Which Centerfire

[Adrian Prisk 6]

I have a slot for .17hmr,but not conviced i should get one. Originally i wanted it for long range rabbit and a bit of fox, but my .22cz does a good job out to 100 yards on the rabbits and 90% of my rabbits are at 75 yards max. Also the bit of fox as now turned into a bit more fox they are causing a few probs for some of my permissions, also my force wont condition hmr for fox. So if i went for centerfire instead of hmr which caliber should i choose? i need it to be accurate cheap to run and still leave me some rabbit to eat should i shoot some. I was thinking .223 is this round ok for the odd rabbit or will it turn them inside out also is it cheap to run and is it much better in the wind compared to the hmr. I dont intend to reload ,so choice of ammo and cost of is important. It would be more of a fox gun with the odd rabbit should charlie not show up. 95%of my permissions are cleared for full bore.

[charlie caller 3,654]

If you were going to reload I would have said .22 hornet, but you have to reload to get the best out of them, ok the super accurate, cheap to run, death ray on foxes out to 250-300 yards, the .222 ,you will be very hard pressed to ever hear a bad word said about the .222, I would have one over a .223 any day, although they are very similar in performance, the .222 is such an accurate sweet shooting round, and as it has been slightly eclipsed by the .223 in the last few years, you should pick a nice rifle up at a very reasonable price, a CZ527 would be an excellent choice, trust me on the .222 mate oh and they dont burn barrels either

[SportingShooter 0]

If you were going to reload I would have said .22 hornet, but you have to reload to get the best out of them, ok the super accurate, cheap to run, death ray on foxes out to 250-300 yards, the .222 ,you will be very hard pressed to ever hear a bad word said about the .222, I would have one over a .223 any day, although they are very similar in performance, the .222 is such an accurate sweet shooting round, and as it has been slightly eclipsed by the .223 in the last few years, you should pick a nice rifle up at a very reasonable price, a CZ527 would be an excellent choice, trust me on the .222 mate oh and they dont burn barrels either

 

I have a .222 in that rifle and agree with CC,

 

It's a sweet round to shoot and can be reloaded to minute accuracy

[slipper 116]

How much difference accuracy wise is there between the two? Is there a lot in it? I am getting very addicted to this reloading malarkey so would I achieve anything swapping my 223 for a 222??

[charlie caller 3,654]

To be honest, probably not, as much of a fan of the deuce as I am, I am sure unless you were benchrest shooting, where the deuce might just have an edge, out hunting you wont notice a difference, the deuce held the benchrest accuracy top spot for many years, and as my aquaintance who is an gunsmith in the states says, if the gods chose a cartridge it would be the .222 Just ask any Scottish roe stalker who uses the .222 they dont call it the hand of god for nothing.

[danw 1,748]

 

from the top

.223

.25-06

.222

.22lr

the only 4 rifles this keeper will ever need, I have over the years shot or owned more calibres than I care to remember and push come to shove I would only have one the .222

[SportingShooter 0]

How much difference accuracy wise is there between the two? Is there a lot in it? I am getting very addicted to this reloading malarkey so would I achieve anything swapping my 223 for a 222??

 

Accuracy in the field as CC says is not going to make any difference,

 

The only difference between the two in practical terms is 7% (IIRC) more case capacity in a .223 which means you can push it that bit faster but velocity certainly isn't everything.

[dixyhmr 62]

Sounds like your .22 which will take rabbits to 100 easily is doing its job fine for you so if your after a rifle for fox with a spot of long range (100-300 ish yards ) rabbiting then a centre fire is a far better choice than a HMR.

 

Choice is personal, a hornet is a great mid range cal but a .222 or .223 as stated above sounds like it will suit your needs perfectly. Very little difference between them in practical terms but I feel more choice with ammo if your buying factory with the .223.

 

I shoot rabbits late season with the .223 when they're a bit skittish and if you head shoot them I've found many to be usable.

 

The HMR Is a decent cal for rabbits to compliment the .22 lr at longer ranges than the .22lr will stretch too, ..... But it's not a good foxing round at all. The bullet is too small for effective kills at the different angles you will encounter foxes at. It WILL kill foxes effectively at the closer ranges with good shot placement, but its very limited in its use. Foxes don't always stand broadside or hold their head still long enough for a nice chest or head shot and the .22 cf will allow you to shoot from different angles effectively as a 40 or 50 grain bullet carries way more energy than a little 17 or 20 grain pill to push into the vitals........should you happen to pull the shot its much more humane as it has a much bigger margin for error.

 

I'd stick with the .22lr and look at a cf calibre as you mentioned. Much more versatile combination.

[Wullz 408]

.222 all the way, my re-loading guru is a mad professor, ex-forces shooting instructor....he reckons the CZ action is unbeatable in .222. I dont use mine as much as I should, since I got my .243 I have become addicted to that, but then again, you wouldnt be shooting rabbits with the .243.

 

If you want a foxing round and can headshoot rabbits, get a CZ .222 you wont go wrong. Easy to get ammo too....

[charlie caller 3,654]

.222 all the way, my re-loading guru is a mad professor, ex-forces shooting instructor....he reckons the CZ action is unbeatable in .222. I dont use mine as much as I should, since I got my .243 I have become addicted to that, but then again, you wouldnt be shooting rabbits with the .243.

 

If you want a foxing round and can headshoot rabbits, get a CZ .222 you wont go wrong. Easy to get ammo too....

Funny that about the CZ action that is exactly what my yank gunsmith mate says, and also in .22 hornet that action is unbeatable,and he has built some awesome rifles, so knows a thing or two

[Adrian Prisk 6]

Thanks for the advice. A .222 or .223 it is then. I didn't want to fill the slot for hmr if its not the best tool for my needs . I can't afford to have a gun sat in the safe doing nothing, so I will put in for a center fire instead. Is the damage to meat much different between the .223 and .222 ?

[celticrusader 78]

I have no idea on comparison between the two but if damage to meat is your concern then you'll have to lay and wait for a perfect headshot otherwise its gunna be a mess.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Thanks for the advice. A .222 or .223 it is then. I didn't want to fill the slot for hmr if its not the best tool for my needs . I can't afford to have a gun sat in the safe doing nothing, so I will put in for a center fire instead. Is the damage to meat much different between the .223 and .222 ?

They both fire an identical .224 bullet, use the wrong bullet on deer ie vmax and meat damage will be bad, use a decent deer bullet and damage will be minimal, the deer I have seen shot with .222 certainly did not have a great deal of damage, put the bullet in the engine room and you will have no issues with .222 or .223 or .22-250 for that matter, Cz 527 in .222 with a decent moderator on board, and you will be delighted mate.

[The Seeker 3,048]

I think it's just down to personal preference when I was considering the two I opted for a .223. The decision was mainly based on it being such a common calibre I felt bullets would always be available and more choice, in the end I suppose it didnt matter as I now reload all my cf rounds but the .223 in Browning A bolt is a sweet thing

[charlie caller 3,654]

I think it's just down to personal preference when I was considering the two I opted for a .223. The decision was mainly based on it being such a common calibre I felt bullets would always be available and more choice, in the end I suppose it didnt matter as I now reload all my cf rounds but the .223 in Browning A bolt is a sweet thing

It is and a nice accurate rifle, unlike when you first got it and we tried it with those fuc*ing moly coated bullets, I think my 12 bore groups better but what a transformation with some nice handloads, and proper bullets, 1/4" group @ 100 yards easy