there is any?
If you are shooting 400 yard shots then you need to learn to be a better caller or pick a different target. ###For every 400 yard shot you make, you will probably miss or wound 10. ###
Cutthroat - no, I'm not a guide (thanks though :wink-yellow: ). ###I've just had the shooting bug for a number of years. ###I'd love to have a Cooper in .243. ###Something along those lines is going to find its way into my gun safe sometime in the future. ###They start a bit more expensive than your average Remchester but to get one of those factory guns to shoot like a Cooper it would actually cost quite a bit more. ###Plus, they just look awesome.
I missed those coyotes at Carrizo with my "go to" #1 in .243. ###I still can't explain those... ###It would have been one thing if they were 400 yards out but at less than 100, well...???
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