I am new to the whole gun/caliber game, and am looking for a small caliber rifle.

Can someone tell me the diffrence between a .22LR and a .223? I am assuming that they are right at about the same size in caliber?

22LR is a rimfire, where the firing pin strikes the rim of the bullet. Compared to the 223, its a low power, cheap to obtain and use and is used for smallbore target shooting. I wouldnt use it on much apart from rabbit or small bird sized game and definitely not past 100yards on a very calm day.

223 is a higher power varmint cartridge. The firing pin hits a primer cap in the centre of the shell (centerfire cartridge). It uses the same size bullet as a 22LR, though slightly heavier and fires them at alot higher velocities. Shots up to 200 yards should be relatively easy with it. Its a **** of alot louder and a missed shot can travel further. The spent case can also be reloaded with the correct tools to make tailored loads to the rifle resulting in better accuracy. Some people have shot up to deer sized game with them, though I wouldnt recommend it. Its possibly the cheapest centerfire cartridge availabe.

Depending on what your shooting you should make your decision. Alot of people shoot the 22LR for fun and start when they are young, progressing to things like a 223 then even more. Both are a small calibre, but the 223 will do a 22LR's job if your hunting in the open and leave you the versatility to chasing larger things. If your closer to civilisation then you can get low noise 22LR rounds that make the same noise as a pellet gun.

HTH

Thank you very much Brad, you answered my questions I had. I was aware that a .22 is a rimfire rifle, and a .223 is a centerfire rifle, but was wondering about the caliber specs between the two bullets. Now knowing a lil more on the specs between the two, looks like I am leaning towards the .223 for what I am looking to do with it. I am wanting it for small game, (birds, rabbits, ect.), but makes since to go ahead and get the .223 incase I have the need to shoot something a lil bigger on down the road.

A .22 is a small game gun unless you're poaching or a hit man for the mob. Squirrels, rabbits, chippies and the like, at close range, under 100 yards for sure, 50 more likely. A .223 is a rifle, capable of killing prairie dogs and coyotes and the like at 300 yards and far more when you can shoot well. It will also kill deer easily in areas where that's legal. Totally different cartridges and uses. We should all have one of each.

Also note, PW, that you can get a good .22LR rifle or pistol for under $200 but a similar-quality .223 will run you $500 or more - and those prices are before you buy scopes.

EVERYBODY needs at least one good .22 (I think I have five or so rifles and pistols.) One good .223 ought to do ya, mostly. (I have three.)

If you seek more detailed advice, I'd first get a new or used Ruger 10/22 rimfire. They shoot just fine right from the factory, or you can retrofit them with every custom part under the sun. Only after you run out of performance with the .22LR do you need to start looking for a .223, IMO.

Another point to keep in mind is that small game that is to be eaten will benefit from using the 22 lr. A 223 is a varmint rifle with high velocity bullets that are designed to blow up on contact. Rabbits, squirrels and edible birds will not be edible using the 223.

Best of both worlds, get a 22 lr rifle for small game, get a 243 for deer and bigger game.

I suggest looking at CZ's 452 or 453 for a 22 rifle and any good bolt gun for a big game rifle.

Bob makes a great point. You shoot small game with a .223 or any other HV varmit bullet and it isn't fit to eat. In most places squirrels and rabbit are game, not varmits (at least that I am familiar with) and shooting them and leaving them is illegal. The 22LR is a much better choice for them.
JR1 makes a good point too, you need two guns.

John Wooters used to load down .308's that could take small game without blowing them up but that is custom reloading and I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

One of the joys of life is a good .22LR. While you can do some things with a .223 that you can't do with a .22LR, .22LR ammo is so cheap as to almost be free in its simplist form to so accurate that it is used for the highest levels of firearms competition.

Recoil is virtually non-existant. You can concentrate on learning to shoot with a good .22.

Even inexpensive .22 rifles are generally very accurate. My $100 Savage bolt action shoots almost as well as my more expensive CZ. Both are very accurate. They shoot better than I can hold from any field position.

If you can only own one rifle, it shouldn't be either a .223 or a .22 if hunting is on the menu. If you can own 2 rifles, one needs to be is the 30-06 class and the other a .22LR. A .223 would come in third at best.

While it may be legal to hunt whitetail deer with a .223 and it can be done sucessfully, I think that the cartridge just doesn't have enough stuff for that role. You should use a rifle chambered for a cartridge that is sufficient to take any reasonable shot. A .223 won't do that.

In answer to the obvious question, NO I have tried it. I have seen people use a .223 on deer and hogs. A buddy had a hog that he shot right between the eyes with a .223 come back from the great beyond on him as he bent over and started to make his first field dressing cut. Luckily the hog was facing away from my buddy as it departed the scene or he might have gotten banged up. I have helped track several deer shot with a .223 that should have been DRT if they had been shot with an adequate cartridge. Finally along the same line as no, I haven't tried that personally, I would point out that I don't have to hit myself on the head with a sledge hammer to know that such an action would hurt.


JWK

I'll have to second faucettb on the subject of cz 452 & 453's they are fine shooters. I was out last week with my 452 full stock shooting 100 yard bench rest. 5 shot groups under 1/2" with bulk box ammo.
I try to shoot at least 10x as many .22 rounds as I do all my centerfire stuff to minimalize bad habits.