22-250…lottttta questions for the aficionados

[Boll Weevil]

Humor me as I'm completely and totally out of my element here. Never owned one, never shot one, and just started my studying. Not in a hurry as my beans are too tall now to keep working on the chucks but they have absolutely set up shop and it seems like when I kill one, 3 come to his funeral.

I have 3 tack driving Senderos and was hoping to find a 4th in 22-250 but no dice. Looks like the bankruptcy ain't working out so well for Remington so I'm on the hunt for other options. Looking for a bull barrel or fluted, at least a 24" barrel, stainless or blued, and I've gotta get this twist rate figured out. 1 in 8, 9, 12, 14? The gun writers are all over the place on this. Some of my beanfields are over 600 yards long so I'm not plinking here…groundhogs, armadillos, coyotes.

All ears on recommendations, what to stay away from, etc.

 

[TN Song Dog]

Bagara or Tikka would get a close look. For your typical 45-55gr varmint rounds (fast and flat), 12 twist is probably what you are looking for. If you want to load your own up to about 80gr, then you will need faster 8 twist. But if going that route, maybe look into 243 or possibly 6mm CM instead.

 

[DaveB]

My Browning A-bolt in 22-250 is 1:14 twist 22" bbl (late 1980's) and cannot stabilize a bullet over 60 grains. If you want to shoot heavier rounds, like say the 70 gr Accubond, faster twist is required.

Nosler says 1:8 twist for heavier bullets which they define as beginning at the 60 grain bullet weight and proceeding up to the max weight available.

I personally do not care for the lighter weight bullets but I have plenty of them. They kill but are limited by how much wind and in what direction.

My Browning was purchased strictly to kill coyotes in California. It did a wonderful job and when I started messing with 60 gr partitions I expanded up to pigs and down to ground squirrels. The Partition does a great job but I want a fast twist barrel very badly.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Thank you both. Looking at factory ammo, the Hornady Superformance 50gr VMAX w/4000 fps muzzle velocity should be good for my applications. Sounds like 1 in 12 twist will work.

 

[ADR]

I have a Remington VLS that I like a lot but it is 1:14 if I remember correctly and I'm so close to spinning on a 1:10. For 55 grains and less the 1:14 is fine but personally I think a 1:10 would be so much more versatile. Thats kinda middle of the road where it would excel at 50-70 grain pills. I think 70 grain accubonds or Barnes would be perfect for a youth deer rifle. Plus I'd love to shoot a whistle pig at 500 yards with a 70 grain Berger. 50 Grain bullets at that range are affected so much by slight wind movement

 

[DaveB]

Limiting future use of the rifle ......no chance to get a faster twist ?

 

[ADR]

Limiting future use of the rifle ......no chance to get a faster twist ?

Was that addressed to me or Boll Weevil?

 

[Boll Weevil]

Who makes a 1 in 10 though? I've seen a 1:10, 1:12, and 1:14. So far I've looked at Christensen, Bergara, and Savage and just sort of working my way through the list of options. Looks like Tikka makes a 1:8.

 

[KPH]

That cal. was originally made in 1-14 twist and a 52 gr. was ideal for it. I shoot a 55gr. sierra boat tail HP. and have killed coyotes over 500 yards. I have loaded 60gr. bullets with no problem.

 

[ADR]

Who makes a 1 in 10 though? I've seen a 1:10, 1:12, and 1:14. So far I've looked at Christensen, Bergara, and Savage and just sort of working my way through the list of options. Looks like Tikka makes a 1:8.

Krieger Barrel - 22 Caliber - 1-10 Twist - #17 Heavy Varmint - @ 31" - 1.250 x .900 - 4 Groove - 218 Bore - Stainless | Bruno Shooters Supply

www.brunoshooters.com

I already have the gun so I was planning on just having a barrel threaded for it. I don't know of a factory gun with one.

 

[DaveB]

Who makes a 1 in 10 though? I've seen a 1:10, 1:12, and 1:14. So far I've looked at Christensen, Bergara, and Savage and just sort of working my way through the list of options. Looks like Tikka makes a 1:8.

Well, that seems to narrow the field. They make some accurate and very nice looking weapons.

SO does Browning
this is nice and 1:8

X-Bolt Hunter - Bolt-Action Rifle - Browning

Satin walnut checkered grip stock, matte blue barrel and action, detachable rotary magazine, short throw bolt, adjustable trigger, bolt-action

www.browning.com

This one would probably fill the bill and is 1:9

X-Bolt Composite Stalker - Bolt-Action Rifle - Browning

Black composite stock, matte blue barrel and action, detachable rotary magazine, short throw bolt, adjustable trigger, bolt-action

www.browning.com

 

[rukiddin]

The 22-250 has a cult like following in eastern NC as a deer round. Lots of older guys love it for deer.
It's also a primary summertime deer deterrent in bean fields too. Haha

 

[TN Song Dog]

@Boll Weevil
If you dont reload, make sure you can find factory loaded ammo with the heavy bullets before you go with fast twist. I glanced on midway usa, and nothing offered (also looked at out of stock) with heavier bullets.

 

[Boll Weevil]

@Boll Weevil
If you dont reload, make sure you can find factory loaded ammo with the heavy bullets before you go with fast twist. I glanced on midway usa, and nothing offered (also looked at out of stock) with heavier bullets.

Man I been all over this research the last few evenings and steadily moving away from those faster twists. I sure do appreciate y'all weighing in so am now getting close to a final decision. Yes heavier bullets being stabilized = faster twist but decided I have little intention of dispatching anything heavier that 50lbs with this iron; got a gallery of guns better suited for the bigger critters.

I just had to reel myself back in. I simply don't need bullets over 55gr to address my main objective.

 

[TN Song Dog]

When Tikka came out with that 8 twist rifle, a friend and fellow member here who doesnt post often got one and started working up loads. He was planning a .22 cal long range setup. He said it ended not offering anything more than his .223ai. Velocities fell off with the heavier bullets such that it was not quite the speed demon we all think of as the .22-250. Was more in the 2,900 fps range if i recall correctly. Not slow, but not 3,800.

Looks like Barnes offers loaded ammo with the 50gr TSX solid copper bullets at 3,800fps. Federal also has the Fusion bonded 55gr at 3650fps. Either one of those would be bad medicine on bigger stuff than you should probably consider ethically hunting.

 

[Deer Assassin]

1:12 will work for 55 gn

thanks

 

[tug]

Do you hand load? That will make a difference.

As I recall, Tikka made only a handful of heavy barrel 22-250 in 1:8. I would be surprised if you could find one. The later models are lightweight barrels. Which is ok unless you are sitting in a prairie dog town shooting 100 rounds.

I have shot the caliber for many decades. Mainly in TX and the west. The bullet selection is super important. I killed many deer with a speer semi point with a slow velocity over 4064. Tons of varmints with a 40 gr ballistic tip over varget.

If you are buying a barrel, and you reload, I would suggest a 22-250 AI.

If you don't reload, just get a 22-250. I would suggest looking at proof barrels. Cry once.

If you want a bull barrel in 1:8, the Tikka in .223 is very good. It will do almost everything a 22-250 will and is easier on the bore.

 

[DaveTN]

If you don't even have a 22-250, I'm curious why you would choose it over a .223? Ammo being my question, can you get 22-250? I would think that when the ammo starts to return that would be one of the later ones?

 

[DaveTN]

Looks like the bankruptcy ain't working out so well for Remington so I'm on the hunt for other options.

Supposedly Remington is back at work under the new owners. Don't know how long it will be before we see any firearms. But their website is back up.

Model 700 | Remington