Thread: Is the .223 the most versatile cartridge?

Originally Posted by Cordite

With more than a few finishing-off shots required, unfortunately.

Yes, very unfortunate. Even the larger calibres rely on the nut behind the bolt when it comes to killing goats.

The .223 is my great equaliser.

When I get too cocky and start missing stuff with my larger rifles I swap to my .223.
With it I know I need to get closer and take more care. It brings me back to earth, in a refreshing way.

No deer that presents itself for a decent shot within 250 yards is safe, and a 300 yard one on a still day with its lungs exposed is in big trouble too.

And I can pop bunnies on the way home too.

Light, no recoil, not much bang and cheap to run. Kills everything. Keeps you grounded and honest. Thats versatility in my book. Wouldn't be without one.

Originally Posted by Tahr

The .223 is my great equaliser.

When I get too cocky and start missing stuff with my larger rifles I swap to my .223.
With it I know I need to get closer and take more care. It brings me back to earth, in a refreshing way.

No deer that presents itself for a decent shot within 250 yards is safe, and a 300 yard one on a still day with its lungs exposed is in big trouble too.

And I can pop bunnies on the way home too.

Light, no recoil, not much bang and cheap to run. Kills everything. Keeps you grounded and honest. Thats versatility in my book. Wouldn't be without one.

Is it maybe more accurate because you don't develop a flinch?

Originally Posted by Cordite

.22WMR is going to get popular in coming years, hopefully will lower the cost too, not that it's that high.

Yeah, the most powerful round left available in semi-auto will become very popular! I'm looking for a good lightweight carbine in this calibre for goat control, it will not be as good as the SKK, and there WILL be injured goats dieing slowly and painfully in the bush, but this is the cost the general population are imposing on us with their 'democratic' removal of decent pest control rifles and there is nothing we can do about it except shoot as accurately as we can.

I know some importers are looking at options for new rifles in this calibre and there is likely to be a lot more interesting rifles available in future, including some aimed at the 'AR-enthusiast' crowd.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Is it maybe more accurate because you don't develop a flinch?

Well contrary to what some have said here, I think that the .223 is an inherently very accurate cartridge. That added to it being so easy to shoot makes for a deadly combination. Then add Barnes or heavier bullets for deer and cheap cup & core for bunnies and you have a pretty awesome combination.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Yeah, the most powerful round left available in semi-auto will become very popular! I'm looking for a good lightweight carbine in this calibre for goat control, it will not be as good as the SKK, and there WILL be injured goats dieing slowly and painfully in the bush, but this is the cost the general population are imposing on us with their 'democratic' removal of decent pest control rifles and there is nothing we can do about it except shoot as accurately as we can.

I know some importers are looking at options for new rifles in this calibre and there is likely to be a lot more interesting rifles available in future, including some aimed at the 'AR-enthusiast' crowd.

Problem with .22WMR is that it is at the edge of the envelope for blowback operation. Blowback is great for .22LR and .22WMR as their rims do not provide the best hold for extractors, while gas operation has the advantage of a locked bolt for better support for thin walled cartridges.

ERMA did a gas operated .22WMR M1 Carbine in the 1980s. Ruger's (blowback) 10/22WMR was not a success, heard it was due to the light bolt getting smashed about a bit - putting a stronger spring behind it is really not a solution, it needs a heavy bolt for good blowback operation.

H&K also did an inertia lock one the model 300 I know someone with one beautiful piece of engineering and friggin accurate even has a nice trigger.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

.

I know some importers are looking at options for new rifles in this calibre and there is likely to be a lot more interesting rifles available in future, including some aimed at the 'AR-enthusiast' crowd.

well I for one hope like hell they dont......... that is what got us in the shitty place we are in now....people trying to be cleaver and work in and around loopholes in the law
I mean really how long do you think it will/would be before the powers that be decide that it looks like and behaves like what they have tried to get rid of so out the door it should go too and will no dought drag another whole bunch of combinations with it....... we should thank our lucky stars no one has yet twigged that the 10/22 is based on something else........that was used by a bunch of folk to replace the .45 handguns they used before that...... shhhhhhhh head down arse up.
start dressing a 10/22up with AR stocks and piccaninny rails for africa with a doodad here and a lazer there,maybe a thermal whatsamacallit over there for good measure and pretty soon it will draw attention to itself....

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

H&K also did an inertia lock one the model 300 I know someone with one beautiful piece of engineering and friggin accurate even has a nice trigger.

So .22 WMR is powerful enough to work an inertia locked bolt. Perhaps less likely to foul up than a gas operated rimfire rifle, but it would be a close call how heavy accessories to mount on a .22WMR inertia semi.

Originally Posted by dogmatix

Attachment 109957

Where did you get that Miroku M-bolt from?

It'll be interesting to see what the "new normal" of semi auto rifles becomes.

Originally Posted by SlimySquirrel

Where did you get that Miroku M-bolt from?

@SlimySquirrel I bought it from a bloke in Hamilton just over 10 years ago.
I sold it in 2011 to another forum member.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

It'll be interesting to see what the "new normal" of semi auto rifles becomes.

As mentioned in the 357 / 44 Mag thread, I've used one of these, and watched it in action on game. I was impressed. In the right hands, it delivers more than adequate killing power for head shooting goats and fallow. It wasn't used for chest shots by the young lady shooter, not her style.

Magnum Research .22 WMR 9-shot semi-auto



https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/fi...lded-rifle.asp

There were several different ammo choices, I do remember it shot 30gr V-Max well but you're not supposed to use 30gr I see on the website, didn't know that at the time. Why is that, by the way? Anyone know?

This is what we went hunting with though, Armscor US 40gr HP:



The ammo is expensive enough to make you think twice about plinking, but once I got the hang of the weight (very light) and the trigger (crisp but quite heavy) and the scope (red dot), I was drilling coke cans at 75m pop pop pop no problem.

I suspect it would drop goats with forward shoulder shots no problem.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

I'm looking for advice, I'm loosing an SKK in 7.62x39 and looking for a good caliber for knocking down goats and deer on farm. For smaller critters I'll use the ruger 10/22 or shotgun. Also looking at a semi auto in 22wmr for goats. I like the 7.62x39, and had thought about buying a bolt action in that calibre, but once the SKK is gone I'm open to all options. I don't reload, what's the best calibre for general pest control/occaisonal hunting, that is cheap to buy off the shelf?

I'm looking at getting a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 7.62x39 and keep using that cheap ammo. The rifle looks like it rates pretty well and it feels like a nice rifle. Takes the 10 round Ruger mini30 mag.

I read through 1/2 of the posts on this tread and I have to say that I was starting to feel sick.

How on earth can a post like this be allowed on this forum?
Do you not realise the damage this sort of post could cause in the wrong hands (ie my wife)?
There is no rhyme nor reason to be stating that there is one 'most versatile cartridge'. If that was the case, I would only need one gun!!!

Not happening!! We need to be promoting the fact that each individual rifle and calibre has an incredibly narrow field of use, and therefore the wider the field of hunting, the more guns required!

There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for rats - air rifle
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for possums - 22LR
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for rabbits - .22WMR
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for hairs - .17HMR
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for wallabies (if I ever get the opportunity to shoot one, but the guns ready to go) - .223
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for magpies - .22-250
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for goats - 7.62x39
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for deer - 6.5CM
There is 'a' most versatile cartridge for scrub bulls - .357MAG (small bulls), .44MAG (big bulls) Still looking for the bulls, but if I find some, I'm ready.

Then of course there's the different shot guns needed for duck, turkeys, and geese, oh and the .410 for keeping the Puke's off the plumb tree in to orchid.

For the sake of marital peace and successful future capital expenditure requests, please be more careful with these reckless postings about making do with one most versatile calibre.

PS - never leave your gun safe door open when your wife is home - she might happen upon it and take inventory - then you are really screwed