14 twist wont stabilize 55 gr bullets

[Foster_65]

lots of good points here. i know alot of guys are saying try different bullets. that was my first thought. but the problem is i cant get any. i was shooting the varmegeddon because i found them in stock. the sierra 52 gr match was what i wanted but havent been able to find. it. i have a swift with a 14 twist that shoots 52 bergers into 1 holers with just about any charge of rl 15 powder. would really like to try some of the bergers if i can find them.
the other day i walked in to the store and they had some 50 gr vmaxes so i bought them and only got to shoot a few rounds but it looked promising. both h 380 and varget showed groups between .5 and .7. so i think with a bit more timkering i can get her to shoot. before anything im gonna pick up an hs stock and bed it. thought i could deal with the factory stock for a while but i just cant.

 

[Trickymissfit]

lots of good points here. i know alot of guys are saying try different bullets. that was my first thought. but the problem is i cant get any. i was shooting the varmegeddon because i found them in stock. the sierra 52 gr match was what i wanted but havent been able to find. it. i have a swift with a 14 twist that shoots 52 bergers into 1 holers with just about any charge of rl 15 powder. would really like to try some of the bergers if i can find them.
the other day i walked in to the store and they had some 50 gr vmaxes so i bought them and only got to shoot a few rounds but it looked promising. both h 380 and varget showed groups between .5 and .7. so i think with a bit more timkering i can get her to shoot. before anything im gonna pick up an hs stock and bed it. thought i could deal with the factory stock for a while but i just cant.

I think before I got too carried away, I'd do a chamber cast to see what's going on in there. Have you checked the barrel for tight spots and loose spots?
gary

 

[Mike apple]

I have owned a few 22-250's in my day, and I'm sure they were all 1-14 twist. I have never had issues with stabilization with anything up to 55 grains. My present set up is using a 55 grain Berger match bullet. Load info is , 35.0-8208-55 Berger match@ 2.464 OAL. Typical groups are in the .2-, .3 area. The 8208 powder is amazing. That is all I shoot in this rifle, and my 308 too!

8208....is that an IMR powder? I've got R15 and shot H380 from my M77 22-250. But have a box of 55gr barnes blue tips and a box of Sierra 55gr green tips that I'm trying to see if they would shoot from that 1 snd 14 ruger?? If so what charge to go with. I'm hearing to push them hard to get them to stabilize. I know 62gr barnes with H380 tumbles.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

8208....is that an IMR powder? I've got R15 and shot H380 from my M77 22-250. But have a box of 55gr barnes blue tips and a box of Sierra 55gr green tips that I'm trying to see if they would shoot from that 1 snd 14 ruger?? If so what charge to go with. I'm hearing to push them hard to get them to stabilize. I know 62gr barnes with H380 tumbles.

You'd be much better off going with a 50gr bullet if you are using a 14 twist bbl. Many of the 55gr bullets are just too long to stabilize in a 14 twist. "Pushing them hard" is really not that productive a method of getting a bullet to stabilize. You really need a faster twist to accommodate longer bullets.

Use 40-50gr bullets and loads that can be found on Hodgdon's web site. As always, start low and work up as you look for accuracy.

 

[436]

I have a Weatherby MkV in .224 Wby Mag with a 26" 1-14 twist barrel, if I shoot anything over 52grs I might as well use a shotgun, but... anything under that weight and it is a tack driver. I believe my 1964 Remington 760 in .223 Rem is also a 1-14 twist and suffers from the same problem in bullet weight, however, it does shoot the 55gr a little better than the .224 Wby Mag.
Cheers

 

[Mike apple]

You'd be much better off going with a 50gr bullet if you are using a 14 twist bbl. Many of the 55gr bullets are just too long to stabilize in a 14 twist. "Pushing them hard" is really not that productive a method of getting a bullet to stabilize. You really need a faster twist to accommodate longer bullets.

Use 40-50gr bullets and loads that can be found on Hodgdon's web site. As always, start low and work up as you look for accuracy.

Yeah several years ago when I got the gun I never realized the twist rates made that much difference. Once I started reloading I wish I'd looked for a 22-250 with at least a 1 and 10 twist....wonder why they didn't make faster twist barrels for them since they have plenty of velocity to push bigger, longer bullets? I've reloaded a few 53gr vmax I was just measuring and they measured the same as some 55gr Sierra green tips (.833). Now I also have some 55gr barnes blue tips that are longer at .895 I doubt will stabilize for me and ill have to swap someone. Soft points and hp in 55gr come in around. 711 to .731.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Yeah several years ago when I got the gun I never realized the twist rates made that much difference. Once I started reloading I wish I'd looked for a 22-250 with at least a 1 and 10 twist....wonder why they didn't make faster twist barrels for them since they have plenty of velocity to push bigger, longer bullets? I've reloaded a few 53gr vmax I was just measuring and they measured the same as some 55gr Sierra green tips (.833). Now I also have some 55gr barnes blue tips that are longer at .895 I doubt will stabilize for me and ill have to swap someone. Soft points and hp in 55gr come in around. 711 to .731.

Back then, heavier, high BC bullets weren't the trend. Splatting little critters with high velocity, frangible bullets was. The rifle will still provide at least 1,000 rounds of fun-filled 40-50gr bullets. Worst comes to worst you could rebarrel the rifle in a faster twist and shoot 75-90gr bullets. But ... it may pay to sell the rifle and just get a new Tikka (or something) with a fast twist from the factory.

I had a Rem 40X in 22-250 that had a slow twist. I shot about a zillion groundhogs & targets before the rifling was gone for the first few inches of barrel. It was in my earlier years and I was just learning about twist myself. I eventually rebuilt the rifle and put an 8 twist, 22-243AI barrel on it. The 22-243, in any configuration, is just a blast to shoot and easy to load for.

 

[Terry Lightle]

Had a 14 twist 250 a few years back that did the same thing,it would shoot virtually any 55 grain bullet but the Nosler BT.36.5 grains of Varget with 55 grain Hornady bullets V Max or soft points has been my go to load for many years in a 14 twist 22-250

 

[Mike apple]

Had a 14 twist 250 a few years back that did the same thing,it would shoot virtually any 55 grain bullet but the Nosler BT.36.5 grains of Varget with 55 grain Hornady bullets V Max or soft points has been my go to load for many years in a 14 twist 22-250

Well maybe I can shoot them. Too much rain lately has kept me from testing anything but I should know soon.

 

[orkan]

Try a 52smk.

 

[Doom2]

Or a 53 SMK.

 

[mcc308]

Most 14 t 22-250's will shoot the 55gr nos ballistic tip very well.

The 52-53gr are hard to beat.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Twist specs aren't always as accurate as you would expect. I load for my brother's Savage 112 BVSS in .223. It is listed as a 9 twist but has been repeatedly checked to be an 8.5" twist. Long 77gr Tipped bullets have been shooting well, which was unexpected.

It never hurts to check your twist rate.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

In my experience I found the poly tipped bullets like the Ballistic Tip and V-Vax were too long to stablize in a 1-14 twist. In some guns they might be OK if you push them hard enough but I've had much better accuracy with bullets like the 52 BTHP, 53 HPM and the 55 FBHP.

The Ballistic Tips and V-Max are about .810 in length, the others mentioned above are .680 - .720 and shoot much better in my rifles.

Exactly,.. Stay at .800" Long or, Shorter for, the 1-14 Twists !
I had 55 grain, Nosler Bal Tip's that were, .815/ .817" Long, shoot great in Summer but, the groups, Opened Up to, OVER 1" in, 5 to 20 Degree Winter weather,.. IMO, 55 NBT's are, Borderline stabile, in 14 Twists.
The Hornady 52 grain A-Maxes ( now 52 gr. ELD-M's ) or NBT 50 grainers, work, MUCH, better.
Flat Base, S P Hornady and Berger HP 55 grain and even, the 60 grain F B, Sierra Varminter, HP's,.. shoot, "Well" too !