Bullet recommendation 22-250 for rock chucks

[Brians356]

I have two chuck loads, a 6mm Rem w/ 70-gr TNT, and a 250 AI w/ 87-gr TNT.

I recently acquired a 22-250, and the following bullets in my collection will work in it WRT chamber freebore, seating depth, and twist rate:

50-gr V-max BT
53-gr V-max BT
55-gr Varmageddon FB
55-gr Sierra Blitz King BT

Which of these bullets would be best for rock chucks? (MV expected to be 3900 - 4000 fps range.)
-

 

[357Mag]

Brian -

Howdy !

FWIW -
For use on the Rockchuck's cousin; our .224" cal go-to varmint bullet for 425yd and under was/is Hornady's 55 SX SP.
We shot these in a hole slew of .22-250s, and also my .22-35 Remington wildcat. Despite the velocity warning Hornady has put in 55 SX boxes,
we were able to safely and successfully propel these to well past 3,500 fps ( from a 24" 1-14 5-groove ).

IMHO - 55SX bullet lethality was not exceeded by either the 55 "V"-Max or the 55 " Blitzking ", which are both very good bullets .


With regards,
357Mag

 

[swd]

Rock Chucks aren't hard to kill, I use a 17 Remington out to 400 yards. Pick whatever bullet shoots the best and have fun!

 

[Brians356]

I don't have any Sierra SXs or 17 Remingtons, chaps. I have more bullets than I can ever shoot up in what remains of my time topside, and more rifles already than I can recall where I hid them.

I'm not worried about killing the chucks, I just wonder which of these bullets will kill them most spectacularly.
-

 

[stacy]

THOSE 53GR VMAX'S WILL MAKE A FINE MESS!!!!!!!! I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM THOSE LEAD TIP BULLETS THEY DO FINE UNTIL THAT TIP GET A LITTLE DEFORMED AND U DONT KNOW WHERE YOUR AT THEN OR THATS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE

 

[bheadboy]

THOSE 53GR VMAX'S WILL MAKE A FINE MESS!!!!!!!! I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM THOSE LEAD TIP BULLETS THEY DO FINE UNTIL THAT TIP GET A LITTLE DEFORMED AND U DONT KNOW WHERE YOUR AT THEN OR THATS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE

my go to for the 22-250 has been for years the 55 Sierra BK and in shortage the 50bk, the accuracy is great and they explode out to 550-600 as best I can tell,

Bob

 

[Brians356]

I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM THOSE LEAD TIP BULLETS THEY DO FINE UNTIL THAT TIP GET A LITTLE DEFORMED AND U DONT KNOW WHERE YOUR AT THEN OR THATS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE

None of the bullets I listed has a lead tip, but thanks, noted.
-

 

[Brians356]

In my rifle the 40s and most 50-grs are too short to seat within hailing distance of the lands (exception: 50-gr V-max.)

The 53s and 55s can reach the lands and still have plenty of neck engagement. The 60-gr V-max, at the lands, intrudes into the shoulder area.

Then there's the 1-14 twist, which is getting iffy even at the 55s.

I will first test 53-gr Vmax and 55-gr BK, see which one is most accurate.
-

 

[stacy]

BRIAN356 I KNOW YOUR BULLETS ARE NOT LEAD TIPPED SOME OTHER GUYS TALKED ABOUT LEAD TIPPED I WOULDN'T SHOOT THEM IF I WHERE YOU IT WOULD BE ONE OF THE V MAXS BULLETS OR ONE OF THE MATCH HP! ANYWAY THAT MY EXPERIENCE

 

[stosh]

My Favorite bullet for 22-250's ar the Hornady 50gr Vmax. Several of the guys I PD hunt with shoot the same load in their guns. Please work up to it! My pet load is 36.0gr IMR 4895 that provides a MV of 3800fps. I used to live in Upstate NY where I did a lot of woodchuck hunting and these bullets are deadly. Use them on Prairie dogs also and they make red mist! My gun in it's prime would shoot in the .1's with this load!

 

[chuckshooter]

my favorite bullet for 22-250's is 50 vmax .. I scored on a huge pile of zmax's at a real good prices in boxes of 500. how ever when I was working up some loads for my latest 22-250 I had some factory 55gr I was using to foul the barrel and they shot soo good that i went with 55gr nosler bt on that gun..***....but when I am chuck shooting it's 220 swift time and 50 gr noslser bt. at 4087 fps ...out to 450 yds beyond 450 yds I shoot a 6mm AI with 87 gr vmax at 3550 fps .. they blow up pretty good out to about 700yds...

 

[Shaggy357]

I used a Nosler 52gr BTHP on the ones that I wanted to see fly. A friend of my dads liked to eat the young ones. I had to use a FMJ 55gr and head shots to keep any meat on the bones. Had the 22-250 ammo in my hand yesterday. Even picked up the rifle. Have not had both in hand at the same time in over 8 years....darn...I am getting old....too long between shots with some of these fine guns...... Might have to go shoot it now.

 

[rmr]

if those 4 are the choices, (and they are all good bullets for chucks) pick whatever has the best balance of accuracy and velocity. pushed hard, any of them will hammer a chuck.

in my 40x, (22-250) the 50vmax shot so well, that I bought a truckload of them. (almost literally) I'll be dead and gone long before the stash gets depleted. several of my other .224's prefer the 50vmax as well.

 

[A_Gamehog]

With your 14 twist you can shoot the lead core bullets up to 55 grains. For me the 52 match bullets and 8208XBR shot the best and hammered the P-Dogs. The 53 V-Max and 55 V-max are too long.

 

[AckleymanII]

Brian, the 53g V max takes a 12 twist, and the 55g Sierra Blitz king is border line on needing a 12 twist, you will just have to try and see.

I like 55g for chucks, and the 55g Varm are very accurate and boy do they blow!!!

 

[P72]

As mentioned if your barrel has a 1-14 use the 50 VMax if a 1-12 or faster use the 53 VMax. I shoot 53 Vmax's in a 7.7 and 8 in my 22-250 with good results

 

[Brians356]

As mentioned if your barrel has a 1-14 use the 50 VMax if a 1-12 or faster use the 53 VMax. I shoot 53 Vmax's in a 7.7 and 8 in my 22-250 with good results

Thanks, guys. I will start with 50 V-max, and probably stop with it, too.
-

 

[stosh]

For what it's worth, my buddy I hunt Prairie dogs with shot the 50gr Vmax in his savage 22-250 and it shot 1/2" groups until one day when he severely over heated the barrel in a hot day at Prairie dog land. The bullets started coming apart as soon as they left the barrel! I suspect it was the throat was eroded and rough! We had some 50 Sierra BT and tried them and these held together ok, I suspect they are a little heavier jacketed than the Vmax's. It still shoots under an inch, and that surprises the hell out of me. The barrel got so hot the blue on the barrel from the chamber to about 12 " changed color!

 

[IdahoCTD]

IMO if you want spectacular kills on chucks you need to get up to at least a 6mm of some flavor. I shoot a 243AI with 105's at 3250fps when I shoot a small caliber. 7mm and .30 magnums are that much better. When you can spray the insides of one all over the rocks/brush or launch it 20+ feet in the air it gets entertaining. Amax's going fast from a magnum case will blow your mind at what they can do. If you try it and start giggling like a school girl you can thank me .

 

[Chief 101]

i have been using the 53 vmax and it shreds them at around 200yds. I think muzzle velocity is just over 3900fps. I don't think any of your options mentioned are a bad choice...