# Reloads for 22-250



## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

I just bought a browning x-bolt 22-250 which I haven't had much of a chance to shoot yet but was wondering what ammo works best on coyotes n gophers! I am just getting into reloading so I will b able to make different loads to try but don't realy now what bullets to use! I bought nosler ballistic tip varmint bullets to try. Has any one used these? And with what success?


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

ballistic tips are a very versitile bullet. 1000's of critters are killed with them. my 250's like varget and reloader 15


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Have you ever tried hodgdons H380?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Apa said:


> Have you ever tried hodgdons H380?


I shoot 40 grains H380 behind a Nosler 50 gr ballistic tip. :thumb: :thumb:

Spits em out at around 3650 and has been a very accurate load in seven or eight different rifles.


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Well sounds like the guy who helped me buy new what he was talking about! Ever guns different so I guess I will have to make sure my guns like these choices


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Every 22-250 I have ever seen it tried or have tried it H380 and a 52 or 53 gr bullet makes it a hammer. I use 55gr vmax with a full charge of Varget in mine but as soon as they are gone I am moving to the 52gr HPBT. Probably with h380 I will try varget first as I have alot of it on hand.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Varget is a great powder too.

The only reason I dont use it in a .22-250 is I hate, I mean HATE metering it. H380 drops just SOOOO nicely from a measure and into a case its not even funny. No need to trickle. Just drop a charge and keep going. Ive weighed every fifth case for years, I dont know why, an RCBS Chargemaster throws H380 beautifully.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I shoot the 50 gr VMax with W760 at 3850 fps. I have not shot anything with my new load yet, but Superformance spits out a 60 gr VMax at I think it's 3738. I have shot the 60 gr VMax before, and it penetrates much better than the small bullets on coyote size critters. I'm wondering if it will open a little more spectacularly at 3738 fps. 
I know H380 is the number one powder with the 22-250, but I have never got top accuracy with it. I always keep a pound on hand and try it with new rifles or new bullets. 
I have not chronographed the Superformance load yet. My Chrono croaked on me so I ordered a new one. Then I got brave and started messing with the old one and found a broken wire. I guess I am going to have two chronographs now. Maybe next week I can sling some loads over it.


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Is it possible to hit 4000 fps with a 22-250 reload?


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

yes. possibly from a 50 grainer but don't take my word on that. definatly with a 40. 
plainsman. i'm looking for a crony if'nt ya wanna sell the old one??


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I'll have to think about selling it. I ordered one identical in the event I need parts. Both are Chrony Beta Masters. I think I cracked the wire when I rolled it up last winter. I was chronographing one day at -16 degrees to find out what Reloader 17,22,25 and Varget would do in the cold. I think next time I better pull it all in the pickup and let it warm before I roll up the wire that goes from the sensors to the display. Of course in my rush in the cold I pinched the wire when folding the chrony shut too. I don't suppose that helped.  What else is a guy going to do on a nice balmy winter day?


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Is there any advantages of shooting 50 grains instead of 40 grain bullets?


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

oh boy.... you opened a can of worms with that ?? :rollin:


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Hah I figured I did that any way by askin what to us so I figured I would ask another interesting question!!


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

personally speaking,, for a coyoe bullet, stick with a 50 or heavier. i've shot em with quit a few different bullets and have settled on the seirra 55 spbt. affordable and hammers em (even from behind)


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

Kinda wut I was thinking but I guess we will have to see what everyone else has to say! Haha personaly I'm going to try avoid shooting them from behind :rollin:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I shoot a few 40 gr because they are spectacular on prairie dogs. I have pushed them to 4185 fps. I have killed one coyote with that load. He was 200 yards and went down like lightning hit him.
For longer range I prefer the 50 gr bullets in my 22-250. I think I will stick to them in my 26 inch rifle, but I'm going to 60 gr VMax and Superformance in my lighter carry rifle.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Plainsman said:


> I shoot the 50 gr VMax with W760 at 3850 fps. I have not shot anything with my new load yet, but Superformance spits out a 60 gr VMax at I think it's 3738. I have shot the 60 gr VMax before, and it penetrates much better than the small bullets on coyote size critters. I'm wondering if it will open a little more spectacularly at 3738 fps.
> I know H380 is the number one powder with the 22-250, but I have never got top accuracy with it. I always keep a pound on hand and try it with new rifles or new bullets.
> I have not chronographed the Superformance load yet. My Chrono croaked on me so I ordered a new one. Then I got brave and started messing with the old one and found a broken wire. I guess I am going to have two chronographs now. Maybe next week I can sling some loads over it.


Careful pushing those v-maxs to fast. You might find them not to your liking on coyotes otherwise.

Even the heavier v-maxs dont seem to perform as well as a 50 or 55 gr Nosler ballistic when it comes to coyote sized critters. They're both "ballistic tips", but their construction differences are pretty big.


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

So if you where going to push bullets fast which bullet wuld you use?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

bbj, you know that 40 gr may have been a ballistic tip. Years ago that was all I was shooting, then I switched over to VMax. At the time I switched the price was better on VMax, and the rifle I had was slightly more accurate with them. I really can't remember which brand I had pushed to nearly 4200 fps. 
Remember the Hornady SXT? I think that was the designation. Anyway, they came with a note in the box that said "do not load faster than 3500 fps. On a dead calm evening one time I noticed in my scope like a vapor trail to the target. I don't know if that was lead melting off and vaporizing or what the heck it was. I had loaded a half dozen of them to 3700 just to see what happened. I'm still not sure what I was seeing.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Apa said:


> So if you where going to push bullets fast which bullet wuld you use?


Not sure why you're so concerned with speed???? Accuracy kills more coyotes than fps. Pick the best bullet for your rifle, and intentions, and load from there. Many people here with MUCH more experience than you or I have all suggested 50gr+ bullets for your intended purposes, which I would assume is coyotes. I would listen to them.

I shoot 50gr Nosler BTs and H380, load courtesy of BBJ. It's a consistent half MOA load in my factory Remington. The velocity is what it is, I don't care, as long as I know what it is, and it's accurate and the bullet does a good job on my targets.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Plainsman said:


> bbj, you know that 40 gr may have been a ballistic tip. Years ago that was all I was shooting, then I switched over to VMax. At the time I switched the price was better on VMax, and the rifle I had was slightly more accurate with them. I really can't remember which brand I had pushed to nearly 4200 fps.
> Remember the Hornady SXT? I think that was the designation. Anyway, they came with a note in the box that said "do not load faster than 3500 fps. On a dead calm evening one time I noticed in my scope like a vapor trail to the target. I don't know if that was lead melting off and vaporizing or what the heck it was. I had loaded a half dozen of them to 3700 just to see what happened. I'm still not sure what I was seeing.


You're probably correct in what you were seeing. The .17 Rem was known to do this with certain bullets when pushed at the extreme upper end of its velocity capabilities.

From my experiences with ballistic tips of ANY brand, but especially light skinned v-maxs, pushing them super hard isnt always the greatest idea if coyotes are the main menu item. Faster they go, the more they blow, and on coyotes you gotta have something that gets in there a little bit too.

When its all said and done, speed should take a back seat to accuracy. If gaining an extra 50-100 fps really opens up groups, your probably better off taking the slower option. With a 50 grain Nosler BT @3650 I get exits on about 30% of broadside coyotes. The ones that dont exit, I usually pick copper fragments out from just under the skin on what would have been the exit side. To me, this is perfect, ive gotten adequate penetration while maintaining some "fur friendliness". Of the ones I have an exit, most are around a quarter size. I can live with this.


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

AdamFisk said:


> Apa said:
> 
> 
> > So if you where going to push bullets fast which bullet wuld you use?
> ...


My main concern is accuracy but if i can get speed at the same time it's a win win situation!


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## macker13 (Nov 7, 2006)

I just got back from whacking p-dogs with my 22-250. I'm loading 38 gr of H380 pushing a V-Max 55gr bullet. It is accurate and there isn't much left for evidence.

barebackjack said it best. *Accuracy is more important than speed*. Each rifle will have it's own sweet spot for speed. You need to find that. There are plenty of books and on-line articles that suggest how to find that sweet spot. In all cases it requires loading a bunch of test loads and shooting them to find the one.

So start loading and hit the range.


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## Apa (Jul 10, 2011)

macker13 said:


> So start loading and hit the range.


Ya I just got some reloaded so will have to take it out n see how they wrk!


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I'm burning 34.0g Varget in Win cases with a CCI 200 primer and a 50g Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3400fps. It's not fast but it'll put a coyote in the dirt. Accuracy is everything. It does great on prairie poodles also. 

xdeano


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## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm about to start working up my first load for a 22-250, I will use 55gr Hornady SP, since i have a bunch I recieved for free through their get loaded promotion. Metering wont be a problem sicne I upgraded to a charge master. Ill probbaly start at 32 grains and work up .5gr to 35, then refine it more.


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