Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 22-250 question

Ok, so I have a question. I'm not real experienced at reloading. I have reloaded over the years, and always got my guns to shoot fairly well.

I bought a 22-250 Remington 700 brand new a few years ago. Got it for half price so I couldn't pass it up. After breaking it in I started reloading for it.

I used Nosler 50 grain ballistic tips. Anyway, I loaded up a few rounds towards the low end of what the book said, and it shot about 300 fps slower then what the book said it should. Now, I know speed isn't a big deal, but that seemed pretty far off. I cleaned it and put it away, and haven't shot it since. Life got in the way, and I haven't went yote hunting or anything.

I am thinking about buying a box of factory ammo and chronograph that to see if it is close to the velocity stated on the box, or if the gun just shoots slow. Do you guys think I might have done something wrong? Or are gun speeds that far off from posted speeds common? All of my other guns I have reloaded for or my brothers have all been fairly close.

(I can't remember the powder, how much, or the exact fps, and my notes are on the other comp at home.)

Buy it and try it...you should be OK...

some guns are slow and you hardly ever can get speeds to factory specs they shot special barrels and in tunnels sometimes its just the powder we get mass produced is'nt always ex.the same diff.lots shot different.

I have a Kimber Varmint in .22-250 that I cannot use max loads without pressure signs, but it shoots fast. For example, 39 gr of H-414 gives me about 3875 FPS with a 50 gr Ballistic Tip with great accuracy and no signs of excess pressure. Accuracy is paramount and I am happy with anything above 3600. With Ramshot Big Game, I am even further from max, but the speed is still there along with virtually one-hole groups.

Each rifle is different. What barrel length is your gun versus the one used in the book, was it a pressure barrel, etc.

Don't know what a pressure barrel is. My barrel is 26in. I can't remember what was in the book, but it was the nosler book. Like I said I was working up from the low end, and the speed was in the 3200 or 3300 range. No pressure signs, was mostly just curious why it was so much slower then book fps.

I am going to work some loads up when I get home, and buy some factory just to compare.

Go to the Hodgdon site and work up you load with Benchmark and that 50 I bet you will be pleasantly surprised.

even tho some will say it is too slow for the 22.250, one of mine has a diet of 30 grains of RL 7 and Speer 52 grain HPs bullets...

I've also recently been working with Alliant's New AR COMP powder in the 223, 22,250 and 243...for accuracy it is quite impressive... my 204 REALLY liked it with 32 VMaxes and 34 grain Bulk HPs...

I've never had a load that far off. I would skip the purchasing of factory 22-250 ammo and try a different projectile over your chronograph first.

Doesn't matter what it is. Rimfire, arrow, different centerfire load. I'd just eliminate the chrony as a variable before looking at the rifle.


Travis

That same day my bro was shooting his .223 and it was shooting slightly faster. He was using 40 grain bullets. That is one reason I thought my gun was shooting slow. I've used it since then, and it seems to chrono fine.

OSB is right. i have loaded bench mark in several 22-250s. awesome. deadly.

I would be checking my scales

I use an electronic, then pour it onto a balance beam. Its faster for me to use the electronic to dispense it, and then every load is double checked. Its probably overkill, but when I do reload I like to do the best I can.

In that case it's time to sell.

If you're sure on the weight and it's a 26" tube, it could have an abnormally long throat.


Travis

You can proof your Chrony with some .22 match ammo.