Twist rate question for 22-250

[James8003]

I'm thinking of upgrading from my current varmit/coyote 22-250 (Stevens 200) to one with a bit higher standards. I'm not planning on getting rid of this one as it is a fine shooter in itself. I've been scouring all the major players and I'm curious as to how the 1:14 twist compares to the 1:12 which I have now. I shoot factory loads of 55gr, (I'm not a reloader and don't plan on it anytime soon). Would/are the factory 55 loads be too heavy for the slower twist of 1:14?
Thanks in advance 

[Screwbolts]

Of coarse they are way to heavy, that is why all the Rem M700 are such tack drivers with 55 gr. bullets" the standard bullet weight in most 22-250 ammo". They are 1x14s 

 Get a grip man, 1x14 will nicely stabilize my 62 grain cast . from 1600FPS to  2975 FPS.

IMHO  the faster twists were brought out to stabilize 65+ gr bullets.   

[Coyote Hunter]

My Ruger MKII VT is a 1-14.   I don't shoot anything heavier than 52g but it handles them fine - it has put 4 shots, into 1/2" at 200 yards.

[rickt300]

My 22-250 has a 1 in 14 twist and it shoots bullets up to 60 grains with fine accuracy.

[roper]

I'm thinking of upgrading from my current varmit/coyote 22-250 (Stevens 200) to one with a bit higher standards. I'm not planning on getting rid of this one as it is a fine shooter in itself. I've been scouring all the major players and I'm curious as to how the 1:14 twist compares to the 1:12 which I have now. I shoot factory loads of 55gr, (I'm not a reloader and don't plan on it anytime soon). Would/are the factory 55 loads be too heavy for the slower twist of 1:14?
Thanks in advance 

 

I have afew 1/14 twist barrels on some 22 cal rifles and they shoot very good with 50gr bullets.  When I decide to move up to 55gr  bullets I use a 1/12 twist barrel and it has nothing to do with  accuracy it more about velocity gain.

I set my varmit rifles up for one bullet only and being a reloader I buy 1000 bullets at a time so that keep me with just two bullet weights for most of my 22cal rifle.  I did pick up some 60gr to try in the 1/12 twist barrels.

I think being a reloader we have have some advantages over buying factory ammo we can pretty much taylor a load for our rifles with bullets etc  that are not loaded in factory ammo.  If your rifle is shooting good with factory 55gr in a 1/14 twist barrel you may gain some accuracy with a custom barrel in 1/12 or 1/14.

Well good luck

[Graybeard]

These days 1 in 14" is considered standard. I'd really like to give a 1 in 12" a try and see how it would perform with some of the heavy weight bullets I have on hand. Why folks think a .223 should use super heavies and the much larger cased .22-250 should be limited to light weights is a mystery to me.

Sierra shipped me 2000 77 grain HPBT match bullets and I'm not sure anything I have will stabilize them.

[nomosendero]

These days 1 in 14" is considered standard. I'd really like to give a 1 in 12" a try and see how it would perform with some of the heavy weight bullets I have on hand. Why folks think a .223 should use super heavies and the much larger cased .22-250 should be limited to light weights is a mystery to me.

Sierra shipped me 2000 77 grain HPBT match bullets and I'm not sure anything I have will stabilize them.

You are right, the heavy bullet & a big case go hand in hand with the right twist. Some of the custom barrel guys have caught on & I have to give Savage credit to watching the market as well. Rem & others are still in slumber land.

[84Jim]

Why folks think a .223 should use super heavies and the much larger cased .22-250 should be limited to light weights is a mystery to me.

I think .223's have a faster twist because you can't (or would really have to try) push any bullet fast enough for them to blow up due to centrifugal force, while a 22-250 could theoretically get going fast enough to blow up lighter bullets with a fast twist.  My 1-8 and 1-9 .223's shoot 55 grainers very accurately at 3000 to 3200 fps and can still handle 77's and 80's.  That being said, a 1-9 or 1-10 22-250 would be nice to be able to shoot heavier stuff so you could really reach out.

[nomosendero]

Why folks think a .223 should use super heavies and the much larger cased .22-250 should be limited to light weights is a mystery to me.

I think .223's have a faster twist because you can't (or would really have to try) push any bullet fast enough for them to blow up due to centrifugal force, while a 22-250 could theoretically get going fast enough to blow up lighter bullets with a fast twist.  My 1-8 and 1-9 .223's shoot 55 grainers very accurately at 3000 to 3200 fps and can still handle 77's and 80's.  That being said, a 1-9 or 1-10 22-250 would be nice to be able to shoot heavier stuff so you could really reach out.

The big barrel companies know what they are doing & they are making fast twist barrels now, they know that the more dedicated shooters aren't worried about blowing up bullets & they know how to choose the right projectile. And bullet const. has as much to do with the blowups as weight, harder to blow up a BT in flight due to the solid base. Also, the rough bores are a factor. Usually a blowup in flight was with a light const. bullet such as an SX which was designed for a 222 being fired out of a fast 22, typically fast reloads. I don't see it as a factor now & it appears Savage doesn't either.

[James8003]

Thank you all for the replies!
OK... So basically what you're saying is the 1:14 22-250 will handle the 55's with decent accuracy then? That is the heaviest bullet I plan on using regardless.
Now I just need to finalize the brand and model. I am really leaning heavily towards a Savage 14 American classic. For a few reasons, being it has the 1:12 twist, the trigger, the wood furniture and in my experience, good shooters right out of the box with minamal fuss. (But no matter the brand, there is always one that isn't, right?)
But I also like what the other makers bring to the table too...If money wasn't an issue, boy would I love to experiment! That's why the great feedback on forums like yours GB are so important and needed.

[roper]

Thank you all for the replies!
OK... So basically what you're saying is the 1:14 22-250 will handle the 55's with decent accuracy then? That is the heaviest bullet I plan on using regardless.
Now I just need to finalize the brand and model. I am really leaning heavily towards a Savage 14 American classic. For a few reasons, being it has the 1:12 twist, the trigger, the wood furniture and in my experience, good shooters right out of the box with minamal fuss. (But no matter the brand, there is always one that isn't, right?)
But I also like what the other makers bring to the table too...If money wasn't an issue, boy would I love to experiment! That's why the great feedback on forums like yours GB are so important and needed.

One thing that hasn't changed over the years is trying to figure the best twist for a given bullet.  The Greenhill formula has stood the test of time computers have made it easy http://kwk.us/twist.html.  Just one of the tools we have

[gcrank1]

My chart of Greenhill data says max length (use length, NOT weight) stabilized in a 1:14 .224 is .540.