22-250 Reloading Questions

[bikerbeans]

Hi All,

Wife has a 22-250 handi that see loves.  Bought it used, it is a factory accessory barrel, ejector type, on a 2004 SB2.  Came with four boxes of factory ammo, hornady, federal & nickel plated winchester.  All 40 grain, approx 4000 FPS stuff.  It shoots very well, and makes me sad because my 223 Ultra patterns like buckshot, but that is a separate issue.  Anyway, the once fired factory brass is already over the 1.912 max by .01 or more.  The primers on this once fired brass are so flat that if they where my reloads I would be pulling bullets and starting over.   

I trimmed them to .01 under max, full length resize (lee die) and reloaded to what is supposed to be a low end load.  Using 55 grain Sierra HP bullet, 2.35 OAL, lee factory crimp.  The powder is AA 2460, 33 grain.  Reloads shot fine and the primers are not flatten or smeared, but the gun is very hard to open.  I haven't measured the brass but it appears to have streched to the point it is pushing againist the receiver and making the gun tough to open.  If I put the brass back in the gun it protrudes noticeably from the chamber.  I had the same problem with both the brass and nickel plated brass.  Is this an overpressure or headspace problem, or something else?

thanks in advance

BB

[skarke]

Break open actions all flex to a certain extent.  Your symptoms are evident of a pressure problem.  The 22 250 is a case, when loaded a little hot, does stretch a little in the Handi type actions.  Just back off a little and you'll be fine.

Curious, why 2460?  The reason I ask is that the starting loads of 2460 are 50,000 cup, and don't produce as high of velocity as a similar pressure, max load of, say H380.

Just a thought.

[bikerbeans]

Skarke,

2460 was bought to load 75 grain HDY HPBTs for my kids AR 15.  I usually use TAC for the 223 & the 22 250 but my gun shop is out.  Figured I would use up the 2460 on the 22 250, apparently a bad choice.  Time to pull bullets and start over.  Thanks.

BB