which rifle to get

dash

Active Member
Location
lehi
so I am a lefty and being such puts me in a pickle. I have to find left hand rifles which cost more. I was thinking 22-250 or 223. 223 is easier to find but I want to shoot long distances. I thought 22-250 for this but I can't seem to find the ammo. I have read that reloads for 22-250 is the way to go but don't know if that is the right choice for me. any thoughts? please share.
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
I've hit 8x10 steels at 600 yards with an out of the box ar15. How long range are you thinking? 22-250 are awesome. Likely get out a little further than a .223 but .223 is much cheaper to shoot
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Is there a reason you want to stay .22 cal? What's wrong with a .308 or 30-06? Both of those calibers are 1000 yard capable without a lot of work. You'll spend more on optics than the weapon. Fwiw, I have .223 and 30-06 in my house. .223 because it relatively cheap to shoot (nothing's cheap to shoot the past 18 months or so), and 30-06 because my whole family has those and they are a very capable round (but literally 100 years old--WWI era)

I loaded some 22-250 for a friend and it used up 40 grains (it was a while ago-not sure how accurate that is). Anyway, my 30-06 likes 46 grains. There's a LOT of pressure getting that 22-250 moving the speeds it does. The 22-250 is very cool and incredibly fast but there are other factors to consider when shooting one. Your ammo is quite scarce and about the same price as a 30-06 or .308. It has very interesting ballistics but not the knockdown power (if you're a hunter) of the .30 cal rounds (that are easier to find ammo for).

There are some very interesting calibers to shoot out there now. 6.5, 300 blackout, .204 etc that are worth checking out for various reasons. For off the shelf, I'd stick with the ancient 30-06 round or the military available .308 or .223 just for availability of ammo.
 
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dash

Active Member
Location
lehi
thanks for the input. the reason I lean towards the 22-250 is mainly fascination. and I thought it was better. don't exactly know why just thought it was. reading a few forums made me think that. thanks for the input. I still got a lot of research to do. I think it's heat that rme dudes are so willing to help with whatever. thanks.
 
R

rockdog

Guest
My son shoots a 22-250. Uses it to shoot prairie dogs. So he's going way out there. He loads his own ammo. I don't know if there is anything cheap to shoot anymore. If you want it for varmints then that is a pretty unbeatable gun. He has shot deer with it a long range, but he is absolutely a deadly shot (sniper)
I also shoot lefty. I ended up getting a savage lever in 308 years ago. 308 has pretty flat trajectory. As Marc stated, your optics (at least good ones) will cost more than the gun.
 

thefirstzukman

Finding Utah
Supporting Member
What are you going to use the gun for? What is your budget? a 22-250 isnt really a good long range gun its good for 500 yards or so but not much energy when you get there. Do you want to be able to hunt with it? Do you just want to set it on a bench and shoot paper? I will say that I buy my kids a .22 rifle a 12 gauge shotgun and a .308 rifle... 308 has enough energy to kill a man at 1000 yards. it is a NATO round so there is a better chance of surplus ammo, and it is a good all around cartridge.
 

LT.

Well-Known Member
My opinion is that the 22-250 is not worth having. The 223 or 5.56 is almost as good. Cheaper to shoot, less muzzle blast, and barrels will last longer. To get the speed a 22-250 gets it is hard on barrel life. If you want ultimate speed and distance shooting is your thing, and that is all that matters then check out the 26 Nosler.

Mbryson is on target, so to speak, with his thoughts on a 30-06. I have shot plenty of matches with a 30-06 at 1000 yards.

LT.
 

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
You can buy a Savage 270 for a lefty with extended barrel good for 1000+ yards at a great price, almost zero recoil and not much weight to carry around compared to larger calibers.
 

carsonc1974

Active Member
i think it all depends on your use... do you reload? that is the second question you have to answer. i would love a 25-06 but wont buy one till i am reloading again... if you dont load your own rounds, i would definitely stick with one of the military rounds:30-06, 308,5.56, etc...
 

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
Ar15 chambered in 5.56. The m&p sport can be had for 600 shipped to your FFL if you shop around. Slickguns.com is a great way to find deals. The after market for an AR is unmatched.
 
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