40gr Bullets in 22-250?

[Arkyvarminter]

I can't get my groups any smaller with 50-55's. Is it worth a shot to try a few 40's?

 

[Puzzaz01]

What twist barrel?

 

[Arkyvarminter]

I'm shooting a trued Rem 700 and my groups are in the upper .3's. This rifle is not going to shoot .250's, or at least not consistently. I guess I need to go out and buy a factory rifle since everyone says their rifles will do it no problem...I"m not talking about you guys...I"m talking about the Facebook "Snipers"..

 

[Arkyvarminter]

What twist barrel?

1-14

 

[Sniper338]

Well... juat to throw out some info.. a 22-250 i had shot lights out with 52gr bergers and it was a 12 twist... yours being a 14 it may be worth a try... they will be smoking fast!

 

[cath8r]

My 700 vsf (blued, fluted h.s. Tan stock) shoots sub moa with 55gr vmax . Maybe 3/4" at 100.
Tried 40 gr vmax and it does slightly better.
I think it's tough as my reloading techniques are constantly evolving to pin down an exact cause of it not shooting up to my standards. I have bought a new powder measure and feel things are improving but it's been too windy to know for sure.... but things look like they're improving.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

My 700 vsf (blued, fluted h.s. Tan stock) shoots sub moa with 55gr vmax . Maybe 3/4" at 100.
Tried 40 gr vmax and it does slightly better.
I think it's tough as my reloading techniques are constantly evolving to pin down an exact cause of it not shooting up to my standards. I have bought a new powder measure and feel things are improving but it's been too windy to know for sure.... but things look like they're improving.

Same here. I'm using Lapua Brass and using a bushing die for consistent neck tension. I usually shoot 3 times until I get a good load and then shoot 5. I've never tried 40's but I guess I will. I hunt with 55's but my gun shoots 50's a little better..i think. I don't shoot anything smaller than coyotes and my hunting load shoots around a half or so. If I get some 40's, they'll just be paper punchers. I would like to shoot in a match some day but my rifle is so heavy I would be shooting against full bench guns and I know better than that. I am going to a match in August just to watch...if they allow it and i'm sure they do. Your right about the reloading though, it is a major part of good shooting..

 

[Swift4Yotes]

My factory Rem 14 twist all prefer 40 vmax over 50 and 55s.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

My factory Rem 14 twist all prefer 40 vmax over 50 and 55s.

You shooting flat base or boattail?

 

[Swift4Yotes]

I think all I have tried were v maxes so the 55's were flat, the 50s are boattail and the 40s are boattail. I may have tried some 50 and 55 nosler bts too but I'm can't remember. They also shot 40 Nosler bts well too. .6 or .7 ish area. I need to try some shorter hps without the plastic tips. Its been a couple years ago and that's when I first started loading and I have picked up a lot of knowledge since then regarding bullet length and twist etc. I've since aquire a couple swift that shoot the 55's well along with a couple 12 twist savages that like the first load of 53 vmax that I tried so the 14 twist rems got back burnered.

 

[gzig5]

Neither of my 22-250's cared for the 40's. One was a early 90's Rem 700 VSSF and the other a Savage M10 with a heavy barrel. But both would shoot consistent .4-.5" c-c five shot groups with 50-55 grain bullets. Your barrel may like them, or not. Only way to know is to try them. I'd be pretty happy with 3/8" five shot groups from any bullet for a varmint rifle but everyone has their own standards.

 

[Puzzaz01]

1-14

Sorry about my delay in responding........
I have (2) 22-250 rifles both built on a 700 actions, one is a Hart 1:14 and the other is a Lilja 1:14. Both of theses are used only for blowing apart varmints. My Lilja barrel loves the 40 grainers and my Hart barrel will not shoot them consistently. Who knows, you're just going to need to try it. I think that if you do find you like the accuracy of the 40 grainers, you'll definitely LOVE the explosive effects.

 

[benchracer]

I never got 55's to shoot well from my 14 twist 22-250. It did its best work with 50 VMAX and 52 AMAX, but still nowhere near what you are getting with 55's.

The standard 22-250 chamber has a lot of freebore. Both barrels I have had liked their bullets loaded to around 2.430", which was still about .080 off the lands.

I never tried 40's. My current 12 twist really likes 53 VMAX's and 69 SMK's, so I haven't tried anything else.

 

[bheadboy]

the twist of 14 is border line for the 55's as bullet length has a lot to do with it, I went to 13 twist to shoot 55Sierra bk for pd and it went in the .1-.2's you would be better as others have indicated try the 50-53's -- as to the 40's I never tried them, never regreted.

Bob