Building A Battery

[Bart Solo]

Currently I don't own a 22 centerfire, nor do I own a rifle more powerful than a 30-06.  While I think I have most of the essentials covered, my battery has a couple of holes.  I have long thought about either a Remington autoloader in 35 Whelen,  a Marlin lever gun in 45-70 or maybe a  Sharps or a Browning Highwall in 45-70 to handle the top end, but I am wondering about the 22 centerfire.  Everybody tells me a 223 is the best choice, but ballistically the 22-250 seems superior.  How would you fill the 22 centerfire void and why?   What should be expected of a long range varmit rifle?   

[bulletstuffer]

The lever action 45 70 has a lot of punch and is a hoot to shoot    Just for plinking the 223 is hard to beat and is great in the contender super 14 configuration or AR platform.  If you are looking for some long range prairie dog shooting the 220 swift and 22 250 are kings IMO
Hope you reload as these calibers get really expensive to shoot otherwise.
Good luck,
Bulletstuffer

[Bart Solo]

I reload. 

I am more interested in a prarie dog gun than a plinker.  I don't do much plinking, but I still shoot a lot.

[drdougrx]

Hey Bart,
 
A 22-250 IS ballistically superior to the 223 if you are looking to shoot greater than 300 yards.  In my eyes, the 223 is an economical, readily available cartridge that can pretty much handle everything a varminter would want out to 300 yards or more.  For me, it's the 30/06 of varmint cartridges!  Pretty much will work in pretty much every situation for which it was designed and in some that it wasn't.  If I was doing allot of long range prairie dogg'n, I'd get the 22-250.
 
The 45/70 is also a great round that mostly will be used at the shorter ranges on rather big animals.  For that one, I'd go ahead an buy what I liked.  Currently, I have #1.  I had a 35W in the Rem 750 and I liked that gun allot but the accuracy was just dismal.  Worked just fine, never a jam...but couldn't get much better than 6" groups at a 100 so I traded it for a 700 CDL in 35W and took it to TX and killed that Nilgai in my avatar and an oryx.
 
Whooppee!!  Never have enough!!!!