Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 22-250 Alternate powders

I've been loading my wife's' Ruger Hawkeye in 22-250 with the 50 gr,. Barnes TSX. I haven't been able to locate anymore TSX bullets so I've ordered some 55 gr. Sierra Gameking SBT. I'm out of powder for it as well and am looking for a suitable substitute for H380. I have the following on hand:

IMR 4895- less than half a pound
IMR 4064- probably 2 pounds
IMR 4350- 8 pounds
H4350- less than a pound
RL19- 2 pounds
IMR 4831-1 pound

Any recommendations on what to use? Thanks

IMR 4895

Of the ones listed, I'd use/try IMR4064 and IMR4350. Both of those powders are in the Sierra load manual for the 22-250 and 55gr bullets. Look in there and it will give you a good idea on where to start.

I just membered I have IMR 3031 and H335 as well.

I have a bunch of H380. Live in RGV. Will PM you

IMR 4064 or IMR 4895 are excellent powders for the 22-250.

Of the powders you have on hand I would go with IMR 4350 and forget about the rest, works great with 55 grainers. save your other powders for another project

IMR 4350 with that bullet in that cartridge!? Forget about the rest!? You don't know much about 22-250 loads do you? Geez.

I was gonna say 4895 but you don't have enough to make it worth while.
4064 would be great and you've got 2 pounds of it.

4350 is fine for heavy bullets but not 55gr.

Go to Hodgdon load data online, it's easy.

In your case the 4064 would be your huckleberry.

When things are not always as you would like them and you can't find stuff you really want you make some changes. Lately I've been running 8208 in lighter bullets reloader 16 heavier. Now when I say Heavies I'm talkin 75 to 90 gr .

I agree. I’ve used 4064 in the 22-250 since the mid 70s. Works great.

he also mentioned he had 3031..... no flies on it either....

33.5 grains of 3031 is a tack driver in my 22.250s...

Geez is exactly right jackazz, apparently you have never tried it. IMR 4350 works great with 55grainers and the OP has 8 pounds of it, find a good load somewhere between 38-40 grains and good to go for years

I've run IMR 4895,4064, & 4350 in several different rifles over the years. I've had the best results with 55gr bullets with the 4064. But since you have 8# of 4350, I'd try that first.
Let us know what you come up with.

R.D.

With 40 and 50 gr B/tips CFE 223 has been the most accurate in my rifle followed very closely by IMR 4064.

4064 or the 4350.

A bud has used the 4350 for better than 30 years in a 22-250 and loves it.

I am a 4064 fan myself.

4895 and 4064 with 55’s
Both work great.

I loaded some of the 55 gr. Sierra BTSP with 36 gr. of IMR 4895, 36 grains of 4064 and 39 grains of IMR 4350. All three loads had respectable groups but the 4350 was the best. I seated them out as far as the magazine would allow in her Ruger Hawkeye. She has about 25 rounds left of the 50 gr. TSX loads that I made for her. I'll let her shoot that up before switching over to the Sierras. The TSX load is super accurate at 3700+ FPS. She put 3 shots damn near in the same hole about an inch high at 100 and then we put the rifle away. She's ready to smack some pigs and deer I think.

My old 700 shoots the 55's great using imr 4064 35.8gr and listed oal

4064 is all i have ever used in my 22-250. Never had a need to try anything else.

Anybody ever use Ramshot Big Game in the 22 250?

A friend of mine has asked me too work up a load in his gun and I have 55 gr Sierra GK's and 55 gr Nosler BT's in my stash. I don't have any H380 and not going to try and find any.

Powders on hand that should work are 4064, 4350, Varget, R15 and Big Game.

Nosler load data shows good results with BG.

Top load with Big game worked for me.

I got the very best barrel life with AA2700, one of the coolest burning powders on the market....if you can find any. I got the shortest barrel life with R#15, 4064, and Varget. P. dog towns and chuck shooting will teach you a thing or two on what powders eat up a barrel.

That's good to know. I have about 6 pounds of that powder on hand and down to 4 pounds of H4895. Can't imagine using anything other than H4895 in my 22-250 though.

Finally decided to work up a load for my Tikka Varmint.

I may just look into Big Game loadings though.

4895 or 4064. The 4350 will probably work but isn't going to be optimal, you'll likely lose a lot of velocity.

It sounds like a deer load so I can't see the need for picking the 4350 just because you have 8# of it unless you plan on shooting thousands of deer.

I think where a lot of us are on this subject is using what powder is available. If the op has 8 pounds of a certain powder and it will work for him, then that may be the best option. Then it isn't cutting in to some of the other powders he only has 2 or 3 pounds of and maybe that 2 pounds of powder works very well for something else he loads for. As it is, I handload for a buddies 22-250 and 2 of my own. I save the H4895 for myself because its an optimum powder for that cartridge. I do a little experimenting with his rifle and since he supplies his own bullets (he likes to run 40gr Noslers) it makes it that much easier. I've tried H380, 4064 IMR4350, and most recently TAC and CFE223. Good thing is I recently found some CFE223 and it was cheap...


You can bet your azz that when he says, "hey can you load me up some 6.5 Creed" I don't go dipping into my H4350 either... Right now it's about using what you have on hand and making the best of it with smart choices...

AA2700 is the same powder as H414 or Win 760., in case you didn't know.

I always use 3031 and 4895 in mine

Yes Big Game 55gr. Sierra BlitzKing // Lapua brass - 38.5grs. // Winchester brass 39.5grs. , CCI-200 .

No one mentioned it, but lately I loaded up some AR Comp for a 22.250 I am loaning to a handicapped military vet I know, family friends...

55 grain Hornady, and the rifle is a Stevens 22.250....that combo made little bitty 5 shot groups at the range....

Lee being handicapped can shoot a buck or doe, so I am pretty sure he will have venison sausage in the near future...

He can shoot okay for a Navy guy....

I'm not sure if I missed the OP Settling on a load. 22-250 was the first cartridge I started loading for many years ago and have had more rifles in that and 222 than anything else.

The guy that helped me get started was a coyote Hunter which is what I was loading for. He had a several powders he preferred one being IMR 3031 which is what seemed to work the best for me. For over 35+ years Ive loaded 3031 and Sierra 52 and 53 grain bullets. Recently tried some newer powders and loads but after a while dropped my old loads in and it is what I will stay with.

I'd go with the powder you have the most of....

If those two you have the most of... 3031 and then 4064...

I apologize for not updating this thread. I'm going to stick with the IMR 4064. A near max load, CCI 200 and the 55 grain Sierra Game King SBT gave me the best groups, under an inch.

She's still shooting the last of her XBT rounds this year so far. She killed two nice hogs with one shot and a javelina the second weekend of Texas deer season. Headed back to the lease this weekend to get her a deer.

As mentioned CFE 223....but..

my favorite is an old powder ......BLC 2. I suspect that CFE 223 is the same powder.

Anyway, out of 2 rifles in .22-250 I get under .50 groups at 100 yds with plain jain Midsouth shooters 55 grain rebranded Hornady soft points. I have about 12 pounds of the CFE and close to 56 lbs of the BLC.

You can see my preference of which one I like the most as it has a very broad application across many rifle cartridges.
From .223 to 308 and including the 358 Winchester, 35 Whelen.

Best
Heavy

Varget has gotten me some of the best groups I've ever shot in my 22-250....

39.5 grains of Varget and a 40 grain VMax shoots like a laser out to 300 yards, and is very accurate to boot, at least it has been in every 22-250 I've had. For some reason though, when I try bullets in the 50-55 weight, I've always better luck with other powders. H380, W760, IMR4320, and IMR4064 all have worked good with the heavier bullets, especially H380.

Varget is the best 22-250 powder. Massive pressure and accuracy plateau.

I decided to stick with bullets a bit heavier than 50gn for my 22/250, and as I had 4lbs of 8208 handy that's what I've used. Best group so far is .6inch with a 55gn Sierra BTHP and 35gn of that powder. I may try for another load further up the velocity mark. But I reckon I'm getting around 3.700fps, and that's not too shabby.

IMR 4064 gets my vote also! But I can't find it in Michigan either. I had decent luck with RL15 and I'll let you know about the varget I'm getting ready to try

WOW, that is an awesome virtual chronograph you are using !!!!!!!!!!!

WOW, lots of empirical research done here .......obviously !!!!!!!!

I have a Tikka Varmint in 22/250 and have about 4 pounds of 8208. I was told all sorts of things about this cartridge in 14 twist, including some saying would barely stabilise a 55gn bullet. I found that it not only shot well with 55gn Vmax, 55gn Sierra BTHP, but the 62gn Sierra Semi Point also did well. 8208 is a great powder.

Back in the 70s l got into chuck hunting started with a rem. 700 in 222 that lasted half season, traded it for a Savage 112V single shoot w26" barrel l did all the IMR powers they were OK, then tried Winchester Ball power, best was Winchester ball power BR 748 35.5g running around 3500fps with Sierra 52 53g match king and 55g never looked back on the IMR powers. l'm still using BR 748 now in my Rem. SPS in 223.

Ar comp has been working good for me recently. Loaded up some bullets that supposedly tumble like a mother fu cker in everything, but AR Comp worked just fine.. Bullet was 53gr v max and that powder produced 10 shot sub moa groups. Easy peasy..

20 years ago I had a Remington 700VLS in 22/250. I only used two powders : Varget & W748. Both worked a treat!