Author Topic: 22-250 powder and bullets  (Read 1410 times)

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Offline mitchell

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22-250 powder and bullets
« on: January 18, 2006, 11:44:06 AM »
i'm getting a 22-250 in a few days and i want to start loading for it. i've got 40, 50, and 55 grain V-max bullets bullets, and my powders on my bench are IMR 3031, IMR 4064 , bl-c2, varget and rl-15.  the gun is for p-dog shooting (0-300yards) and targets so barrel life is something to think about (not to big of a deal you can always buy new) if the barrel lasted 1000 rounds i would be happy.


so with those bullets and powders what combo do you guys think i should start with???
curiosity killed the cat , but i was lead suspect for a while

Offline The Sodbuster

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2006, 01:40:45 PM »
For starters, I love the Hornady V-max bullets.  I've only used the 50 grainers in my .22-250, but they shoot better than other bullets from Nosler, Sierra, & Combined Technologies.  Of the powders you mention, I get excellent results from both IMR4064 and Varget.  My most accurate load uses 39.0 grains of W760 with a CCI 200 primer.  But Varget and 4064 make for only marginally larger groups than the W760.  Don't have any experience with RL15 or BL(C)-2 in my .22-250.

I shoot a Savage model 12.  Your mileage may vary.

Offline The Sodbuster

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« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2006, 01:46:06 PM »
For starters, I love the Hornady V-max.  I've only used the 50 grainers in my .22-250, but they shoot better than any other bullets I've tried.  Of the powders you mention, I've gotten very good results with IMR4064 and Varget.  My most accurate load is a 50 grain V-max powered by 39.0 grains of W760 and a CCI200 primer.  But Varget and 4064 aren't far behind that for accuracy.  Don't have a chronograph; can't tell you what's the fastest.  Haven't used RL15 or BL(C)-2 in my .22-250.

I shoot a savage model 12.  Your mileage may vary.

Offline KN

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2006, 03:45:41 PM »
Personally I load a 55gr Sierra Blitz King with a stiff load of IMR 4895. Your barrel life should easily exceed 5000 rounds with whatever load you decide to go with.   KN

Offline mjbgalt

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2006, 03:52:05 PM »
my cousin and i worked up a load for his .22-250 that shot an honest-to-goodness .151"!!

34.7 grains of varget, CCI primers, Winchester brass, 50 grain moly coated V-Max.

-Matt
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Offline 22savage

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2006, 06:02:13 PM »
by far my most accurate load is
34.6g 4064
55g ballistic tips.
win LR primer


haven't tried any 50 grainers, but have heard alot of people have great luck with them.  Good luck

travis
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Offline George Foster

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2006, 12:15:41 AM »
I have two different 22-250's and they like two different loads.  In my 788 it likes the 55gr Sierra spitzer with H380 powder and my Savage likes the 52HPBT Sierra with IMR4064.  I won't list my loads as they may be too hot for your rifle and you should work up loads for your individual rifle.
Good Shooting,
George

Offline Redhawk1

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2006, 02:37:35 AM »
My Encore in 22-250 loves the Nosler 55 gr. BT with IMR3031.  :D
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Offline Lone Star

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2006, 03:06:40 AM »
Quote
Your barrel life should easily exceed 5000 rounds with whatever load you decide to go with...
Don't count on it.  While some shooters may see long barrel accuracy life with their .22-250s, actual test data shows a much lower number of shots before accuracy suffers.  Browning tested the .22-250 against the .223 WSSM and found that the former began to lose accuracy quickly before 1000 rounds were fired.  Go here for the test data:

http://www.browning.com/products/features/detail.asp?id=79

Most shooters vastly overestimate the number of shots they fire through their rifles, but actual lab testing gives a better picture.  I have no doubt that careful shooting (letting the barrel cool between shots, loading to slightly under maximum pressures, etc.) can extend barrel life, but I know from personal experience that 1500 rounds is probably closer to the truth for many shooters.  Using a borescope I looked at the throat of my first .22-250 after about 1200 shots (carefully recorded) and it was badly washed.....

BTW, my current Ruger No. 1VBBZ  in .22-250 dotes on 55 BTips and 40.0 grains of H380.

Offline MT4XFore

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2006, 05:06:23 AM »
mitchell,  glad to see you are getting a really good caliber.  Unless you want to pig out on velocity, I would stick to 50 or 55 grain bullets.   You can shoot the 40 really quick, but it isn't worth it.  Just about all the powders you mentioned will work, H380 was originally developed for the 22-250 by Mr. Hogdon.  It was so named because 38 gr. of it made a 50 grain bullet sing into very tiny groups.  H 414 works well as does W760.  I prefer to stick with the 55 grain bullets myself and I use Ramshot Big Game.    Oh, BTW, I am sure you can exceed 1000 rounds with no problem.  Shooting ball powder vs. stick powder will help that too.  Good luck and good shooting.

Jim
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Offline ricciardelli

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2006, 07:14:46 AM »

5-shots, 200-yards

Bullet: Sierra 52 Grain HPBT          
Powder: 38.4 grains of Hodgdon H-380          
Primer: Remington 9-1/2          
Case: Remington          
Firearm: Ruger 77V          
Optics: Leupold 4x12AO
Velocity: 3702 FPS @ 15' from muzzle



5-shots, 200-yards

Bullet: Sierra 55 Grain SBT          
Powder: 39.2 grains of Hodgdon H-414          
Primer: Remington 9-1/2          
Case: Remington          
Firearm: Winchester 70          
Optics: Leupold 4x12AO
Velocity: 3410 FPS @ 15' from muzzle


Both these rifles have several thousand rounds through them.

Offline Lone Star

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2006, 08:41:13 AM »
Quote
Your barrel life should easily exceed 5000 rounds with whatever load you decide to go with...
Quote
Both these rifles have several thousand rounds through them.
I don't doubt that, you are an above average knowledgeable shooter and I'm sure you took good care of them - and chose their best groups to demonstrate their accuracy.  I have 1311 rounds through my oldest .22-250 and while it used to shoot aggregates (not single groups, that's relatively easy) in the high 0.7s it still groups under moa - most of the time.   Now let's see how they all do at the 5000-round mark...   :roll:  :wink:

Offline mitchell

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2006, 10:42:56 AM »
the barrel life i'm looking for is about 1500 . thanks for the info guys i'll keep you all posted
curiosity killed the cat , but i was lead suspect for a while

Offline Coyote Hunter

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2006, 05:41:17 PM »
Federal .22-250 brass
CI 250 primer

40g Nosler BT, 38.0g Varget, 4052fps
52g Hornady Match BTHP, 35.0g Varget, 3579fps
52g Speer Match BTHP, 35.0g Varget, 3578fps

All three loads shoot superby well.  The 52g Hornady's have put 4 shots into 0.5" at 200 yards.
Coyote Hunter
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Offline beemanbeme

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2006, 12:27:39 PM »
Keep trying Steve.  A couple of little tweeks on your scope and you'd have hit that penny.   :grin:

Offline ricciardelli

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22-250 powder and bullets
« Reply #15 on: January 29, 2006, 10:18:43 PM »
Quote from: beemanbeme
Keep trying Steve.  A couple of little tweeks on your scope and you'd have hit that penny.   :grin:


You would mention that!

Somewhere in the tons of junk I have in the reloading room are a couple of pennies with .22 holes in them.  If I find them, I will photograph them, and post them.

Offline giturgun

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« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2006, 01:13:46 PM »
My favorite is  50 gn v max   and 36.5 gns varget  the brass varies  but I do use a match primer in it most of the time     ( this load is not hot in my rifle yours may vary 0   also my oal may not work on yours so I don,t put it in there either I go by off land distance anyway so it would be meaningless in yours.

    That penny thing, I got some quarters shot at 150 and 200 with 22-250  25-06 and 30-06 we shot a few years ago while shooting eggs. :D

Offline beemanbeme

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« Reply #17 on: February 02, 2006, 12:12:09 PM »
Washing a barrel out in 1000 rounds?  Naaaaah.  Perhaps using bench rest standards and most of those folks change on a calendar date not on a loss of accuracy.  Or we're shooting hot loads, fully automatic.  If you're talking about a Pdog rifle and you're only getting a barrel life of 1000 rounds, something is bad wrong.
FWIW, the statement, "a loss of accuracy in only 1000 rounds" can mean a great deal or nothing.  How much of a loss?
When the barrel of my 22-250 went bad, after several years of Pdog trips and use in the factory rifle matches, it was a gradual enlargement of the group that could be corrected for Pdog shoots by adjusting the COL and powder charge.  When I had it rebarreled, it was still shooting inside of an inch with a occassional flyer out to maybe an inch and an eight +.