Shooting a 22-250 long range

[Edsterfish]

What can make a 22-250 shoot 800+ yards accurate and effective? would a 1 in 10 twist be fast enough for that far?

 

[budlight]

I shot a 26 inch 22-250 for many years. I never did shoot super VLD bullets. They were not thought up back then. But Bullet weight determines the twist rate not distance. It is also my humble opinion for shooting 1000 upon 1000's of rounds that .22 caliber is a shorter range rifle.

If your having a rifle built I would look at the 6mm size in bench rest cases like the 6xc



6XC Cartridge Guide

 

[roninflag]

some are using a 9 twist and 77s. accurate and effectice? on coyotes?

 

[MTBULLET]

I built a 22-250 w/ 1-10 twist. have used it to 700 yds. very well w/60 gr. blts.

 

[longrangefreek]

just shot my savage M12 out past 600 yards yesterday with great accuracy. shooting a 52 grain berger. It was quite fun.

 

[Akiona]

I have a 22-250 AI. 28" barrel, 1-8 twist . 80gr. JLK 3160fps. very accurate out to 800-900yrds.

 

[COBrad]

I'm shooting one with a 14 twist and JLK 52 gr. LD bullets. These are the highest BC bullet I have been able to find that shoot well in this barrel. I shoot it a lot at 5-600 yards, and took a prairie dog with it at 683 yards two weeks ago. That said, once I get past 400 yards it becomes very wind sensitive. JLK claims a BC of .309. Field shooting, and my ballistics software, say .244 is a much more accurate number. It is, IMO, just not a long range round with the bullets that are suited to this twist rate.
I have debated having it rebarreled with an 8 twist to shoot 77-80 gr VLD bullets, but would strongly consider going back to the .243, or even a 6.5 of some sort as a more suitable long range round.

 

[WildRose]

Find any bullet/load combination you can consistently shoot sub 3/4 MOA with out to 200yds and you can do fine out to 800.

The problem is that with such a light bullet wind will always be a limiting factor on how effective and accurate you can be with it beyond 400yds.

 

[SBruce]

What can make a 22-250 shoot 800+ yards accurate and effective? would a 1 in 10 twist be fast enough for that far?

It really depends on the wind conditions you plan on seeing, and also the game you intend on hunting/shooting to define effective.

A 10 twist is known to stabilize 60 grn bullets really well, and you might get lucky with 69's. A 9 twist would be better and virtually gaurantees that you could shoot the 69's and possibly even the 75's. An 8 twist will easily shoot the 75's to 80grn bullets, which will give you the best wind bucking ability and downrange energy, I've even shot 60's with good accuracy at 200 yds with an 8 twist AR.....................therefore, 8 or 9 twist would be my recomendation.

I've shot prarie dogs out to 700 yds and coyotes out to about 550 yds on low wind days with 55's out of 14 and 12 twist barrels, and got 1/2 minute groups at those distances on calm days; but if I was after coyotes at 700 yds I'd personally want to be shooting the 60 to 75 grn offerings and using an 8 or 9 twist.

If it's windy, I prefer the 6mm cartridges for coyotes and LR prarie dogs; and now days,with wolves coming into the picture; I'll probably use the 6mm's for most of my coyote calling/hunting from now on (just in case I see wolfy). The 223's, 22-250 and 22-250 AI will most likely be used just for prarie dogs from here on out.

 

[SpencerSS]

1-8", some 75or 80Amaxs, or 90gn Berger VLDs.

 

[COBrad]

Out shoot prairie dogs in eastern Utah today. Longest shot 525 yards. Numerous kills in the 400's. Breeze was not to strong, or too shifty, but enough to be challenging. Good day shooting, but most of my prairie dogging is beyond 300 yards and I could sure use higher BC bullets to deal with the breeze. And that is all I could complain about today.

 

[backwoods83]

I heard some fellows talking at a 1000yrd match one day, they were talking to a guy that was using a 20-250AI with an 8 twist and someone was making 63grn vlds for him, everyone asked him how it done so good in the wind, he said "its like shooting a needle at 3300fps the wind doesn't bother it much", with that said a 22-250 or 22-250AI with an 8 twist shooting 80grn amaxs or bergers at close to 3200 or the 88grn berger match (not vld) at 3100fps can be very effective on prarie dogs at 1000yrds or yotes to 700, and it will be a pleasure to shoot, I would go for the improved version though, not for the little gain in velocity, but for the fact that 22-250 are notorious for stretching cases.