223 vs 22-250 vs 204 ruger

My $.02 If your shots are long 22-250, the 204/223 are peas in a pod for coyotes 40gr NBT's out of either will do the job.
 
Not sure what you want to use yours for but since I have all three of them I guess that I would have to give a nod to the .223 Rem. Ammo is everywhere (not as good as it was before the elections but what is?) and with the right bullet it's great for the smallest varmints to deer. Sure hard not to find a .223 load that will do what you want it to do.
 
I have both and prefer the .22-250 9 of 10 times out, with good shooting I get clean kills.
The 250 easily has a hundred yard advantage.
>223 I have stretched to 300 or so,
.22-250 goes 400 often and I have stretched it to 600 which is not a common shot and conditions need to be in your favor.
Tikka rifle and 50 gr ballistic tip for both do very well.
 
I don't have a 204 and have never used one for coyotes so I don't have an strong opinion on it. It is great caliber for coyotes but ammo and brass are not as easy to find. This isn't a problem as long as you keep a stock pile of ammo and don't need to buy extra ammo when you are on a trip far from home.

22-250 is a great option for coyotes. Flatter shooting and harder hitting than a 223. It is hard to argue with anyone that tells you this is the best cartridge for coyotes

Even though the 223 isn't as fast as the 22-250 I think it is still a great coyote round for 200 yards or less. It will work well for even 300 or 400 yards but the 22-250 is without a doubt a better option for 200 + yard shots.
The 223 does have cheaper ammo so you may be inclined to practice your shooting more with it. There is less recoil so it is easier to watch coyotes drop in your scope than the 22-250. Recoil isn't significantly more on the 22-250 but occasionally I don't see the coyote drop in the scope due to recoil.

If you want a gun just for shooting coyotes, get a 22-250. If you want a gun that you will use for a lot of target practice and most coyotes you kill are 200 yards or less, go with the 223.

The best option is do like I did and buy both and then keep your eye open for a 204
 
I’m hunting in mass and Connecticut . 90% of my hunting is done in thick cover where it’s almost always a shotgun kill. But I do have some private farms where I can hunt 6-800 yard hay or corn fields and the shots could be from 10 yards to 600 yards . That’s when the rifle is gonna shine . I want something that can be fur friendly but also drop dogs on the spot over 300 yards
 
Yes I know the 10-50 yard shots probably won’t be to fur friendly but usually I have someone with me and one of us runs a rifle one runs a shotgun. I’m just looking for the best all around fur friendly rifle for coyote cats and fox
 
I started with a 20vt but it was a single shot so I went to a 223 but wanted a little less noise so I went to a 222 but judging range at nite was hard so I went to a 22-250. There is no perfect gun or caliber. This was all for nite predator, mostly fox, hunting. I shoot with a can and the sound of the 20vt will put a smile on your face. The sound of the whap when you hit one with the 22-250 going 3800=4000 fps will also make you smile. I think life is to short to make such a hard choice.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad Phillips10 to 600 yards, tough for one gun to cover that and be fur friendly at the same time.

Well said.

The 204 would be my choice. Fur friendly on Coyotes, you don't loose your sight picture and is a match for the 22-250, nips at its heels all the way out.
Ammo or reloading components for it has never been much of a problem for me to find.
If pelt saving isn't in the equation, then a 22-250, 220 Swift, or a 243 would be the way to go. Not for me, I would still stick with a 17 Rem. or 204.
 
I like a fast twist .223 or .22-250. As far as fun to shoot, the .223 seems to have the most utility based one ease of components to find and long barrel life.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad Phillips10 to 600 yards, tough for one gun to cover that and be fur friendly at the same time.

The caliber is what gets the bullet there, bullet choice will determine how bad it tears it up. A .22-250 with Sierra match bullets would probably achieve it very well if the right powder was used
 
The problem is here in mass and Connecticut the rules on AR-15’s are very strict or I would just get an ar platform in 223 and use that . But I’m basically stuck with a bolt gun
 
Like many here I've had or currently have all three and I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. Depending on their call of duty for that particular day one may be a little better choice than the other but within reason none of the three will ever be a bad choice.

As for fur friendly, I tend to think that is more about bullet selection than it is about which cartridge you choose.
 
I agree with that because rite now I use my 270 that I hunt deer with but shoot some hand loads that I make with full metal jackets and all I get is a 27
Caliber entrance and exit hole . Even if I hit bone the exit might be just a bit bigger
 
Even out here on the flat prairie I haven't had any problems shooting a .223 and the bullet will determine how much fur damage there is. If it's 600 yards away I'd say either get it closer or come back another day. You won't find a cartridge that will drop coyotes at 600 yards and have a whole fox left to pick up at 10 yards. There's not such a thing.
 
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