Author Topic: 22-250 Range Report (Read 828 times)

218Bee · « **on:** July 30, 2005, 06:13:05 PM »

Looks like a few guys are picking up 22-250's, so I thought I'd post an update.

A good friend and I went to the Rockdale range after work on Friday. He wanted to chrony some factory stuff and I was tweaking in my 40gr. V-max load:

These are 34.2 gr of Varget under 40 gr V-max, CCI200 primers, Win cases (neck sized) all loaded to a COAL of 2.455. Chrony'd at 3431fps.

I've gotten into the habit of indexing the cases and I believe that allowed me to neck size with solid lockup. We'll see if these cases will chamber with neck sizing on the next reload. If so I will religiously index them as I hate to lube cases.

Shoot more and shoot more often,

Rick

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2005, 06:16:13 PM »

Thanks Rick, I'm keeping tabs on your progress, I have one on the way, too!!

Tim

De41mag · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2005, 06:20:52 PM »

218;

Great shooting out of your 22-250.
Forgive me for asking, but are those velocities a little slow for a 40gr bullet out of a 22-250?
Or are you just at a starting point?
I'll be reloading for mine soon and any info you can give will be of great help.
Again, good shooting.

Dennis

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2005, 06:27:32 PM »

Hornady 6th shows 34.3 gr Varget behind the 40gr Vmax as a 3700fps load, but that's out of a 26" barrel, the 22" or 24" barrel will be less, apparently quite a bit less.

Tim

De41mag · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2005, 06:43:58 PM »

Last weekend, I had a talk with the fella that him and I go in on WWB 223 ammo. He is a benchrest shooter and we were talking about powders.
He told me that Varget was a slow powder as far as velocities go, that with other powders he was able to get more speed than with Varget, using the same bullet weight.
Sounds to me he is right.

Dennis

218Bee · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2005, 07:00:23 PM »

Probably quite slow De41Mag. I load for accuracy and the hotter loads don't print as well.

Combine that with the shorter barrel and well, here we are.

My 55gr load only clocks at 3280. My buddies Remmie 55 gr. were over 3500. ( I had the tighter group :twisted: )

I'll keep searching for a faster load, but I hate to sacrifice accuracy. After all I can always hold high.

Rick

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2005, 07:21:39 PM »

Looking at the Hodgdon data, I think H4895 or H380 would be better choices in the shorter barrels due to their faster burn rate, and pressures are lower for given velocities which is always good. Since I have both, I think I'll give em a try along with a box of 40gr Vmax that don't shoot good in my Hornet... :wink:

Tim

EDIT: Burning the midnight oil..... :roll:

Hmm, looking at the lyman 48th, IMR4064 looks like a good one too as it's their most accurate load and not too slow either, at a max of 3920fps for less than 50kcup....in a 24" barrel, too!! Since Handis seem to like less pressure, the powders that provide the best velocity with the least pressure have been the most accurate for me and I'm 100% so far with those I've picked for several calibers......Fred is right on again!! For comparison, Varget attains 110fps more but at a cost of more than 2kcup which might easily be too much more for a Handi..

For me, I can't see loading the 22-250 down to .223 levels to get the same accuracy, I prefer to achieve the velocities the caliber is capable of....no offense meant, Rick....

De41mag · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2005, 07:21:59 PM »

I hear ya 218;

Accuracy is number one in my book. No matter what the velocity.
I went out west in OK on the paraire dog shoot and used my Rem. Mod 7FS in 7mm-08 w/ Speer 110gr HP/TNT's. Very accurate and out of my 18-1/2 inch barrel when I got back I used a friends Chrono and found that I was only going 2750fps. But it got some PD's and some doubles.
So yup, accuracy is most important.
Keep up the good work.

Dennis

218Bee · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2005, 04:15:33 AM »

Tim,

I had started to work with 4064, but got sidetracked when I hit upon the Varget load. So many thing to work out (bullet weight, COAL, plus the intricacies of the handi) I just went down the path of least resistance.

Your making perfect sense to me. One of my "go to guys" for centerfire advice had settled on 4064 for his 22-250 Ruger.

Since I'm out of Varget (the guy at my shop needs to make a powder run), I'll take another look at 4064. The other variables should remain the same.

I fully agree Tim, I would much prefer the velocities the the cartridge is capable of. Have you ever tried the "ladder" method of load development? I tried to get my head around the concept but never quite "got it".

Rick

Datil · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2005, 04:52:59 AM »

My son shoots 22-250 ( not NEF } he gets best groups using IMR 4064.
Just a little info to maybe help you Guys out. Marv.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2005, 05:19:35 AM »

Rick, I haven't tried the Ladder method yet, but I have thought about it. I'm not sure if my shooting is consistent enough for it to work well, though! :oops: Longcruise has a good instruction written on it, and it does make sense to me, just don't know if my shooting abilities would work with it!! Heh heh, I pull a shot too frequently, at least with a 3 shot group, I can get 2 out of three to be close together so I can call it a group!!

Tim

http://www.mikeswillowlake.com/ladder%20test.htm

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2005, 07:15:24 AM »

Hmm, more encouragement for Varget loads!!

Tim

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=52148919&page=0&fpart=all&vc=1&nt=2

218Bee · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2005, 08:10:59 AM »

Great link, Tim.

Thats a straightforward explanation. Basically you take your maximum load, subtract .2gr (or the increment suitable for you cartridge size), subtract 4gr (20X.2). Thats the starting charge. Load 20 rounds increasing by .2gr each time. Fire all sequentially, slowly and carefully, recording the impact point for each round. Shots that cluster are the sweet spot and those charges explored further.

Worth a shot (so to speak). I sure would like to find a 40gr load closer to 3600 - 3700fps.

Rick

quickdtoo · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2005, 10:04:16 AM »

I forgot to mention that the Load Ladder Method link is from our very own Longcruise's web site... :wink:

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2005, 10:57:09 AM »

A 22-250 thread on barrel life.....not loading so hot is something to consider if you want the barrel to last over 1500 rounds...

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=52151528&an=0&page=0&gonew=1#UNREAD

Tim

Longcruise · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2005, 12:01:51 PM »

Quote

I'll take another look at 4064. The other variables should remain the same.

I like 4064 and use it in my k31 (7.5X55) with excellent results.

What I don't like is the way it meters

I usually use a powder trickler and scale to get the charges equall. It's surprising the difference in the charge weights straight out of the powder measure (RCBS).

218Bee · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2005, 01:29:22 PM »

Longcruise wrote:

Quote

What I don't like is the way it meters Sad

Along with the stability at temperature extremes, thats another reason I'm fond of Varget. It meters pretty well, although I get a little obsessive and trickle up anyways. I generally load only 20-40 rounds at a time so it's not that big a deal.

Thanks for the great tutorial on the ladder method. The other primer I'd seen was much harder to follow. I'm definitely going to try it with 4064.

It probably wouldn't hurt to try it with my Varget load. I've heard that there can be two sweet spot, one high and one low. I just figured the the handi didn't like the high end. I, of course, worked up 0.5gr at a time. By moving to 0.2gr another pattern may emerge.

Rick

Longcruise · « **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2005, 03:25:46 AM »

Quote

thats another reason I'm fond of Varget. It meters pretty well,

Thats my main reason for liking it too. It's useful in so many applications too. My 7-08 likes it. I'd like to load it in 223 but I can't get anywhere near the recommended charges into my brass! Probably need a drop tube.

I've never loaded for the 22-250 but my son in law seems to like H380 in his.

Glad the ladder explanation was useful to you. Sometime in the near future I plan to document an actual test and post it along with the explanation so as to add a bit more clarity.