Predator/varmint caliber? Found 22-250

[YellaJacket]

Hey guys what's a hot performer in a caliber smaller than .243 with factory ammo? Looking to put together a light rig for coyote mainly.

[vaturkey]

204

[Shooter]

Too many to list from the 17 hmr to the 220 swift.
As mentioned by Va, the 204 is one hot performer.
I like 222s, but my fav is the ole 22-250.

[ArkansasDon]

been predator hunt'n over 20 yrs, love the .243 & .223 both with 55 gr. V Max. I have a .17 Fireball.
Smaller rounds have more chances for wind drift with longer shots. I dont use my fireball much because of that.

My buddy who predator hunts with me uses .22 Hornet, .243 & the new .17 Hornet. Most of our kills are with shotguns @ 35 yards. We like them close.

.22 Hornet would be the smallest cal,
22.250 is good
I started with 218 Bee over 20 yrs ago. Killed lots with it
some of the others listed. The .17's aint that good choice, plus most DNR's want specific center fires in their regulations

[YellaJacket]

204

Ive heard 204, 220 swift and 22-250 mainly from several sources. The latter two because of factory ammo choices and availability. Considering platform and such as well.

[Hoobilly]

22-250 is bad meds for yotes. for that matter, so is 223. 204 I have never owned and would like to shoot someday.

I also am considering the new .17 hornet. small rifle platform and said to perform very well.

[Hognutz]

My vote goes for the .22-.250. It is a stinkin' screamer. I would then go .223, .204, or .220 Swift. The .220 Swift ammo is probably harder to find than the rest, But .223 is no walk in the park, right now either..They all will do a job on a coyote. If you want the fur, stay away for the .22-.250 hollow points. They are devastating..

[toasty]

I run a 30 grain 204 bullet at just over 4000 fps. I've taken or seen taken coyotes up to about 400 yards with a 204. Fun caliber, does a great job on varmints, serviceable on predators, but not good in the wind. If you want long shots with some wind, the 204 is not for you. When shooting varmints in wind, I don't like to go lighter than about 80 grains out of a 243.

[Grumpy]

Winchester is coming out with a new rimfire that is suppose to rival some small centerfire calibers on the 15th of march, they have posted some ballistics but won't say what caliber and there is some rifle manufacturers making the rifles, might be interesting.

[YellaJacket]

Winchester is coming out with a new rimfire that is suppose to rival some small centerfire calibers on the 15th of march, they have posted some ballistics but won't say what caliber and there is some rifle manufacturers making the rifles, might be interesting.

That new win is a .17 super magnum grumpy.

http://www.guns.com/2013/01/03/the-new- ... er-magnum/

[Shooter]

Never really understood why all the companies keep coming up with all these new cartridges.
I did more damage with three calibers in my youth. 22 win mag, 22 hornet, and a 222
I took more critters than I can remember. I got my first 22-250 when I was in my 20s.
It is by far, the big dog! I still like the smaller ones better at times, I don't need 300+ yds that often.
I've got a single shot 223 with a stainless bull barrel Savage, I bought off Gun Broker for a steal about 6 years ago. It has been my go to gun ever since. It shoots .3s on demand, and out to 300 has been very reliable. Never shot it past that on animals, but shot it in a 600yd and 1000yd match one day. 69gr for 600 and 77gr for 1000. Shot a 198 at 600, and a 195 at 1000.
Did not win anything that day, but I was impressed with the little shell just the same.
Call me old school, but I will stick to the oldies. They git er done.

[Grumpy]

shooter, I agree, I shoot a Remington model 721 in 30-06, built in 1956,,it will do what any other rifle can do and some things most rifles can't. .223 for varmits and .22 Ruger 10/22 for ditch chickens. 12 ga. semi auto Hatsan for the big birds.

[ICDEDTURKES]

Never really understood why all the companies keep coming up with all these new cartridges.

A good friend of mine whom is a complete gun nut has the most logical answer I have heard..

Its due to the "graying gun market". He does alot of gun shows, trading, selling on consignment at shops.. He claims that a lot of the 18-40 year olds are more or less tire kickers.. Whereas a large portion of guns sold are the graying market..

I witness this through my friends.. It seems as most of us have a handful of guns to cover our needs.. Whereas some of the older guys may have 10-50 what may be classified as deer rifles alone whereas they may only shoot 1-5 deer a year..

So in order to provoke "Mr Grayhair" to purchase a new rifle, what is better than offering a new caliber in his favorite action...

Now I am not as intimate as some of you with guns and calibers, but IMO there is no real purpose for alot of these new calibers.. The standard age old calibers plus the magnum calibers served the purpose for anything and did it well.. For along time there has been a caliber to fit your needs. There really is no added benefit to a Shortmag, Super Short mag, Rem Ultra Mag, 30 TC etc etc..

[Shooter]

Your exactly right Turk, I feel the same way. The only real advantage to the new Short Mags, is they can be chambered in short actions, for a more compact rifle. The Ultra Mags,...lol. I do not know many people that can shoot one with out flinching.
The old standards like a 243, 270, 30-06, 264WM, 7mmRM, and 300WM did and still do a wonderful job.
All of my rifles are chambered with all the old calibers. My latest wildcat cartridge is a shell I called a 7mm super mag, and It was made in 1979,.... Dang, I am old.
Layne Simpson came out with the same shell a year later and named it the 7mm STW.
Of course he took all the credit, but I still could care less. Mine still gets better ballistics and performance,...lol. There again, it is a bear to shoot. The recoil is pretty strong. The average city boy hunter could not hit a piece of paper with it.

[YellaJacket]

Maybe it will have more success than the WSSM. Maybe they will make a WSSSM next go round . I just am curious what other manufacturer is gonna respond with another new goodie?

[ICDEDTURKES]

Maybe it will have more success than the WSSM. Maybe they will make a WSSSM next go round . I just am curious what other manufacturer is gonna respond with another new goodie?

That Super Short was a joke.. The 243 was late to production, they had already debuted the ammo in 55 and 100 grain without getting a twist that would shoot both..

I think the only two out of that Short Mag family that will last is the 270 and 300WSM.. I would love to go on an Elk hunt to some podunk western town and bump my scope and have to find a box of shells for either of them

[YellaJacket]

.290 ?

[Hognutz]

Not many of these "new" cartridges will meet the test of time. They are a quick boost for the gun/shell maker, but fade when reality sets in, and the users find out that they are no more effective than the old reliables. The .308, .30-06, 7mm mag., 300 mags. will float to the top. They have been there so long that a newcomer will have to blow them out of the water before it can be taken seriously.. The shells are hard to find, and this in itself, will render the gun useless in a short amount of time. You hand down your "common" chambered guns to you kids, they will use them for their lifetime and pass them on again. You hand down one of these new offerings, and the kids will have a boat anchor.. Hard to use without ammo..

[YellaJacket]

I bit on the short mag phase buying a 325wsm a few years ago. I will say my experience with that is unless your a hand loader and can find your golden bullet so to speak the factory ammo is finicky. Its a good gun for killing in typical kill ranges at home but factory ammo downrange into 200 plus yards just didn't impress. My .280 is far more consistent with factory ammo and quite frankly embarrasses that 325 at the range. I'm done with short mags for now. Long action too me just seem to be far more reliable.

[Hognutz]

Yeah.. There's no doubt that any of those crazy ssm's or sm's will kill. It's just are they that much better than something that's been around for 50-100 years, and you can find shells for at any hardware store in the country..

[YellaJacket]

My next long action is a 7 mag. Waiting on a certain one that's right on the edge of being made with a particular stock. If it doesn't come to pass I may look at a different manufacturer.

[Hognutz]

The 7 mag. is an amazing round. My brother has one and he killed deer at 400 yards+.. No guff..

[Shooter]

You got that right,... If every person was only allowed one gun, The 7mm mag is the one.
You can shoot 100 to 120grn for crows and prairie dogs all the way to 175s or 190s for moose.
It does it all, and very well at that.

[ArkansasDon]

took out a hog with mine @ 856 yards in Texas. 284 bullet is my favorite round for center fire rifle, very under estimated round.

[Hognutz]

That does not surprise me. My brother has shot hundreds of deer with his, and many were over 400 yards. He would shoot deer that the farmers had tags for, for over feeding their property. The meat then went to the needy..The 7 mag. will reach out and touch you!!