Help with loading for 22-250

[Rokman]

Ole Farmerbuck, that is some good shooting. I loaded some 50gr. V-maxes and some 55gr. Nosler btips with the IMR 8208 XBR. Hope they shoot like yours.

 

[jbkebert]

My next trip to the range will be with the loads you suggested,jbkebert. I have 100 pieces of new Winchester brass but many of then are already below trim length,so I will just have 5 rounds of each using the 20 pcs of trimmed brass I have from the box of factory loads I bought with the gun.
At the present I do not have a mentor to walk me through everything,so I really appreciate the help and suggestions all of you have posted.

Although not ideal that your new brass is below trim length the key is consistancy. Trim length is 1.902" while that is by the book what you are wanting. If your brass is on average say 1.890 which is below the books standards. It really won't be crucial at that diminsion as long as they are all trimmed the same. I don't know what you actually have there but say 50-60% of your new brass is the 1.890 and the other 40% is slightly longer. Trim all of your brass to meet the greatest percentage of what you have. Granted there are limits but Winchester is a good manufacture and there stuff is certainly within safe limits. So in short keep everything the same as you are building a load and take small bits at a time. The end result will put a big ole smile on your face.

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

jbkebert,I'm not certain but I don't think I can trim any shorter that 1.902 with the trimmer I have,if that is what your are suggesting. It's just a little hand-held device that requires a different shell holder and stem for each caliber. I'll have to take a closer look at it. Maybe it can be shimmed. If not I will sort through the bag and find as many the same length that I can. Maybe there are enough that will trim to length for what I'm trying to do. Will the pcs that are under the trim length given in my reloading manual (1.902,as you mentioned) stretch to size eventually?
One problem I am having is that the full-length re-sizing die leaves me with a neck that is too small to get a bullet started no matter how much of a chamfer I give the brass. My son-in-law suggested replacing the full length die with just a neck sizer,since I'm loading for just one rifle. Any suggestions?

 

[jbkebert]

What brand of dies are you using? I am using hornady dies in a RCBS press. It would seem to me to back off the die 1/3 turn. Resize another peice of brass chamfer and try again. RCBS makes a chamfer tool called a VLD. This sucker IMHO is one of the slickest little tools you can get. The chamfer is not nearly as severe as that left by the Hornady setup. Also check the ball on the full length die/decapping pin. Is it worn or overly abused? Seems like a odd happening you should be able to just start the bullet by hand. Then guide it into the seating die and presto. Also what trimmer are you using? The shell holder has nothing to do with trim length. All it does is hold the case square with the trimmer and pilot. Everything else should be adjustable. I am not saying to trim all your cases down to nothing. Winchester's quality control no matter who they rented their name out to would let cases out of the factory that were dangerous.

What is the average length of case out of your new bag of 100?

 

[NCsmitty]

neck that is too small to get a bullet started

Take a measurement of your expander ball, and it should be .002 smaller than your bullets. If not, order a new one.
A neck sizing die would make your brass last longer.



NCsmitty

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Ole Farmerbuck, that is some good shooting. I loaded some 50gr. V-maxes and some 55gr. Nosler btips with the IMR 8208 XBR. Hope they shoot like yours.

Thanks Rokman. I have decided i like that 8208 a lot better than i had originally thought. I use it in the AR's also. Took one AR,Sav 22-250 and Savage 223 out late this evening to the p-dog town. Been a few weeks but all i can say is WOW! Used all 3 guns and only had 1 miss. Darn fence post was just hiding too much of him.

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

A shot of the die set I'm using and the trim tool. The ball on the decapping pin measures .2236. The die set is brand new.

 

[jbkebert]

The trim tool is new to me. Don't know what to tell you on that note. The ball on your expander is fine according to your measurements.

 

[NCsmitty]

The ball on the decapping pin measures .2236.

You shouldn't be having a too tight situation with that dimension.

I would not worry about your brass being too short. You are not crimping the bullets so it's a moot point on the consistency.



NCsmitty

 

[ole farmerbuck]

That looks like a Lee trimmer.

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

Well,I've had little time for the past few weeks to reload or shoot,but I finally made it to the range with some reloads. Had to start over with the scope because I wanted it moved back a little and I've been just resizing the neck on my brass with a regular full-length die to get them to fit the chamber. Just backed it off until the neck has about 2 thirds of a re-size. Here is my best group using 3/4 re-sized Win cases,50gr Sierra Spitzers and 35gr of Varget. I strongly suspect that the 2 hits that were wide were because of me "yanking" the trigger and not a gentle squeeze,not a result of the rounds. Gotta work on that. All shots were at 100yds,gun on bi-pod,butt resting on left arm folded under stock.
Frankly I cannot understand how others get these results and better at 2 or even 300yds,but maybe in time...
I hope bumping up a link this old is OK with the mods.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Ah heck, this thread isnt old. Try playing with your seating depth. I have found (this is hard to say) that shorter is better. For some reason even after trying to seat close to the lands, i always end up getting my best groups by seating deep. Overall length 2.350 and maybe a little less. I had been loading my AR's to 2.260 untill lastnight. I seated some at 2.200 Sunday and and tried em. Wow! Much better than 2.260. P-dogs didnt like them though.

 

[doubleh]

And I have had the exact opposite effect, farmerbuck. Funny how things vary with guns isn't it? I have two .223's and a 22/250 that I have spent a lot of time doing load development for this summer. They all prefer the bullet to be out close to the lands. Finding what works best with a particular gun is all part of the fun of shooting to me.

By the way, Varget has given me the smallest groups in all three and they have been very small groups. I'm not done yet though.

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

What a difference a couple of weeks make. No,I did not improve that fast. A very good friend is letting me use his Benchrest accessories. Almost seems like cheating. My very first round was dead-center and I got so excited I think I must have started hurrying my shots. Until now a 2'' group at 100 yards was rare. I think I'll be buying similar accessories.

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

I spent about 8 hours last night loading these 40 rounds (39...my first misfire) trying to get everything just right.

My gun seems to prefer the BT V-Max made for 1:14" barrel which it has.
I'd love to get feedback.