22-250 build help

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

I shoot a Savage custom 22-250 A.I. with a 1-14 twist and use it for my 400 yd rifle with 40 gr. V-Max bullets screaming out at 4350 fps. 714 yd longest PD kill, 315 yds longest deer kill.

For long range I use a custom Savage 22-243 A.I. with 1-9 twist for 75 gr. A-Max bullet at 3600-3700 fps depending on powder. 1580 yd longest PD kill

Now my new Savage Palma in .243 A.I. will shoot 87-105 gr bullets for the longer shots and my Savage F/Class 6.5x284 does the lonest shots.

When you get down to the 1-8 or 1-7 twist barrels your Velocity drops off a lot and the time in flight is too long IMAO.

You could get a take off Rem barrel in .243 for your rifle now and but the Savage LRPV 22-250 in 1-9 twist and solve all the problems.

Really add it up! Your Remington rifle + new barrel $400.00 + gunsmith work $300-$550.00 or your rifle +$75.00 for takeoff 243 barrel + $600-700.00 for slightly used Savage LRPV in 22-250.............think about it. ( you can replace the Savage with any brand you want)gun)

 

[orwapitihunter]

I specifically built my 22-250 AI to shoot the 75gr Amax.
I went with a Rem 700, and a Rem varmint weight Hart 9 twist.
Finished length at 27".
I picked H414 for fuel and launch the 75s at 3400.
Accuracy has been outstanding with groups running between sub .1 and .25". I have also found 69gr SMKs and 50gr TNTs to shoot <.25".
But I do keep the 50gr TNTs throttled back. I haven't blown any up, but I did blow up some 50gr SXs, so I figured why push it with the TNTs as they were for sub 200 yard use.

For long range play, I have found the 75 AMAX at 3400 to be fun and easy to shoot accurately to about 800 yards. Past that the average conditions that I shoot in make hitting small targets (sub MOA) frustrating. We have shot it to a bit over 1K, with good conditions it is amazing.

I also have a 223 that I put together to keep the kids from shooting my 22-250Ai to death.
To be certain that the 75gr AMAX would stabilize at 223 velocities I went with an 8 twist and finished it at 24". The 223 hits right about 3000fps burning TAC. Accuracy seems to run a bit under .25 MOA.
I have also ran full power 40gr VMAXs with similar accuracy.

The long range fun seems to change to frustration about 650ish. Same kinda deal, the typical conditions just get to be past my ability to dope the small changes that equal a near miss.

 

[JesseJames]

This is my first 22-250, so I only have limited experience with the AI version. While you do get some velocity gains with the AI version, the main reason I went this route was for the improved brass life. Jesse.

 

[COBrad]

Lot's of commentary about AI'ing, and the 53 gr V-Max. I'm not convinced either is the answer for LR.
I would forget the V-Max all together. Even with it's claimed BC of .290 it's not a true long range bullet. Through an AI it's probably a little better than what I'm getting with 52 gr A-Maxes at 3800 fps, but it will still be blown around quite a bit by the wind by time you reach 500.
The 75 gr A-Max or 80 gr Berger VLD with their .435 and .445 BC's should get you to somewhere around 6-700 yards before they become overly sensitive to the wind. Now we're beginning to get to long range.
My 14 twist has taken PD's to 683 yards using the JLK 52 gr low drag bullets, but the slightest breeze out there makes minute of prairie dog pretty tough. I've got another 900 bullets left, and by then the barrel should pretty much be toast. I'll rebarrel with a 26" 7 twist for either of these bullets, along with the 90 gr Berger VLD and a .551 BC.
I believe this bullet will hold up pretty well out to 800 yards.

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

On my 22-250 A.I. 26" Douglas barrel I get 3150 fps with 75 A-Max 1-9 twist
My Douglas 30" barrel I get 3420 fps same load................inches do help when using slow burning powder. Now if I use Varget then FPS only 70-100 fps difference.

Berger has determined that in .224 cal. the 1-9 twist with 75 gr A-Max or target bullets is the best for stability in flight all around.


When I shoot 80 A-Max and Berger 80 VLD's in my 22-243 A.I. with 1-8 twist they are super accurate but drift more at long range then the 75 gr bullet. Ballistics charts say and show different, but at 1000 to 1600 yds with three witness's all watching, it proved different.


I could hold dead on at 1600 yds with the 75 A-Max at 3630 fps and drift 6 feet with a 4-6 mph wind at bench. ( have no idea what wind was at 1600 yds) Then fire 80 gr A-Max and it would drift 10 feet. Fire a 90 gr bullet and even farther. I know you need a 1-7 for the 90's.

I can hit PD's at 1100 to 1200 yds just as easy with the 22-243 A.I. as I can the .260 I had or both of my friends 6.5x284.

I know this is long but I would do the 22-250 A.I. in a 1-9 twist with 30" barrel and use 4831SC or Rel 22 or 25. Shoot the 75 gr bullets.gun)

 

[COBrad]

You clearly understand the effect of even a slight breeze at those ranges. I get enough wind both where I shoot PD's and 'chucks that anymore I'm looking for combinations of accuracy at speed and high BC to fight the wind. While those high BC .22 bullets can be fired accurately over 1K yards, I'm not looking to make my 22-250 into a 1500 yard gun. I shoot a 7 mag for the real long stuff, and even those 180 gr VLD's with .651 BC get pretty sensitive to even a slight change in the breeze when ranges start getting extra long. Last weekend shooting at 1367 yards in just a light 1-5 mph breeze it was just too shifty for me to shoot anything close to minute of marmot accuracy.
My ballistic software was indicating a .7 minute change in wind drift for each 1/10 mph in wind speed. A quarter mph change in wind speed or direction and I've shot right beside my target.

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

I hear you! It took us 10 days total to get PD's at 1580 and 1590 yds, with some in the 1000 to 1340 yds range. 5 days one year and 5 days the next. And as you know morning is the time to shoot.

Its crazy but my 22-243 A.I. with the 1-9 twist shooting a 40 gr V-Max at 4850 fps will trash the ballistic programs we run. At 500 yds with 6 mph 90 degree wind you can aim dead on a PD and smack him 8-10 times. Made believers out of 4 people, they even has to check my rifle at 100 yds because they knew scope was wind corrected. It wasn't, dead on at 100 with wind at back.

Were learned a lot about time in flight and wind drift.

Still the best setup I have found for the 22 is the 1-9 twist with A-Max, Berger, SMK. Been shooting that set up since 1997 when Fred Moore at SSS built my first custom rifle.
gun)

 

[COBrad]

I hear you on TOF. There is a point where high BC without adequate speed is not the best compromise.
I just noticed a mistake in my last post too. A .1 mph change in wind speed was not moving my bullet .7 MOA, but 7/10 of an inch. Slight difference there!

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

Forgot! WIND. Mother nature don't care about ballistics, she never moves the wind at a constant speed. We can have 4 mph on wind meter at bench and our flags at 1 miles flying straight out, then in a moments notice, the flags dead to the ground.............Ballistics calculator can't work up a load for me on that one................I could never tell a difference of 1 or 2 moa at 1 mile, just 12 to 20 feet difference on impact.

 

[Divey]

My personal opinion concerning the 22-250 compared to the 22-120 Ackley Improved is that the Ackley version is far superior. It has more punch than the standard version and the brass lasts a lot longer. On the twist side of things, I like the old 1 in 14 using projectiles up to 55 grainers. You can run much lower weight projectiles and crank them up to ridiculous speeds. Try the Barnes 36 grain Varmint Grenades.

I am not a fan of using heavy 224 calibre projectiles. I really can't see the point of choosing a fast twist 22-250AI and using heavy projectiles. It eliminates the fun of shooting really fast lower weight projectiles.
If you want heavier projectiles in the 70 and 90 grain weight range, my suggestion would be to go with a larger calibre like a .243 or .257.

On a side note, I have a 22-250AI and I also have a .220 Wilson Arrow. The Arrow is slightly ahead on speed and accuracy. Both are custom Mausers fitted with very heavy #7 profile 26" barrels.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[paredneck10]

Ok well iv been busy with work and what not I couldn't reply but iv also been doing research I have found that I can get a 26" Douglas barrel for $283 that's a heavy barrel with what ever twist I want which is gonna be 1 in 12" twist and its the factory remington contour witch is nice on fitting into my stock but I ain't going with the ackley improved just yet but I will eventually now should I flute the barrel and put a muzzle brake on it just for looks and to let my buddies know the gun went off lol

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

1-12 TWIST good for 30 to 62 gr bullets, you need the Ackley! No flutes, Brakes are loud, to loud for me...............have fun.gun)gun)

 

[COBrad]

Sold a couple saddles today and ended up with a new prairie dog hunting ranch that is said to be loaded with them. Looks like more work for the 22-250!

"I am not a fan of using heavy 224 calibre projectiles. I really can't see the point of choosing a fast twist 22-250AI and using heavy projectiles. It eliminates the fun of shooting really fast lower weight projectiles."

While I enjoy the impact of a fast moving bullet on varmints, I also like to shoot long. I plan to have my '250 rebarreled with a fast twist 26" tube to shoot the heavy VLD's. Most of the places I have been shooting PD's there have not been large numbers, but there have been lots of shots further than what the 52 grain bullets are up to on a consistent basis. But in the back of my head is a small voice that keeps whispering 6XC and Berger hunting VLD's.

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

gun) Try fast twist with 40 gr V-Max or 52 A-Max bullets. I have used my 1-9 twist in 22-243 A.I. with 40's up to 4800 fps and they rip the heck out of a PD. I would go 1-10 with short throat and have some fun.
Years ago SSS Fred Moore told me at that time he didn't think you could over rotate a bullet. Well you can these new bullets, the 40 V-Max. Because now my same rifle with the 1-9 will spin bullets at 4800 and they don't stay together anymore. Also the 30 V-Max always blew up at 5200 fps......Now I can on spin them around 4400 fps otherwise they split into 2 impact points or just leave a silver grey cloud.