Thread: Thinking about getting into this ….

223 all the way. As Tahr said, don't get something with a bull barrel and weight. I have had both a varmint weight CZ that was awesome to shoot but a ball breaker to carry.
Then I got a standard Tikka T3 and it was a joy to carry and shot just as well.
I shot out to 450 mtrs on rabbits, 4 = 16 scope, gotta have a bipod and better suppressed as it reduces muzzle jump and you can send a lot of rounds down range varmint shooting so better on the ears.

It depends on the type of country you are shooting on, if shooting on rolling farm land, where there is no issues with backstops, then 204, 223 etc is ideal. However if on flat ground thats semi built up or there are roads in close proximity etc, then the 204 or 223 is likely not the best choice.

Ie i shoot rabbits out around 200 yards on a weekly basis, on flat smallish apple orchards and berry farms etc, where there is no way you could safely use anything larger than my 17 hornet. The beauty with the hornet is the very frangible 20 gr projectiles going very fast, as soon as they hit anything, even a stalky blade of grass sometimes the projectile explodes, this means I never get ricochets, and never get the bullet passing thru a rabbit and carrying on beyond etc.

But the 223 is the way to go if you shoot on properties where its safe to use.

Originally Posted by muzza

A .220 Swift would be the bees intermediary leg joints for you. Dont listen to old guys like Tahr and their fetish for the 223 - its a girls cartridge.....

yer and they burn out a barrel pretty quick 223 or 204 you can not go wrong

Originally Posted by muzza

A .220 Swift would be the bees intermediary leg joints for you. Dont listen to old guys like Tahr and their fetish for the 223 - its a girls cartridge.....

The .220 Swift was born in 1935, and died 1936.
You would remember both events wouldn't you muzza?

Is there anything a 223 can do that a 22 250 cant do better ? And dont write " frighten dogs and small children" Load it up load it down just all around more versatile. Had a Sako 223, made me feel cruel watching deer 'down but not out'

Originally Posted by Tahr

The .220 Swift was born in 1935, and died 1936.
You would remember both events wouldn't you muzza?

Thats a short life,could not have been any good.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Is there anything a 223 can do that a 22 250 cant do better ? And dont write " frighten dogs and small children" Load it up load it down just all around more versatile. Had a Sako 223, made me feel cruel watching deer 'down but not out'

Used to own a Sportco .222 and a Sako .22 250. Both were tack drivers, but man that .22 250 was an amazing rifle. Easily reached out a couple a hundred metres further, and the animals tipped over @400m even as you were finishing taking up the trigger pull. Hammer of thor with accurate shots. But I ran that Sako 22 250 in BS times (before suppressor) came onto the scene. Was bloody hard on the ears compared to the long barrelled .222

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Is there anything a 223 can do that a 22 250 cant do better ? And dont write " frighten dogs and small children" Load it up load it down just all around more versatile. Had a Sako 223, made me feel cruel watching deer 'down but not out'

Ive got both...and my deer go down dead very nicely with the .223 thankyou very muchly..... yes the 22-250 is a .223 on steroids, but at under 200 yards you burning more powder for same effect...a down loaded 22-250 may as well be a .223 EG no advantage so moot point.
now a fast twist .22-250 with heavy for calibre projectiles is different beast entirely,thats getting up into .243 territory and is a serious bit of kit.
I can miss just as well with both.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Is there anything a 223 can do that a 22 250 cant do better ? And dont write " frighten dogs and small children" Load it up load it down just all around more versatile. Had a Sako 223, made me feel cruel watching deer 'down but not out'

I rest my case about right calibre for the right job.
All good till there's a fuck up

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

I would've expected a boom flop with a 223 vs bunny.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I rest my case about right calibre for the right job.
All good till there's a fuck up

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

Same with any caliber. But I guess a 223 with a Nightforce on it is ok for deer Andy??

Originally Posted by Tahr

Same with any caliber. But I guess a 223 with a Nightforce on it is ok for deer Andy??

As long as it is in a dirty tikka with an old camo stock ;-)

Originally Posted by vulcannz

I would've expected a boom flop with a 223 vs bunny.

the way it flipped I would suggest/suspect it was decapitated.

Just saw this thread had gone to the 3rd page , good to see the old mines better than yours banter is still alive and kicking hahaha , plan is to go for a standard weight .223 T3 , I have a redundant 3-10 x 42 NF Scope that I can trade up for a bigger scope as well .
This will be my summer project so not looking at buying anything right now , already got a new rifle coming in the next month or so , and want to get used to that first , also a new caliber for me a 260rem