DANNY-L
Member
50gr.nosler BT and 35.8gr. IMR4064 is perfect for my rem 700
bullet weight for .22-250?
- Thread starter MATT .45-70
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No idea why but anything over the 2.350 in the 2 rifles I'm loading for gets 3" groups. You aren't the first to tell me your rifle is picky too.
When I started loading for my friend's 250 last April I could not get groups under 3" seating the bullet out. Yet factory Remington would shoot 3/4" groups in his rifle. I had a lot of posts on here about it. Someone finally told me to go back to the max length in the manual, it was on this forum too. Soon as I did that the groups dropped to 1/2".
In Oct I picked up my 250 and noticed the same thing again, I have to keep the length under 2.350. For years I heard H380 was the powder to use in this cartridge. But we both noticed that every month the POI would change. Finally in November it changed by a total of 3" and we moved on to Varget. Over the winter using Varget the groups only varied by 1/2" lower, big difference from H380.
Varget has worked well but shooting over a chrony I noticed the speed was very low for published loads. The only manual I have that shows the .38.0 gr load is my Lyman and I can hit their velocity. The 36.5 gr load wasn't much better then a .223 for velocity and many of my loading manuals had that as a max charge. The .38.0 gr load shows no signs of high pressure so I use it.
I also use Varget in .308 and that one needs 1.5 gr over manual to equal the published velocity.
One of the places I frequent is Stevespages, lots of reloading info there. He had the same complaint about Varget, only he said in his opinion it sucks. I just think there are some big lot to lot differences with it. When my canister runs out and if I buy another it will be interesting to see how the next lot works out.
Still looking at other powders at present and not sure what I'm going to try next.
The .22-250 has humbled me for reloading. All the other guns and cartridges I have are not picky on bullets. So far mine only likes Sierra and only the 52 gr match or lead tipped 55 gr.
I tried the 50 gr Nosler BT thinking that would be a good one. Nope, 1.5" groups.
Red Cent
Member
M700 action, Douglas 26" one inch bull barrel, 53 gr Sierra HPBT, 3031. Start with about 32grs and work up to the sweet spot.
ole farmerbuck
Member
My 250's are the same way. I load em short and use IMR8208. I can grab the lightweight Savage out of the safe and not have to worry about where its going to shoot.. I too was having trouble with H380. I need to sell about 16lbs!
Ole Farmerbuck, I actually think it was you that told me to try the 2.350 length. That rifle almost drove me nuts with 3" groups. Once the length got short it started to shoot.
That was a friends' rifle. I now have one and it's the same way. Mine actually likes the bullets at 2.325.
Now I need to find another powder as I'm not sold on the Varget anymore. It shoots quite well but for the life of me I have no idea how these load manuals can come up with the velocity they do.
I've been looking at 8208 but just haven't found it yet. Another I'm looking at is 4007 ssc. And I'm glad I didn't buy a large quantity of H380. The H380 shot the most accurate but every month the POI would change, just doesn't work well in OH where temps range between 20 and 80 degrees all year long.
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ole farmerbuck
Member
I think 8208 is the way to go for my AR's and 22-250's. RL10X isnt bad but i still go back to the 8208. I have plenty of it for that reason. I also have many different powders, 335,blc-2 and so on. My 250's are .350 or a little less too.
ole farmerbuck
Member
Dont do it because I say so but I think you will find that 8208 likes to be loaded toward the max.
Ever try 'em .010" off your rifling or so? I haven't and I'm reluctant to do so with a hot load. I'd work my way up, of course, but, even when I'm still a grain or two off max. with H380, it sure seems like a smack of recoil. Loaded to 2.350", that is. But, not showing any signs of pressure on the primers.
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MtnCreek
Member
I've had best luck w/ 50 to 55 gr projectiles in the 250.
UltraMag1981
Member
My Savage 10 Predator with the 1:12 twist barrel loves 35.2gr of IMR 4064 with 55gr Sierra Blitzkings seated just off of the lands! They are averaging right around 3500fps aswell.
wsmreloader
Member
I just purchased a Howa 22-250 and am loading varget under 55 grain Hornady FMJ. I haven't fine tuned the loads yet, but am shooting just under an inch at 100 yards. I haven't chronographed the load yet, but I don't get excited when my rifle shoots a little slower than the test barrels shown in the reloading manuals. If I'm shooting a 22inch barrel rifle and the test barrel is a 26" barrel, my load should be somewhere around 200fps slower. I'm way more interested in speed variance between cartridges, than how fast I can make a projectile go. My goal is less than 20fps spread from fastest cartridge to slowest cartridge. If I can do that, I can figure out where the bullet is gonna hit 500 yards down range and use optics to aim just a little higher than the faster boolit.
Rokman
Member
I like to use 55gr Nosler ballistic tips, 52gr Amax, 55gr Sierra Gamekings and 55gr Varmint Nightmare Extremes from Midsouth Shooters Supply. I really Like Varget and RL15 and have tried IMR8028 with just fair success.
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