Down loading a .22-250

[Mossy-dog]

Hi (this could actually be my first post, if so apologies for not doing my introduction first it will come)

 

I have a .22-250 and i was wondering if i could 'download it' to .222 / .223 veolcities with 50gn bullets. to give sinilar performance to those rounds

 

Its pretty much a foxing rifle but i do have deer on there and bump the odd muntie when i am out without the .243.

 

Reason for asking is that it would use a lot less powder and the .222 we also use is plenty good enough on fox and deer at the ranges we work. Would also conserve the barrel a bit and be a bit quieter

 

If i put less powder into what is a pretty big case would it not work as well / efficiently (therefore meaning i need more powder)

 

OR am i best just leaving it as a fast round and have done with it?

 

Dan

[v-max]

Hi (this could actually be my first post, if so apologies for not doing my introduction first it will come)

 

I have a .22-250 and i was wondering if i could 'download it' to .222 / .223 veolcities with 50gn bullets. to give sinilar performance to those rounds

 

Its pretty much a foxing rifle but i do have deer on there and bump the odd muntie when i am out without the .243.

 

Reason for asking is that it would use a lot less powder and the .222 we also use is plenty good enough on fox and deer at the ranges we work. Would also conserve the barrel a bit and be a bit quieter

 

If i put less powder into what is a pretty big case would it not work as well / efficiently (therefore meaning i need more powder)

 

OR am i best just leaving it as a fast round and have done with it?

 

Dan

The 22.250 isint that bad a barrel eater nor much of a powder eater & you should get a fair amount of loads out a 1lb tub of powder. It can be more dangours to under load than over load your ammo. I would just look at the data for your powder & try its lowest load for accuracy or look through data manuels & look for what gives you the lowest velocitys & charge. You could step up to 55g heads as you use less powder for heavyer heads than light but what you save is nowt with this change but you may lower velocity a tiny bit hope it helps.

[1967spud]

if you cut back on the powder to much you can and will create more pressure than is safe for that case resulting in something going bang louder than usuall

 

for the ammount off powder you would save by using the .223 or .222 load data is negligible, use the 22-250 as its meant to be used

 

as for a quieter bang the .222 or .223 arnt much quieter to warrant this any way

 

 

have you got a moddy fitted?

 

are you handloading?

 

what ranges are you shooting at?

[bigun]

try N135 31.5 gn powder 55gn bullet 3300fps works well 85 % is the lowest you want to fill your cases 95% is the max, fill them any more and it will be a barrel burner

[Mossy-dog]

Cheers guys

 

I have a big T8 fitted and its not such an anti social rifle these days.

 

I thought that i would end up keeping it as a .22-250 is meant to be but it never hurts to ask the experts.

 

So far i havent been reloading as i had a whack load of factory stuff but that is running out so will be making some stuff up soon, we are doing the .222, .308 and .243

 

The ranges we shoot at arent anything special, rarely over 200yards and the fact that the .22-250 isnt more than an inch over or under all the way out is brilliant. so i dont want to lower the velocity just for the sake of it

 

Dan

[Chris-NZ]

.. fill your cases 95% is the max, fill them any more and it will be a barrel burner

 

 

Umm, somewhat inconsistent with everything I've ever read.

 

95-100% density loads are in fact a useful goal as a lot of spare case capacity only hurts consistent ignition.

Over-bore calibres and plain hot loads are the culprit on barrel life and factors such as case design, eg short necks, are also a small influence. Ball powder may be slightly nicer on barrels than extruded but by a small margin.

 

Chris-NZ

[grahamfarmer]

hi dan,

 

as already said down loading and under filling a case can be dangerous and bad for your health that is why power tables have a min load stated as well as a max. but by using the corect loads and powder you may find a safe load that is very accurate towards the lower end of the min charge for the relevant calabier and powder loads . if you do start loading your own you may find that you can get away with one powder at the moment i am using varget in my 223 ,243 , and 308 all giving me very accurate results not sure about the 222 but it may well suit varget as well as it was the parent case for the 223rem. you may well find listed in some loading mananuals data for subsonic loads using again slower powders than normal but still giving safe working pressures and enough case filling to avoid flash over . it can be said that several calibers are well known to lose accuracy to a small degree when chasing velocity but as we all know speed is not everything in this world .

 

 

graham

[Chris-NZ]

.. at the moment i am using varget in my 223 ,243 , and 308 all giving me very accurate results not sure about the 222 but it may well suit varget as well ..

graham

 

 

Varget (ADI 2208) is a bit slow for .223s. I occasionally use its faster brother 2206 but can't remember the number Hodgdon relabel it. No doubt about it - Varget is a very flexible powder. Use it in my 7-08, .308 and 6.5x47. Bit too fast for the .270

 

Chris-NZ

[325WSM]

I agree with all the above - do not use downloaded ammo in a 22-250 (or most other cals) but

you could cast your own bullets and then safely down load.

 

A 55gn cast bullet could use 7.7grn of Red Dot and offer 1797 fps

 

or if you wanted higher velocity try

 

28.8 grn WW748 for 2380fps

 

Full details can be obtained from the Lyman relaoding manual

[Mossy-dog]

Right then, thats that sorted then.

 

I have, by no stretch of the imagination the patience or the reloading experience to safely download the rifle so i will continue making standard velocity rounds and showing the .222 and .223 how a .22 c/f should perform. Whats a few fps between friends

 

Worth noting that i am more than happy by the .22-250 but was curious if it could go slower.

 

Dan

[menial 1]

Dan, my .223 shoots 75gr A-max brilliantly at 600yds and shoots 40gr Blitzkings into .3's at 100yds, what range of bullets will your 22-250 accurately shoot. My .243 cloverleafs 58gr V-max and pretty much the same with most 100gr bullets I loaded for it.

I shot a 1in14 twist 22-250 for years and found that although fast it wouldn't happily accept much of a change away from 50-55gr bullets.

Not knocking the 22-250, I think it's a cracking round, but other .22c/f's are equally as effective while using less powder and having generally a much longer barrel life than 22-250.

I'd have another for an NV rig like a shot if Norhtants were a little more relaxed about the number of fox cals. you can hold.

Pete.

[casts_by_fly]

sounds like you're pretty well set and decided. However if you decide that you want to try lowered power loads, Hodgdon lists reduced power loads on their data site for most cartridges. They use H4895 (I think) as it can be used down to 50 or 70% reduced in a lot of guns. Check their data site for actual loads.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[bigun]

Umm, somewhat inconsistent with everything I've ever read.

 

95-100% density loads are in fact a useful goal as a lot of spare case capacity only hurts consistent ignition.

 

 

 

fill your cases to over 95% and your gun then starts to burn barrels out.this is what iv read more than once on the net by guys who test guns ,loads ect for a living ..powders burn barrels out not bullets, more powder more burn more ware .

[325WSM]

Should anyone still wishh to go ahead with a reduced load using their 'standard' powders may I suggest the following.

 

As stated above one of problems with reduced loads is that the smaller powder charges settle every which way in the case, which can lead to swings in velocity, poor accuracy and even hangfires.

 

To prevent this, the powder charge should be kept tight against the primer flash hole. Use a filler such as Puff-Lon, which completely occupies the air space inside a case to hold the powder against the flash hole.

 

To use fillers, charge all your cases with powder, then set your powder measure to dispense the correct amount of filler to fill cases halfway up the neck. Seating the bullet compacts the filler and keeps the powder in place against the primer flash hole.

[Andrew]

The 22-250 is indeed a barrel burner so reduced loads are a good thing.

 

H-4895 can be loaded to 60% of maximum charge safely. If you want more density, try IMR-4831 at about 37 grains with a 50 grain bullet. Should land you just under, or at, the 3K mark for velocity.~Andrew

[Chris-NZ]

fill your cases to over 95% and your gun then starts to burn barrels out.this is what iv read more than once on the net by guys who test guns ,loads ect for a living ..powders burn barrels out not bullets, more powder more burn more ware .

 

 

I think you're confusing load density with total load.

 

Here's two scenarios:

- an appropriate powder at 100% density producing 50,000psi

- a (too) fast powder at 90% density producing excessive pressure, say 65,000psi

 

I know which load I'd be choosing for better barrel life.

 

I still maintain hot loads and over-bore cals are the main offenders in shortening barrel life. It's flame and high pressure that burn out throats. Load density per se in an insignificant variable in all this

 

Chris-NZ

[Alycidon]

[i'd have another for an NV rig like a shot if Norhtants were a little more relaxed about the number of fox cals. you can hold.

Pete.

 

That sounds like a good enough reason to me or are they saying shove the NV on your AR15 ?, I have got 2 for fox.

 

At the ranges we generally shoot at then using a downloaded round is not a bad thing. Accuracy is usually improved and point of impact is not that far out sub 300 yards.

 

A

[menial 1]

[i'd have another for an NV rig like a shot if Norhtants were a little more relaxed about the number of fox cals. you can hold.

Pete.

 

 

That sounds like a good enough reason to me or are they saying shove the NV on your AR15 ?, I have got 2 for fox.

 

At the ranges we generally shoot at then using a downloaded round is not a bad thing. Accuracy is usually improved and point of impact is not that far out sub 300 yards.

 

A

 

I have four with fox and deer on, so perhaps they think I'm taking the piss. When I asked for a 20cal upper and barrel for fox and vermin they said I'd have to give up the .223 to target only, they seemed to get the hump when I said I shoot targets with all my rifles, it's just that they run and jump about sometimes, don't think it went down to well.

Pete.

[TonyH]

.... 85 % is the lowest you want to fill your cases 95% is the max, fill them any more and it will be a barrel burner

I hadn't heard that before. AFAIK barrel life is more dependent on initial barrel quality, bullet seating, powder selection, powder burning temperature, rapidity of fire.... After 1100 rounds I measured enough throat erosion in my Rem 700VS 22-250 to knock accuracy very slightly compared with its original condition - I'm very fussy... When developing a load I always aim for the closest I can get to seating a bullet, having ascertained the best seating depth, so it kisses the top of the powder. This is what I would understand to be 100% - but maybe I'm wrong.

TonyH

[22/250 foxer]

i cant see the point of downloading your just going against what the 22/250 is ment for.

if you want it slower you mite as well get 223. i like the 22/250 as its flatter shooting and at night i find it works better. for me any how