.204 vs .223 vs .22-250?

[rkappes]

I am trying to decide which barrel to buy for my T/C Encore: .204, .223 or .22-250. It will mainly be used for coyotes and jack rabbits. I've heard .204's are a lot of fun.

Can you guys please give me the benefit of your experience on caliber choice?

Thanks guys, looking forward to your thoughts.

[jimbo&rooster]

Im a 223 guy through and through, Its what I grew up shooting, and have had really good luck with it. The only real,experience I have with the .204 is my buddy shooting one at Prarie dogs, and it did a fine job. I do know a couple guys who shoot 204 at yote and they are satisfied.

Everyone around here seems to shoot a 22-250, and seem to have pretty good luck. One thing I have seen with the faster cartridges like the '250, and the 204, is occasionally on a yote, you will get a splash or bullet will prematurely expand on the shoulder and it will leave an ugly wound but no real penetration, I get the same thing from my 243 shooting 55gr bullets.

I guess what Im saying is they can all be really good choices, but everyone has their favorite, so you will hear alot of opinuions.

Jim

[tommyboy72]

.223 is a more versatile round and can be used for larger game such as antelope and deer at least here in Oklahoma where I live. There seems to be more variety as far as ammo is concerned with the .223 caliber too. I am big fan of the .270 round myself but just built my first AR platform rifle in 5.56/.223 caliber so have been doing a bit of research as of late as well as shooting the .223 and have been impressed with it so far.

[slistoe]

I own a 204 and a 223. Have shot with folks with the 22-250l. If you don't handload, the 223 will be the best choice. If you handload, buy whichever one makes you giggly. As for performance, they will all make stuff dead at much longer ranges than you will likely be proficient at.

[Hickboyaf]

I guess my question to you is how far will your average shot be? Will you be shooting through any brush or grass or anything? You also said mainly yotes and jackrabbits, any thing else? Will it be a gun you carry around and walk with or more of a bench gun sitting on the back porch shooting those pesky yotes out of the farm fields? That would totally sway my choice. Not much to a .204. Long range windy days will be a challenge but heck you may be up to the challenge. My buddy has one and I Love it. Personally the 22-250 was my choice even tho of the barrel burner arguement. Here I carry my mountain lion tag with me on the preditor set-ups. I don't want to chance anything against that guy!

[rkappes]

Thanks for the info jimbo&rooster , tommyboy, and slistoe… I appreciate it very much.

Hickboyaf

Not really sure how far my average shot will be. I’ve never really hunted coyotes. Hopefully somewhere between 50-100 yards? I would think most of the shots will be taken into more of an open field setting. Probably more calling than walking. Mainly yotes, rabbits, maybe Prairie Dogs down the road. I hunt deer with a muzzleloader.

[jimbo&rooster]

At 50-100yds Id be looking at a 3.5in shotgun and buckshot or a 22mag. I will verify each of the rounds above to 400+yds on coyote sized game with the edge in range going to the '250 or 204, though I have a buddy who shoots 1000yd comp and has been beat many times by 223.

Like I said my Prefrence is the 223, and for open country with lots of wind I would stayaway from the 204. I personally don't care for a 22-250, though Im not sure why.

Honestly other than an annual prariedog shoot I rarely shoot my 223. I do 95% of my shooting with either a 25-06 or .243. If you were looking for an all around gun to get it all done, Id personally look at 243, 270, 7mm-08.

Jim

[mrcreole]

Like Jimbo, The .223 suits the job perfectly and it is by far the most economical to shoot if your not a reloader. Like Jimbo I find myself packing the .243 more often than not for the song dogs......Mike

[mtlhdr]

Check out http://www.6mmbr.com lots of good info there. I have a 204 and really like it, the ballistics are pretty awesome and it's a flat shootin' SOB. However, as was mentioned, its light bullets are not great in the wind. The 250 is a burner no doubt. It's really hard to beat the versatility, and availability, of the good ol' 223.

[rkappes]

Thanks for the info Jimbo, mcreole,and mtlhdr -

Maybe 100+ yards then? Wasn't quite sure since I've never hunted coyotes. AS of now I don't need anything large like a 270 or 7mm-08.

I've been doing a little reading/research and a lot of people say the wind effects the 204 less than the .223 or .22-250...? I've been told the 204 will shoot faster, flatter, and with less wind deflection than a 223. It all has to do with diameter of the bullet proportion to length?? Chart below.

I think the most appealing thing about the .204 is that you can watch the animal through the scope after the shot is fired. Maybe the same is true for the others?

All this info is great though, its nice to hear from people who actually use the guns, thanks for the input, I appreciate it very much!

Bullet Weight/Type BC Cartridge Name Velocity 400 yd 10 MPH wind Drift
39gr Sierra Blitzking 0.287 .204 Ruger 3750 11.5"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.275 .204 Ruger 3900 11.5"
40gr Nosler BT 0.239 .204 Ruger 3750 14.3"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .223 Rem 3700 18.6"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .223 Rem 3700 18.2"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .223 Rem 3700 16.0"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .220 Swift 4250 15.6"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .220 Swift 4250 15.2"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .220 Swift 4250 13.5"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .22-250 Rem 4150 16.1"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .22-250 Rem 4150 13.9"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .22-250 Rem 4150 15.7"
55gr Sierra Blitzking 0.237 .22-250 Rem 3680 14.8"
55gr Nosler BT 0.267 .22-250 Rem 3680 12.8"

[slistoe]

Real world imaginings aside, the 204 will have measurably less drift than the slower 223 bullet.

[slistoe]

The problem for longer range shots (past 400 yards) on coyotes is that none of the smaller bullets carry adequate energy out that far. That is where my 25-06 will come in with the 70 gr. Blitz King they still do not exit and are quite pelt friendly (not so much at closer ranges )

[mtlhdr]

Yup, those ballistics don't lie. High BC bullet going fast equals good drop/drift stats. My varmint hunting partner shoots a 22-250 and I a 204. I think the 204 is a little friendlier to shoot (less muzzle jump, quieter, reduced barrel heat during high volume shoots). I think the 204 burns about a third less powder and the 250 has a bit of a reputation of being a barrel burner (but I know I don't shoot enough to worry about that if I owned a 250). The 250 may give you increased terminal ballistics way out there, but if that's typically what you're shooting you ought to consider one of the 6mm/243 calibers.

[aulrich]

They don't lie but they don't tell the whole truth, I don't have a calculator handy but run a iirc 39 sierra @ 3800 and it will mimic a typical 22-250 with a 55 grain, trajectory and drift. 32s look sexy since they are over 4000 fps, but the 39 are a better load. And they in general shoot better in most guns than or at least more reliably better than the 40's, they are a little shorter and further inside the stabilization for the barrel twist.

The best fur bullet is the 35 berger at least fur wise, but the BC is bad and it too is really a 300 yard load for coyotes.

All three are right answers, 204 works best for me (gophers, coyotes and jacks).

[JKP]

IMO...the 243 settles the discussion...58 gr Vmax @3800 or 85 gr @3200 ... my favorite round for Yotes and it has plenty of energy at 400 yds.

[jimbo&rooster]

IMO...the 243 settles the discussion...58 gr Vmax @3800 or 85 gr @3200 ... my favorite round for Yotes and it has plenty of energy at 400 yds.

Yup, 55gr nosler is what i'm pushing through my 243 and it basically has made my other varmint guns collect dust.

JIm

[youngoutdoors]

I have a .222, 22-250, and a .204. The 204 is what stays in my truck. I shoot 40 grain Bergers, (yep I handload) and have killed alot of deer with a depredation permit. My rifle is zeroed at 300 yds and you can pretty much hold in the middle of anything and kill it out to around 350 yds. And you can see the bullet hit when it gets there. If I didn't handload I would recommend the .223 just because there is lots of choices out there when it comes to ammo and .223 ammo tends to be a little cheaper. If shots are under 200 yds it doesn't really matter unless you want to save the hides. For pure fun the .204 gets the nod for me. I love the see crows explode at long range.

God Bless, Louis

[markj]

I look at teh cost of ammo nowadays and availability. 223 is till kinda cheap

[twofeathers]

I took a couple last year with my 7MM Mag little pricey but fun...... 560 yds was longest opportunity I had last year....

[markj]

Hey twofeathers, hows that janie dog doing? Any pics to post up? Good hunting to you.

[jack the dog]

I vote for the 223/556 round. But how about 243 in an AR platform?
Looks interesting to me.

http://www.impactguns.com/dpms-ar-15-24 ... 00280.aspx

http://www.dpmsinc.com/260H--243_ep_152-1.html