Sorry for the new thread but this one main and important question was kind of getting lost in the orignal thread.

What is the max effective range for both of these calibers on varmints?

the
22-250
and the
243

I generally sight in to shoot down the pipe. This allows me to take small critters out to 300ish yards with no holdover, and larger critters like coyotes can be taken at 400 yards.

With the -yotes, ranges can be extended to 500 yards, but holdover is 2x the animals height. I have also come to the conclusion that they are all hair, but when hit solidly they go down.

This is my rule of thumb based on shooting those animals. It works for the .22-250 and the 6m/m Remington.

Hope this was helpful. packrat

223 275yds
22-250 350yds
243 450yds
25-06 600yds
6.5-284 800yds
300WSM 1000yds

Note: The 22's can reach farther with fast twists and Matchkings but terminal ballistics fall off rapidly.

More than you asked for but there you have it....

$bob$

Embalmer,

This is a touchy question as it will lead to more arguements then facts.

Let me tell you how I load for the 22-250 and 243 and how they perform for me.

I shoot a nice Ruger M77VT in 22-250. This rifle is bone stock except for a little trigger work in my shop. Always though about building a custom 22-250 but this little ruger varminter will hole .5" groups all day, and thats after about 3500 rounds down the pipe.

I load the 50 gr Ballisitic Silvertip to 3940 fps using H-380 and a CCI-BR2 primer in Win match prepped cases. This is admittedly a hot load but it really shoots and cases will last a long time. In fact I am still using the same 400 cases that I have used for the entire 3500 round carrer. I am just now starting to get a few case necks splitting here and there.

Anyway, with this load, I sight my rifle in so that on a standing gopher at 180-250 yards, I aim at his feet. At a bit over 320 yards I am zeroed and at 400 yards I can hold on the head of a standing rodent and scoe a solid hit.

The 243 is also an amazing varmint round especially with the nre light weight bullets in 55-58 gr class. In a 26" barrel, the 243 can easilt hit 4100 fps with top loads. They shoot a bit flatter then the big 22 calibers but within 500 yards, not by much. Also, with the increased case capacity, barrel life will be slightly less.

I get a kick out of these guys that list the effective range of the different varmint rounds to the exact yard. Any round is only as effective as the rifle and shooter using it. Most shooters I have seen that were self proclaimed experts would be hard pressed to hit a pop can at 300 yards, with any rifle. A few others can double that range with very consistent hits.

You will determine how far a round will be effective. For Varmint size critters, both rounds, when loaded to top levels will handle any varmint at practically any range you can hit them at. I would go with the 22-250 but the 243 is a great round as well.

Good Shooting!!!

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