22-250 50 gr bullets & Varget

[Bullseye]

I went to Hodgdon rifle data and got the load data for this cartridge using 50 grain bullets in a 22-250. The powder weight range using Varget was at a minimum 34.5 and maximum 37.5 grains.
I proceeded to load up 60 cartridges.

10 at 35 gr with 50 gr Hornady VMax
10 at 35 gr with 50 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade

10 at 36 gr with 50 gr Hornady VMax
10 at 36 gr with 50 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade

10 at 37 gr with 50 gr Hornady VMax
10 at 37 gr with 50 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade

I checked my Lyman 49th reloading handbook and there isn't a Varget powder listed for 50 gr but a 45 gr has a starting load of 36 and a max of 39.5 and 52 gr has a starting load of 33.5 and a max of 38.

I am feeling comfortable with the cartridges until I get surfing around and start seeing that very few people load over 36.5 gr Varget with a 50 gr bullet.
Saw a few nervous about loads higher. I also am worried that the Barnes grenades may come apart at a higher powder load.

I am feeling fine about shooting the 35 and 36 grain loads and certainly would start shooting in that order, but wish that I had loaded the last batch at 36.5 or 35.5.

Do I need to pull the 37 gr loads or am I going to be OK in my stainless Ruger 77 with the 1/14 twist. Thanks.
This is a case of ask first and shoot later.

 

[redbullitt]

To figure your bullet RP: 720x velocity/twist (i.e. divide 14 in your case) That may help if you can find the RPM rating of the bullets or the point where shredding them is possible.

I have not shot much 2250 at all... but for what its worth Hodgdon's data usually is quite reliable for me. Sierra is always low in my experience, and speer varies from book to book quite a bit. Hodgdon seems to be more spot on with velocity approximations as well.

You have started fairly low IMHO, just above minimum and worked your way up to UNDER the published maximum of two viable sources. I would not feel bad unless you wound up having to seat the bullet shorter than the tested OAL or if your data was for a markedly different projectile.

No good to be nervous. Maybe consider working up to the 37g charge by smaller increments ? Like .2 or something. That will give you much better chance of catching a pressure sign before nasty overpressure stuff starts showing up. Pull them if you want... I have pulled more than my share!

Every rifle is different. Thats why we work up load for OUR rifles. Everything else is just a guidepost for keeping you going in the proper direction. Example...I have a 260 rem that shows pressure signs lower than published max loads, and lower than what the internet says it should... well I shoot it all the time and do not worry about it because I worked up a load for it that gets the correct velocity AND its accurate.

 

[Bullseye]

Thank you. I still have some cases ready to load and will fill in the lower gaps with some .2 or .5 groups and still save the 37 gr loads for last or perhaps pull the bullets if something turns up working well under that.
I did go to Barnes web page http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/components/rifle/varmint-grenade/ and found that those particular bullets are designed to handle it.
"The bullet remains intact at ultra-high velocities in fast twist barrels, while its highly frangible core fragments violently on impact. Produces instant fragmentation, virtually vaporizing ground squirrels and prairie dogs, even at long range. Varmint Grenades instantly expend their energy, seldom exiting large predators like bobcats and coyotes, leaving valuable pelts virtually undamaged."
I feel more at ease though reading your response. Again, much appreciated the well thought out comment.

 

[Ccctennis]

This might not help you. But I used varget for accuracy testing last year with 40 grain bullets.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=769429

 

[Lennyjoe]

My Savage 116 in 22-250 with Varget and 50 gr V-max was a very accurate shooter. Was splitting jack rabbits @200 yards with ease. I'll look at my logs and see what the powder load was in the morning.

 

[Bullseye]

Thanks Lenny.

 

[Lennyjoe]

37.0 gr Varget and 55 gr V-Max gave me 3825 fps out of the Savage @4250 ft elevation and 95 degrees. Grouping was .55" @100 yds. Took many a coyote with that round and tons of jack rabbits.

 

[Bullseye]

Lenny, I saw your savage had a 1/12 twist and mine has 1/14. I am feeling more comfortable with the lighter bullet and 37 gr of varget anyways with the 50 gr VMax and Barnes grenades. I think I'll be OK and will post target images in a couple weekends.

 

[Bullseye]

Anyways, I got out there to the range today and shot a variety of loads in 22-250.
My results were decent with Varget and Hornady 50 gr VMax.
35 gr produced a 1" grouping 1 1/2" high to the left @ 100 meters.
36 gr produced a 1 1/2" grouping 1 1/2" high to the rt @ 100 meters.
37 gr produced a 2" grouping 1" high to the center @ 100 meters.
Using Benchmark with various loads between 34 gr &n 35.5 gr I had the best results with a 35 gr 1" high to the center a 2" grouping @ 100 meters.
Using Barnes Varmint grenade bullets with same powder charges produced nothing. All I can figure was they all fragmented somewhere along the way. A few holes were found but the holes looked like the bullets may have tilted or tumbled. Maybe a 22 Hornet would be best for those, I couldn't hit a barn with Barnes.
Sorry no pictures .

 

[gamestalker]

I've got some 52 gr. Sierra BR HP's, and also Sierra 55 gr. Spitzer's I've been working with recently. They ran great with IMR-4350, but that's another discussion for another day.

I forgot my chrony, so I don't have the fps results. But anyway, I started with the 52 gr. BRHP at 35 gr. Varget, and the accuracy results were amazing from a Ruger American. I didn't see any signs of low or high pressures, just super good results on paper was all this far.

I also tested a small batch of the 55 gr. spitzers using the same 35 gr. charge of Varget, again, accuracy was stellar, and pressures were fine, nothing high or low.

Both of those loads above were with the bullets slightly jammed, as I was forming the brass, and wanted to keep the case head up against the bolt face to aid in accomplishing that.

I don't know anything about the Barnes bullets you have, but my Son is getting ready to load some of those with Varget, and I will post the results of that work up as soon as the information is available to me.

GS

 

[cpt-t]

sigsmoker: My Son and I both shoot a HD 26 inch Barreled model 12 Savage`s.
His is the Accura-Trigger model and mine is the early model. The best load we have ever found for these two rifles is 36.5grs of Varget and a 50gr H V-Max bullet. This load shoots way under a 1/2 inch at a 100yds in both of our rifles and we have used this load for several years. And I have not loaded any thing else in 22-250 for many years. I really don`t think we can do much better than this load for our needs, and I have really stopped looking. This load is a Coyote, PD, Groundhog, Jackrabbit killing machine for us.
ken

 

[Bullseye]

My shooting buddy and I both used Ruger M77 Hawkeye 22-250 rifles. He called me today and said the Barnes V G bullets will not work in 1 - 14 twist rifling. So we will be shooting the rest out of another rifle, perhaps an AR.

 

[WVRJ]

My experience with the 22-250 has spanned a good number of years and half a dozen rifles.The one I have now is a really good shooting Rem 788.The data for Varget from the Hodgdon site is right on the money for me.I went as far as 36.5,and my chrony was showing an average of 3650 fps.I recently changed it to CFE-223 pushing a 52 gr A-Max.The load I worked up was close to 3900,but I was afraid when the weather warmed up it might be a bit hot,so I slowed it down to 3800.Accuracy is spectacular for a sporter barrel,it'll keep 5 shots well inside an inch at 100.I don't know how well the A-Max's will do on varmints,but hope to find out soon.If they don't open up,I'll go back to 55 gr Nosler BT's for better expansion.