.22-250 Reloading

[Elmo 0]

Afternoon Guys

 

Just started reloading .22-250 for my Weatherby Vanguard

 

After experimenting with Varget powder in different loads ranging from 32 grains up to 36.2 and using Hornady 55g v-max heads. was unable to get decent groups, best was 1.5 inch at 100 yrds so have come to the conclusion the gun hates them.

 

has anyone loaded for this gun and if so do they have any suggestions.

 

I am visiting Northallerton Guns on Saturday to buy more supplies ready for the next round.

 

I was using Winchester jacketed soft points in 55 grains which grouped just below 1/2 inch at 100 yrds so if anyone knows what heads Winchester use I may try them.

 

 

Regards

 

Ed

[charlie caller 3,654]

Not sure on the Winchesters mate, but if I were you I would try some Sierra if you can get some they do a vast range in .224,and I have yet to see a rifle that does not like them, I am surprised your rifle did not like the vmax, it would be worth trying another powder first before buying another box of bullets, look on Hodgdon reloading data site, for a huge list of .22-250 data, if you could blag a bit of different powder from a mate and try that you might be pleasantly surprised, I don't load for .22-250 but where did you get your data from with your current powder?

[Elmo 0]

Thanks Charlie Caller

 

The load data came from a Hodgdon manual so I hope the load is correct. The dealer I am visiting on Saturday stocks sierra so will try these. How far out of the lands do you keep the head?

 

I have since checked the few rounds I have left and found the COL is slightly longer than the measurement given for this round so will take them apart and trim the cases to see if this is an issue

 

Ed

[charlie caller 3,654]

Trim all your cases back to standard length every time you load, I use the Lee case trimmer and cutter and find it excellent, imho far too many people get all anal about seating depth, DONT mate, just set your bullet to the length given in the load data then find the most accurate powder load, once you have found that, then and only then if you really must bugger about with seating depth have a play, but I must stress that the true oal of your cartridge can only be measured using the proper tool and measuring from the ogive not the bullet tip, as soft points especially can vary quite a bit, think about this if you measure factory rounds, you will find some quite large differences in seating depth, even with the best makes, and most will shoot accurately if the rifle likes them, I think case prep and accurate powder measuring are far better aids to accuracy than all the pissing around with a few thou here and there seating your bullet, I am also a BIG fan of the Lee factory crimp die, it has turned already accurate loads in my rifle into absolute tack drivers, and the crimp makes seating depth even less important, +1 on the Sierra mate

[Elmo 0]

Thanks again Charlie

 

I've got the lee case trimmer and your right, its spot on. Again on the overall length if I make sure the head is set so that it's not longer than the given overall length for a .22-250 which the books state is 59.69mm I should be ok

 

Thanks again

Ed

[charlie caller 3,654]

Yes you should mate, but I would start at book length for that load, interestingly enough, a lot of rifles shoot best when there is a jump to the rifling, not all by any means but a lot do, get your powder charge right first mate, because if you don't have that right, all the fiddling around in the world with seating depth wont make your loads more accurate and will confuse the hell out of you, let us know how you get on with the Sierras pal.

[andyf 144]

My 'OK' load (after lots of try's), is 36.5 grains of R15, Magnum primer with a 55gr Sierra GameKing HPBT seated fully to SAMMI spec.

I've tried all the so called 'best' bullets i.e. Nosler Varmint and Hornady V-Max both 55gr and lighter but no good!

Not in my Ruger No1 anyway, accuracy also improved after fitting a Hardy ported moderator, no idea why I didn't fit it for that reason.

All my brass is trimmed after neck sizing, and I use a 22 degree tapered prep tool to chamfer the inside of the case neck, and crimp

after seating.

 

AndyF