RE: 204 or 22-250
 

I don't know about the cost of components or how important the cost might be to you. For small varmits the 204 would do very well. I think it would have the best barrel life. The 243 and 22-250 would offer a little more versitility and wind bucking properties.

Since this is stuff that you already know, all I can add is that only you know what you want from this rifle and your shooting and cleaning habits. I do know that cleaning these little speed demons is very important to barrel life. Its its just for varmits and targets, I would try the 204. After all thats the only way you will ever know for sure.

I have to admit that Z has a good point there as well.;)

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

As a person who has probably owned more .243's than he, I would highly suggest seeing if you can get one that won't tumble the bullet or is accurate at 55gr. I know I couldn't.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

I highly suggest you get yourself a decent ballistics program. Info from those sites are pretty well worthless.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

What makes you think your balistic program is any better than theirs.Thats all they use, some balistic program, which is still not 100%accurate. Only a speed trap will tell you that. But they are close enought for comparos.

I dont know what happend to that link i posted it was a comparo.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

Ive never even tried using them. I know I tried some 95 gr. balistic tips, and they wouldnt hold a pattern. Few other people I know have tried balistic tips in other calibers with the same results.
So why wont the 55's shoot good in the .243. Is it rate of twist or what ?

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

Bigcountry - I have built a bunch of .204's and 20 Tacticals for varmint hunters - many of which already own .22-250's or 220 Swifts. They seem to univerally like them for prairie dogs. And the barrel life is pretty good. One of the first .204's I built has come back to be rebarreled already - he got an estimated 4,000 rounds out of the Douglas XXX CM barrel.

Downside is that, even though the ballistics look pretty goodon paper - they don't put a big tough coyoteon the groundat long range like the big 22 CF's do. Great calling guns - for shots out to 300 yards or so. And minimal pelt damage.

PS - so far the 39 Sierra seems to get the nod as the best coyote/bobcat bullet.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

Thats why I added small varmits. I no longer do a lot of varmit shooting but I keep in touch with my old friends that do. They are not impressed with 204 perfomance on coyotes at long range. However they are talking about 400 yards PLUS. so it may well depend on how far you shoot. They hunt on the plains and prairies where you can see a coyote a half mile away.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

For long range i dont see how one could beat the performance of the .243.
Some of you dont like it for deer but it clearly is the better varmint cartridge.
Heres a 220 swift .243, 22-50 comparo.
Look at fps at muzzle then at 500 yds. look at wind drift at 500 yds and long range trajectory.
You also dont have to worry about wearing a barrell out either.

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

Bigcountry,just buy one of each!! problem solved. vangunsmith:eek:

RE: 204 or 22-250
 

What I have stated was my opinion on the 17 HMR. I never mentioned that I had problems but more that I didn’t care in cleaning this particular caliber. It would be silly for me to hang onto a rifle if I didn’t enjoy having it and cleaning is part of the fun. If you like the 17HMR and the 204, all the power to you, as for me I’ll go for something a little bigger.