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Topic Closed.17 / .20 / .22 / .24 Preference & why

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Spot shooter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: .17 / .20 / .22 / .24 Preference & why
    Posted: 28 June 2004 at 14:35

I've been given thought to what cartridge I'd like for PD's and such things that need dis-assemblin' in a bad way... 

   "clean" kill is the preference, and I've liked .17 Remy's for years, and 223's are good old boys that with lighter bullets (thin skinned) make a good splat, but the 22-250 sure can do some real, real impressive stuff.

    Now ya got the 223 WSSM which is suposeta be faster than a 220 swift, and there is always a 243 in the wing's to stop a yote on a dime.

    I wouldn't be in this fix if King didn't see me that 308 that shoots .5" all day.  Dang it, I was ready to by a T3 243...  Now I might have to shoot competition er somethin'

Spot

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 June 2004 at 19:58

223.

You have such a huge range of bullet selection, there is sure to be one for the job, whatever the job may be.

That's not to say the 20s, or even 19s and 17s, don't have a role...my own progression has gone 223, then another, then 22 BR. The next step is to take the barrel off the BR, it's a 1-14 cheapie that shoots 40 grainers like a dream over pistol powder, put my new Lilja on the BR for full-house loads, then cut back the old pipe, chamber it for a short throat Fireball and thread it for a Savage action.

In the meantime, the main 223 will be getting a brand new barrel...it's so much fun to shoot I wore it out, too.

But when I am done, I will have a 221 for short shots, a 223 for the middle shots, and a BR for the past-middle shots. THEN I'll get a....6-250. I already have the rifle. THEN, maybe I'll go back and rebarrel the AR 15 with a good pipe with a short throat and Ackley the bolt 223. And THEN...

So forgive me if I can't get excited about smaller bores when the regular size is so much fun...

I don't know, but the WSSMs seem like too much of a good thing to me.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 June 2004 at 20:51

I have a soft spot for the .17 for foxes under lights or rabbits anyhow.Of the others I always like the 243 for pure versatility and range.It will run everything in the way of bullets and accuracy is nearly always good.

I think the T3 varmit model would be a hell of a good rifle.Or het real excited and get one of each and no more problem as you'll have em all.

Macca

don't let the bastards grind you down.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 June 2004 at 02:07

Spot, .224 bullets are plentiful.For a load in your .223 rem, 22-250 ,220 Swift or 223wssm.Just a thought,I am partial to the 223Rem, I love the Swift too.Got in a hard spot years ago and had to sell my Ruger heavy barrel M77 in 220 Swift.That is the one gun sale that I regret.

For certain there is no lack of bullet to do what you want in the realm of practical use for the 22 caliber`s.

.243/6mm is versatile.Makes a good deer whacker too..

17s/and 20`s... I cant say.Haven`t had the opportunity to use either....Gene


"Don`t touch my .50 numbnuts" Me.....
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 June 2004 at 03:07

the 17's and 20's do nothing for me. 'course, i live in a windy place, and that must always be considered.

i finally got rid of my last 243 about a week ago... kind of a cartridge that works ok for deer, works ok for varmints, but does neither exceptionally well. the 25-06 is everything that the 243 should be, and is my preference for a dual purpose cartridge, or long range varminter (klallen's heavy-barrelled savage comes to mind first).

so, of the choices you have listed, that leaves the 224's...

i think the 22-250 represents the peak of efficient performance in the 22's. the super-shorts are no doubt wicked-fast, even reported as exceeding swift velocities. maybe that's true, i don't know - but remember the biggest knock on the swift: extremely hard on barrels.

so, what you should be asking yourself, is '223 or 22-250?'

for cheap shooting, the 223 is your answer. for performance, the 22-250 is your answer. accuracy's a wash. the 223 ceases to blow prairie dogs up somewhere around 250 yards. the 22-250 maintains explosions out to about 325-350 yards. it should be noted that both cartridges will kill a prairie dog much further than that, but that is about where the explosions (disassembly) stop.

having a good bullet selection doesn't hurt, either (my 480 has taught me volumes on component availability, bullet selection, etc)...

Hunting is not a matter of life or death; it is much more important than that.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 June 2004 at 07:51

Go with the .224 caliber. Just more bullets available. If you are into speed then the answer is simple, .223 WSSM. Lawdog

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 June 2004 at 10:36

Spot;

I've got a .220 Swift & have reloaded for it for years.  With modern powders & not trying for the very last FPS, barrel life is equal to any other high-intensity centerfire .22.  You do have to become a religious nut about keeping the bore clean though.

I find it amusing that AKA 'magnum boy' prefers the .22-250 to the Swift, but there ya go.  Must be a case of personal preferance beats the numbers in this instance.

My next centerfire gun will almost certainly be a .223 though.  It very nicely & cheaply, fits in between the Swift & my .22 rimfires.

900F

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 July 2004 at 15:21
Spot, I'd use the .308. No one eats praire dogs anyway, and it would be a low budget into the Red Mist Society...........Kingpin
There are times when a normal man must, spit in his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 July 2004 at 16:11

King;

I'm sorta stumped as to how the .308 can gain entry into The Society Of The Red Mist.  It has neither the speed nor the frangible bullets available to it.  My Swift bullets are out somewhere around 300 yards before they've dropped down to the vicinity of the .308's muzzle velocity.  True, there are some 110 to 130 grain bullets for the .30 caliber guns that are supposed to be 'varmint' bullets.  But I believe that they are meant for the larger varmints, not dogs.

Let's face it, a p-dog offers slightly more resistance to a bullet than a kleenex, but not much.  So while you can certainly kill dogs with the .308, becoming a full-fledged member of the society is very much in doubt in my mind.

I don't think you can get that 3 foot diameter red globe that a solid body hit with a Swift can produce.  With a true dog burner, even the off center hits are spectacular.  Watching the body fly ten feet in the air while executing all sorts of flips, twists, & other gyrations is a truly awe-inspiring sight to the neophyte spotter.

900F

 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 July 2004 at 21:05
Originally posted by CB900F CB900F wrote:

I find it amusing that AKA 'magnum boy' prefers the .22-250 to the Swift...

couple reasons for that...one- i've never worked w/ a swift, so really don't know much about it, other than it can get amazing velocity.

two- i've made my spotters gag w/ the 22-250, (which gets amazing velocity itself) so i haven't really had an itch for the 220.

three- i prefer long range 'doggin... while the 22's are generally capable of 6-800 yards, those little pills get tossed in the non-stop wind here bad enough to make that damned hard to do. also, my penchant for shooting magnums means rifles like the 7 rem mag - not 22's, not even the 'big' 22's.

i used to shoot dogs for the aeronautical acrobatics... but now, i prefer precision - specifically, precision at long range. couldn't care less what a dog does at 1 or 200 yards. i like to see 'em fall over at 6 or 800 yards much better. my tastes have just changed... i used to also like 'body count' style of prairie doggin... but, again, i'd rather only shoot 50 or 60 well aimed shots at 600+ yards, than 3 or 400 shots inside of 500 (and no, i don't put a 22 lr in the truck when i am getting geared up for a dog shoot)...

red mist society...  my 22-250 got me into that club on prairie dogs... my 25-06 got me into that club w/ coyotes... the 338 win mag put me in that club w/ a fox... the 300 wsm opened a badger from stem to stern like he was held together w/ a zipper...  lol, yeah, i think i made membership...

Hunting is not a matter of life or death; it is much more important than that.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 July 2004 at 00:42
The reason I went with the .308 is, accuracy and distance. With a quality scope, 1000 yds is realistic, but not so often that you get used to it. Also, I consider anything under .30 cal as small bore. The .22 cf's don't interest me a whole lot, although I do own an AR15. I would still use 168 gr Match Kings, as they beat wind a lot better than the little .22 pills. I recon that they will be able to wreck a praire dog. I have seen what they can do to a groundhog, and a praire dog is built a lot lighter...........Kingpin
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 July 2004 at 02:59

Dakotasin;

Oh, no argument, if you've got a .22-250 there's no real need to step up to the Swift.  They're so close that the gains aren't worth the expense.  And also agreed, the .22 centerfires aren't good for truly long range work.

I've been talking with a fella here that's using his .338 Winmag as his long range gun.  I've thought that mine would be mainly my elk, moose, & bear gun, with ranges held to 500 yards & under.  He tells tales of antelope taken in the 600's & getting knocked down like they got bitch-slapped by God.

900F

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