22-250 Ackley loads with a 1-14 Twist

[458win]

Anybody know the heaviest bullet that will be stablized in a 14 twist? I purchased a custom 22-250AI with a 26in heavy shilen 1-14 twist barrel. So far I have only fired Winchester's 22-250 Varmint Pack 45gr JHPs when I was home on leave a few weeks ago. Would the 60gr V-Max's work or should I stick with 55's or 50's? I sorta can already hear the advice of shoot'em and find out, but when I get home I don't imagine I will have much time for experimentation. The main use of this gun is going to be for ground squirrels and chucks out to 6-700yds(hopefully). Thank you in advance!

 

[ol mike]

458 ,

I'm having my 22-250 rebarreled and considered having it chambered 22-250 AI .

If memory serves the 60 gr will stabilize ,use the powder that gives you good velocity.
I'm not sure how accurate it will be at the ranges you mention.
LB from huntmasters can give you some good info. on the 1-14 ai varminter.I hope this helps Mike

 

[Guest]

I have a friend who built one(22-250 AI) with a 1 in 16" twist.It would stabilize 55's ok with the added vevocity of the AI chamber.I do think it will work if you load it warm enough.
old bear

 

[Fiftydriver]

Your pushing it in a 1-14 twist with a tipped 55 gr bullet. Its worth a try but don;t buy alot of them as I suspect you will have stability issues at long range. I would say the 60 gr will not stabilize.

That said, try them, stranger things have certainly happened.

I will also say that 700 yards with a 55-60 gr pill will be difficult in anything but perfect conditions. At least if your looking for consistant hits at that range on small targets.

If I had to pick a bullet to use in that combo it would either be the 50 gr Ballistic Tip or the 50 gr Blitzking. I use the Blitzking in my 25" 22-250 AI and get 4000 fps with 3/8" groups. It is not however a 700 yard rifle. 500 yards is about what I limit it to and then go to something with a higher BC bullet.

Let us know how it works for you.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

My 220 swift is a Ruger Target with a 1 in 14 twist. It shoots 55g BT's and FMJ's in the .3's. I have shot my 55g BT load at 525 and I was still getting MOA groups. I was also wondering if my swift would be able to shoot the 60g vmax because of the 1 in 14 twist. I do not want to buy a box just to see, I would rather know for sure. With the velocity of the swift, which is the same for the 22-250 AI, I was hoping it would work, but I have never tried it. It would be nice to shoot the heavier 60g though because of the little higher BC and wont be such a barrel burner.

 

[LB]

I have been using a 22-250 Ackley for quite a few years, now. It has the 1-14" twist and is 28.5" long.

Starting out, I settled on a 52 berger, more than satisfied with the accuracy and velocity was in the neighborhood of 4400fps with a full load of H414.

The first time I took that gun to AZ, I missed about eight coyotes, shook my head, put it away and used a different gun. Turned out that those beautiful groups at 100 yards were not making it to 200! The bullets were exploding somewhere beyond 100 and wouldn't even print on paper, at 200. Guess I didn't do ALL my homework? When I asked the guy that did the work, he claimed that he had suggested heavier bullets, but I don't remember that? From that point forward, I have been very opinionated. A 22-250 Ackley performs best with HEAVY bullets; period.

Anyway, it turned out that there were a half a dozen rifles in our little neighborhood and they were all using a 65 grain Berger, which was brand new territory for me. The BC is so much better and the velocity is almost beyond belief. I get 3925fps and it is the best coyote bullet I have ever used....and I have used a lot. Bears repeating: 3925fps with a 65gr. bullet. Steams through both sides, bang/flop. Would do the same with chucks, but it is actually too much gun for ground squirrels; not that it wouldn't work, just a waste of performance.

You can't buy the 65 any more, but they built a 64 grain mold, and I am presently using a 65 grain Starke, which Clint made for me, special. If you use the 64 Berger, don't get the MEF.

What fifty said is probably true, it is not the best choice for 800 yard live targets, but I don't go there with this gun. It's just a serious, dedicated long range coyote rifle, as good for that purpose as I have ever owned. For high volume critters, I'd consider something else, faster twist perhaps, but within the stated perameters, it will perform beautifully.

My load is 44.0 grains of H414 with the fed 210Match primer.

Good hunting. LB

 

[ol mike]

Yuup LB can just sense it when a 22-250 AI is mentioned !

That's the info i was given when i asked over at huntmasters.
I'm sporterweight over on your site LB ,great site i really enjoy it ! Mike

 

[Fiftydriver]

Remingtonman_25_06,

I have shot enough 1-14 twist 22 cal rifles that did not shoot the 55 gr tipped bullets accurately to come to the conclusion that many will not properly stabilize these longer conventional 22 cal bullets.

That said, I have also seen reports identical to yours that at times they shoot these bullets very well.

In nearly all of the cases I have witnessed where a large 22 cal rifle would not shoot the tipped 55 gr bullets were with factory rifles. Perhaps the twists on these rifles were a bit slower then 1-14.

In all cases there was never a bullet that profiled on target, only that groups opened up dramatically compared to the 50, 52 and even 55 gr HP or SP bullets. Again this leads me to assume its the length of the bullet with the tipped 55 gr pills that is the cause.

When you say "BT" do you mean boattail of Ballistic Tip. I have yet to see any 22-250 or 220 swift not shoot a 55 gr boattail SP or HP accurately and the 55 gr FMJs are also generally very accurate as they are not as long as the tipped 55 gr pills.

Again, you never know until you get bullets in the air. Give them a try and see what happens.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I haven't tested any 55g Bal Tips out of my dads Ruger Target 22-250 to know if it will shoot them. It has a 1 in 14 as well. He shoots the 40g right now, but wants to switch to the 50 or 55. When I say BT I mean ballistic tips. I guess I should be more specific. I like the 55g bal tip @3925fps out of my swift the best.

 

[1doug]

My ruger likes the 55 grain b tips. Gonna try some 53gr mk's for some factory class ground hog shoots

 

[Fiftydriver]

Thanks for clearifying that. I think your dad would fall in love with the 50 gr pills over the 40s. That is if they shoot as well.

A 55 gr pill at near 4K fps is a serious load for sure!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[hypersonic]

I have one load in a 60 grain partition in 220 swift that is showing real merit in my stock 700 VSSF. The load is wimpy and was only put together as a " lets see what it will do" load. I can't for the life of me find my notes on the velocity but the average speed from memory was 3463 over ten shots. I used H414 win cases win primers, all brass was once fired neck sized only, had flash holes and primer pockets done. Remington says a 1 in 14" twist but with out measuring who knows? and for me it is no big deal. My current results with this rifle in other bullet weights have shown me that accuracy with 40 50 and 55 grain bullets has been the best at close to or max listed velocity's The only thing done to this rifle is trigger work thats it, and I am more than pleased whith what I have ( did I mention I bought it brand new on a closing sale for half of its regular price?) This rifle loves IMR 4064 with the 50 grn Vmax and it is the most accurate load mostly in the .3's for 5 shots at 3921 fps ave if I do may part at 100 yds. Next closest is 50 grn B tips with H414 at .4's with an average of 4060 fps. 55 Grn B tips are in the .6's with H 414 but no chrony readings and the loads are warm. I have lots of room to work on the 60 part load powder wise and I would not be suprised that it will be less than a .5 load with some tweeking. Gee wizz I sure do like this rifle it shoots better than I do and fits like a glove and gives me back my sanity after a long week. Here is my first attempt to post a picture in my first post after lurking for a fair bit on this site.

60 grn part 10 shots at 100 yds with out poi adjustment from current zero load. This rifle for 2005 took 192 Wood chucks at various ranges with excellent splatter effect.

 

[D.A.T.]

i shoot a 1-14 twist savage.the best bullets ive found for my rifle is the 55gr speer tnt,
50gr tsx
seirra 55gr sp
speer 55gr sp

cant get 55gr vmax to shoot worth a darn.40.2gr h380 with the barnes and lookout.the tnt is my go to round

 

[Trickymissfit]

Anybody know the heaviest bullet that will be stablized in a 14 twist? I purchased a custom 22-250AI with a 26in heavy shilen 1-14 twist barrel. So far I have only fired Winchester's 22-250 Varmint Pack 45gr JHPs when I was home on leave a few weeks ago. Would the 60gr V-Max's work or should I stick with 55's or 50's? I sorta can already hear the advice of shoot'em and find out, but when I get home I don't imagine I will have much time for experimentation. The main use of this gun is going to be for ground squirrels and chucks out to 6-700yds(hopefully). Thank you in advance!

in a 14 twist barrel your kinda limited to a small few 55 grain bullets and mostly 50 grain and lighter stuff. The Hornaday 55 grain V-max will stabalize, but the Nosler normally will not. The 53 grain V-max will not, but the 50 grain will. Not sure about a Nosler 50 grain bullet. What you should be looking for are bullets with a B/C in the low two's. Forget the 60 grain bullets in most cases. But if you want to try them, then the Nosler partition would be your best to try
gary