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Remington 788 .222 -vs- .223

gcallaway3gcallaway3 Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited December 2008 in Ask the Experts
Hello experts! I have found myself in a bit of a situation. I was/am looking to buy a .223 and when talking to my Dad about it he reminded me that I had an old rem 788 .222 that was given to me when I was younger. The main reason for wanting a .223 is to shoot hogs, varmints and targets with an inexpensive round and obviously the .222 is just the opposite. Now I know I can put down anything up to a deer with the .222, but what is going to happen when I need to shoot a pig at 300 yds with the .222?

Should I put the .222 back in the gun safe and get a .223? If so what is the best bang for the buck in a bolt action?
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Comments

  • edharoldedharold Member Posts: 465 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Remington 700 that was originally a 222 but I had it opened up to permit using 223 ammunition and it works fine. They say the 222 is more accurate than the 223 but I can shoot ground squirrels or prairie dogs at 100 yards or sometimes further well enough. If they are further I couldn't see them anyway.
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gcallaway3,

    Welcome to the Gunbroker Forums!

    First, you need to establish what twist rate your Rem. 788 uses. My list states a 1:14" twist but check yours to be sure.

    The next portion of this can get jumbled but stick with it for right now:

    The 1:14" twist will stabilize the lighter - read shorter - bullets which will not have the energy required to kill a hog at 300 yards. It's even questionable for deer. Your choices are:

    Put your .222 Rem. back in the safe, realizing that you have one of the best, most accurate varmint rifles available.

    Buy a new .223 Rem. if you think that's what will kill the hogs that you have available. My small caliber hunting on hogs involved shooting them in the ear or neck to get the kill I wanted. You'll need a barrel with a faster twist rate such as 1:9" or 1:8" in order to load bullets that are longer and have more potential energy.

    If you don't reload, I suggest picking a new cartridge. Cheap is not always the ultimate solution especially when shooting game.

    Best.
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You are indeed in a tight spot. What ever you do, do not "open up" the chamber on that 788. That is one of the rarest chamberings, next to the 44 Rem Mag.

    I will tell you that if you are wanting something to shoot hogs with out to 300 yards, the 222 or 223 Remington are not the ones to do it with. If you want to do it on the cheap, get yourself something more suited to that like a 308, 7-mm08, 260, 27-, 280 or 30-06. If you don't put the hog down, you are not going to want to be chasing it with the 223 anyway...can turn real ugly.

    I would go for a Savage, Remington or Tikka for the hardware end of it.

    Best
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  • gcallaway3gcallaway3 Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a 300 A bolt short mag for deer, the only animals that will be shot with the .222 or the .223 are varmints and hogs. I was afraid that the .222 would not have the killing power at 300 yds, but I thought I would ask before I spent the $$ on a .223. If I loaded my own rounds would the .222 work on that scenario? The gun is stock, so I assume the barrel is what is in the books...
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  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The .222 will do pretty close to what the .223 will do in like bullets. However, you have a rifle that has a slow twist made for light bullets, a {edit: 1-12" 1-14" (you are correct nn)}. A new .223 will have a better twist for handling heavier bullets for hogs.

    Unfortunately, when the .223 took over in popularity, no one was building .22 cal rifles with tight twists. It wasn't until tighter twists were used in other calibers that someone finally decided tight twists in .22 cal was a good thing. So, no production .222 has a tight twist...that is until a recent resurgence in popularity of older calibers in which I see .222's with 1-9" twists.

    Back to your issue. The Remington 788 {edit: in .222} will stabilize any bullet you need that can kill a varmint or punch paper. In fact it still holds the record for the best single group of any measured rifle, ever. Plenty of accuracy there. Now, hogs are a different story. they take a little more to kill them. I would recommend stepping up to a .243, .250 Savage or .257. You could also go with any of the newer accuracy cartridges such as 6 BR, 6mm AR/Turbo, 6.5 Grendel. 6.8 SPC. Of course you could stay with .22 cals in .22-250 or .220 Swift.

    -hope that helps, good luck
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  • gcallaway3gcallaway3 Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am not going to convert the .222, I would just assume buy something else that fits the bill a little better...

    It does not sound like the .222 or the .223 is what I really need. What caliber will get to 300 yds the fastest with enough stopping power for the tough hogs? My Dad uses a custom 243 that is the baddest rifle I have been around, but it is too heavy to shoot free standing or prone after a long stalk. I did not want to use my 300 short mag, but I might have to get a bipod and reconsider...
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gcallaway3,

    Any of the cartridges named will work as long as you pick the right bullet construction.

    My thought would be to get a standard .308 Win. because there is a good selection of hunting ammunition with the proper type of bullets suited to your needs. There is target, varmint and hunting loads available over the counter if you choose not to reload.

    Best.
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  • HawkshawHawkshaw Member Posts: 1,016 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello---I am by no way a PIG expert, but would you really shoot a pig at 300 yds. with a .22 cal? Are we talking about brain shots, or boiler room shots? I would love to hunt pigs, but we do not have any of those critters here in Oregon. If we did I would be looking for substantialy more energy at distance than any .22 can provide. Mabey a 60 gr. partition under 50 yards, in the ear. Let me know if I am wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  • gcallaway3gcallaway3 Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have shot and dropped pigs with my .22 from inside 75 yards with a head shot when I cross one shooting rabbits. I am really looking for something I can toss in the truck and pull out when I am working the ranch. We run about 6,000 acres in OK where the pigs need to be cleaned out. I had 15 in a trap last week and saw 60 in the wheat field. I think the 308 will be the best for what I am looking for, but I just had to use the .222 I could make it work from 200 in with a head shot loaded with a Hornady 40 V-Max.

    I just got an older Shooter's Bible to get on the right track along with the info given here. If you are ever down South let me know, you are more than welcome to come get one...
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  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gcalloway,

    I think you may already be on the right track if you see what your dad's .243 will do. Ammo doesn't cost a fortune. You also don't need to have a heavy barrel to shoot one. They work just fine with standard barrels for walking and stalking. There is also a good selection of hunting bullets in 6mm...'course that's an option too, the 6mm Rem.
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