• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Got the Itchin' for a 22-250. Need a Little Input

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigDMT
  • Start date Start date

BigDMT

I have experience with 22-250's from past years, but I suddenly found myself wanting one once again because it will definitely outshoot my 20 cals in the wind when I'm after varmints at long range.

I normally would buy an action and custom barrel and put some $2000+ rifle together. But I don't have the time for that right now and the prairie dogs are runnin all over beat hell out there in this 70+ degree weather we are having.

So I am gonna get it in a factory rifle platform and just find a good load that shoots sub 1/2 MOA and shoot it the way it is til the barrel wears out, then re-barrel it with a custom pipe.

This is where I'd like some input. I've narrowed my choices down to 3 Contenders.
1. Sako A7 Stainless Synthetic
2. Thompson Center Icon Weathershield
3. Browning X-Bolt Stalker

Do any of you fellas have extensive experience with any of these? I have experience shooting Sako 75's, Browning BLR's and A-Bolt's, and TC Encore's and Venture's. And I loved all of those firearms, but I don't have experience with the listed "particular" models from those manufacturer's. Any input would be appreciated

And do any of you think running a 22-250 AI reamer in the barrel right off the bat would be worth the added brass life and speed?

Thanks in advance for input :)
 
Of the three listed I'd pick the Thompson just for the 12 twist barrel. That way you could shoot the 53 vmax. I don't have experience with any of them though. If you aren't set on just those three though I highly reccomend the Savage LRPV. It can be had in a 9 or a 12 twist. An proper ackley chamber is shorter than the standard caliber so in order to do it right the barrel would need to be set back. That's where the savage would really be nice.
Jason
 
I'm leaning towards the TC as well. Tighter twist is nice, but also like the picatinny rails machined into the receiver. Definite advantages over the other two rifles.
I like the Sako just because it's a Sako, need I say more? And I like the Browning because everything I've launched a bullet from that was made by Browning was a tack driver.

I have a couple Savage and Rem 700 rifles and they shoot awesome, but I really want the 3 lug bolt design that these all have in common. And the rifles I listed have a lot of other high end features and quality in areas that Savage and Remington lack.
 
As you have noted, the Savages do group very well. And its what comes out the end of the barrel that does the trick. I have a Savage 12, SS, 22-250 that will give me 1/2 MOA at 200 and less. The Montana p'dog towns hate to see me comin'. The Sierra Blitz bullet and H380 is where its at ;D!

Already have 1000 rounds ready to go in June to MT. Good luck to all varmint hunters,

Jim
 
If you're doing an ackley, the barrel needs to come off & the breach face & shoulder re-cut. If you want the lettering to match up, it needs to be 1 thread shorter. Sako would be my choice & I do like Ackleys. Brass life is great + more speed without to much extra throttle.
 
Larryh128 said:
If you're doing an ackley, the barrel needs to come off & the breach face & shoulder re-cut. If you want the lettering to match up, it needs to be 1 thread shorter. Sako would be my choice & I do like Ackleys. Brass life is great + more speed without to much extra throttle.

That Sako A7 wearing a price tag of $670 sure is tempting when you know just how nice and smooth a Sako action is. I think it also has 'dove tail' mounts machined into the top so even though I's be a little more limited with scope ring selection, the Sako still gives me a solid platform for scope mounting and proper scope to bore alignment. The less screws and pieces the better I say :)

One bad thing I read about the Sako A7's was the lack of rigidity in the synthetic stock. Anybody know if this is true and it's really that bad? Or just somebody comparing it to a McMillan quality stock?

I do realize the Ackley version requires more than just touching it up with a reamer. But that's no big deal. My smithy wouldn't charge me much to make it happen. Doubt it would even be a $100 bill. Good to hear that brass life does increase as I suspected.

Great input, keep it comin' :)
 
Take a good look at the Cooper Model 21 Varminter. They will build your rifle any way you want it; any chamber, length, twist, and the stock selection is wide open. And they shoot well.
 
tenring said:
Take a good look at the Cooper Model 21 Varminter. They will build your rifle any way you want it; any chamber, length, twist, and the stock selection is wide open. And they shoot well.

A big +1 for this reply. Do it right from the start, get a Cooper in 22-250 AI, I have a Phoenix, shoots one ragged hole at 100yds.
 
ready05 said:
tenring said:
Take a good look at the Cooper Model 21 Varminter. They will build your rifle any way you want it; any chamber, length, twist, and the stock selection is wide open. And they shoot well.

A big +1 for this reply. Do it right from the start, get a Cooper in 22-250 AI, I have a Phoenix, shoots one ragged hole at 100yds.

Got an uncle who has a cooper 17 Mach 4. Great shootin rifle, I did consider them for a bit, but the Cooper's are a little too pretty to be a "truck gun". AND over twice the cost of the rifles I have in mind. I forgot to mention that the models I chose are stainless with synthetic stocks so they can get beat around a bit in the truck while going off-road on a ranch to remote prairie dog towns. I'd rather spend $700 on a rifle I know will get beat up a bit versus spending $1500+ on a Cooper I know will get the same treatment.

Although Cooper makes extremely accurate rifles and are worth the money IMO, I know that with proper load development and tuning, I can also get 1/3 to 1/4 MOA or less from any of the cheaper rifles I have in mind. That's plenty good for P-dogs and coyotes. So my mind is pretty firmly set on the models I have in mind.
Thank you though :)
 
I have a Tikka T-3 Varmint in a 22-250 with a Leupold 6.5x20 EFR. Shot three 3 shot groups at 307 yds. this morning. 1.5" 1.5"and 1.25" Shooting Sierra 52 BTHP + 50 gr. V-MAX's. Getting divorced. About 150 rounds thru rifle. It needs a home. 336-516-4954

Accuracy loads out of Sierra manual.
 
If long range varminting is your goal, I'd without question go for the Remington 700 Varmint, stainless fluted barrel with H-S precision stock. This is a 1/2 moa gun with tailored reloads. It's not cheap but well worth the money in my opinion. I have one as does several of my fellow shooters, they all shoot terrific.

I have a Browning Varmint Stalker. Very accurate, trigger is ok but not great. The balance is really bad, the stock is too short and when carry it with sling it constantly slides back and is uncomfortable but it's one of the most accurate factory rifles I ever shot.

If you have the money, the Weatherby Mark V Accumark will probably take any concern you may have out of getting a lemon and you won't need a custom barrel to shoot sub moa. A great rifle but expensive. I have their Mark V Supervarmint master, (no longer made), unbelievably accurate for a factory rifle.
 
K22 said:
If long range varminting is your goal, I'd without question go for the Remington 700 Varmint, stainless fluted barrel with H-S precision stock. This is a 1/2 moa gun with tailored reloads. It's not cheap but well worth the money in my opinion. I have one as does several of my fellow shooters, they all shoot terrific.

I have a Browning Varmint Stalker. Very accurate, trigger is ok but not great. The balance is really bad, the stock is too short and when carry it with sling it constantly slides back and is uncomfortable but it's one of the most accurate factory rifles I ever shot.

If you have the money, the Weatherby Mark V Accumark will probably take any concern you may have out of getting a lemon and you won't need a custom barrel to shoot sub moa. A great rifle but expensive. I have their Mark V Supervarmint master, (no longer made), unbelievably accurate for a factory rifle.

Yeah, I have yet to see a Browning lemon. Everything I've owned or used that was made by them was and is extremely accurate.

I have a custom .204 Ruger with a Rem 700 action trued and blueprinted with a 26" stainless fluted VSSF II barely used take off barrel, a Badger ordinance recoil lug and trigger that breaks at 10-12oz and a Remington VSSF II vented varmint stock with Hogue grips. It's basically the same rifle you mentioned AND then some. Originally the rifle was a plain jane factory Rem 700 SPS with a whippy #2 contour barrel. Come a long way from it's original form. Great rifle, but I kinda want something different this time.

If you've ever felt a Icon or Sako action you know what I am talking about when I say you can feel the quality and smoothness just "oozing" out of them. Plus they look a lot sharper. Even the under sides in the stock are spit shined and polished with zero tooling marks.

Like I said, my mind is pretty well set on these 3 choices. More so for an adventure with a different type of high quality rifle. I've been there and done that with the various 2 lug actions actions of old. Rems are nice, but everybody and their son and their son's son has one (including myself). I love Savage rifles, but I already have a couple of those. Even though my Savage's are extremely accurate, I want something different this time. I have Ruger M77's in case that one comes up. Love them too, but don't want one for the 22-250 I have in mind. I have a custom $3000 358 Norma Mag so money is not an issue, I just don't see the sense in spending a ton on this new rifle for varmints when I already have a $1300 custom Savage 20 VarTarg and a $1000 semi-custom rem 700 204 Ruger.

Just looking for info on the rifles I mentioned, but thanks anyway fellas.
 
For me it would be Sako with anything else you mentioned in such a distance second place that they would not even be in consideration.

I have handled and shot the Sako A7 and I did not see an issue with the stock. True, it is a injection molded stock but it so much more rigid and solid than the usual injection molded stock that it is in a different league .

Then there is the Sako quality, easily adjustable trigger, quality barrel and of course the Sako accuracy.

I am hoping that Cabelas will have a special on them in the near future because I will be owning one when they do. I am still kicking my butt for not buying one last year - I was in the Boise Cabelas and they had them in 243 (only) for $450, the only thing that kept me from buying it was that I already had two other 243s and did not feel the need for another.

drover
 
I have experience with 22-250's from past years, but I suddenly found myself wanting one once again because it will definitely outshoot my 20 cals in the wind when I'm after varmints at long range.

I normally would buy an action and custom barrel and put some $2000+ rifle together. But I don't have the time for that right now and the prairie dogs are runnin all over beat hell out there in this 70+ degree weather we are having.

So I am gonna get it in a factory rifle platform and just find a good load that shoots sub 1/2 MOA and shoot it the way it is til the barrel wears out, then re-barrel it with a custom pipe.

This is where I'd like some input. I've narrowed my choices down to 3 Contenders.
1. Sako A7 Stainless Synthetic
2. Thompson Center Icon Weathershield
3. Browning X-Bolt Stalker

Do any of you fellas have extensive experience with any of these? I have experience shooting Sako 75's, Browning BLR's and A-Bolt's, and TC Encore's and Venture's. And I loved all of those firearms, but I don't have experience with the listed "particular" models from those manufacturer's. Any input would be appreciated

And do any of you think running a 22-250 AI reamer in the barrel right off the bat would be worth the added brass life and speed?

Thanks in advance for input :)

I have had a tc predator 22-250 and I love it.. I don't know if I just got lucky with this one but using 55gr vmax, 55gr SGK, jacket sp 55gr Remington and hornady sst 55gr I get the same roughly 1 moa at 400 yards using 41gr of H380 powder.
 
Barrett Fieldcraft .22-250 has a 1-7" twist barrel which I believe would be great for something like the 80gr Amax or ELD-M.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,989
Messages
2,226,263
Members
80,084
Latest member
H3NN13
Back
Top