22-250 bullet setting

[mikeincool]

I have a 12 bvss 22-250 and I am very happy with how it shoots. My question is....My groups are only good if I have the bullets in the rifles. I am using hornady v-max 55 gr. The TOL it around 2.255 before they go in the gun. Is it normal to have to do this? I only questioned the length after I had a bullet stick in my barrel at a competition. When I went back to the reloading manual's length, I shoot a 1.25 group. I was at .5-.4 before.

 

[fdshuster]

Mike: When you say 'when I have the bullets in the rifle', I'm assuming you mean when the bullets are seated in the case so they are 'into the lands' when the bolt is closed? If that is true, then yes, they probably will stick in the rifling if the bolt is opened without firing the round, as in 'make the range safe'. I have used the Hornady chamber overall length gage,s) to determine the proper bullet seating depth for all my rifles. If your seating depth is based on a dimension given in a reloading manual, then you are loading for 'one-size-fits-all', not your particular chamber. Get the Hornady tool, with a modified case and find, and record) the actual depth of your rifles throat. Also provides a good reference for future use, as you are able to monitor erosion, and seat the bullets further and further out. The loading manual O.A.L. is providing you with a LOT of 'jump', the result being larger groups, and also lower velocities. For ammo loaded for match competition,, NRA Hi-Power and CMP matches), my slow fire, single-loaded rounds will have the bullets close, but not touching & I've never had a bullet stick in the chamber when a 'make the range safe' command is given.

 

[mikeincool]

I saw the Hornady gauge at cabela's the other day, but did not know much about it. Next time I may buy one. I have been shooting for over 30 years and that was the first time I have ever left a bullet in a chamber. The bad part is that my gun is not as good with the bullet back. Do you think if it was touching but not in the rifles, it would work?

 

[fdshuster]

Mike: Yes, pick up the Hornady chamber O.A.L. tool, the straight one, not the curved for lever actions & semi-autos like an M1, along with a 22-250 modified case. Just to give you an idea of cost: Sinclair sells them for $35, plus $5.50 for the modified case. Midway/MidSouth may be a few dollars less. When I have a new barrel chambered I collect all the various bullets I intend to use in that rifle, the Hornady tool, and my log book for that rifle. I then take throat depth measurements, seated-to-touch, and record all those dimesions. From then on it's a very simple & quick procedure to adjust the Forster Ultra micrometer seating die,s) to any exact seating depth I may choose, usually just lightly touching for the BR ctgs., and mostly .020' off-the-lands for the varmint type rounds. Over the passage of time, and number of rounds fired, it's very interesting to watch the throat 'grow' longer from throat erosion. From years of doing this, I can reliably say that a 243 Win. barrel will be good for approx. 1400 rounds, and a 22-250 will start to go downhill anytime after about 2300 or so. By that time, the throats are so deep, it is no longer possible to seat them to anywhere even close to touching, and still keep them in the case neck, deep enough to have proper neck tension. I don't want to keep rambling on, so if you have any questions/comments, feel free to send a PM. Frank