22-250 Fast Twist Hunting Bullet

[41rem]

Have a new Tikka that I'm planning on hunting with this fall. This will be my lightweight mule deer & antelope rifle.

I'm currently looking at Hornady 70 CX and the 80 ELD-X. Have Reloder 16 and Superformace powders to work with. Expect muzzle velocitys +3000 fps range

Anyone been down this path?


41

 

[Gary in MD]

I have the Tikka 8 twisted 22-250.
I’m shooting the 77 grain TMK @ a little under 3200 fps using IMR 4064. I’ll probably try a couple more powders this spring to see if I can bump up the velocity a little.
I’ve shot it at paper and steel out to 500 so far and I like the way it shoots. I’ve only shot a couple medium sized white tail deer and a fox so far. Testing is ongoing, just need more critters to volunteer.

 

[41rem]

Gary, did you get decent accuracy right off the bat?

I'm planning on putting 1 box of 64 grain Winchester power points thru the virgin barrel 1st. Then move to my reloads.

Have some 69 TMK and 80 ELD-M in the pipeline. Using new Sig brass

 

[STOMP442]

I would opt for bullet like the Berger or the Sierra TMK so that it would do as much damage as possible and not just pencil through.

 

[Gary in MD]

Gary, did you get decent accuracy right off the bat?

I'm planning on putting 1 box of 64 grain Winchester power points thru the virgin barrel 1st. Then move to my reloads.

Have some 69 TMK and 80 ELD-M in the pipeline. Using new Sig brass

My rifle, when new, shot ok but not great. It took about 75 rounds to “settle down”.
Somewhere in the mix, I bedded the action, floated the barrel, and put in a lighter trigger spring. It’s hard to tell how much if any of that stuff made a difference or if it would have settled down on its own. But that little light barreled rifle shoots like some heavy barreled rifles that I’ve seen.

 

[41rem]

I'm going to give mine about 100 rounds before I start messing with it. If it shoots 5 shots at or under 1 MOA with my custom reloads I'd be happy with that.


Most important to me is consistency, I hope the 1st cold bore shot goes into the same spot on multiple days

 

[ELR LVR]

Have a new Tikka that I'm planning on hunting with this fall. This will be my lightweight mule deer & antelope rifle.

I'm currently looking at Hornady 70 CX and the 80 ELD-X. Have Reloder 16 and Superformace powders to work with. Expect muzzle velocitys +3000 fps range

Anyone been down this path?


41

close
220 Swift Ackley Improved
85.5 Bergers or 80 JLK's (hold up well to the accelerated tight twist)
---Hornady 80 ELD'Ms blew up before reaching 100
3650 fps
Also shot 69 gr Sierra TMK's EXTREMELY well, like a bench rifle
In a 22-250 I'd definitely try the 69 TMK's, their BC almost allows them to glide between 500-800 yds

 

[Bill K]

Hammer, Barnes, LeHigh and others have some great bullets that would work well for you. But do not overlook the old Nosler Partition 60 grain .224 in the 22-250. It will do a good job on any deer or pronghorn, when place in the kill zone.

 

[dk17hmr]

I have shot several antelope with 22-250 using the old 80gr AMax @ 3050fps and the 62gr Barnes TTSX @ 3600fps.

Monolithic work better if you are planning on head shooting.

I have a 7 twist 22 creed now I havent been able to take it hunting yet but have 85.5gr Bergers @ 3225fps I'd definitely use.

 

[65swede]

This past weekend I tested loads with 77tmk over R17 in a 22" 8twist Tikka. OAL ~2.6" , 36.5-37gr node shot bugholes. 36.5gr load ES was 8fps, excellent velocity, and pressure was good.

 

[mic2377]

Either powder will likely work fine... My guess is that Superformance will get you more velocity, and RL16/H4350 will be a bit more accurate. Just went through the same load development in my 22 Creedmoor.

Another excellent bullet for these velocities is the Nosler 64 bonded. Not a very good BC but within 300 yards it expands very consistently but holds together. Basically the new Partition.

 

[Gary in MD]

This past weekend I tested loads with 77tmk over R17 in a 22" 8twist Tikka. OAL ~2.6" , 36.5-37gr node shot bugholes. 36.5gr load ES was 8fps, excellent velocity, and pressure was good.

Mind sharing your velocities? Thanks

 

[Clancy]

80.5 Berger is an awesome hunting bullet

 

[65swede]

Mind sharing your velocities? Thanks

Shot over Garmin

36.5gr avg 3294 - ES 8
37.0gr avg 3312 - ES 13
37.5gr avg 3345 - ES 21, this group opened up to ~0.7" (might have been me)

I didn't load any charges beyond 37.5. Pressure still looked good and I could work up to a higher charge but I'm sticking with the 36.5-37 node. SIG brass CCI200

I used QL to model this load @62000 max psi

 

[41rem]

Another excellent bullet for these velocities is the Nosler 64 bonded. Not a very good BC but within 300 yards it expands very consistently but holds together. Basically the new Partition.

I looked at that one, seemed to have been designed for AR-15 platforms & short yardage engagement. Kinda blunt.

 

[linebaugh]

88 elds worked for me on deer sized game at about 3000-3100 fps with broadside shots. Did not work on coyotes or bobcat reliably. 22 BRI and 22GT. Took one hog but it was a head shot so no real data.

 

[41rem]

This past weekend I tested loads with 77tmk over R17 in a 22" 8twist Tikka. OAL ~2.6" , 36.5-37gr node shot bugholes. 36.5gr load ES was 8fps, excellent velocity, and pressure was good.

65, how did you land on the OAL ~2.6"

 

[65swede]

65, how did you land on the OAL ~2.6"

2.6 oal puts ~.24" of shank into the neck and just so happens that the shank/boattail junction coincides with the neck/shoulder junction.

 

[65swede]

QL model predicted good case fill and 100% burn.

 

[65swede]

@41rem The prediction for Reloder 16 looks pretty good for the 80gr ELD-M, Full case and 100% Burn.