Dear all,
If everything goes to plan then by about February 2004 I would have negotiated all the red tape involved in acquiring a firearms certificate and be in a position buy my first small caliber centerfire rifle. I've decided to 'go international' and ask you AR members for suggestions on which caliber to opt for.

I'm basically looking for a caliber that will enable me have a crack at 100 and 200 bench rest comps (not the serious kind) and assasinate the odd bunny or fox at the similar distances. As someone who is very fond of 'tinkering', I am planning to reload and need to know what rounds are CHEAP to run and are versatile.

Initial research leads me to the 222 Rem as a good all-rounder though I have had no experience with this round. I have, however, shot the .17 Rem and was very surprised at what it can do, though 17 Rem brass is not exactly cheap over here in the UK.

Any advice much appreciated.

The .222 will be much less temperamental and a bit more versatile than a .17 Remington. .222's are getting a little hard to find, but there is no practical difference in the .222 and the now more common .223 as far as the kind of shooting you intend. I don't know if roe is legal in your area with a .22 centerfire, but either the .222 or .223 will do well on roe.

Good luck and have fun!

I would agree totally with Stonecreek - the .223 would seem to be a very good choice for your needs. It seems to be very popular in my area, judging by the number of reloaders I see shooting one at the local range.

Yup, .223. Especially as you like to tinker. You can buy once fired brass for next to nothing and a pound of powder goes a long, long way. Forget about any exotic rates of twist for heavy for calibre bullets and such. Go the plain vanilla route: Standard chamber; 1/14 twist. enjoy.

I'd recommend the .223. The ammo is cheap and easy to find. You can go with either a bolt action or an AR, moderately priced or custom built. And, at 100 and 200 yards, the accuracy is pretty impressive. The 1 in 14 twist will limit your bullet choice. I'd recommend something more like a 1 in 9.
Dennis D. Carter

[ 09-09-2003, 03:22: Message edited by: Dennis D. Carter ]

Even if you go with the 222, use cheap 223 brass. Just trim and size. 222 probably easier to get near benchrest groups. Plenty versatile.

Yup. .223 would be your best choice in my book. As you note, you might want to check to see what the UK thinks of the 5.56 but I suspect it's not going to be a problem.

No need to go fancy. If it's available, a Remington 700VS would be an excellent choice, more accurate than the lighter barreled ADL's or BDL's and with some good handloads you should be able to get near-benchrest accuracy. Mine will shoot in the low 2's. Tikka is also very good as is the Savage PSS though I would think that latter, with the "police" designation, would be most apt to raise eyebrows in the UK, if not outright banned. Don't go cheap on the scope but no need to buy a high-end scope unless you have cash to burn. In US dollars, for a serious rifle, I wouldn't spend less than about $500 on a scope. Remember that it costs more to upgrade than get good equipment the first time around. -Rod-

EDIT: Don't ignore the .22-250 either, though it may be a bit noisy for UK sensibilities out in the field. More research for ya

[ 09-09-2003, 08:36: Message edited by: USAPatriot ]

The 223 Rem is a great all around. I would take a look at the 6mm Rem BR. It's a little more off the beaten path and brass a little more expensive but a more accurate round you won't find.

223 Remington = Economy It is at the top of the pecking order when one is talking about the smaller 22's. Fast, accurate, and economical, it will be a tough number to beat.

Personally, I'd go with the faster rate of twist. It will still shoot the lighter bullets, and leave room for the heavies when one wants/needs the extra power and range.

Just to be different
Since you plan to reload look at the 22-250 then

"The .22-250 Remington is perhaps the best of the large capacity .22 varmint cartridges. Developed during the 1930's as a wildcat, it is based on the .250 Savage case necked down to accept standard .224" bullets. The .22-250 Varminter was probably the most popular wildcat cartridge ever devised.

It has become a very popular varmint cartridge, and outsells all the other big .22's, including the .220 Swift, .225 Win., .223 WSSM, and .224 Weatherby. It is about the ninth best selling CF rifle cartridge in the U.S. on most sales lists. It is popular on a world-wide basis, and .22-250 ammunition is loaded in Europe, Australia, and Africa as well as in North America.

Rifles for the .22-250 usually have 1-14" twist barrels and can stabilize bullets as heavy as 70 grains (SD .199), depending on shape and velocity. The .22-250 has a reputation for excellent accuracy, long case life, and being easy to reload. Its popularity with reloaders is probably what gives the .22-250 the edge in sales."

Chuck Hawks

[ 09-10-2003, 01:54: Message edited by: Desy ]

222 or 223 if you never intend to shoot at deer, 243 if you do and don't want to buy another rifle.

I will throw a spanner in the works and say get a cz 550 in 6.5x55 and load from 100 gr to 160 gr bullets it has low recoil is easy to reload for and would make a wonderful first centerfire !!