22/250 amax load

Tam · June 18, 2009, 08:17 AM

Hi all
Had no joy with the nosler bullets. Loaded a mix from min to max load and grouping was no use. I am getting 75 gr a max heads tonight but i am having no joy with load data. Can any one help. I am using varget powder. What is the min and max loads.
Thanks.
TK

**Unclenick** · June 18, 2009, 11:58 AM

What is the case brand and primer? What is the charge weight range the manual recommended? What is your barrel twist rate and what is the length and weight of the Nosler bullet? I am wondering if you are stabilizing it adequately?

12" is a standard 22-250 twist, but that is too long to stabilize long bullets like the 75 grain A-max, which requires more like a 9" twist and likes 8" even better. The .22-250 was developed to shoot 50 and 55 grain bullets.

Scorch · June 18, 2009, 12:01 PM

The 1:14" twist in your barrel will not likely stabilize that A-Max bullet. That twist is optimum for 45-55 gr bullets, and will max out at about 60 gr bullets.

**Unclenick** · June 18, 2009, 12:21 PM

Scorch,

Are your sure it's 14"? I think the Savage 12 runs a 12" twist, but I could be remembering incorrectly? Either way, it wouldn't stabilize a 75 grain A-max. At 3600 fps my stability calculator says s=1 with 9.5" twist, so any twist slower would let it tumble and whiz off spinning sideways. And the .22-250 launches them too fast for the faster twist not to blow the bullets apart, I expect, so he is just stuck with lighter, shorter bullets that can spin slower without tumbling. I just don't know what his Nosler bullet was?

**Unclenick** · June 18, 2009, 12:27 PM

Well, I take part of it back. The online catalog shows Savage offers either a 12" or a 9" twist in .22-250, so maybe the long bullets go enough slower not to fly apart? That probably means you have to decide up front that you either want to shoot light bullets very fast or heavier bullets at less dramatic velocities. The slow twist won't stabilize the long bullets, and the fast twist will probably make the light bullets fly apart if you don't load them down to lower velocity than it is possible to achieve in that chambering.

So now I'm back to asking, what barrel twist rate does Tam have?

Scorch · June 18, 2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Scorch,

Are your sure it's 14"? I think the Savage 12 runs a 12" twist, but I could be remembering incorrectly?

Nick-
Tam posted the other day that he has a Remington 700 VSSF,
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=363057
which Remington says has a 1:14" twist
http://www.remington.com/products/fi...F_II_specs.asp
So, unless he is talking about having issues with two different 22-250 rifles, I assume his twist is 1:14". There are a few twists (if we are talking about the Rem 700 VSSF): he has had the barrel shortened, threaded for a suppressor, and started load development without getting a base-line accuracy with his rifle. I wouldn't even know where to start giving advice in this case. But I am fairly sure the 1:14" twist will not stabilize that big, long VLD profile Hornady A-Max.

Tam · June 18, 2009, 06:04 PM

Hi Guys
You are both right.
The 75gr a max is not a suitable choice of head for this rifle.
It is a remington 700 1/14 twist.
I have spoken to my gunsmith who shortened the barrel and cut it for the sound moderator and tells me the 75 gr is no use and will go through the target sideways.
I now have 55gr v max which i have just loaded from min up to max load and will try in the morning if the wind and rain stops.
The nosler heads i was trying were 55gr balistic tip. I was usuing them in a carl gustav rifle which was very very accurate, tack driver, with the same moderator and 36gr varget.
Maybe the morale of the story is dont fix what aint broke, but i was getting tired of its weight and lenght.
Cheers
TK

June 18, 2009, 08:17 AM	#1
Tam Junior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Location: Argyll, Scotland Posts: 5	22/250 amax load Hi all Had no joy with the nosler bullets. Loaded a mix from min to max load and grouping was no use. I am getting 75 gr a max heads tonight but i am having no joy with load data. Can any one help. I am using varget powder. What is the min and max loads. Thanks. TK

June 18, 2009, 11:58 AM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,742	What is the case brand and primer? What is the charge weight range the manual recommended? What is your barrel twist rate and what is the length and weight of the Nosler bullet? I am wondering if you are stabilizing it adequately? 12" is a standard 22-250 twist, but that is too long to stabilize long bullets like the 75 grain A-max, which requires more like a 9" twist and likes 8" even better. The .22-250 was developed to shoot 50 and 55 grain bullets. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; June 18, 2009 at 12:05 PM.

June 18, 2009, 12:01 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,249	The 1:14" twist in your barrel will not likely stabilize that A-Max bullet. That twist is optimum for 45-55 gr bullets, and will max out at about 60 gr bullets. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 18, 2009, 12:21 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,742	Scorch, Are your sure it's 14"? I think the Savage 12 runs a 12" twist, but I could be remembering incorrectly? Either way, it wouldn't stabilize a 75 grain A-max. At 3600 fps my stability calculator says s=1 with 9.5" twist, so any twist slower would let it tumble and whiz off spinning sideways. And the .22-250 launches them too fast for the faster twist not to blow the bullets apart, I expect, so he is just stuck with lighter, shorter bullets that can spin slower without tumbling. I just don't know what his Nosler bullet was? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

June 18, 2009, 12:27 PM	#5
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,742	Well, I take part of it back. The online catalog shows Savage offers either a 12" or a 9" twist in .22-250, so maybe the long bullets go enough slower not to fly apart? That probably means you have to decide up front that you either want to shoot light bullets very fast or heavier bullets at less dramatic velocities. The slow twist won't stabilize the long bullets, and the fast twist will probably make the light bullets fly apart if you don't load them down to lower velocity than it is possible to achieve in that chambering. So now I'm back to asking, what barrel twist rate does Tam have? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

June 18, 2009, 06:04 PM	#7
Tam Junior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Location: Argyll, Scotland Posts: 5	.22/250 load Hi Guys You are both right. The 75gr a max is not a suitable choice of head for this rifle. It is a remington 700 1/14 twist. I have spoken to my gunsmith who shortened the barrel and cut it for the sound moderator and tells me the 75 gr is no use and will go through the target sideways. I now have 55gr v max which i have just loaded from min up to max load and will try in the morning if the wind and rain stops. The nosler heads i was trying were 55gr balistic tip. I was usuing them in a carl gustav rifle which was very very accurate, tack driver, with the same moderator and 36gr varget. Maybe the morale of the story is dont fix what aint broke, but i was getting tired of its weight and lenght. Cheers TK