Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Rimfire Alternative: Part Deux

Anyone running the really light bullets as reduced gopher loads? Midsouth sells their 34 gr HP for $42 per 500, that is practically shooting for free at about $.15 a shot for reloads.

Not tried the Midsouths, but my first Blue Dot gopher load back in 2001 or 2 was 35 grain VMs, and I still use those and 40 grainer BKs or VMs or whatever is priced right.
No warts on either. They scoot and shoot.

Good day everyone, I'm obviously new around here but someone on another forum told me to stop over here to research the "Blue Dot" phenomenon that's seemed to have swept the shooting arena. They specifically said to look up Mr. Seafire in particular.

I'd never heard of reduced loading until a buddy gave me some 42gr or 43gr James Calhoun Double HP bullets and asked me to develop a suitable fox cartridge for our 22-250's. This is what lead me to looking into reduced loads.

I try to do more reading than talking. Perhaps I have more reading to do but after reading this thread I have a few questions for all of the Blue Dot/Steel aficionados.

Although I understand that there's more than one way to skin a cat, which one, Blue Dot or Steel, are people now preferring?

Also, I'm looking at doing these reduced loads right now for my Howa 22-250. I've found data for my 223 and 243 but have not found specific data for the 22-250. Is there some that I've missed or is it pretty much the same data as the 223 and 243?

Thanks,
Chad

PM Seafire here...hes got reduced loads for .22-250


All Ive ever tried to reduce it was Trail Boss...seems to produce the same 1950fps in any gun Ive tried...

I did but I'm sure that he's been busy because he hasn't replied.

Found it! From 2007. I was searching all 1,000+ pages of Seafire's threads and found it. It only took a few hours.

www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1334080/22-250_Reduced_loads

Should be easier to use the search function on this site...but its not for me!

Me neither but I found it. I figured since it wasn't popping up I'd just search Seafire's posts until something came up. With being from 9 years ago it was pretty far back there.

I have used the Nosler 40gr ballistic tip with awsome results

Chad,

Welcome to the Campfire...

since you removed yourself from the PM you sent me, I'll post this here....

Apologize for missing your post, but your timing wasn't real good...

I've been gone for the last week, as my son and I went to Colorado to watch the 100th Anniversary Running of the Pike's Peak Hill Climb....

Got home late last night... was gone all day up to Portland on business and then leave tomorrow morning for San Diego for Mom's Birthday... her being 86, I doubt she has a lot of them left, so I'm making this one...

Will be back on the 5th, so feel free to PM me if you have any more questions...

best regards
seafire

Thanks Seafire, I appreciate it. I figured that you were busy, I didn't take it personal. I was just having trouble finding the information. But several hours of searching your posts resulted in the me finding a previous post of yours.

I do have one question though. Since the post that I found was from 2007, and I read that since then you've also been working with Steel powder, which one would you recommend I buy?

I'll also send this question to you in a PM just in case you don't see this.

Again, I appreciate your help.

Chad

Heresy, I know, but there are a ton of other powders that will work nicely for reduced .22 loads too, other than Blue Dot and Trail Boss. Reoader-7, 2400, 4227, 4759, and Unique immediately come to mind- all of which I have used with sterling results. In fact, Trail Boss to me is one of poorest choices- not because it doesn't work but because of its poor "bang for the buck" quotient.

Thanks Gnoahhh, that gives me more to think about also.

Chad

Chad,

pick up a Lyman Cast Bullet reload manual....

it has a lot of loads, for a lot of calibers.. it will be your friend...

even tho it is for cast bullets, none of them are hitting close to SAAMI Specs, so you don't have much to be concerned about except good loading technics and habits at the reload bench....

Thanks Seafire, I'll see if my guy has one tomorrow.

This has been a very interesting read and something I've never tried. Let's see..... I have a couple thousand 223 cases that I've processed ready to load that have been sitting on the shelf for several years, several pounds of old surplus 4198 and several thousand 50 grain Nosler BTs and older Hornady SXs. I'm looking forward to putting these components together and trying some reduced loads!

Dennis.

load up 12.5 grains of the 4198 and rock on!


Honest to God I sold my 17HMR and will no doubt sell my .22LR as this fills the bills as a rimfire alternative...and a better one at that!

I sold my .17hmr as well and have replaced with several .223's. Not gonna sell any .22's though. That's just crazy talk.

You fellas looking for RF alternatives need to dive into the pool at the deep end. Anything you want can be found at Alice's Restaurant, all you got to do is open the door.

I know, I know, it's a .25-20, not a .22. and it's 100 yards, not 50. It's a levergun, not a scope sighted bolt banger. Bite me.



I fergot, it uses cast bullets. About 6 cents/shot.

Same gun, 50 yards and I was in a hurry.



Or you can run some of these thru your Hornet at about the same cost. They do OK at least up to 2300 fps, that's as fast as I've run 'em.





'Bout any middlin' fast powder will work, I use everything from Bullseye to 2400 and most of what's in the middle.

No disrespect to the Poobah, but I wouldn't be shootin' 'spensive bullets with this hoohah. Cast is cheaper and works as well or better than jacketed. An you don't have to stress as much about bullets stickin' in the bore. Well, when you get down to 1.5 grains of BE in a Hornet with a 26" barrel it might.