I’m on the verge of purchasing my first centerfire rifle, after two years of owning a rimfire bolt action. Although it’s a great deal of fun to shoot, I find myself wanting to shoot at longer distances—200 to 300 yards—than the .22 LR handles well.
I initially was leaning toward a .308, but I think the cartridge would be overkill for punching paper and possibly hunting small game (I do not currently hunt larger game, and that’s also unlikely in the future). I’m now leaning toward something a little smaller, and I have been reading on the subject here and over at 6mmbr.com.
Here are my criteria.
• Decent accuracy
• Decent retained energy
• Relatively low recoil
• Flat trajectory
• Little wind drift
• Relatively economical and available
• Doesn’t erode barrels quickly
Four rounds that I have found seem to fit my criteria. I have tried to research each to the best of my ability and to synthesize here what I have read.
• .204 Ruger (advantages: flat trajectory, low recoil, relatively little wind drift; disadvantages: not as versatile in bullet weights, relatively less common than the others)
• .22-250 (advantages: flat trajectory, relatively little wind drift, relatively versatile bullet weights, common components; disadvantages: burns barrels more quickly (?), more recoil than .204)
• .223 (advantages: low recoil, really common components, relatively versatile bullet weights, relatively easy to reload; disadvantages: more wind drift than the others, tends to vanish during panic-induced buying)
• .243 (advantages: flat trajectory, less wind drift than the others, much more versatile bullet weights than the others, common components; disadvantages: burns barrels more quickly (?), might be less comfortable for shooting at the range)
Right now, the .204 and .243 have the edge, the former because of its negligible recoil and the latter because it can handle many weights of bullet (I do reload, although currently only for revolvers).
I’d like to know 1.) if my summaries of each cartridge are accurate, since many here have more knowledge and experience with this than I will probably every have, and 2.) which cartridge you think would be suitable for my purposes (shooting at the range and hunting small game).
Thank you in advance.
I initially was leaning toward a .308, but I think the cartridge would be overkill for punching paper and possibly hunting small game (I do not currently hunt larger game, and that’s also unlikely in the future). I’m now leaning toward something a little smaller, and I have been reading on the subject here and over at 6mmbr.com.
Here are my criteria.
• Decent accuracy
• Decent retained energy
• Relatively low recoil
• Flat trajectory
• Little wind drift
• Relatively economical and available
• Doesn’t erode barrels quickly
Four rounds that I have found seem to fit my criteria. I have tried to research each to the best of my ability and to synthesize here what I have read.
• .204 Ruger (advantages: flat trajectory, low recoil, relatively little wind drift; disadvantages: not as versatile in bullet weights, relatively less common than the others)
• .22-250 (advantages: flat trajectory, relatively little wind drift, relatively versatile bullet weights, common components; disadvantages: burns barrels more quickly (?), more recoil than .204)
• .223 (advantages: low recoil, really common components, relatively versatile bullet weights, relatively easy to reload; disadvantages: more wind drift than the others, tends to vanish during panic-induced buying)
• .243 (advantages: flat trajectory, less wind drift than the others, much more versatile bullet weights than the others, common components; disadvantages: burns barrels more quickly (?), might be less comfortable for shooting at the range)
Right now, the .204 and .243 have the edge, the former because of its negligible recoil and the latter because it can handle many weights of bullet (I do reload, although currently only for revolvers).
I’d like to know 1.) if my summaries of each cartridge are accurate, since many here have more knowledge and experience with this than I will probably every have, and 2.) which cartridge you think would be suitable for my purposes (shooting at the range and hunting small game).
Thank you in advance.