Varmit Rifle Caliber - Input requested

Thinking about getting a varmit rifle and need input on caliber of rifle to look for, .204, .220 swift, .223, .22-250, etc. Looking for input on affordability of the rifle and the ammo. Also wanting to use the rifle to teach my daughter to shoot scoped center fire rifles. Not necesarily looking for input to actual rifles but would appreciate thoughts there as well. Thanks in advance.
Phill

My first choice would be 22-250 for a Coyote Rifle. Close second would be the .223. Especially if you wanna save the pelts. Both calibers are sufficient enough for Coyotes.

If you handload, ammo cost won't be an issue on the ones you mentioned but if you're relying on factory ammo, the 223 and 22-250 would surely be more readily available at a small town country store where as the 204 and 220 swift may be a little harder to find. I have 3 of the 4 calibers you mentioned (I'm missing the 220 swift) and have no complaints about cost or performance of any of them. I shoot factory Hornady VMAX ammo out of my 204, 223, and 22-250 and they all cost about $16/box. All that said, for me it would be a toss up between the 223 and 22-250 in regards to factory ammo selection, cost, and availability.

Not sure this be a big help but here it gos

I have both the 223 and the 22-250 and like the 22-250 bit more then the 223 (coause have over 2500 rounds of 22-250)fell into a deal
For cost of a rifle there all perrty much the same.
Ranging in price from $350-$2500
Savge makes good rilfes AND cant bet there accuracy
there not the prettiest thing in the shed

For you teaching your girl to shoot id say the 223 kicks the lightest of the two but not by much
I cant say much on the 204 or the 220 have not shot them

For affordablity the 223 will be the cheapest to shoot
Hope that helps a bit

I use the swift, but use reloads finding ammo a little tough for factory ammo and the cartridge being rimmed sucks, 22-250 is a better choice for what it sounds like you are looking for.

Thanks for the input! Comparing ballistics on the 22-250 & 223 it appears the 22-250 is fast flatter and has more energy. I will start there.

Any of what you mentioned would do good. I personally like the 22-250 been shooting it for about 14 years with no problems.

Good plan

220 swift is a smoking little round. However I'd go with the 223 or 22-250 if you don't reload. 204 is a good round as well.

I purchased a .223 simply because ammo is cheaper. A 22-250 is a great round but since I don't reload and found a killer deal I pulled the trigger on Savage .223

Reggie

I would get a .223, I hear the 22-250 round is tough on barrel life (more so in a cheaper rifle I would think). If you do get a .223, try to get one with 1:7", 1:8" or slowest 1:9" twist so you can run bullet weights into the mid 70gr range if you want to.

Ive been using the 22-250. Lost a yote this winter with well placed shot but all others have been no issue. Little to no recoil, great for a kid. Ive been running a Weatherby Vanguard, they are pretty cheap and I have had no prolems.

22-250 all the way. If you are going to shoot factory ammo, you would have to shoot thousands of rounds to burn on out. It is a great round for most anything in Texas. I have taken several deer and alot of hogs with one.

.223

.223 will get the varmints all the way up to deer with the right loads. That's what my daughters are learning on too.

i have a .204 and a .223 the .204 has no kick at all and shoots really flat.... and im selling it .. hint hint haha

I have a CZ527 Varmint in .223 and I love the rifle and the round. There's a large selection of good .223 ammo and you can find it almost anywhere. +1 to the budget friendly Savage rifles too, they're good guns right out of the box.

Id go 223. I have one and love it, shot lots of varmits with it right on up to deer and hogs with no problems.

.22-250, what more can you say. outdoes, excedes the .223 and .204, and is a helluva bigger game round. used for antelope up north and in Australia for even bigger game, low recoil makes you a better shot.

.223

I'm a big fan of .223, but I'm biased as I'm active duty Army. .22-250 is also a great caliber to predator hunt with.

.223 so she can see her shots. The 22-250 has enough recoil to pull your eye off the target so you can't tell where the hit/miss was.

.22-250

+ 1 for killer, all around favorite is 22-250.

22-250

22.250

22-250

Looks like we have a winner! 22-250!

If you want to save the hides then go small and use light bullets .17/.204/.223/5.56/220 swift.

If you don't care about the hides then go 22/250/6mm/6.5mm/243/308 lots of energy to reach way out there.

Dave

Think about a 243, a good starter rifle, good for varmints and larger game. Ammo available everywhere, and at a decent price.

Dogcatcher
You make a good point about the 243. That is ultimately what I think I will get her to routinely shoot. I also have a 25-06 that she could shoot. Right now I want something with less kick to teach her with. I have access to a 22mag bolt gun that I will use first then graduate to the 22-250 then to a 243 or the 25-06.
Thanks for the help!
Phill

I dont know how old your daughter is, but I started my grandson with a 22. Hornet at 5 yrs old. When he was 8, I got him a 220 swift which he still shoots now at 13. There is very little difference in the 220 swift and the 22-250 so either is a good choice for older kids. I like the swift because I can load 52 gr bullets to leave the barrel about the same speed as 40 gr in the 22-250.

I love me some .22 Hornet, was the first rifle I ever killed a deer with and I started my kids out with it as well.

If you like the swifts performance and reload go 22-250 ackley improved, same performance as the swift with no rimmed case. I would say 223, 22-250, or 22-250ai and leave the swift out due to being rimmed, not bashing the swift it's good just rimmed.

Have 2 .223's and one 22.250. Hand's down 22.250. Really accurate, flat trajectory!

Ammo sure can be cheap for practice with a .223

22-250 all i use for everything killed a pig with mine last night

the 22-250 is a bad mama jama but whatever the -250 can do at 300 yds the .223 will do at 200 yds plus the .223 ammo is a lot cheaper and a bit quieter.
Its hard to beat a 17 hmr for young ones to learn on though, the 17 acts like a centerfire with respects to accuracy at 100 and even 200 yds with no recoil and a very low report and ammo is really cheap compared to a centerfire, plus you have an excuse to get you one, its for the kids of course, hehehe.

22-250

204

there ya go! should have it in 2-3 days

.223

.223--easy to find and only $4 a box of 20 if you buy wolf wpa. I'd say it's the most affordable choice and it's adequate to suit those needs