22-250 for longer range? or 308?

[Xride]

To start I used to have a 308 savage and used it for prarie dogs and target. I would compete in anything from 300-600 yards and really enjoyed that.
It was stolen quite a few months back and I never replaced it.

But I really want to get back to it.

I was thinking a 22-250 this time, mostly to keep my costs down.
But I dont know how well it does, 400-500 yards is about where I shoot most of the time. and there is almost always a wind, maybe 10-15 km/h.

I'm just worried that the bullets are too light and are going to be blown around, but they are also faster then the 308. But I dont really know how it works.


Also I go quading alot in the back back woods to go camping and need something to protect me and my gf and whoever else comes with (although the usual company has a 30-30). Reason is about a year and a half ago we had to put down a brown bear that started to charge us as we returned to the camp, took 3 shots from the 30-30 and 1 from my 308 to stop the charge. I found out then that frontal shooting of a bear is not an easy way to put it down, and it seemed the shot from my 308 went through the top of its skull (range was about 40 yards when I took my shot)

So I am scared that a single shot 22-250 is going to be like throwing rocks if this happens again. even the single shot 308 was scary as it was hard to think straight enough to get the next round in. Never would have thought a bear would charge 4 quads in the first place.


So is the cost savings of the 22-250 worth getting it over the 308? I plan to do reloading this time.

[Evan03]

anything over 400makes me say no to the 22/250 even though im 22/250 minded. but the 308 isnt choice id ever make, just isnt my style and i cant stand its recoil in varmit rig. id want something that could go to 500 but doesnt have as much recoil as the 308.

first thing that comes to mind is the 2506, then the 243, 6mm

what kinda glass are you running, these are the 3 id pick from, i think i may go the 6mm route myself here shortly

the 243 and 6mm have bullets availalbe in the 75gr range and smaller, and the 2506 has 75-120s availalbe.

[Lone Star]

There are a number of ways to go, but if your driving factor is cost, then the bullet and the charge weights are what matter. Using these factors, the .22-250 will work well and perform as well as long as you are looking to save money. A 55-grain .224" bullet at 3600 fps will show less drop and less wind drift as a 150-grain .308" bullet at 500 yards. The .22-250 will be a bit cheaper to feed too using Midway pricing:

Sierra 55-grain SBT = $0.09 each
Sierra 150-grain HPBT = $0.15

IMR4064 @ $20/pound:
.22-250 = 35.7 grains = $0.11 each
.308WCF = 45.5 grains = $0.13

So you save eight cents each time you pull the trigger on the .22-250. You also get less recoil, and a bit less barrel life.

OTOH, the .22-250 is hardly protection against large bear. I hunted Kodiak most of the 27 winters I lived in Alaska, and I'm appauled that you considered it prudent to shoot a "charging" bear at 40 yards. I've been false charged many times, and they all stopped by 20-30 yards - not that yours would have stopped. I wasn't there and things may have been different in your instance, but this sounds too much like the fisherman who shot and wounded a sow on the Russian River this year because he "thought" it might cross the river and attack him. This kind of thing gives hunters a bad name. If you really want bear protection, get a .338. :)

[Xride]

Originally posted by Lone Star


OTOH, the .22-250 is hardly protection against large bear. I hunted Kodiak most of the 27 winters I lived in Alaska, and I'm appauled that you considered it prudent to shoot a "charging" bear at 40 yards. I've been false charged many times, and they all stopped by 20-30 yards - not that yours would have stopped. I wasn't there and things may have been different in your instance, but this sounds too much like the fisherman who shot and wounded a sow on the Russian River this year because he "thought" it might cross the river and attack him. This kind of thing gives hunters a bad name. If you really want bear protection, get a .338. :)

Been camping back woods BC for 4 years now, north south central and kinda north. Saw a bear at lest once on every trip, and every time we did the bear horn would send they running into the woods, this one started running instead. I have never hunted bear or anything bigger then a yote, I had no idea what this bear was going to do, all I knew I had a point at which I didnt want it any closer, and after my shot he didnt get much closer in the sliding roll I put him in. Do I feel I did the wrong thing? No. I felt we did what we had to in order to protect ourselves and our gf's. I didnt even have an idea what my round would do to a bear, I needed to make sure i could get a second shot if I needed it. If we were in a clearing and could have driven off we would have, but it was a 2 track in the bush. If it would have stopped then I am sorry for it. We marked it on the GPS and gave the location to a game and wildlife officer in a small town on our way home.



My main objective is not cost, but it is in my mind.
So a different round like a 25-06? or 6mm or something?
(Seems I will be buying a second rilfe to carry while camping, or see if I can get my pops 300 win mag, its like 20 years old, but I am sure it works, might just need a bit of tlc from a gunsmith.)

I have only ever shot a 308 and a .22
My 308 had the heavy barrel, choate stock and I usually shot from a bipod. And I didnt feel the recoil was that bad.

The glass I had was a Leupold Vari X III 8.5-25x50mm, and I liked it, although others thought it was to strong for their personal taste.

Doesnt seem the 22-250 is really what I want if its not that good past 400 yards.
To tell you the truth I have never really look at other calabers, except the 300 win, but thats really overkill I think.

I'll have to find more info on the 6mm, 243, and 25-06
I assume the 223 would suffer the same problems as the 22-250?

[PJgunner]

Well, the .243, 6mm Rem. and 25-06 are OK for varmints and such, but if I was camping in bear country, and there was the possibility of a problem with a bear, I'd want something a bit bigger than the .308, and defintitely not the varmint rounds. My minimum would be a 30-06 stoked with federal High Energy rounds using the 180 gr. trophy bonded bear claw bullets. Rifle would be preferably a controlled feed type such as one based on a Mauser action, Winchester M70 Classic or the Ruger Mk II. Thwe ammo mentioned is a bit pricey, kicks like a mule in a light 30-06, but I doubt you'll even feel it in an emercency. The load comes close to duplicating factory .300 H&H factory loads.
My preference would be a .35 Whelen in a controlled feed action using either the 250 gr. Remington ammo, federal's preimuim with 225 gr. bulet or my stiff handload with the 250 gr. Speer Hot-core over any .300 mag. Why" My Remington 700 holds four in the magazine and one up the spout. Both my Ruger 77 and custom mauser in .35 Whelen hold five in the magazine and one up the spout. My first choice is the Mauser with it's controlled feed. The Ruger, a tang safety model and the Remington 700 are both push feed actions. At 40 yards, that 250 gr. bullet will hit like a sledge hammer. Scope would be most likely a 2.5 or 3X fixed power. If a variable, a 1.75x6X would be my choice and set at 1.5X.
Paul B.