204 or 22-250
12-19-2005, 02:22 PM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
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.
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.
12-19-2005, 04:05 PM
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: 204 or 22-250
ORIGINAL: zrexpilot
Id pick the .243 over both. Clearly a superior varmint cartridge. handloaded with a 55 gr bullet you can acheive over 4000 fps easy. retains more velocity and energy out to 500 yds with less wind drift also, but I would opt for a little less velocity and go with the .243 in federals 85 gr. Not to much difference in trajectory but a lot less wind drift and a lot more retained energy.
Just do a comparo.
heres one from winchesters site.
http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/comparerifle.aspx?symbol=SBST22250A&atype=1&am p;ctype=1&action=1
Id pick the .243 over both. Clearly a superior varmint cartridge. handloaded with a 55 gr bullet you can acheive over 4000 fps easy. retains more velocity and energy out to 500 yds with less wind drift also, but I would opt for a little less velocity and go with the .243 in federals 85 gr. Not to much difference in trajectory but a lot less wind drift and a lot more retained energy.
Just do a comparo.
heres one from winchesters site.
http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/comparerifle.aspx?symbol=SBST22250A&atype=1&am p;ctype=1&action=1
12-19-2005, 04:45 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: 204 or 22-250
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
I highly suggest you get yourself a decent ballistics program. Info from those sites are pretty well worthless.
I highly suggest you get yourself a decent ballistics program. Info from those sites are pretty well worthless.
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.
12-19-2005, 04:53 PM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: 204 or 22-250
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
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.
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.
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 ?
12-19-2005, 05:15 PM
#16
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,127
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.
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.
12-19-2005, 05:26 PM
#17
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
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.
12-19-2005, 05:31 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
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.
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.
12-19-2005, 06:02 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: MB.
Posts: 2,984
RE: 204 or 22-250
ORIGINAL: Coyotestalker
I own both a Ruger .17 HMR and a ruger 204, and never had problems with cleaning. That is one of the fun things about owning a firearm, is the maintenance. Choosing a firearm on its dirty factor is just silly to me. There are the real factors out there in choosing a gun, and cleaning should not inhibit your choice.
ORIGINAL: trailer
The only draw back for me between the two would be cleaning the barrel on the 204. I had a 17HRM and despised it when it came time to clean that barrel.[:-]
The only draw back for me between the two would be cleaning the barrel on the 204. I had a 17HRM and despised it when it came time to clean that barrel.[:-]