Affordable round for practice to at least 400

[PlanoDano]

What bolt guns are you using to practice when stretching it out. I need more practice especially in alternate positions. I was thinking 22-250 but 223 is probably cheaper. I have some but limited experience with these rounds. The answer is to probably to start reloading but I really do not need another hobby.

[Throwin Darts]

I’d say whatever you have on hand because getting ammo is the hard part


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[PlanoDano]

I was thinking long term. I am good for ammo in the short term. I really don't want to be spending over $1 a round to practice.

[TX03RUBI]

223 is the best for a practice round IMO. Cheap to shoot in normal times, fantastic barrel life, makes for great wind practice, and just plain fun. 22-250 is going to burn a barrel out in no time if you’re practicing much.

[Stick1]

223 running 75 gr bullets will be tough to beat for what you are asking. If you want to keep it under 400 yds, nothing will beat a 22lr set up properly for the task. It will get your form and wind skills in order quickly.

[Wanlail]

I run 223 but my gun likes the 77 grn so im stuck reloading.

[RifleBowPistol]

I think the 223 would be a good round to practice with at some longer ranges. I have heard of guys shooting prairie dogs out past 1000 yards with 223s.

I would be curious what the bullet drop is like at longer ranges and the wind drift. With no wind, I have confidence shooting 223 caliber guns at long ranges. But in high winds, I don't. Something I want to work on some day.

The reason being. Years ago, I used to do a lot of long range shooting, was very good at long shots. Mainly with my 7mm Rem. Mags. At one point, on a windy day, I saw a coyote out in a pasture, he was probably 450 yards out. To me, at the time, that was a easy shot. I had the 22-250 with me, which was extremely accurate. So I figured it would be a very easy kill. I shot three or four rounds at that coyote, never saw where the bullets hit, the coyote never knew I was shooting at him. He was standing in tall grass, even in the grass he was in, I thought I should see dust kick up. But I saw nothing. I tried to compensate for the wind, I don't know where the bullets were hitting.

So since then, I have never taken shots past 200 yards with a 223 caliber gun, if the wind is blowing very hard. One of these days, I want to find a place where I can shoot out to some long ranges and easily see where the bullet hit. Then shoot there on both calm and windy days with something like a 223. To get an idea of how much deflection I get with high winds.
Now that I think of it, I have never really shot any caliber gun, at long range, in high winds. I have shot in light winds at long ranges. Other than either into the wind or with the wind. I have found shooting into a strong head wind or with a strong tail wind, it does effect bullet drop, at longer ranges.

A 223 should be a good round to practice with a long range, but it might not have the same amount of wind deflection as a larger heavier bullet, not sure on that. I would definitely practice at long ranges, with the caliber or calibers, you plan to hunt with and the ammo you are going to hunt with. To learn the bullet drop and how the wind affects those rounds.

[sendit]

A .22 LR is great for training/ fundamentals. Easily shows bullet drop and what wind will do. Agree also with the 223. Built a 223 AI for this. Have a heavy AR in plain 223 that does well also.

Seen a guy more that once win F Class matches shooting 90 grain pills in a bolt gun in the T/R division. It comes down to reading the wind and knowing what your bullet does when pushed by it.

[KX500]

Probably nothing more affordable than .223. I picked up a .308 a few years back & was surprised how cheap ammo can be for this one too. And I have had good results with Wolf/Russian cheap ammo in both these calibers.

Another thing great about the 6.5 Grendel is that Wolf makes this as well and (in normal times) it sells for $5-6/box of 20.

[BLACKFINTURKEY]

223 or 308

[rosco11]

I shoot the 270 a bunch out past 500, but for what you're saying it would be hard to beat a 243 or 223 as mentioned earlier.. all easy to load

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[one66stang]

22lr
or if reloading 223AI

[canny]

For a fun gun to work on fundamentals I’d say 6.5CM. Good barrel life, low recoil, pretty easy to get ammo and low prices (during normal times).


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