22-250 Load Question

[VAPA]

I have been working up a load for a 22-250 rifle this year and found that the gun likes a 52 gr Hornady BTHP with 36.0 gr of Win 748.
I understand that ball powder is temperature sensitive but could it cause the POI to raise 1/2" from an ambient temp of 30 deg to 55 deg?

 

[rockquarry]

Doubtful that a small temperature change is a factor; more likely a bedding or scope problem. However, is the powder in both loads from the same batch? If not, that could be a cause.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

Humidity also plays a factor. What distance were you shooting at?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Probably not. I don't remember WW748 being super temperature sensitive. You usually have problems with the extremes of human habitat temperatures: poor ignition at close to zero and erratic and excessive pressures at the 100 plus range.

A number of the "Hodgdon Extreme" powders are made to be more consistent at wild temps. But my experience with 223/5.56 and WW748 hasn't shown much in super sensitivity.

You might try H322 or H335 if 748 concerns you. I have very good results with both of the powders. XBR-8208 was designed to replicate the old T-32 Bench Rest powder (so was H-322) But I think XBR-8208 is a little more temperamental in the odd gun than H322. Any of these are great 22-250 powders. Benchmark has given me the best results with 50-55 grain bullets In Bench Rest 223's, H 322 has out shown anything else in my 22-BR. I sold of the 22-250's about 10 years ago, because of it duplicated 22 BR at about 35% more powder. This let the 22BR gun run cooler, and allowed longer string of firing before having to cool down. (I use 50 grain bullets in the 1:14 twist with velocities at 3800 to 4100 fps) All of these rounds are pure death to varmints at out to 700 yards.

You need to think about your primer's temperature sensitivity more than WW 748's! (I like CCI's BR-2 & BR-4, along with Federal's 205M, 210M, & 215M) Many people convert warm weather loads to winter loads using a MAG primer in winter, I develop separate loads because the game is different and the ranges and temperatures are both more extreme!

Ivan

 

[Fishinfool]

Lots of good info from Ivan above. I also note I have had good results using H-380 with 55 grain bullets in the 22-250, with no changes of impact noted when hunting in cold weather.

Larry

 

[Benchrest1]

I had good luck with H-380 and Berger 52 grain bullets in my old 22-250.

 

[Bakebfr480]

I have no problems in south Texas with 38 grains of H380 with 50 to 55 grain bullets with my Ruger # 1.

 

[SuperMan]

Have been using 748 in .223, .22-250, .308, .350 Rem Mag and .405 Winchester for 20 years and have never noted any problem that could be related to the powder in terms of pressure or POI changes.

Bob

 

[VAPA]

Doubtful that a small temperature change is a factor; more likely a bedding or scope problem. However, is the powder in both loads from the same batch? If not, that could be a cause.

Same batch of powder but I did remove the stock between range sessions so it very well could have been the reason.

 

[VAPA]

Humidity also plays a factor. What distance were you shooting at?

One hundred yards

 

[SuperMan]

Unless you have a pillar bedding system and use a torque wrench to retighten the screws, one will often have to rezero after taking a stock off between firings....

Bob

 

[H Richard]

You might want to try Varget. My Prairie Dog guns (22-250) will shoot within a 1/4" at 100 yards. I rely on that accuracy out past 500 yards. I like the 55 gr Hornady BT.

 

[Homie]

Parallax???

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have shot several brands of 52gr HPBT in my bull barrel 22-250 over the years.
My weapon preferred BLC at 3580fps for to accuracy but it also did well with
W748, 4350 and a slow target load of IMR 4895 with 31grs of powder.

Some loads liked the cci primer while others liked the Winchester in my test.

I only had problems with my 22-250 when I had maximum loads at the range, and the weather was 92 degrees !! BLC needs to be backed off......

 

[Hasbeen1945]

I usually use H 380 or Vargent. But I’ve also used H 414 with good luck.

 

[Joed49]

I tried H380 in my .22-250 when I got it in the summer. By Sept POI was changing, not by much but it wasn't the same. By Oct it was very noticeable.

Since than I quit using ball powders and went to Varget in the .22-250. I now shoot this rifle all year with very little diff in POI.

 

[Nevada Ed]

When this load started out......
Hornady came out with H-380 as the go to new powder for this load.

I think it was quoted as " 38grs for 3,800 fps" buy the companie's owner.

The case is a perfect size for ALL powders..........
just a matter of finding one that makes you happy.

I use powder from BLC-2 to the slow IMR4831 in my loads.
Even one with SR4759 for a X-Lite 50 yard "Meat for the Pot" load.

Lots of bullet shapes and weights out there, to play with......... and nothing like
the recoil of a 270 or 30-6, which is sweet!!