I'm looking to add another rifle to my home and need a little help deciding on a caliber, probaby be a Savage rifle based on past experiences. I don't do as much hunting as I used to, just a little deer (7mm stw) and coyote (22-250). So this rifle will mostly be for range work and play. I do hope to do a little pdog shooting next summer and I don't have a 223. I want an accurate caliber that is pleasant to shoot. Here are my thoughts:

223 - could be used for pdoging
uses same bullets and maybe powder as my 22-250

25/06 - could be a back-up deer rifle
good for long range yotes or pdogs
always wanted one

260 - same reasons as the 25/06, good back-up deer rifle and long range rig and always wanted one
con would be no factory offering by Savage

Any help would be appreciated. I may be able to squeeze two new rifles in before winter, so give me some thoughts on each if you can.

Thanks

Justin,

Not sure what you mean by play, but I have a lot of fun with my ARs, both up close and out a ways. With a good upper and a 20" bull stainless fluted barrel in 1 in 9" twist, 6x scope and a little work at the loading bench, you can get sub MOA accuracy to 300 yards or beyond. Switch over to an M4 type uppper and it is hard to beat as a fun gun when loaded with cheap Russian ammo in a 30 round mag.

As a deer back-up gun..64 grain Winchester Power Point or a 63 gr Sierra thru the ribs.

Buy a 375 H&H to go with the AR and you'll own the world!!!

They are not as cool as a .204....hmmmmm....how about an AR in .204???

It's hard to go wrong with a .223 for plinking and p-dogs. It doesn't get much cheaper or much more fun!

Consider the 6BR. One of the most accurate cartridges available. Power to take anything from vermin to deer sized critters. Excellent choices for reloading componenets. Easy on barrels and a dream to shoot.

Though it's a great round I would think that the 223 is too close to the 22-250 that you already have.
Maybe you should try something in between the calibers you have, something that will be easy to shoot and give you more distance than the 22-250.
May I sugguest something different--a 25-308 or what most call a 25 Souper. Heavier slugs than the 22s and 243s, good velocity, easy to resize from 308 cases, not as recoil heavy as a 25-06, a caliber that's respectable on varmints to deer, and has the weight to shoot a long distance.

I've arrived at a similar time in life.I was trying to order a Savage Mod. 40 in 22 hornet with little luck. After looking around at what is available in an accurate off the shelf rifle at a reasonable price I have also desided to order a Savage 12BVSS-S in .223 single shot with the accutrigger.

In 224 caliber I have a 22-250 sporterized Mauser and a CZ .222 mod 527 American. Thought I hated the short necked .223 but may be I don't. See a number of ragged one hole groups w/.223 and the normal twist difference between the 22-250 and the 223 is really significant. The CZ is a great walk around rifle but it does not in anyway compare to a decent varmint rifle; at least mine does not so there is a gap. My partner has an accurate mod 77 in .223 and it is just fine but--- with every shot you hear and feel a pinging .Having owned and owning a number of Rugers I thought I'd try that accutrigger. Those that own it say it really is a different experience. Why not?? roger

Thanks for the input guys. I would really like to stay with a factory round. Nothing against wildcats, there are just a lot of factory rounds that I don't have yet. Basically, I want something that I can put a lot of rounds through at the range without burning out a barrel. I love my savage 22-250, but it's a little hot for a lot of range work. I know that a 223 will give me nothing over my 250, but I know it's an accurate factory round chambered in a large choice of rifles with cheap reloading components. I think the savage rifles have a faster twist that would allow shooting some of the heaver matchkings for paper punching. I don't think the 223 is sexy, but it seems to make the most sense for what I want.

What about one of those new 204s? I've done a little research and can't seem to find brass cheap anywhere.

Any other suggestions?