Loading down .22-250

[Furncliff]

I'm ashamed to admit it... I don't shoot my Win 70 very much. But I bought a new Hornaday LNL and can now load for this rifle.

Would you tell me about accuracy loads and loading down for this caliber.

Thanks

Tom

 

[KFDiesel]

Are you looking for light load recipes? Do you have a loading manual yet?

 

[Blackrock]

The 22-250 is fickle about bullet weight and barrel twist rate. Are you wanting reduced loads for less powder consumption or what?

 

[ole farmerbuck]

My 'down' load for my Savage is 35.0gr of IMR8208 with a 52gr A-Max bullet. Max is 35.5

 

[hey_poolboy]

I agree that the .22-250 is fickle about bullet weight. Mine loves 50gr v-max. I burn 36.8gr of Varget and that combo gets me .75" groups @ 235 yds. I don't care how light the load is. I just want to know the bullet is going to where I aim.

 

[Offfhand]

Fickle about bullet weight? Such as?

 

[rcmodel]

The only fickleness is, most of the older ones like the OP's Model 70 used a 1/14 twist barrel, and they won't shoot the heavy bullets now so common.

If I were downing-loading, I would NOT use any powder slower then IMR or H-4895.

Slow burning powders in over-bore cartridges are known to cause the SEE effect, or Secondary Explosion Effect that will blow you up.

If I were you, I would not go any lower then published Starting loads in any reloading manual.

That will give you 3,100 - 3,200 FPS with the under 60 grain bullets the rifling twist will stabilize. Or about like a .223 Rem.

Lyman #49 manual lists reduced load data for 55 grain V-Max using SR-4759 or AA-5744 powder in the 2,400 - 3,000 FPS range..

If you want lighter loads then that, then cast lead bullets and pistol powder are the only safe way to do it.

rc

 

[Offfhand]

Quoted from above:

"The only fickleness is, most of the older ones like the OP's Model 70 used a 1/14 twist barrel, and they won't shoot the heavy bullets now so common."

OK, Mr. RC, by "heavy" bullets I assume you mean bullets OVER 60 grains. All of my current .22/250 rifles have 1/14" barrels. Three of them are nicely accurate with bullet weights ranging from 40 to 60 grains weight. (The forth isn't accurate with anything.) This is a 20 grain span, which I would hardly call "fickle."

 

[rcmodel]

Yes Mr. Offhand.
I mean the heavy & long bullets now available for the .223, ranging from 60 grain BT's with plastic tips, all the way up to the super long bullets used in 1/7 twist AR-15's.

The heaviest bullets my 1/14 22-250 will shoot accurately is the Sierra 63 grain semi-pointed. And it doesn't like them near as well as 55's and 52's.

Other then that, I have never seen any fickleness at all in mine.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

My 14 twist .22-250 showed me the ragged edge of stability.
60 grain bullet A was as accurate as any lighter bullet.
60 grain bullet B was totally wild on target although without keyholing. It was a smidgen LONGER than bullet A of the same weight.

I download it with one box of soft Norma brass. A handbook load that performs normally in Remington or Winchester brass will give hard extraction and rub marks on the head of that Norma - which came with the rifle in trade. So I load it not heavier than to use a powder charge listed for a 55 grain bullet with a 50. And usually lighter than that. It shoots quite well with 33.5 gr IMR 4895 and a 50-52 gr bullet; 35-36 is maximum.

 

[roc1]

HeyPoolboy my Savage loves the very same load. Varget and 50gr VMax hard to beat.
roc1

 

[Offfhand]

Post from above:

"Yes Mr. Offhand. I mean the heavy & long bullets now available for the .223, ranging from 60 grain BT's with plastic tips, all the way up to the super long bullets used in 1/7 twist AR-15's."

Mr. RC, thanks for clear explaination. I was under the impression (Obviously mistaken) that we were discussing bullets for the .22/250 Rem. But apparently not. My apologies to all.

 

[doubleh]

I have an "old" Ruger #1 in 22/250. It shoots 40 & 45 grain bullets into tiny groups. Does almost as well with 50 grainers. 60s are so bad I've given up on them. I've tried some 70 grain loads and they do much better than the 60s. Who knows why. Since it's a p-dog to coyote gun I will just stay with the light bullets and be happy.

My best groups with any weight bullet have come with kind of mid range roads. Starting loads listed in the manuals haven't done well and neither have those at the other end. About 2/3s of the way to the top have been where the best groups are found for my rifle.

 

[AlfieB]

My favorite reduced load for 22-250 is 12 gr. of Trail boss w/ 55 gr fmj. This is very accurate (under 1 moa). Velocity is around 1900 fps. It hits about 2" lower than 39gr of 760/ 55 gr psp @ 100 yd. I load the light loads in nickel plated cases so the don't get mixed up with the regular loads. With proper placement, the Trail Boss loads will kill (anything) cleanly under 100 yd. with little or no meat damage.

 

[jeepmor]

HeyPoolboy my Savage loves the very same load. Varget and 50gr VMax hard to beat.
roc1

My ruger HB likes em too.