Bergara 22-250 18" 1:9 twist load recommendations for predators

[FireKracker50]

Hello All
I recently purchased a Bergara Wilderness Hunter FSP 18" 1:9 twist. I have about 100 rounds down the tube now.
I have shot:
Hornady 50 Superformance. This Averages 3969 out of my 26" 1:14 twist around half MOA. Its shooting 3742 and around 1MOA out of this gun.
Hornady Varmint Express 50gr - poor accuracy out of both guns.
PPU 55gr SP - ok out of both guns not great.
Winchester 55gr BT - around 1.25" groups out of this gun.

I have been working on handloads for the 53gr V-max with H4895. Haven't found anything great yet. Velocity is topping around 3800fps with first pressure signs. Doing ladder test impacts start getting wild above 37gr ~3750fps. At 37gr I am getting right at 1" groups. I am going to try 35-36 in 0.02gr increments to see if i can find something in that range. It looks pretty stable during ladder test. But that will put me at only 3500-3600fps.
I performed ladder test on 60gr Nosler BTV and got up to 3588fps @ 36.3gr H4895. Shot a 3 shot group at 35.3gr averaged 3471fps but was 1.77" group. It was pretty stable during ladder test around 34.3-35gr. I may look for something there but that is only 3350-3425fps
I am looking for something as flat shooting as possible with good terminal performance. This is going to be my thermal coyote hunting rig. My pet loads for my 26" 1:14 twist will only shoot 1-1.5" groups in this gun.
I'm going to be testing Hammer 50HBC, 69 SMK, 69 Tipped Varmint King, and 62gr Varmagedon HP.
I've only been testing H4895 thus far thinking it will give me my best velocities from that short barrel. I need the powder to be temp stable. But i am thinking of also testing H322, Varget, Staball Match, H4350, and SB6.5.

If anyone has any pet loads that have great terminal performance and shoot great out of 1:9 twist please let me know. I'm looking for as much info as i can get.

I will also be bedding this stock soon. The stock leaves a lot to be desired and may end up getting changed out for an Iota Evo X, especially if i can find a good deal on one.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

What do the groups look like? Strings, double grouping, doesn't sound like round shape is possible. What are you shooting off of? Are you using the thermal scope for load development?

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

The 69 grain SMK's ARE accurate, from my 1-8 Twist, 22", .22-250 Rem, w/ 36.3 and 37 .2 gr's of, IMR 4350.
Bullet "Set" .050 above, the N /S Junction ( .050- .055 of, "Jump" )
NOT screamin',.. BUT,.. very "Accurate"
The 60 gr. V-Max and 60 gr. NBT's are, worth a Look also, w/ a Fast Powder like, H-4895 or IMR 8208xbr.
Zero for,.. 200 or, 250 Yards on, Yotes.
Glass Bed from, the Tang to, 1 1/4" of the Barrel's "Shank" Portion & Free float the rest of, Barrel.
You group's "Should", Shrink

 

[Gary in MD]

36 - 36.5 grains of Varget and 55 grain plastic tipped bullet - Sierra, Nosler, Hornady

 

[tjtjwdad]

WRT to the velocity, I would imagine the faster twist will degade the bullet speed to some degree or another. I woulk thing bullet weights between 50 and 70 grains would be fine for that barrel twist.

As far as bullets, powder and primers, you may have to try different combinations to get what the rifle likes. Make sure everything is tight and whether the groups are stringing verticle, horizontal, diagnoally or are they square, triangle or round.

 

[longridgehunter]

53gr vmax over Staball 6.5 powder.

 

[pdhntr]

Hello All
I recently purchased a Bergara Wilderness Hunter FSP 18" 1:9 twist. I have about 100 rounds down the tube now.
I have shot:
Hornady 50 Superformance. This Averages 3969 out of my 26" 1:14 twist around half MOA. Its shooting 3742 and around 1MOA out of this gun.
Hornady Varmint Express 50gr - poor accuracy out of both guns.
PPU 55gr SP - ok out of both guns not great.
Winchester 55gr BT - around 1.25" groups out of this gun.

I have been working on handloads for the 53gr V-max with H4895. Haven't found anything great yet. Velocity is topping around 3800fps with first pressure signs. Doing ladder test impacts start getting wild above 37gr ~3750fps. At 37gr I am getting right at 1" groups. I am going to try 35-36 in 0.02gr increments to see if i can find something in that range. It looks pretty stable during ladder test. But that will put me at only 3500-3600fps.
I performed ladder test on 60gr Nosler BTV and got up to 3588fps @ 36.3gr H4895. Shot a 3 shot group at 35.3gr averaged 3471fps but was 1.77" group. It was pretty stable during ladder test around 34.3-35gr. I may look for something there but that is only 3350-3425fps
I am looking for something as flat shooting as possible with good terminal performance. This is going to be my thermal coyote hunting rig. My pet loads for my 26" 1:14 twist will only shoot 1-1.5" groups in this gun.
I'm going to be testing Hammer 50HBC, 69 SMK, 69 Tipped Varmint King, and 62gr Varmagedon HP.
I've only been testing H4895 thus far thinking it will give me my best velocities from that short barrel. I need the powder to be temp stable. But i am thinking of also testing H322, Varget, Staball Match, H4350, and SB6.5.

If anyone has any pet loads that have great terminal performance and shoot great out of 1:9 twist please let me know. I'm looking for as much info as i can get.

I will also be bedding this stock soon. The stock leaves a lot to be desired and may end up getting changed out for an Iota Evo X, especially if i can find a good deal on one.

Thanks in advance for any help

I have built two 22-250s for coyotes, both for use out west and the guys are very happy, with a couple kills in excess of 600 yards. I tested the bullet on as many coyotes as I could find before choosing it. Both are centered around the 60 Sierra TMK. The barrels were 12 twist and worked well, but Sierra has for some time now recommended a 10 twist. Your 9 should do well. The 60 TMK is also the most accurate bullet I have tested in my two 12 twist 22-25 prairie dog rifles.

The TMK has a slightly heavier jacket than their TVK and does well on coyotes. I can't recall any splashes and there were not many pass-throughs.

Powders I found best were Varget and H-4350.

Jim

 

[centerlineseal]

w/ 36.3 and 37 .2 gr's of, IMR 4350.

NOT screamin',.. BUT,.. very "Accurate"

My "go to" powder for the last 40 years in 22-250 Took that long to burn out the factory Ruger 77V barrel. Now sports a Hart.

 

[FireKracker50]

Im load testing off front rest and rear bag. Not using thermal for load development.
And most of the groups are fairly round. Confirmed torque on everything. My SDs are pretty poor. I may take the bolt apart polish the firing put and put in the same Tubb's opposing rotation spings that i run in my VSSF II 22-250.

Found something tolerable to hunt whats left of this season with 53Vmax seated 0.020" off lands over 35.3gr H4895. 3550fps in 18inch gun. 3600fps in my buddies 20inch gun. Averaging 0.8-0.9" groups in both guns.

The rest of the bullets I want to test just came in. ill start playing with the Hammer 50 HBC first. Then move on to the 69 SMK. I may revisit the 60 Nosler BTV as well as the 60 TMK.

Any more pet loads especially if they are fast and temp stable I'm interested in hearing. Fast/Flat, temp stable, 0.5" or better groups is what I'm looking for. So im hesitant to go as heavy as 69gr. But if it shoots lights out at the high end of pressure then that may be where I end up.

 

[FireKracker50]

It seems like the firing pin is slightly different than my rem700 once I got it apart. I made another post in the gunsmithing forum asking about using the tub springs in it. Also loaded up ladders with h322 and h4895 in 50HBC last night. Hope to shoot soon.

 

[alf]

My favorite coyote bullet is the Berger 52 grain Match....(not varmint)