rifle choice

Question
Hi Rod: Consulted your advice before, thanks for the invite to holler back. I've learned a lot from Chuck Hawk's site. I have recoil tables listing different calibers in rec. velocity feet per second etc. with 10 being the limit for tolerance. My 243 Rem is 8.7 w/100gr. Interested in target shooting only out to about 200 yds. The 223 looks about right, rec vel. 4.5 w/55gr. Read elsewhere the 22-250 is strictly varmint as you said. If rimfire which one ? 17HMR or 22 Mag ? Thanks again for your help...Glenn  

Answer
Howdy Glenn,

Hope things are going well!

Have you tried lighter bullets in the .243? I like to shoot 55gr in no/light wind conditions and those are easily good out to 600 yards with a substantial decrease in recoil versus the 100 grainers and probably more accurate as well. There are also benchrest quality 6mm slugs in 60, 70 and 80 grains (Bergers are great) that are exceptionally accurate, and again will offer less recoil than the 100's.

If you want to try rimfire at 200 you're probably going to have to go with the .17 but those bullets are so light that wind drift, even summer heat off the ground, are going to have a major effect. You'll hit your target, yes, just not as well as you'd like, I think. -Rod-