powder choices for the 22-250

[Kracken McGraw]

IMR 4166 with a 52 grain Speer HP works well in my truck gun.

 

[gambleone]

RL-15 also

 

[603Country]

Can’t go wrong with IMR 4064. An oldie but a goodie.

 

[sbranden]

I'd go Varget - very temp stable, and my 1in12 twist 22-250 loves this powder with 55 V-MAX or SBK's.
I think I was shooting 35.9 with the 55SBK's last, in Lapua brass with WLR primers seated 2.345" OAL. This load was rolling along about 3,725 fps out of my Savage Model 10 Predator Hunter Max 1.

36.0 of IMR-4064 is a great one also with 55's in my gun.

I am currently shooting 36.5 of Varget with 55 V-MAX's, again with WLR's and in Lapua brass seated just .005 short of "Book COL".

gambleone has it right though, Reloder 15 is another very good substitute for Varget. I had worked up to some extreme speed with this powder and 52 Berger Match Target Hollow Points. These really held together well at distance, and were about the best thing I've ever found for fur preservation. By contrast, the 55BK's are incredibly explosive!, and the 50NBT's tend to leave some pretty big holes also, even at distance. The 50BK's not so much.

 

[varmintshooter]

With the supply issues we have I tried some Win StaBall 6.5 with 55 sgk and Hornady 55 sp. Pretty happy so far .5"- 1" @ 200 yds about 3700 fps still well below Max.

 

[Lone Hunter]

In my 22-250’s I have used H380,IMR-4064, and IMR-4350. They all shot good and the crows and groundhogs didn’t like them too much either. 50 & 55 grain NBT would create a red mist and open up big holes..

 

[AckleymanII]

BEWARE......8208, R#15, Varget is very, very hot burning, check the heat index chart.

I use AA2700 which is the burning rate close to IMR 4350, and is one of the coolest burning powders on the Heat Index Chart. N135 and AR comp would also be an excellent choices due to their place in the Heat Index Chart.

I shot out two barrels with IMR 4064 with 55g Sierra's, shooting on the p. dog towns was red hot.

I shot several kegs of AA2520 on the dog towns in 22/250 with 55's. AA2520 is a cool burning powder in the Area of AR comp and N135 and also cleans up easy.

 

[freebird22/250]

In my 22/250's Ramshot Big Game has shot some very small groups & it meters like sand in my powder measure.

 

[Fern]

Well just shot some more of my 22-250 with cfe 223 and while I’m not a great shot I was grouping them better in my 204 then the 22-250.
Thanks to the advice on here I am wondering about trying varget (have 3 pounds ) or I have a sealed 8# of imr 4166 (enduron).
Max charge (38.1 for 55gvmax)cfe on the 22-250 was getting very heavy bolt lift and one round was really heavy. Won’t be going that high
So question is varget or open up 8# of imr enduron 4166

 

[AckleymanII]

I shot 39g of Big Game and 36g of Varget also with the 55's, Varget while accurate cooks carbon on real hard.

 

[AccelR8]

With the supply issues we have I tried some Win StaBall 6.5 with 55 sgk and Hornady 55 sp. Pretty happy so far .5"- 1" @ 200 yds about 3700 fps still well below Max.

I've had good luck with SB 6.5.

 

[Fern]

Well heard great things about h4895 and found some today but could not force myself to pay $60 a lb. This place while may have hard to find will change prices by the day and nothing has a price on the shelves for same reason.
They are great and helpful but one day you buy powder or primer and next day it’s 20% more or less

 

[MikeT49]

Well just shot some more of my 22-250 with cfe 223 and while I’m not a great shot I was grouping them better in my 204 then the 22-250.
Thanks to the advice on here I am wondering about trying varget (have 3 pounds ) or I have a sealed 8# of imr 4166 (enduron).
Max charge (38.1 for 55gvmax)cfe on the 22-250 was getting very heavy bolt lift and one round was really heavy. Won’t be going that high
So question is varget or open up 8# of imr enduron 4166

Save the Varget for what it runs good in. My current 26" 9T barrel likes 55 SBKs with 35.7 grains I4166, BR2s, .030 jump. A smidge less than 3700 MV, shoots under 1/2 moa.

 

[Gary in MD]

The 22-250 in a heavy barreled Winchester was my first true "accurate varmint rifle". Back in the 80's it was accurate with ww760 and a 55 grain ballistic tip @ 3710 fps out of a 24" barrel.
My latest 22-250 is an 8 twist Tikka, it only has a 22" barrel. I wanted it for its ability to shoot the heavier vld bullets but can't help from loading some varmint loads to try also. I just ran a couple loads over the chronograph that have been shooting pretty good from the light 22" barreled sporter.
Sierra 55 grain Blitz King, 36.0 Varget, federal lg rifle primer - average 3517 fps
Sierra 65 grain spbt, 40.5 Staball6.5, federal lg rifle primer - average 3350 fps
Also have used Big Game, imr 4064, imr 4895 through the years with very good results.
Gary