remington 700 vs 22-250

[jbs606]

Does most 700 have alot of freebore in the chamber. I just got one and started to work up a load. My 1st try was good because I loaded them 34.6 of IMR 4064 oal was 2.350. They shot good but not less than one inch. So I measure the lands to the bullet and reload using the same load and bullet. My group went from 1.7 to 3.5 at 100 yards. The oal was 2.49 on the 2nd try. To me this seem like a lot of free bore. The gun was used but in good shape. Does anyone know what I can do to get this gun to shot at leat one inch at 100 yards? I think it should do better, but I would settle for that.
I am using 55 grain sierra blizzking and the barrel twist rate is 1in 14.
Any help. Thanks Jbs

 

[asknight]

55gr is a hair heavy for the best groups in a 1:14" barrel. I would try a 40-45gr bullet before I started looking at the freebore. All of my 700's have substantial leade in the barrels, but it didn't keep me from finding an accurate load.

 

[SixStars]

Rem 700 & 22-250

I've owned 7 factroy [stock] Rem-700s during the past 41 years. I've noted that they all will shoot the factory Remington 55-grain KoreLock HPs under one minute of angle. According to my reloading/range books, all 6 of mine have produced .8" or better 5-shot groups. As for hand loads, I have used the following loads with great success: 50gr. Hornady V-Max or Sierra 50gr. Blitz over 34.0 grains of IMR4895 (relcaimed military from Wideners) w/Federal BR210 primers. My other 22-250 load is 52gr. Speer HP over 35.5gr. of H4895 w/Fed BR210 primers. I use Remington brass of the same lot. All cases are trimmed to length, primer pockets squared, and flash-holes deburred. Both of these handloads I've listed will shoot .5" or better in my rifles. I have shot well over 150,000 rounds of 22-250 (ground squirrels, prairie dogs, coyotes, & bobcats) during the last 41 years. That's not a world record but it is enough to get a good idea what works and what doesn't.

As for the rifles . . . I glass-bed the actions and free-float the barrels. If you figure you need competition-edge accuacy then by-all-means feel free to take out a small-home-loan and have a Hart or Krieger (my favorite) barrel fitted to your fine Remington action.

BTW . . . the 52gr. Speer handload was given to me by Rick Jamison [Shooting Times Magazine]. I had the pleasure of having dinner with him at the opening of the Bianchi Western Museum in Temecula, CA (Museum sold to Gene Autry) back in the 70s. Rick said the load [Speer 52/35.5H4895] always worked in his Remingtons . . . his information really helped me, so I hope it helps you.

 

[huntershooter]

You don't say which 700 you have. I've owned several. Currently have the heavy barreled/ laminate stock (VLS?). I bedded the action and tang. Barrel was already free floated. Nothing else (except trigger work) done to rifle. 55 gr. Nos. B.T., 39.3 gr. W760, Fed. match primers ( I think 210M), Win. cases, bullet seated .030" off lands shoots 3/8" (5 rds.) consistently.

 

[jjohnson]

Twist Rate Question

Your post caught my eye - mine's a Rem 700VSS, about 15 years old, and the .22-250 shoots very well with 55 grain factory loads... do ALL 700's in this caliber have that twist? I'm about ready to start reloading that caliber... and was leaning towards heavier, not lighter bullets.

 

[jbs606]

Thanks to all
I have my 700vs shooting great. I ended up with hornady A max 52 gr. with imr 4064 34.6 gr. OAL of 3.520.
My gun just will not shoot 55 gr anything but 52 and under does great.
Thanks again JBS

 

[rat314]

.22-250 VS

While my current .22-250 VS has been given the Ackley treatment....I admit that it did have a substantial freebore in the standard caliber.
Try 38.0 Grains of Hogdon H-380 with Winchester large rifle Std primers. Remington cases and Berger 52 gr MEF bullets seated out as far as you can and still get a reasonably firm crimp. (Remember, a flat base bullet will usually have a longer Ogive than a Boat tail in the same weight.)
This load is a classic benchrest accuracy load from days when the .22-250 was still a Wildcat and used on the range for windier days.
(Hogdon actually gave the powder the H-380 designation because of the popularity of this load.) H-380=38.0 grains. A super Prarie dog load, and it sure makes the feathers fly from a crow hit with it.
I use this load..with a 55 gr ballistic tip instead of the 52 when fireforming cases in the Ackley, and I still get sub 1/2" groups.
An added plus....I also like the way the H-380 runs through my Redding 3-BR powder measure.

P.S. The 1:14 twist rate shouldn't be an issue with the 55 grain bullets when you are working the upper end of the 250's velocity curve, with the 50-52's working better at the lower end. The 45 grain bullets just have never worked out to well for me in my rifle.

 

[jjohnson]

55gr just may work!

Yep, I have a 700VSS in .22-250, and before I started handloading it, the kind folks here advised me that maybe I shouldn't go for those heavy .224 bullets that my .223 likes (Savage with a fast twist, 1:9 if I recall right). I'm at a loss to explain why one rifle (same model, same twist) seems to shoot one load while another doesn't do well with it, but that's the sort of thing I have learned to accept as a "faith" deal.

I hadn't even noticed the 55gr bullets shouldn't be stabilizing in a 1:14 twist. Mine's doing fine, but I haven't even tried the heavy stuff I was going to reload. This is from shooting at 100 and 200 yards (measured).

Some folks will tell you that you're about at the limit - and I believe them, having looked at the data on twist rates and such. If we're on the edge of stabilization, I can tell you that my 700 is doing sub-moa every time I do MY job even with the 55gr Rem core-lokt stuff. I'm also not about to argue with Rick Jamison - if I need to cap my reloads at 55grains and no heavier, I'm convinced that dime-sized groups at 100 yards is something good.

I do most of my handloading in the winter, so my reloads once the weather cools are going to start with Jamison's advice. The stuff I shoot will be plenty dead with 52grains worth of bullet moving over 3400 fps at the point of impact. Your performance with your rifle may vary, as the lawyers say, but I figure that's a fine place to start.

 

[Sunray]

"...started to work up a load..." Don't just pick a powder weight when 'working up a load'. Begin with the starting load given in your manual for one bullet weight and load 4 rounds only, then go up by half a grain, carefully weighing each charge, loading 4 of each powder weight until you get to the max load. Keep the loads separate. Then go shooting, off a bench, shooting for group only. Once you have found the best group, load that.

 

[powderburner]

i have a rem 700 vssf 26" fluted bullbarrel macmillian stock. all rite off the shelf. other than tuning the trigger nothing fancy. not sure on the twist. but this gun is a tackdriver. only shot it out to 600yds but can take the caps off milk jugs all day. every thing from 45-64gr factory loads. always grouped tight. but what i wanna know about is 70-90gr loads for this. considering the size of the wolves that we have here(alberta) i think the 45-55 are a lil light and seen guys with 223 shooting 50gr not putting them down. i know wolves are a tough animal but there was a 230lbs wolf shot not far from me and think the heavier bullet would work a lil better. or should i scrap the 70-90 in the 22-250 and go with 90 in the 270