22-250 rifle

[taylorce1]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Not razzing you, just that I feel the 22-250 is the best varmint caliber anyone could want.

I'm the opposite my varmint guns are .22 Mag, .204 X2, .223 X4, 6X45, 6X47, .243, 6mm CM X2, and .300 BLK X2. I know most are going .300 BLK? I like it for night work with a suppressor on hen house raiders.

I'm not against the .22-250 just never used one. I just loaded 55-70 grain varmint bullets in my .243. Kind of a faux .22-250 after that, and it vaporized prairie dogs with aplomb.

[Skans]

I had a Remington 700 22-250. The cartridges were expensive and I'd reload for it. But, the problem is resizing the case is quite difficult because it is necked-down so much. I could never seem to get them sized-reshaped correctly. They were a bitch to try and chamber - required a pretty good smack from the palm of my hand on the bolt handle.

[tangolima]

Resizing after each firing? It shouldn't be difficult, should it? Conversion from .308 or .30-06 is different story.

Feeding shouldn't be a problem either, considering the tapering. Most likely it is because the brass isn't sized down enough. It doesn't quite fit the chamber.

-TL

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[44 AMP]

But, the problem is resizing the case is quite difficult because it is necked-down so much. I could never seem to get them sized-reshaped correctly. They were a bitch to try and chamber - required a pretty good smack from the palm of my hand on the bolt handle.

If you have to smack the bolt handle to get your reloads to chamber, something is WRONG!

IT has nothing to do with the taper design or how much a case necks down.

Either your loading process is incorrect (or something is out of adjustment) or your rifle or sizer is out of spec. Also possible is your rifle chamber is on minimum end of spec range and sizer die on the max end.

I've had a couple .22-250s, load for them exactly the same way I load for the other dozen plus bottle neck rifle rounds I reload. Dies are set exactly the same way. Reloads feed butter smooth, no extra force needed.

If your equipment is in proper spec, your brass prep is done right, then there's something you're not doing right when it comes to sizing or seating.

It may just be a simple adjustment not quite set right, but I can't do more than generalize without more information.

One thing I can say with certainty, is that your difficulties chambering reloaded .22-250 is not due to anything in the case design, it is something caused by your rifle and your reloads.

[Picher]

I started using .22-250 before I was married, back in 1970+/-. I was taken by it when hunting woodchucks, then and shot a couple of whitetails with it. It never failed to impress me!!! One shot, around 1965 or so, perhaps a bit scary, but I was younger back then when, on a lark, I called some flying crows toward the woods road I was on. One coasted across my view, straight vertical above me, at least a couple of hundred feet high. It was a safe direction, downriver, so I took the shot, just before it disappeared above the pine trees surrounding the road.

I stood there in foot-deep snow, thinking that I probably shouldn't have shot in the air, but the shot had surely made it safely to a large wooded area near the fields just across the road a bit.

Suddenly, I heard twigs snapping and things happening in the pine trees, about a hundred yards away. I quickly moved to a clearing and looked, as some small branches fell out of the higher pine branches, at a tree across field, about 100 or so yards away.

I made my way through about a foot of snow as I trudged toward the tree at the edge of the field, but couldn't see anything until getting to small branches laying on the snow. You can't imagine how shocked I was to find a freshly-killed crow without a head!!!

I almost wondered how that happened. Oh yeah, I'll bet someone shot it with a .22-250. He only regretted that he didn't have any witnesses.

[tangolima]

Yeah shooting in air is not a good idea. Sounds like the bullet was stopped by the tree.

I now lean more towards .243 win. It sounds more utility than .22-250, except that the bullets cost more than double. I still have time to dither while saving up for it and waiting for a discount code.

-TL

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[Scorch]

He only regretted that he didn't have any witnesses

Yeah, I have a couple of stories that I can't brag about because there were no witnesses!

[44 AMP]

I now lean more towards .243 win. It sounds more utility than .22-250, except that the bullets cost more than double.

The .22-250 is legal for deer in some states. In some states it is not. Even if legal in your state, I, personally, would choose a larger caliber rifle for deer and anything larger than varmints.

Yes, the .243 costs more. It's BIGGER. There is more material in every bullet, cases are larger, more powder is burned. These factors alone increase the cost of the rounds, separate from other market factors.

Yeah, I have a couple of stories that I can't brag about because there were no witnesses!

Ya got it backwards! Stories with no witnesses are the only ones you can brag about....if there's a witness, its not brag, its just simple recounting of the truth!

[bamaranger]

I made my best shot(s) with the aforementioned 77V in 22-250. Seems like I've posted this before, but it seems worth retelling.

I was sniping crows when one lit in a tree at a on the longest part of the hay field. Lined up the shot, held on the top edge of the crow and shot, lost it in recoil, but saw the crow light on a different limb nearby.

Figured I'd not allowed for a slight wind and set up again. Used same elevation, but held off a wee bit for wind and squeezed off another one, and the crow dropped from the tree. I was pretty tickled with the shot. I paced it at , 286 long strides. Quite surprised when I got to the spot, to locate two dead crows,..... I'd hit the first one as well.

[Picher]

Very nice! We all make sh-t shots and wish we'd had witnesses.

The best shot I never took gave me the shakes. One day my buddy and I were hunting varmints on a warm June Saturday, when we spied a woodchuck lying down on top of a hill in a hayfield. We never shot at the top of a hill, for fear of having the bullet hit something far beyond.

Walking to the left, crossing a rock wall and going uphill to the left of the quarry, we rose carefully, and saw a lovely young woman lying down at the top of a rise, getting some sun!!! WHEW! If I'd fired at what I thought was a woodchuck, I'd have killed her!!!

We walked down to talk with her and explained the danger she was in. She was there with her boyfriend who went off to hunt varmints by himself...in a couple of fields down back. I can't imagine how shooting at that perceived "woodchuck" would have changed my life, forever!

We explained the danger she was in, should other hunters come along. She moved to a more secure location and we went back to the car.

[tangolima]

Yeah that's why I have been reluctant to go hiking when hunters are around. I have friends who hunt. The stories they have told me make me reluctant to stay in the same county when they are out with their rifles locked and loaded.

There are too many "I shouldn't have done it but I did it anyway".

-TL

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[Rothdel]

Anyone have experience with the Savage 110 Apex Hunter XP left hand model? Saw one at the LGS and being a lefty snatched since you don't see too many lefty bolt guns.

Never owned a savage before and this is the only "budget" bolt gun I've owner other than a Ruger American in 7.62X39 which I love.

[Skans]

I tried adjusting the dies, to the extent they could be. I suppose it could have been the rifle's chamber. I did notice that the shoulder on the cartridge bulged out a bit - I just never seemed to be able to get the dies to resize the case without crushing it.

Heck, this was decades ago - I sold the rifle and the reloading equipment a long time ago. I just remember how much trouble I had trying to reload for that particular rifle. No doubt, I was doing SOMETHING wrong - I just never could figure out what.

[44 AMP]

The .22-250 was a wildcat cartridge developed beginning in the 1920s. By the later 1930s there were several versions and names. All based on the .250 Savage case there were variations in case length and shoulder angles.

Remington standardized the round about 1965 (or 67 according to one book I have) and since then few, if any rifles have been made with different chambers but its possible some have been.

My first .22-250 was a custom Mauser build by a local gunsmith, who just happened to chamber it for the version Remington adopted. Never should have sold that rifle...

My current .22-250 is a Winchester M70 varmint, I'm happy with it, and have zero issues loading for it with RCBS dies since I got it in the 80s.

Your old issue with not being able to get the rounds "right" might have been because either your rifle or your dies, or possibly both were cut to slightly different standards. Since they're long gone now, the point is moot.

[Picher]

I've had a couple of .22-250s since about 1965 and both have been super-accurate. The second one contributed to winning about 30 frozen turkeys at various competitions from Arnold Trail Range to Damariscotta and others.

[stagpanther]

I've had a couple of .22-250s since about 1965 and both have been super-accurate. The second one contributed to winning about 30 frozen turkeys at various competitions from Arnold Trail Range to Damariscotta and others.

I live on Mt Desert Island and am interested in trying some comps in Maine (especially if they are in the midcoast area)--is there a source listing for comps in Maine?

[Picher]

The last one I attended was at a F&G in Boothbay, not far from the Train Museum. I could still be competitive, but nearly 80, just don't feel like doing it much anymore.

[stagpanther]

I could still be competitive, but nearly 80, just don't feel like doing it much anymore.

Understood, I'm still in my mid-60's and even I have a hard time getting motivated.

[tangolima]

Moving ahead with .243 win. Ordered the upper with easter 20% off discount. The lower is a PSA blem. All very affordable. Lower parts kit, stock & buffer tube etc, and decent 2 stage trigger are all with discounts. Coming along.

Got rcbs die set too. Great price on Amazon. Got some .308 brass to try conversion.

-TL

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[44 AMP]

Get .243 brass. It's worth it in the long run.

Unless there is no other choice, or you enjoy the time and work that might be needed, trimming, turning or reaming, and then there's the potential of differing case capacity with GI brass vs commercial, nothing that can't be overcome, just more work than just buying .243 brass to start with.

Or buy .243 ammo. Yes there are still shortages but its not "unobtainium".

[tangolima]

Found brass and bullets from the same vendor to justify the shipping. Will see. Hornady brass $0.70 apiece is a bit high. But not bad.

-TL

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[taylorce1]

Powder Valley has new Starline brass for $0.56 each and a good selection of .243 bullets. Depending on what bullet you're wanting to shoot you could of had brass and bullets for around $0.80-1.00 per round. Ammoseek.com has a good search for reloading components and that's how I found the Starline.

Another thing I've had success with is buying loaded ammunition at auction. When I started shooting 6mm Creedmoor and .308 Win I was able to buy several hundred rounds at $1.00 a round or less. The 6mm Creedmoor I bought two cases (400 rnds) of Hornady Black 105 grain and a case (200 rnds) of 95 grain LRX Barnes for $1 per round delivered. .308 I was able to get a case of PPU 150 grain for $140 and a case of Barnes 135 grain TTSX for $225. All way cheaper than I could buy all the components to load my own.

I'm sure Hornady makes good brass and it'll work well for you. I don't know what bullet you're using, or your barrel twist. However, Blue-collar Reloading has an awesome deal on 105 grain Barnes Match Burner bullet. Their Hornady brass is a little more expensive, enough so that I'd just buy the Lapua brass at $1.25 ea.

[tangolima]

Thanks for info. After comparison, I will still stick with bebee from Utah for brass and bullets. Their prices are better.

I tend not to buy loaded ammo. Surely it provides the brass and comes with bullets and powder, but the latter don't help subsequent load development much.

-TL

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[taylorce1]

Originally Posted by tangolima

I tend not to buy loaded ammo. Surely it provides the brass and comes with bullets and powder, but the latter don't help subsequent load development much.

It isn't ideal, I will agree. However, it could work out that your rifle likes that factory load. My rifle happen to like the Barnes Vor-TX ammunition very well. I then just try to duplicate that load with my hand loads.

Now that PPU ammo is horrible in my .308, but I let people shoot steel at with it suppressed. I thought about pulling the bullets and dumping the powder in the garden, and using the bullets in my blackout. Then working up loads with the primed brass, Varget, and better bullets, but it'll probably be more accurate with 1X brass anyway.

[44 AMP]

Buying loaded ammo to get the brass is not my first choice, but I've done it, and will do it, if I can't get "decent" brass easily any other way.

I'm not much of an order online guy. Probably because I got into guns & reloading long before there was any online to order from. Components were one of the main reasons I haunted gunshows back in the pre-shortage, pre-panicdemic days when we had them.

I have guns (or had) where buying loaded ammo was the only sure and easy way to get brass for reloading. Some calibers don't have a large reloading following and finding quantities of new brass is...sporadic. Finding some loaded ammo is common.

.243 is a piece of cake in that dept. While not quite as common as dirt (and no where near as cheap) there's plenty around. No, buying loaded ammo doesn't help with future load development, other than providing the cases to load, BUT it does do that.

And, it does two other things. It gives you a "baseline" to reference against to see if you can make your ammo as good, or better than the factory stuff.

And the other thing, not too important with many calibers but important in a couple, and that is, YOU KNOW how many times the brass has been fired, and what it was fired from.

Again, not that big a deal in .243, but it is for some of what I have. I gave up on "once fired" brass completely in .303 British. I also avoid "modern" milsurp 7.62x51 brass. Its often fired machine gun ammo, and can take more work to reload even when the cases haven't swollen too much.

Enjoy your .243, its a good round for lots of things, and a great round for a few things. Do get at least one box of factory ammo, to give you a standard to compare your loads against. Velocity, accuracy and function in your rifle.

As I'm sure you're well aware, semi autos can impose limits which manual repeaters can often ignore.

Good Luck, have fun, be safe!
(not in that order!)