Hello folks,

I recently purchased my first predator rifle. It's a Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-weather in .22-250. I only had a few weeks with it before I deployed so I've only put factory ammo through it so far. I've tried Winchester premium ammo with 35 gr. screamers at an advertised 4350 fps, some Federal premium stuff with 55gr. bullets and a box of Hornady Superformance with 5o gr. VMAX bullets. It seems to like the Hornadys best in terms of accuracy.

Now that I'm deployed, I have all the time in the world to research potential loads and start collecting components so I'm ready to start loading when I get home. The rifle will be used for targeting, and for predator hunting everything from relatively small foxes to Wolves that occasionally tip the scales at 200+ lbs. I might consider using it for blacktail deer with the right bullets too, pending a check to see if .22 caliber rifles are legal for deer in AK.

What I'm looking for is suggestions for the best powders, primers and bullets for the 22-250 from those of you who have experience with the cartridge. I'll be re-using my factory brass for now, but I'll likely invest in some quality brass for fine-tuning once I come up with some loads that work well with the factory stuff.

Thanks, and happy shooting!

Matt,

I shoot a lot of 22.250...although I have a bad reputation for being old school, and none conventional in today's trendy circles, I can share with ya some stuff to contemplate while you are over there fixing trucks or kicking back...

I've got multiple ones, from long barrels ( 28 inches) to one with a 1 in 7 twist for shooting 75 to 90 grain match bullets...

right now I am playing with several of those 35 grain lead free bullets, both Noslers and Hornadys....I can report the Hornady is surprisingly the more accurate of the two...I haven't chronographed them yet, but I know I am running at faster than that 4250 to 4300 fps range....

of course I also slow them down to 22 Mag speeds at times if that is all I need out of it, which also saves on barrel wear..

the powders I use, most 'experts' of the current tabs will tell you is too fast for use in the 22.250.. but it is accurate as heck and gives up little with bullets under 60 grains to other powders, and will definitely BEAT max velocity with the real light 30 to 40 grain bullets...

in the long run, the nice thing is, a 22.250 can be a pretty flexible and not very picky cartridge to play with...

for blacktail, a 63 grain Sierra SMP at 3500 fps MV or a 70 grain Speer SMP at 3350 fps out of a 22.250 can definitely pull the rug out from under the feet of any sized one that ever walked...and that is do'able with a barrel with a one in 12 or 14 twist...

Sounds like a pretty versatile cartridge. The Ruger has a 1 in 14 twist. It seems to like bullets in the 50 grain weight class. I'm looking forward to trying some heavier options when I get started handloading for it.

H-380 is a perrenial favorite in the .22-250 and with that rifle and twist combo, its hard to go wrong with anything you like in the 50-55 gr. bullet weight range....

Matt,


For powders I have had good luck with H-380,H-4895,Varget,IMR82008XBR and Ramshot Biggame.

Your factory fired brass is just fine. I usually use Remington or Winchester due to price and availability.I'm kinda lazy so I use Winchester primers for everything.With a 1-14 twist for deer I would look at the Winchester 64gr PowerPoint or a Barnes 50gr TSX.

53 gr TSX works good out of a Ruger for deer....

Thanks gents, half the fun will be ordering the components and knowing they will be waiting for me when I get home. I give myself an "allowance" every month to spend on shooting related supplies. That's the nice thing about being deployed - the components tend to stack up since I'm not home to use them, so I get to spend a lot of time loading and shooting for the first two or three months after I get home.

ingwe - That's a very nice looking buck!!

I just started using 8208XBR with 50gr V-max and have been really happy with the combo. I switched from H380 because it was temp sensitive. T.S.

wanna see fireworks from the naythesayers?

I use Rl 7 in mine for bullet weights from 60 grains and down...

most accurate powder I have tried... but honorable mention goes to IMR 3031, IMR 4895... and for new powders... AR COMP from Alliant...

Hmm.... Interesting. I still have about a pound and a half of RL7 left from my .450 Marlin that I no longer have. Where did you find the load data for that?

50 TNT add powder of choice (H4895, R15, Varget are some of my favs) and you're Golden.

If, you wish to use it for big game add a 53 TSX or a 63 Sierra and rock on.

Or you could just use the 55 Horn w/c for all that moves and forget the 2 bullet notion.

Dober

been using it for years... but data originally came from the Lyman reload manual # 47... it is also listed with all bullet weights up to 63 grains in Sierra's # 4 and 5 manuals...

anything 50 thru 60 grains, I just use a load of 30 grains.. nice round figure and easy to remember...

for 35 and 40 grainers, I use a little more than that...

Mine shoots 40gr V-Maxes great with Ramshot TAC... anyone else mess around with TAC?

Besides the powders mentioned, try AA 2230 and IMR 4064.

For other bullets, try the 52 gr. Speer HP and Sierra 40 gr. HP. All the Sierra bullet weights shoot well in my 1x12 twist; your 1x14 may max out accuracy-wise with the 60 gr. versions.

Thanks for your service; my nephew was in Afghanistan with the Marines.

55gr VMax with IMR4064 works best in mine. Thank you for your service!!

So far I've been using 50 gr Ballistic Tips adn V-Maxs over Ramshot Big Game. I used to use H-414 with those bullets. Accuracy and velocity with Big Game has been excellent, and it measures like water.

Deployments are good on the savings account. Stay alert and take care.

Hard to beat 3915 fps in a 22-250. 50 Gr bullet with Benchmark the load is on the Hodgdon website. It's as accurate as fast in my gun YMMV.

I have been working with Hornady 55 grain V-Max and Varget powder, Winchester large rifle primers and Winchester brass out of an old Remington 788. Sure works well for the gun.

Thanks for your service

I just also bought an a-bolt 22.250. I'm excited to get it set up for deer season next year here in Alabama.


I appreciate your service soldier!!

Enjoy your new rifle.

50 Vmax over RL-15 is my go to load for slow twists...

Thanks again for all the info folks! I've noticed that Hornady bullets seem to give the best accuracy more often than not. I think I'll start with those in two or three different weights and see what I come up with. I already have several of the powders mentioned, too. I guess I'm already off to a good start.

For powders I've done best with Varget followed by RE15, and IMR 4064. The 50 grain bullets have shot the best for me so pick your flavor. The poly tipped 55gr bullets would not stablize for me in my 1/14 twist VSSF2 so you may think twice about stocking up on any of those before you develop a load for your rifle. I keep it simple with primers and just stick to the Winchester WLRs but I would imagine any of the others would work just as well.
I found H380 to be a very dirty powder and due to the temp/stability issue wouldn't load any of that again.
Good Luck

The new CFE 223 powder from Hodgdon looks very promising also.

which is probably their response to Alliants AR Comp.. which is a temp insensitive version of RL 15, only with a slightly quicker burn rate...

but has been one of the most accurate of any newer powders I have tried in the last 10 years..

benchmark is an extreme powder. we use this load in half a dozen vssf. accurate. deadly. 50 grain balistic tip and win brass.

+1 especially Varget and BG with 40 - 55 grain bullets.

I've already got H-4895, Varget and several of the RL powders mentioned. All I need to do now is get some bullets ordered, along with a set of dies and I'll be in business when I get home.

50gr VMAXS over 38.0gr of H380 CCI200 primers COAL 2.50" rem 700 factory 26in heavy barrel

I've posted this load before but I'll add it again. 40gr NBT pushed by 41 grains of H380. 4000fps and "5 shot cover it with a dime" accuracy out of my old 700 bull barrel.

Mine also likes 50 gr Vmax's and H-380 powder. Factory Savage barrel liked 38.0 grs best. It now wears a McGowen barrel that likes 40.0 grs of same powder. I like the 50 gr Vmax. Great performance, comes in a 250 count box, and when I was at Scheel's last, they had them in a 500 ct box on the shelf.

That's handy right there.

Quite a few people shoot v-max bullets. The gentleman I purchased my rifle from suggested 52 Grain A-Max bullets and after the first time I loaded them I won't try anything else. Currently shooting them with 35.8 grains of IMR 4064 but think I will boost it up to 36. They are scary accurate and have excellent reviews on Midway.

HeavyRevy:

Read your post...A lot of people DO shoot Vmax bullets, and they ARE accurate; its when you hit game rather than a paper target they sometimes splash, and don't penetrate as well as soft point spitzers and some hollow points.

So, yes, I prefer OTHER bullets for hunting with the 22/250:

52 Speer HP; 40 Sierra HP; Sierra 50-60 grain SPs and HPs; Hornady 55 SP.

Our go to bullet for coyotes in .22-250 and .223 has been the 50gr V-max. Never a splash. Now keep in mind that even in the .22-250 our loads are only about 3600 fps at the barrel and shots are generaly 200 yards on up.

CB

On the bullet for predator subject, I just started reading a book called "Hunting the Hunters" by Rick Kinmon - one of the most successful predator hunters the world has known. His caliber choice is the 6MM PPC and his go-to load for everything from foxes at 20 ft. to wolves at 300+ yards is a Hornady 80 gr. FMJ loaded to 2850 fps. I just thought that was interesting.

yeah that or a 6 BR would both be more than adequate.. and a 80 FMJ would be more than enough to do the job without any pelt damage...

55grain V-max, Benchmark, FED210M, and WIN cases worked well for my 700 VS. It also shot well with H380, but the temp sensitivity was something to watch out for. I had great accuracy with 52grain Berger Match, H380, FED210M, WIN cases.

My go to powder is H-380 and 55 grain V Max. DEADLY and very accurate. I tried Varget but got worse results.

I've seen a lot of recommendations for H-380 and I'm tempted to give it a try, but I've also read it's not the best powder for extreme cold, and any hunting application for my predator rifle will include extreme cold. Winter is predator season in AK. Anyone have cold weather experience with H-380?

Yep...use a magnum primer and rock on...

I'd get an 8lb keg of TAC, and 1,000 Hornady SP with cannelure.


Travis

I won't argue with the 8 lb keg of TAC, but I'd recommend 1000 of Mid South's Varmint Nightmares, W/O the cannelure...

about $45 per 500, plus they are made by Nosler so you know ya got a good bullet...

nothing wrong with the Hornadys, but I don't like where the cannelure is... its design for 223 use...I like to seat the bullets further out in my 22.250s...

another pair of bullets, that you can get in bulk that are super accurate and highly explosive on critters, which should be a good fur bullet tho on a coyote/wolf... Speers 52 grain HP, or the 50 grain TNT...

I have had good success shooting the 60 grain BTs and Partitions in 1-14" ROT 22-250s. While the lighter bullets start out faster, they also shed velocity more quickly than the longer/heavier bullets, so for coyotes, I typically shoot 55 or 60 grain bullets. For pdogs and gsquirrels, I shoot shorter/lighter and more fragile bullets, but a 200 lbs. wolf seems like the kind of target you'd want to err on the side of harder hitting and deeper penetrating. That said, I've never seen a wolf in the wild, outside of YNP and that doesn't really count, so I have no practical experience in the matter, just conjecture.

I can't understand why Ruger doesn't make their 22-250 barrels with the same 1-9" ROT that they use for their 223 barrels.

Jeff

Because Ruger never does anything that might cost them some retooling.

Look at the Safari #1 in big calibers that won't eject empties because they hit the safety and the silly rear sight as well as an unhooded front sight. Just the ticket for being "sightless" when something that fights back is coming your way. Been that way for 20 years and still no changes. (Good for NEGC's business though)

You want to shoot wolves ? Use 45 gr Barnes TSX starting out @4000 fps. A bullet that will go right through both shoulders of a 100 pound Whitetail doe will take down any wolf that walks the planet.

I'm not an industrial engineer, but it Seems to me that it would actually be easier for Ruger to buy only 1-9" ROT barrel blanks for all of their .224" bore production, rather than to buy and store 1-9" ROT blanks for 223 production and 1-14" ROT blanks for 22-250 production. But, sadly, they have never asked my opinion.

EDIT: Gee Larry, if I'd recognized that it was you who I was replying to, I wouldn't have fed the troll. Why don't you find a nice rip tide and go swimming?

Jeff

Because, unlike some flatland corn grower, I have been diving all over the world and rip tides are no threat IF you (you don't) how to handle yourself in the ocean.

Now as to 9" twists in a 22-250.... just a guess but I imagine most are bought by Varmint hunters, so Ruger has made the correct choice. If you want to hunt big game with a .224, buy a barrel or rifle with the correct twist for heavier bullets.

My pinweight carbon fiber AR manages to shoot heavy bullets well enough to kill any of your phantom wolves. Besides I thought you worshipped at the 260 Remington throne.... won't that kill a wolf ?

AR groups with 60-75 gr bullets.



Funny how easily you apply the label "troll" to one whose friends and he have done far more financially to support other members and sponsors than you and the real trolls ever have.

Calling names is easy for any coward.... writing checks takes a bit more courage......

Again, you don't need heavy bullets to kill a wolf....just the right ones.

Go get em' tiger!

Everybody wants to be like you Larry; lived everywhere, done everything, have more $$ than Warren Buffett, braver than Audie Murphy, yada, yada, yada, just more lies generated by 1 of your multiple personalities. Heck, you've probably won at Camp Perry and shot more B&C record heads than anybody who has ever lived. But if you quit coming back to the campfire, nobody would miss you. Nobody.

Jeff

Jeff, glad to see you're still acting like a 17 year old punk-azz.
No facts, no real experience, just name calling and insults.

No one would miss me eh ? probably not the several dozen members and sponsors I and my fellow club members spent over $10K with in 2011.

Probably not the 50+ members I PM with, who avoid posting on any threads because of you and the other troll jerkoffs.

Probably, nobody but you, as you might have to learn something on your own.

You really, in your most wild dreams, that the 30 thousand members here think you are God's gift to the world of firearms, hunting, reloading, shooting or in fact anything other than shoveling pig crap ?

Adios boy, get in your jammies and dream of your wolves.

"SPALDING, Neb. (AP) - A gray wolf was shot near Spalding in the state's first confirmed wolf sighting in 90 years, state wildlife officials said.

A coyote hunter shot the wolf Dec. 15 in a farm field near Spalding, about 55 miles straight north of Grand Island. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said Wednesday the 100-pound male canine, which was turned in by the hunter, was recently identified by federal officials as a pure gray wolf.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting a criminal investigation to determine the circumstances of the animal's death.

Gray wolves are a protected species under state and federal laws. The wolves recently were down-listed by federal authorities from an endangered species to a threatened species, which allows ranchers to kill wolves they catch attacking livestock.

Under the previous endangered species designation, killing a wolf carried a maximum $100,000 fine and a one-year jail sentence.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the animal originated from a population of wolves found in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.

The last confirmed wolf sighting in Nebraska was in 1913, when a carcass was recovered near Oconto, said Richard Bischof, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's furbearer and nongame mammal program manager."

Maybe you'll be the SECOND to face a $100,000 fine....... LOL

Larry...

Can't be either name calling or insulting when it is the truth, but your acquaintance with truth is so slight that you wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on your lying ass.

I'd sure like to see a post from just 1 of your 50+ "friends" speaking out in support of you. The truth being that nobody with an ounce of credibility would support you because you aren't worthy of support, only ridicule and distain.

Jeff

+1, Larry must not be a trout.

Jeff

This is beginning to look like another thread I'm going to unsubscribe from.......

Sorry Matt, but if you hang out here long enough, you'll encounter a few, thankfully very few, keyboard cowboys like Larry. Larry has gone through so many handles that he can't even keep them straight and he creates new handles every time Rick boots him. Heck, Larry's so confused that he was posting as his wife for awhile, but he kept getting his genders mixed up.

Jeff

Yeah, I just enjoy the shared common interest in firearms and shooting here. I like to have a place to go where I can discuss those interests with like-minded individuals without having to sift through that kind of adolescent garbage. Maybe I need to check an see if there's an ignore feature here....

I have zero patience for it. I've far more important things to do with my day than waste my time like that.

Schtick? Is dat you?????

Ok ok Okay!!!

Who forgot to flush again????

Hi Matt -

Hi Matt

Thanks for your service! I started loading for the 22-250 last year and have really enjoyed it. In my rifle (1-12 twist) I have found IMR 4895 paired with Sierra 50gr blitzkings to very accurate. They were only sligtly better than Nosler ballistic tips and Hornady V-max of the same weight. I've also loaded using H-380 (pretty good) and Superformance (which didn't give me great results). Have fun with your load development when you get back.

AlaskanMatt , yup there is an ignore feature, we've stopping using it as the trolls no longer control the site as they once did.

We agree that talking about guns, hunting, loading etc. is far more interesting than being subjected to attacks, name calling and yes, even death threats.

Now that we have the trolls in check, we happily post and support both members and sponsors by buying their items/products for sale.

Best way to have an adult conversation on a specific topic is to use the PM feature as the trolls cannot get at it.

Sorry you were lead into a "troll attack", obvious to anyone that has ever actually shot a 22-250 with the 45 gr TSX on game, knows that it would be an excellent wolf or (where legal) small Whitetail load.

Need any help on site features, drop me a PM. Good shooting !

Or that.


Travis

Now that is an amusing post!

Did you notice that Larry is using the royal "WE", fitting for The King of Trolls, warned Matt about "being lead (led?) into a troll attack" when the only troll that I recognize on this entire thread is Larry, himself. I wonder is the death threats that he claims to have received are real or just a figment of his addled and delusional mind.

Jeff

Well on the death threats, you can ask STX or whatever his new handle is after he went on the FL SP/Monroe CTY sherrif and KWPD Bolo list or the guy who no longer posts here who had a visit from the SDSP "reminding" him that Internet death threats were a felony under various state and Federal laws.

There is no "royal we" what there are, are a whole lot of our club members who hold user I.D.s on this site. A lot more than your troll club as you will see come June when the "white Negro" is called out.

I am amazed how many wannabe psychiatrists there are on this site. Your MD is from where Jeffie ? Sure you'll be proud to post a copy of your Diploma and MD license .... right ? LOAO

IBID.

Jeff