So I'm shopping for a Rem 22-250. I picked up an 8lb jug of Varget this week and ordered 200 rounds of 22-250 Lapua brass. I'm looking at shooting a 50 - 60 grain bullet. Wanting some thoughts on what twist I should be looking at.
Remington 22-250 Barrel Twist
- Thread starter Triple BB
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Pretty much all factory (with exception of like a fast twist Tikka) will be 1-14 twist. Depending on which bullets you are looking to shoot in the 50-60 gr weight should be fine.
If you are looking for specifics, you'll need to provide actual bullets and elevation and temperature you'll be shooting.
Good luck,
Steve
If you are looking for specifics, you'll need to provide actual bullets and elevation and temperature you'll be shooting.
Good luck,
Steve
waspocrew
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I had a Savage 10 predator 22-250 with a 1:12 - it handled up to 64 gr bullets fairly well with varget. The best combo for my rifle was a 60 gr Vmax over varget.
benchracer
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I love the 22-250 as a cartridge, but am frustrated by the factory rifles chambered for it. The SAAMI-specified standard 1 in 14 twist is hopelessly obsolete. Even in the 50-60 grain range, most bullets of modern design work poorly with that twist rate.
If you shop carefully, you can find a very FEW models of factory rifles with either a 12 twist or a 9 twist, both of which will allow you to use a wide selection of bullets. In the current climate, though, availability of those models may be sketchy.
Depending upon your budget and your level of patience, searching for a bargain on a used rifle and putting an aftermarket barrel on it might offer more satisfying results.
Either way, my advice is to avoid buying a 14 twist 22-250. Happiness with a 22-250 comes from having the right twist rate.
isaaccarlson
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I don't see how a 14 twist can be obsolete. I have a 14 twist and so do many others. I can shoot the head out of a dime with mine. 40-55 grains is perfect. Why use a racehorse for a pack mule?
benchracer
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It's very simple. In the 55 years since the 22-250 became a SAAMI cartridge, bullet technology has moved on. The bullets that work well with the 14 twist are as obsolete in design as the 14 twist itself. Staying with these leaves a LOT of performance on the table. With a 12 twist (or faster), modern bullets, and modern powders to push them, the 22-250 becomes a much more capable cartridge.
I have worked with both. I am not guessing.
I have worked with both. I am not guessing.
isaaccarlson
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Besides monolithics, what are these modern bullets? Are you referring to the heavyfor caliber 70-90 grainers?
isaaccarlson
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A heavier bullet will hold velocity better at long range, but also reduce initial velocity by too much to be considered fast. The 22-250 is already an overbore cartridge. It was designed for speed, and it does that very well when not loaded with boat anchors.
benchracer
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No. Hornady 53 VMAX is a good example of a modern design. Aggressive ogive, high bc for its weight and a short bearing surface, which allows it to be launched much faster than older bullets in its weight class. The older designs have long bearing surfaces and blunt ogives. They can't be launched as fast and have lower bc's.
Though some shooters report being able to stabilize this bullet in a 14 twist, it will not do so reliably. It really needs a 12 twist or faster. When I had a 14 twist barrel, I could get up to 60 grain bullets stable enough to hit the target point forward, but not with any accuracy. Even 55's did not shoot particularly well. Best performance was with bullets like the 50 VMAX and 52 AMAX (now ELD-M). Though close in weight to those two bullets, the 53 VMAX is in a completely different class.
Though some shooters report being able to stabilize this bullet in a 14 twist, it will not do so reliably. It really needs a 12 twist or faster. When I had a 14 twist barrel, I could get up to 60 grain bullets stable enough to hit the target point forward, but not with any accuracy. Even 55's did not shoot particularly well. Best performance was with bullets like the 50 VMAX and 52 AMAX (now ELD-M). Though close in weight to those two bullets, the 53 VMAX is in a completely different class.
benchracer
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Loaded properly, it is not difficult to push a 75 AMAX/ELD-M to 3500 fps from a 26" barrel. The overbore nature of the 22-250 allows use of much slower powders than shown by obsolete load data, for obsolete bullets, in an obsolete twist. It is a great cartridge that is sorely in need of an update to bring it in line with available components.
There isn't anything you can stabilize in a 14 twist that will run with either a 53 VMAX or a 75 AMAX/ELD-M, near or far.
There isn't anything you can stabilize in a 14 twist that will run with either a 53 VMAX or a 75 AMAX/ELD-M, near or far.
isaaccarlson
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That is good to know. Thank you. My next question is how many rifles come with a 26" barrel? That's a long barrel compared to a lot of factory rifles. Mine is only 21 or so.
What kind of barrel life is expected with that load if not abused?
What kind of barrel life is expected with that load if not abused?
benchracer
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Not many. I think Savage, at one time, offered a 22-250 in a 12 twist with either a 24" or 26" barrel. Not sure if they still do. Short of going with an aftermarket barrel, it seems to me to be pretty difficult to find a factory rifle configured to take full advantage of the 22-250.
My 22-250 has a 26", 12 twist, Shilen barrel. I am running 53 VMAX's @ 3900+ with RL-17. Oddly enough, it will also stabilize 69 SMK's (on paper, it shouldn't, but it does). Also with RL-17, the 69's like to be run @ 3600+. All told, the round count on my current barrel is very near 1000 rounds. Accuracy and velocity are not showing signs of dropping off, yet. I am careful about spacing my shots and keeping the barrel cool, so that may be working in my favor.
A good friend of mine has a 7.7 twist 22-250. He hasn't had it very long. The smith who installed the barrel cut the chamber with a shorter than standard freebore (negating one of the inherent advantages of the SAAMI chamber). We intend to lengthen the chamber throat before doing much more shooting with it. Total round count is still fairly low, so jury is out on barrel life with the heavies. He plans to shoot mostly 75's and 80's.
isaaccarlson
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Ok. Well, if/when my barrel turns up dead, I'll put a 12 twist on it. I have thought about going to a 24" just for the extra speed. Not sure if I want 26" because my goal is to eventually get a can for it. My ears can't stand loud noises, and even one shot while hunting will have them ringing for days. I hunt deer/elk with mine and a few varmints, but no p-dogs yet, so the barrel might outlive me if things continue.
