Boy that's a slick rig for sure and way above my pay grade. I can dream though!
Boy that's a slick rig for sure and way above my pay grade. I can dream though!
It has to be killing livestock or poultry in order for you to engage at night with any kind of night vision or thermal device. Same with daytime shooting if the animal (bobcat) is out of season).
You can kill during the day with whatever legal means as long as it is in season (no bobcats Mar- Nov etc...).
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I will start by saying my opinion on the topic is not self serving even though I do have a Remington Model 7 in 204 Ruger and 700+ rounds of ammo for sale. 
That said, will you be shooting distances at night that would warrant a 22-250? If so, I’d suggest you look into higher end night vision equipment with faster processor speeds for moving targets or follow up shots, not to mention the clarity you won’t get in the cheaper scopes. Though you might have occasional opportunities for shots 300, 400 or even 500 yds, shots at that distance at night are seldom necessary as it is easier to draw your targets in closer at night. I seldom have to take shots over 125 - 150 yds.
As someone alluded to earlier, if you plan to reload, it costs more to reload the 22-250 than the 204. There are a whole lot of bullets to choose from for the 22-250, but the go to round for the 204 is the 32 gr vmax, so it simplifies your load development.
Have you considered barrel length, and weight? Most 22-250’s that I’ve seen have longer barrels whereas you can get shorter barrels in the 204 without sacrificing its performance.
Out of the two choices you have suggested, if I were going to have a dedicated night rifle, I’d go with the 204. If I really wanted to go with the 22-250, I would consider some high quality scope mounts with return to zero capabilities and set it up with both night vision and a traditional scope. That way you could take advantage of the 22-250 for daytime hunts as well.
That said, will you be shooting distances at night that would warrant a 22-250? If so, I’d suggest you look into higher end night vision equipment with faster processor speeds for moving targets or follow up shots, not to mention the clarity you won’t get in the cheaper scopes. Though you might have occasional opportunities for shots 300, 400 or even 500 yds, shots at that distance at night are seldom necessary as it is easier to draw your targets in closer at night. I seldom have to take shots over 125 - 150 yds.
As someone alluded to earlier, if you plan to reload, it costs more to reload the 22-250 than the 204. There are a whole lot of bullets to choose from for the 22-250, but the go to round for the 204 is the 32 gr vmax, so it simplifies your load development.
Have you considered barrel length, and weight? Most 22-250’s that I’ve seen have longer barrels whereas you can get shorter barrels in the 204 without sacrificing its performance.
Out of the two choices you have suggested, if I were going to have a dedicated night rifle, I’d go with the 204. If I really wanted to go with the 22-250, I would consider some high quality scope mounts with return to zero capabilities and set it up with both night vision and a traditional scope. That way you could take advantage of the 22-250 for daytime hunts as well.
I have the .22-250 and buddy has the .204 that we predator hunt with in daylight.
The cost difference in reloading is in the pennies per round so that wouldn't enter into my calculations as you probably won't be shooting thousands of rounds from whichever you choose.
The sweet bullet for the .204 is the 32 grain @ 4100 fps although heavier/lighter bullets are available from 24 to 40 grain I think.
The sweet bullet for the .22-250 is the Winchester 52 grain that will run over 4000 fps. Lighter and heavier bullets are available from 40 grain to 90 grain as it's a .22 with a large selection of bullets available. Twist rates for heavier bullets would need to be faster vs the lighter bullets.
Most factory .22-250's are 1:12 with some barrels 1:14 best for the .40 grain.
Head to head using 40 grain bullets the .22-250 will outrun the .204 but most agree that the 52 grain is the most accurate in .22-250.
Out to 400 yards, there isn't a lick of difference between them more than an inch or so ballistically. It's beyond that where the heavier bullet will start to shine. Kenetic energy along with BC is a wonderful thing during the flight of a bullet at long range.
Predators don't take a lot of killing so just about any bullet will take them down. If pelt damage is an issue, always go with the varmint rounds to minimize it.
So with that information, it's up to the OP to decide how far they are comfortable shooting. Up to 400 yards, it's a draw. Past that the .22-250.
I'm not aware of Nebraska's game laws regarding minimum bullet/caliber for deer hunting, but in Ok the .204 is not legal and the .22-250 is only legal with 55 grain or heavier. I've killed many deer with a 55 gain in .223 so there is that opportunity to have a combo gun.
The cost difference in reloading is in the pennies per round so that wouldn't enter into my calculations as you probably won't be shooting thousands of rounds from whichever you choose.
The sweet bullet for the .204 is the 32 grain @ 4100 fps although heavier/lighter bullets are available from 24 to 40 grain I think.
The sweet bullet for the .22-250 is the Winchester 52 grain that will run over 4000 fps. Lighter and heavier bullets are available from 40 grain to 90 grain as it's a .22 with a large selection of bullets available. Twist rates for heavier bullets would need to be faster vs the lighter bullets.
Most factory .22-250's are 1:12 with some barrels 1:14 best for the .40 grain.
Head to head using 40 grain bullets the .22-250 will outrun the .204 but most agree that the 52 grain is the most accurate in .22-250.
Out to 400 yards, there isn't a lick of difference between them more than an inch or so ballistically. It's beyond that where the heavier bullet will start to shine. Kenetic energy along with BC is a wonderful thing during the flight of a bullet at long range.
Predators don't take a lot of killing so just about any bullet will take them down. If pelt damage is an issue, always go with the varmint rounds to minimize it.
So with that information, it's up to the OP to decide how far they are comfortable shooting. Up to 400 yards, it's a draw. Past that the .22-250.
I'm not aware of Nebraska's game laws regarding minimum bullet/caliber for deer hunting, but in Ok the .204 is not legal and the .22-250 is only legal with 55 grain or heavier. I've killed many deer with a 55 gain in .223 so there is that opportunity to have a combo gun.
The main reason I want point and shoot type trajectory for a night gun is because ranging stuff at night is more difficult. It seems that if I can get a good identity of the target with the type of optic that I will be using then it would be likely in range of what I can do with either of the calibers that I I'm asking about and not have to worry so much about doping it in the heat of the moment in darkness. I'm not too worried about using it for other roles either because during daylight I've got other guns of many varieties and optic setups that I can use for that where ranging will be much easier and identification will be much easier too. I also have no desire to move the scope around on to other guns as my other guns are already set up with scopes on them and if I decide I would like another caliber for night hunting I would just get another night scope in due time. There is always room to save for one more and if not there is always room for one more safe ha!
I would doubt night shooting would go much beyond 300 yards. It's sporting to get them in as close as possible for a humane shot that is not risky, so your quandary is which one do you want, not which does the best as both do the job nicely at those ranges.
