Got a 22-250 pet load?

[RichardF]

I just bought a Savage model 11 bolt action 22-250. I've reloaded some 9mm & 40 cal so this will be my first rifle cartridge to reload. Anyone care to share your pet load with me?

[shocker]

Originally Posted by RichardF

I just bought a Savage model 11 bolt action 22-250. I've reloaded some 9mm & 40 cal so this will be my first rifle cartridge to reload. Anyone care to share your pet load with me?

The classic Bruce Hodgden load, 38 gr h380 and any bullet 50-55 gr. Fast, consistent, and easy on the barrel. It's just that simple. 22-250 is a dream to reload, just about any medium speed powder will produce a good result with minimal effort.

[David R]

What he said. 38 grains H380. Try match grade bullets. Take the time to find the seating depth it likes. Its a pleasure to shoot.

David

[ageingstudent]

I've heard mixed reviews about Superformance powder...it worked great in my Savage with 60 grain nosler bt. I even did a run with H335 when powder was scarce. It was a little dirty but made some accurate, soft shooting loads. Pay attention to your bullet weight vs twist rate. Mine is a 1 in 12 it likes 45-60 grain bullets.

Can't wait to try some H380 this spring I finally found some.

[AveragEd]

I have two Remington Model 700 varmint rifles in .22-250REM. Both like H380 best - the older wood-stocked Varmint Special prefers Sierra 52-grain MatchKings over 37.3 grains while the newer VSSF prints one-hole groups with the 50-grain Berger FB Varmint bullet over 38.0 grains.

But there have been several new powders released since I last worked up loads for either rifle. I'll bet Hodgdon's Varget and Benchrest would be great in them too.

Ed

[Drm50]

I haven't loaded any for awhile, we got no G-hogs in my neck of
the woods. Coyotes have wiped them out! My favorite load was
Horn. 55gr. SJSX bullet, 35.5 gr. of IMR-4895, Win. LRP this
approx. 3650 fps. Used load in Ruger 77v, Rem 700v, Rem 788
all with excellent results, both accuracy and bullet proformance.
If you don't want to blow up target use a FMJ / 55gr, same load.

[Nevada Ed]

Rule #1.
Find out what your barrel twist is.............
Old standard was 1:14 twist that worked great for light to medium weight bullets.

Some of todays barrels are now a 1:9 twist that are made to shoot the 60gr or heavier bullets for long distance shooting.

Rule #2.
Match the powder to the bullet weight.
Generally the faster powders work with the lighter bullets and...
the slower powders work best with the 55gr or larger bullets.

Ball or Flake powders?
Today it depends on what you can find and then start testing.
Years ago you could look up powders and see what the data had on them and then go out to your local store and buy it.
I use both Ball and IMR powders in all of the loads that I have tried.

Bullets
Now I have opened a real can of worms.............
FMJ, SP, HP , BT, poly tip..............
You have lots of great "New" bullets today but I have a funny bolt action that does not play by the rules. It has a 1:14 twist and one of my best loads is with w748 and the "Blunt tip" Speer SP 55gr bullet with only a .215 BC
If that is not bad enough.......this same 1:14 twist barrel shoots the Speer 70gr SP "Brick", almost as well !!

You never know what your rifle will end up liking...........
I have 2750 fps light target loads to "Atomic Laser" loads that try to melt the barrel. Just find some powder and a box of bullets that might fit your rifle and type of shooting and start testing loads.

Have fun and stay safe.

[klausinak]

I haven't done any .22-250 in about twenty years; I had an old tang safety Ruger M-77 that was the most boringly accurate rifle I've ever owned. It really didn't seem to care what bullet/powder I fed it. Of course this was back in the days of slow twist rates & a heavy 22 bullet was 55 gr.

[QUOTE][22-250 is a dream to reload, just about any medium speed powder will produce a good result with minimal effort./QUOTE]

shocker says it well! IIRC mine truly favored a close to max load of IMR 3031. However, just about everything resulted in at most quarter sized, (and usually dime sized) groups, scattered about 2" from POA regardless of powder or bullet.

[ageingstudent]

Originally Posted by Nevada Ed

Rule #1.
Find out what your barrel twist is.............
Old standard was 1:14 twist that worked great for light to medium weight bullets.

Some of todays barrels are now a 1:9 twist that are made to shoot the 60gr or heavier bullets for long distance shooting.

Rule #2.
Match the powder to the bullet weight.
Generally the faster powders work with the lighter bullets and...
the slower powders work best with the 55gr or larger bullets.

Ball or Flake powders?
Today it depends on what you can find and then start testing.
Years ago you could look up powders and see what the data had on them and then go out to your local store and buy it.
I use both Ball and IMR powders in all of the loads that I have tried.

Bullets
Now I have opened a real can of worms.............
FMJ, SP, HP , BT, poly tip..............
You have lots of great "New" bullets today but I have a funny bolt action that does not play by the rules. It has a 1:14 twist and one of my best loads is with w748 and the "Blunt tip" Speer SP 55gr bullet with only a .215 BC
If that is not bad enough.......this same 1:14 twist barrel shoots the Speer 70gr SP "Brick", almost as well !!

You never know what your rifle will end up liking...........
I have 2750 fps light target loads to "Atomic Laser" loads that try to melt the barrel. Just find some powder and a box of bullets that might fit your rifle and type of shooting and start testing loads.

Have fun and stay safe.

I was just looking at the bullet types under my bench...I have 9 different sizes/weights/profiles haha. Definitley lots of options. I haven't found a stinker component yet. There always seems to be a combination of components that works. Within published data of course. Lots of data on the 22-250 I like the versatility.

[David R]

I have been buying Hornady 55 Sp with and 55 Fmj for $49.00 per 500. MY 22-250 shoots them well.

David

[shadyvalleyman]

IMR-4064 - 36.5 grains
Hornady 55 gr V-max
Remington cases
CCI primers

I shoot anywhere from .400 inches to .563 inches, 5 shot groups - 100 yards with this load. Velocity is right around 3600 fps. This is out of a Remington VS700. Great load.

[shocker]

Originally Posted by shadyvalleyman

IMR-4064 - 36.5 grains
Hornady 55 gr V-max
Remington cases
CCI primers

I shoot anywhere from .400 inches to .563 inches, 5 shot groups - 100 yards with this load. Velocity is right around 3600 fps. This is out of a Remington VS700. Great load.

I used 36.5 gr imr 4064 with 52 or 53 gr match bullets to qualify on the local 600 yd range, same rifle model. I switched to ball powder for ease of dispensing.

[BuckeyeS&W]

My all time best load for my Remington Mod 700 ADL in 22-250 with a Leupold Fixed 12x -M8 is
A 55gr. Sierra Spitzer Flat base not boat tail.
Powder 33.5 gr. IMR 3031
Primer. Federal 210
Cartridge OAL. 2.350
I have tried a lot of other powders H-380,IMR 4064 and bullets shapes and weights. I have been reloading for this rifle since 1990. This load is by far the best shooting for my combo. Most loads that are recommended are loads using H-380 and boat tail bullets but it goes to show you that every rifle is not the same.