Experienced 22-250 loaders

[bighonkinjeep]

Nutria...been a minute since I've seen one of those... but I think they would need a 100gr .243 to knock a dent in one of those swamp rats

A 55gr vmax over 3500 sends red stuff flying. Now if i can just find some more Varget without having to take out another mortgage. 22-250 is a great high performance round and compared to many others, really economical. .22 bullets are usually priced more reasonably than most other sizes and its not really a big powder hog comparatively for the screaming velocity. A whole lot of fun to load and to shoot.

 

[AVS23]

Exactly why I'm interested. I can shoot alot more 224 bullets and mot feel it in the pocket as much compared to 7mm and 6.5mm. Ive been a 6.5 (x55) fan for years but this season took a doe with a 556 69gr tmk and it fell just like it was hit with my 6.5. Thats when i searched out a hornet and i lucked up and got some nice 22-250 dies for free and about 150 pcs of 220 swift. Hence another rifle is needed lol.

 

[Jester896]

@AVS23 the Starting Another One thread is where I put mine together here if you want to take a glance.

I have been a little lucky on Varget lately...I'm up to 10# now. I think there are plenty good powder choices though.

If I start now I may never run out of .22 bullets and was going to try some 68 & 69gr in mine just to see what happens. Time seems to be what I have the least amount of these days.

 

[AVS23]

Ill look into he thread. I appreciate the info. Ill probably use 4350, cfe, and reloader 17 always finds its way in somehow.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

Man if youre going to handload 22- 250 a Lee precision Deluxe die set with the neck sizing die and dead legnth bullet seating die are a must in my opinion. The neck sizing die works the brass minimally (just the neck) and leaves the case perfectly fitted to the chamber you fired the case out of. As far as factory rifles go, the Savage model 12 series
Which includes the 12BVSS (laminate varmint profile stainless fluted), 12 Varminter Low Profile (VLP), and 12 Long Range Precision Varminter (LRPV) are well regarded as some of the best varmint rifles ever to be put on the market. The term "Accurate" doesnt do them justice. Definitely worthy of you putting in a little research on them and also checking into their ""street price"

 

[Jester896]

most things I have been reading lately for the best accuracy is F/L resize with a bushing die and only take a .002 shoulder bump. Been working real good for my Dasher. Going to use it on my .260 next.

 

[tree cutter 08]

I messed around for several years with the 22-250 and 220 swift varmint guns. Tried every combo to get a good varmint load and a good deer load. Best I could do was with the 45 grain tsx. It was just ok. Best thing I done was get rid of all those and get a 204 for varmints and a 243 for dual purpose. Shoot the 70 grain for varmints and 85 to 95 grain for deer. Worked a whole lot better. Deer died quicker and the varmints died quicker also.

 

[AVS23]

Got a set of redding compeition bench rest dies fl, neck sizer, and micro adj seater.

The 12’s are a bit outta my price range

 

[AVS23]

Ive had a 243, likes it but then moved on to a 6.5x55. Reason for the 22-250 is cheap bullets and i have quite a few. Just an itch to scratch. Had a few 223’s, 556, 224 valkyrie, 222. Still have a ar and a hornet.

 

[Jester896]

Got a set of redding compeition bench rest dies fl, neck sizer, and micro adj seater.

The 12’s are a bit outta my price range

Mine are the RCBS set...I kinda like the way the bullet drops in. All of the other comp sets I have are Redding

 

[AVS23]

I like the window on rcbs also. Im thinking i may try a bergara ridge 1/9 twist.

 

[rosewood]

I've got a couple of 1/12 Savages. One is a 22" model 11 sporter and the other a 26" 12BVSS varmint. Cant comment on other twist rates but the 1/12 seems to be the cats meow across the board with anything thats not too close to the edge in both heavy and light bullets. Each rifle being an individual, youre just going to have to figure out which bullet/ load yours likes. Having had great luck with Noslers and Sierras in the past I kept tinkering and couldnt get them to one hole. Then by happenstance came across some 55gr Vmax. Must have something to do with rhe ogive but both rifles will put an entire box of them into a spot the size of a dime without effort. They also turn Nutria rats inside out way way out there. The 64gr Nosler flat base bondeds shoot okay and well under an inch and hold together remarkably well considering their velocity. Not sure what you have in mind for a rifle but you could do a heck of a lot worse than a Savage model 12 BVSS

I also have a model 12 with the 26" 1:12 heavy barrel. Bought it from Dick's sporting goods in maybe 2004 or so for like $400 and tax. It easily shoots dime groups with 52 grain amax bullets over RL15 or H380. Never played with much else with it because I bought it just to shoot dime groups. Between that gun and my 24" Heavy barrel 7mag 110 it kind of ruined me on those guns I can't get to shoot like that. Spend a lot of components trying to get some guns to imitate those to no avail.

I believe Hodgdon himself named H380 because he found that 38.0 grains of the powder with the 52 grain bullet turned in stellar accuracy in his gun. Seems like my accuracy node was about 39.0 grains and maybe 37 with RL15.

Now that I think about it, seems like I did try some 40 grain Vmax in the 22-250 also and it turned in good groups also. Hitting about 4K out of it I think.

As someone else mentioned, if going with a heavier bullet, a flat base may be the better option since it will be a tad shorter than a boat tail in a slow twist barrel.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

It is harder to find more durable boolits to shoot at deer and that was my thinking for the 50gr Flat Base Barnes and the 62gr Game Kings.

Not real sure the difference between the 62 gr SGK and the 65 gr SGK other than 3 grains. I guess the 62 is newer as I hadn't seen it until today. I started loading the 65 grain about 5 or so years ago in the AR for close range whitetail/hog work. Shoots great groups in 1:9 and 1:7 twist AR. Loaded some up in my CVA 1:12 single shot 24" barrel for a friend to take his kid hunting. That gun will shoot dime groups with 45 grain sierras, but the best it would do with the 65s was about 1-1.25". However it was well within MOD and the kid put the smack down on his first deer with it. My buddy said he had his doubts about the .223 for deer, but that setup changed his mind.

Rosewood

 

[bighonkinjeep]

Got a set of redding compeition bench rest dies fl, neck sizer, and micro adj seater.

The 12’s are a bit outta my price range

Man it seems like just yesterday that the Savage model 12FVs (synthetic blued heavy barrel) were everywhere brand new for $400 or less. Many had rebates that put em well under $300. My brother picked one up for $235 in .204. Though im sure the older 12FVs have appreciated some they might be something to keep an eye out for. I recently saw one in 6.5 for $500. Gotta be a few out there that pop up somewhere. Looks like they changed the model number on the newer equivelent and now call it the "110 long range varminter." Heckuva rifle if you can find one.
Good luck
PS Burris Optics has a ballistic plex reticle that matches the 55gr 22-250 perfectly to 600 yards.

 

[mallardsx2]

What do you have mallard?

REM 788

She’s an ugly thing but she shoots 1/2 groups at 100 yards.

Should have bought 4 of them instead of one.

 

[Jester896]

Not real sure the difference between the 62 gr SGK and the 65 gr SGK other than 3 grains. I guess the 62 is newer as I hadn't seen it until today.

Rosewood

just trying to throw the odds in my favor

 

[AVS23]

I found an older 12 that the guy said he had shot alot and wouldn't give a round count on. $550. Too little too late though.
Looks like new model 12’s whole sale are 900+

I have a 1:7 twist ar (14.5”) that i ahoot 69gr tmk and 77 gr smk tmk out of, that will stay sub moa out to 300. I built ar’s for a living for about 2 years so i got to cherry pick components. Longest hit was a crow in the head at 243 yards standing braced on a fence post.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

$556
Heres the replacent for the basic model 12. Looks like a few upgrades over the old 12FV (aluminum bedding block adjustable comb etc.) and priced remarkably fo r what you get. Especially considering its a varminter and not a sporter. Something tells me being a hand loader that if you tune a load for one of these , you would be really happy with the 22- 250. Looks like $556 and you wouldnt have to upgrade barrel stock trigger bolt handle etc. etc. and by adding a scope bases and rings youre ready to rock.
https://dahlonegaarmory.com/product...22-250-remington-26-41-accufit-gray-stk-black

 

[AVS23]

I apprecaite that. My lgs has those for 675.

 

[bullethead]

I have a 1990s era pre accutrigger Savage 112FV in 22-250. I have not loaded or tried anything heavier than 60gr bullets...but everything that I've tried from 40gr to 60gr have been 1/2" or smaller groups. Many years ago I settled on 50gr Vmax/Zmax or Ballistic Tips and many groundhogs have been sent to the great soybean fields in the sky with those.
I am guessing it is 1:12 twist.