Looking for a new fast twist 224 caliber to play with.

[Laurie]

Footage from Expert-Tube shows 22-Creedmoor has very short Barrel Life.

........... as will 22-250 and 224-6.5X47L. Canadian F-Class shooters adopted the 22-250 shooting 80gn Sierra MKs in 1:8 twist barrels in the very dawn (pre F-TR introduction) of the discipline. Barrel accuracy life was around 900 rounds it was said, 1,100 at most. Running the 10% higher capacity and much stronger X47L case at higher pressures and with 90s vice 80s, it'll be considerably worse. I read somewhere that hardly any of the Canadian F shooters rebarrelled with another 22-250 when the first was shot out thanks to this factor - MVs and precision were fine, but just too expensive in a high round count discipline. (Bear in mind too that like us in the UK, Canadian sling and F shooters pair-shoot which is much kinder to barrels than US string shooting.)

A lot therefore depends on the discipline and its annual round counts. A hot 224 makes more sense in BR than in F-Class (where the competition in F/O is the 284 and other 6.5s and sevens that will always offer better external ballistics than any 224 in any event as well as better barrel life). A friend uses a .22 Dasher 'Light Gun' for 600 BR shooting 80gn VLDs and puts up some excellent groups and aggs and has had a lot of class wins and match smallest groups with it at this distance. That's probably as large a case as I'd consider for the calibre, and the various BRs also have small primer / flash-hole cases (as does the 6.5X47L and some makes of Creedmoor) which I'd also want. There's a lot to be said for the plain .22BR version though.

 

[McFred]

I'm finding that > 3200fps is risky with 90 and 95 SMKs in a 30" 1:7 four-land Krieger SS palma barrel. Many of the bullets are not making it to the target. So far round count is only fifty-five (55). I've gotten the 95SMKs up to 3334fps but they're not reliable. So keep that in mind for your heavy-for-caliber .224 play-thing.

One of the Hornady techs I talked to said that their 88ELDs handle 3400fps in .22 C'more in a 7 twist. I have some on order for testing.

 

[284winner]

I decided on going with a straight 22-250, 3 groove 8 twist with Cryo treatment. Components will be really easy to find. I'll be feeding it from a AICS magazine so I'm not too interested in the extremely heavy/long bullets for this caliber.

I'm shooting the 80 ELDs from a box mag and they are fine. They are 2.750 OAL and do just fine in that mag. I have both a standard 22-250 and the Ackley. The standard feeds internally. Good luck with your new toy.

 

[roadkill61]

I would suggest that what ever cal you decide on that you get a 5R barrel. they will give you more speed. Ask how I know.

 

[Marksman]

I'm shooting the 80 ELDs from a box mag and they are fine. They are 2.750 OAL and do just fine in that mag. I have both a standard 22-250 and the Ackley. The standard feeds internally. Good luck with your new toy.

I hope so. I mocked up the action and stock with some factory 55gr Rem ammo I had laying around and it seems like the first round or two just want to nose dive into the front of the magazine. I may modify my order and get a 22 Creedmoor.

 

[284winner]

I hope so. I mocked up the action and stock with some factory 55gr Rem ammo I had laying around and it seems like the first round or two just want to nose dive into the front of the magazine. I may modify my order and get a 22 Creedmoor.

Not sure exactly what nose dive means. You mentioned using AICS mags, what action are you using for this project ? The 22 Creedmoor factory ammo will pretty much all be heavy match bullets having fairly long OAL. Your 22-250 with factory 55 bullets has a very short OAL. There will be no difference in either of the cartridges when loading from the AICS mags once both cases have the same bullet. The straight 22-250 does have a taper in the case from base to shoulder while the creedmoor does not or it's almost non-existent. The creedmoor will offer better performance for sure with more case capacity. If your looking for that, the creedmoor is your answer vs fireforming the 22-250 to the Ackley. The 22 creedmoor and 22-250 Ackley are roughly identical performers.

 

[Geno C]

Not sure exactly what nose dive means. You mentioned using AICS mags, what action are you using for this project ? The 22 Creedmoor factory ammo will pretty much all be heavy match bullets having fairly long OAL. Your 22-250 with factory 55 bullets has a very short OAL. There will be no difference in either of the cartridges when loading from the AICS mags once both cases have the same bullet. The straight 22-250 does have a taper in the case from base to shoulder while the creedmoor does not or it's almost non-existent. The creedmoor will offer better performance for sure with more case capacity. If your looking for that, the creedmoor is your answer vs fireforming the 22-250 to the Ackley. The 22 creedmoor and 22-250 Ackley are roughly identical performers.

But if you do an ackley, you don’t have to tell your friends that you’re shooting a creedmore

 

[284winner]

Well...ok, it's a win, win !!!

 

[Marksman]

Well I tried to modify the order, but the chambered barrel was already done. I'll mock up some 22-250 with long bullets and see if the feeding improves. If not, I'll screw this barrel on a spare Savage action I have with an internal magazine that I know feeds 22-250 factory ammo.

 

[284winner]

Well I tried to modify the order, but the chambered barrel was already done. I'll mock up some 22-250 with long bullets and see if the feeding improves. If not, I'll screw this barrel on a spare Savage action I have with an internal magazine that I know feeds 22-250 factory ammo.

With a little fine tuning, usually the feed issues go away. Internal vs DBM fed are typically separate feed problems.

 

[linebaugh]

I hope so. I mocked up the action and stock with some factory 55gr Rem ammo I had laying around and it seems like the first round or two just want to nose dive into the front of the magazine. I may modify my order and get a 22 Creedmoor.

Try an MDT poly mag. Have a friend with one and seems to get by okay with feeding. I would not buy more than one as a trial. I bought 3 of their 223 mags and they consistently fail from binding inside the mag itself.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have a Hawk Hill 7T chambered in 22-250 and finished at 26". It is screwed onto an AIAW rifle which uses the longer, stagger-feed, ten round mags. When I shoot the Hornady 88 ELDM the mag feeds OK but it didn't with 77SMK. I ordered a HRD_Gear mag spacer kit (designed to feed 6BR/Dasher) and the 77's feed like a dream now.
I am not pushing them as hard as I could but they are stupid accurate at about 3125 FPS with no recoil.

 

[slm9s]

I went 8 twist 22-250ai when I took this path. A "less than full throttle" load of R26 should give a little better barrel life and good speed.

 

[Clancy]

I read quite a few “assumptions” in this thread. About all I want to say is that my 22-250 feeds fine from AI mags, and it’s hard to believe 900 rounds is the competition barrel life of a 22-250 as I’ve got well over 1,000 through a 22x47 with a load that regularly produces ejector marks and it’ll still shoot high .1s with nothing but an 18X scope and a #5 barrel. Maybe these are just brilliant strokes of luck.

 

[Geno C]

I read quite a few “assumptions” in this thread. About all I want to say is that my 22-250 feeds fine from AI mags, and it’s hard to believe 900 rounds is the competition barrel life of a 22-250 as I’ve got well over 1,000 through a 22x47 with a load that regularly produces ejector marks and it’ll still shoot high .1s with nothing but an 18X scope and a #5 barrel. Maybe these are just brilliant strokes of luck.

I would say your feeding experience is more the exception than the rule. Myself as well as more than a couple others I personally know had problems with 10rd mags and the regular 22-250. Too much body taper to let the stack right.

 

[Clancy]

I would say your feeding experience is more the exception than the rule. Myself as well as more than a couple others I personally know had problems with 10rd mags and the regular 22-250. Too much body taper to let the stack right.

I can believe that. I’d never considered someone using a 10 rounder. I tried one just now and 7 feed fine, but not 10. Good call. To each his own I guess, I just don’t want the larger mag in the way.

 

[Jdne5b]

I'm finding that > 3200fps is risky with 90 and 95 SMKs in a 30" 1:7 four-land Krieger SS palma barrel. Many of the bullets are not making it to the target. So far round count is only fifty-five (55). I've gotten the 95SMKs up to 3334fps but they're not reliable. So keep that in mind for your heavy-for-caliber .224 play-thing.

One of the Hornady techs I talked to said that their 88ELDs handle 3400fps in .22 C'more in a 7 twist. I have some on order for testing.

You're blowing up the new .224 95smks?

 

[Geno C]

I can believe that. I’d never considered someone using a 10 rounder. I tried one just now and 7 feed fine, but not 10. Good call. To each his own I guess, I just don’t want the larger mag in the way.

Yep, you got it! I prefer 5 rounders too most of the time but sometimes I need a 10 and it didn’t work.

 

[284winner]

I'm finding that > 3200fps is risky with 90 and 95 SMKs in a 30" 1:7 four-land Krieger SS palma barrel. Many of the bullets are not making it to the target. So far round count is only fifty-five (55). I've gotten the 95SMKs up to 3334fps but they're not reliable. So keep that in mind for your heavy-for-caliber .224 play-thing.

One of the Hornady techs I talked to said that their 88ELDs handle 3400fps in .22 C'more in a 7 twist. I have some on order for testing.

I don't think it's the heavy for caliber issue. It's the 7 twist at nearly 3400 fps WITH the 7 twist barrel. Go to an 8 and your problems will be solved. No, you may not shoot the 95s but 90s shoot fine.

 

[McFred]

You're blowing up the new .224 95smks?

Yes, and not just at "nearly 3400 fps" either. I can go to an 8 twist, but even at my 7000' elevation, they drop below Berger's magical 1.5 stability factor whereupon BCs are supposed to suffer.

I called Sierra before I purchased the barrel. They said that they should hold together in a 7 twist past 3200fps and I can pop them with less, same with the 90s. We'll see if the 88 ELDs hold, if no then I'll get a different barrel and relegate the Krieger 7 to .223 Rem.