22-250 AI load

[Jeff Von Rosenberg]

Been playing with my new PD rifle but haven't found a satisfactory load 1-12 28" Krieger. I'm shooting 52 grain SMK's trimmed and pointed. I'm not a speed freak just want a accurate load, this is a custom built rifle on a Preditor action Jewel trigger laminated stock pillar and full bed. Built by a top gunsmith. This rifle should be capable of 1/4 at 100, but haven't got ther yet. I have a good assortment of powder so shoot me a load ( pun intended!) I am touching lands at 2.02 base to ojive measured with a Davidson seating depth tool. .013 necks sized with a .249 bitching and run back over a .222 expander mandrel for a .002 neck tension , consistant 24-26 lb seating pressure as measured with a 21st Century hyd bullet seater. Win brass is sorted and weighed with full prep.I hope that's enough info. I do have some Nosler 55grain Varmegedon FB and some 50 grain A-Max's and a few 50 grain Bergers, but I prefer the Sierras as I have a bunch and the are sorted trimmed and tipped.Any tried and tested info appreciated.

 

[SmokinJoe]

Don't have much more than some suggestions, but here they are. I have a couple of these in custom rifles, but haven't shot them in years as I've fallen in love with little stuff like 20 VarTarg. 1st I would suggest that you try some 53 V-Max bullets if you can find them; they offer a great combo of accuracy & BC, but 12 twist sometimes won't stabilize them. I found my best varmint loads with AA2700 & 50 or 55 gr bullets, but would try Alliant 2000MR additionally nowadays. I think you will be pretty safe with 220 Swift reloading data as a reference for the 22-250AI. Only problem I see with that round is it's overbore capacity will take out the throat pretty quickly. Good luck, Joe

 

[SDWhirlwind]

When I was shooting a 22/250AI using a factory rechambered 222 barrel with a few small rust pits it shot way better than it should or I ever expected. Several dozen yotes out to 410yds. Load was 39gr of IMR4895 with Nosler 50BT, Win brass and primer. .020 off. Believe it or not, best 3 shot group was .154 with 1/2" very regular. One would expect this as being a fluke barrel as far as factory stuff goes. Velocity over my Oehler 35P runs 3700fps and change.

 

[bheadboy]

I have a couple of suggestion
use the Sierra 55 blitzking jumping .020" - no adjusting the bullet
use 9 1/2 primers
use h414 working up from 39Gr to see where it tightens up
take fired case and adjust die to bump no more than.003
when you said pillar and "full bed, did you mean the barrel as well as the action/recoil lug area?
if so I would open the bbl chanel

Bob

 

[vlcakc]

You don't mention the results that you have achieved, so it's difficult to know how much improvement you expect. As one who has experimented pretty extensively with HV varmint cartridges, including the .22/250 AI, in the past, achieving 5-shot groups in the 2's consistently can be a very difficult challenge. Even with a rifle as high quality as yours. Not saying it cannot be done, but it certainly won't be easy. You may well shoot your barrel out during testing. I liked 55 or 60 gr bullets in my .22/250 AI with 1/12 twist Shilen barrel on a Wichita BR action for high volume PD shooting. I could occasionally get groups in the 2's, but was very satisfied with consistent sub-half inch accuracy under field conditions. PD's, even pups, out to 500 yds were in very serious trouble with this rig. (The lay of the land on the PD towns we shot on didn't permit much longer shots anyway.) With lighter bullets, such as the 52 and 53 gr SMK's i tended to use ball powders, H-414/W760 or AA2700 due to ease of powder measuring. As mentioned previously .220 Swift data are a good starting point. Good shooting! Vic

 

[Jeff Von Rosenberg]

No the barrel is not bedded. So far the best groups have been about an inch. Both loads would shot 3 out of 5 in one hole and the other 2 high. No real evident vertical. 52sSMK over 38.9 grains of 4064 ave 3999 but I am at 4660 ft. Second load was 55 grain Varmegeddon FB over 34.25 grains of 3031 at 3650 . Both loads 3 in a ragged hole 2 out.

 

[Ackman]

I shoot 50's through mine. Two best powders in this case have been Win 760 and Reloder 15. The Winchester is very good, Reloder 15 is even better...faster/more accurate . Through the 28" barrel gun, with 40+gr/RL15, 50's are doing 4245 with very good accuracy. Hart barrel, 14" twist, zero freebore, .250"nk, PMC brass, CCI250 or R9-1/2. Bullets are seated .005-.010" off the lands.

Your 55gr loads should be doing 4000.

 

[vlcakc]

One inch groups with a rifle built to quality standards like yours would be a big disappointment. It should do much better. Split groups sometimes are a result of bedding problems. However, it sounds like yours is bedded properly. You might try the old loosening the action screws while watching the action for movement test to see if the action is under any stress. Too hot loads also sometimes can cause split groups. I never had any 4064 to try even though it has long been a favorite for .22/250 and Swift. IMHO 3031 is too fast burning to be effective in the .22/250 AI. The 3031 may be accurate, but won't achieve the velocities the slower burners will. Might back down on the 4064 load a bit to see if there is any improvement. Powders in the 4350 burning range typically give good all around performance in the .22/250 AI. Good luck. Vic

 

[Prairiedogger]

I'm shooting a 28" shilen full 1" barrel. I found 39gr's of W748 with the 52gr A-max too be a very accurate load for this rifle. I'm right at
4000fps. Put the Leopold Varmint Hunter VX3 on top. When Hornady stopped making the A-max I went to the 53gr V-max with the same
load. Moved it back from the lands .002. My longest p-dogs is 660yd. Two dogs two shots.

 

[skeetlee]

split groups in my world means the load is to hot!! Lee

 

[sundance]

My rifle settled on 52 gr hornady BTHP bullets over 39 grains of Varget for 3900 fps. OAL is 2.400 inches so it is nowhere near the lands.I shot some prairie dogs today with it out east of Pueblo.Dowling built the rifle 10+ years ago.

 

[Baka]

40.7 grs. ww748 at 4000 fps. 40 gr. v-max. A.I.s like to be pushed fast. Very accurate.

 

[AckleymanII]

Have the 12 twist currently and 12 twists previously. I use the lowly RCBS dies, nothing special. I do turn my necks as my reamer is a .250 dia.

My loads shoot very tiny groups with the 55's using Win 760, fed 210 primer in Rem brass, with 44.5-45.0g, yours may be different, so work up, velocity in my 26" barrel is 4150 fps. 53g V max does stabilize in the 12 twist Rem SPS 223, so I will try it next in this rifle.

Good luck