Savage pre-fit 22-250 barrel?

[justinp61]

Guys I just picked up a LH Savage mdl 11 in 308 to build a light weight coyote rifle out of. I already have a Savage mdl 12 FVSS in 22-250 that shoots great, but at 11 1/2 pounds it's not a good walking around gun, plus it's RH. The mdl 12 has a 1-12 twist barrel and shoots 55gr Sierra Gamekings very well. So most likely the new barrel will be 1-12 also, maybe 1-10 at most. I have plenty of the 55 grain Sierras so I'd like to use them in both rifles.

I'll probably get a light varmint contour over a pencil barrel, no more difference than there is in weight I'd like the stiffness, I think.

So, who's barrel would you recommend and how long? No Shaw.

Thanks, Justin

 

[Mark W]

I would call Jim at Northland and get a Criterion.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

OP, you might look at, the Criterion NSS Heavy Sporter in 24 " they are,. Sweet !
Stiff enough to shoot well, but still reasonable, Weight !

 

[Bad Mojo]

Is McGowen pre-fit still a thing? They never had anything I ever wanted in stock so it was pretty much a custom order at that point. If they would have ever had stock on-hand, it would be a good concept.

 

[A_Gamehog]

I’ve bought 5 McGowens over the years with excellent quality and accuracy. That said I paid 425 for a 26” fluted barrel 4 years ago. When I lived in Brookings 25 years ago I bought barrels from PacNor. PacNor just got back on their feet after a catastrophic fire. New equipment and shop.
24” pac-nor tube. https://pac-nor.com/
1-9 twist
53 VMax
Varget
CCI LRP

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

We put a Shilen prefit on my BIL Savage 110(22-250) 1/12, it shoots very well. Purchased from Northland.

 

[justinp61]

Thanks guys, lots of choices.

I was just talking to my shooting buddy and he said he's had good luck with Shilen. I'm leaning toward something 24", 1-12 twist, SS with a threaded muzzle with a profile along the lines of a Savage Varmint.

 

[tiny68]

If you are going to stick with the 55 gr bullets then go with the 1:12. If you want to shoot longer ranges you might need to consider a faster twist. I have 1:8, 1:9, and 1:12 twist barrels in 22-250. The 1:12 is a 24" and shoots the 52 and 55s good enough. It is a Shaw but it is the roughness barrel I own. I did a lot of work bore paste trying to smooth it out before I fired the first round. It was actually my first Pre-Fit and I purchased it on clearance for $69 to get the barrel nut wrench and the gauge set. I was surprised by the performance. I wouldn't buy another Shaw. It copper fouls bad. My 1:9 is a Shilen 26" that I use to shoot the 69 SMK (favorite) and the 75 AMax. If I am taking 300-500 yard shots this is my preferred coyote gun. I also have a 1:8 28" PacNor that I built to shoot +500 yds with the 77 Bergers and 80 SMK. I never got anything I was super pleased with the PacNor. Need to go back it try different loads. Lot of possibilities with a 22-250 when you vary twist and bullets.

Luck in your choice, Tim

 

[justinp61]

I've killed groundhogs out to 470 yards with the Sierra 55 grain Gamekings. How far will they be effective on coyotes?

 

[tiny68]

A 55 gr Vax launched at 3,800 fps has dropped to around 1900 fps at 500 yds which is still 435 ft-lbs or so. Is that enough to kill a coyote... yes.. no...? I killed at least a dozen coyotes as a kid with a 22 Mag at ranges up to 100 yards with a muzzle energy of just over 300 ft-lbs. Yes I probably lost a couple that ran off injured. I have also shot a coyote at point blank range with a 270Win using 90 gr Speer TNTs at 3500 fps. The impact was mid-torso and it almost blew the coyote in half. Using its front legs it still managed to crawl more than a 50 yds before the heart ran out of blood. I personally want the higher ballistic coefficient bullets at longer ranges for higher maintained energy and more important reduced wind impact. A 22 cal bullet gets blown a long ways at 500 yards in a 10 mph crosswind. Luck, Tim

 

[justinp61]

I ordered a Shilen Stainless Select Match, 24", 1-12 twist.

Thanks guys.

 

[markT]

I put a 26” Shilen on my Savage. It likes 50 gr Vmax.
I called Shilen last week and they had a 5 month delivery on an Accunut bbl for Rem 700. Went with Bartlein in stock.
Cost me $55/ lb.

 

[justinp61]

This barrel was in stock at Northland, should be here early next week.

 

[swimster]

I have gotten several barrels from Jim and have been very happy with the fit and accuracy.

 

[justinp61]

The barrel is on but has about .0005"-.001" too much headspace so it'll taken apart and adjusted. It picked up 1lb 3oz going to a two inch longer varmint contour, 8lb 10oz now ready to shoot.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

@ justinp61,
I head spaced my New, NSS Prefit, Criterion, Heavy Sporter, 6 XC barrel on, a NEW un-fired, Norma case ( to close easily ) and set the Bolt, very TIGHTLY, on the "Go gage". The Bolt, is just barely starting to, close on, the "GO gage" as, I used it like, a NO go ! There's, NO stretch/ movement on, the fired cases and they size PERFECTLY in a Forster sizer. Every Bullet I've tried so far, is shooting, Sub 1/2 MOA and the 108 Berger Elite Hunter's are, in the 3's, on my 2nd attempt, to Tune.
But, I will NEVER be shooting anything, but MY Handload's, in this Rifle ( NO factory ammo ).
Oh, by the way, I use Lithium Grease, on the Action Threads and de-grease barrel thread & Nut, then, Loctite the Nut on !

 

[6MMsteve]

I would call Jim at Northland and get a Criterion.

yep Criterion is a good way to go

 

[6MMsteve]

@ justinp61,
I head spaced my New, NSS Prefit, Criterion, Heavy Sporter, 6 XC barrel on, a NEW un-fired, Norma case ( to close easily ) and set the Bolt, very TIGHTLY, on the "Go gage". The Bolt, is just barely starting to, close on, the "GO gage" as, I used it like, a NO go ! There's, NO stretch/ movement on, the fired cases and they size PERFECTLY in a Forster sizer. Every Bullet I've tried so far, is shooting, Sub 1/2 MOA and the 108 Berger Elite Hunter's are, in the 3's, on my 2nd attempt, to Tune.
But, I will NEVER be shooting anything, but MY Handload's, in this Rifle ( NO factory ammo ).
Oh, by the way, I use Lithium Grease, on the Action Threads and de-grease barrel thread & Nut, then, Loctite the Nut on !

that's exactly how I set headspace on my savages, a little snuggie on the go just a tad

 

[6MMsteve]

take your headspace gauge and measure it in your shoulder gauge then set headspace accordingly with your cases also, I get very good results this way. brass hardly moves until bout 3rd round of shooting maybe .001 to .0015

 

[6MMsteve]

I've shot a few groundhogs at 500 with 22250 with 52bthp a couple at 650 it's runnin out of gas a 650..actually I would step up to 6mm for out to a 1000..now a 220 swift with 75 gr bullets in a 1n9 twist could be a mean machine at the 800 yd range or more maybe