22-250 round for 1:12 twist

[Pope]

I was given a Remington XR-100 chambered in 22-250 for Christmas. I’m primarily planning to target shoot with it, but may hunt as well. From what I gather, this gun has a 1:12 twist. Does anyone has a information on the heaviest bonded bullet that could be stabilized with it? I’d like the heaviest load possible to deliver as much energy possible.

[fish4food]

I’d try 60. Won’t know until you try it.
I’m shooting a 55 Hornady SP w/ Cannelure out of my rifle.

Have only neck shot a few deer so not really a valid assessment. It blows a pretty good hole on the back end though.

If I get the chance, I’m going to shoulder shoot a pig and see what the bullet does.

[gatorgrizz27]

Plenty of people have had success with the 55 TSX if you want a solid copper bullet. I plan to shoot the 60 gr Partitions as they will stabilize in 1:12 and typically kill quicker on heart/lung shots.

There are some less common 64 gr bonded bullets that should work also.

[LWD]

As others have said 55 and some 60 grain bullets and maybe some heavier. With respect to twist rates, bullet weight is a proxy for length, which is the actual question for stability.

[Anteloper]

I tried shooting the heavier/longer 64 grain Nosler trophy grade out of my sons 22-250 and the accuracy went to crap. Its a 1-14 twist so you might have better luck. We went back to shooting the Barnes 50 grain flat base which it shoots very well. He smoked his first deer with it in November. No blood trail at all but it was pilled up in 35-40 yards.

[droptine8850]

My 22-250 has a 12 twist and I hunt with the 60 gr Nosler Partitions. Have taken pigs, Axis and WT with nice size exit wounds.

[muzzlebrake]

Try some 52gr Speer flat base HP. These bullets will vaporize a P-dog when loaded with 38gr of H380
Many 22-150 rifles in 1:12 twist don't like boat tail bullets.
Longer heavier bullets won't stabilize good and likely tumble just hitting a blade of grass.

[Pope]

I appreciate all the feedback. I never considered whether a bullet being boat-tailed or flat based would have an effect. In fact, if I were to have guessed, I would have thought boat-tailed. I use boat-tailed bullets in all of my other long and short action rifles. Perhaps this design has a bit of a back draft effect which knocks a little bullet around a bit. I don’t shoot any 22 caliber other than a 22LR.
I will try several of these rounds this summer to see how they perform. I really want the heaviest bullet for the energy and to decrease the wind drift.

[SabreKiller]

My wife's Ruger is 1:12 and I load the 50 gr. Barnes TSX with IMR 4895 at about 3700 FPS. She's killed a couple of nice deer with it and several 250+ lb. hogs with it. She's shot through every one f them and the farthest one has travelled is 10 yards. Awesome little bullet for that velocity.

[Anteloper]

I really want the heaviest bullet for the energy and to decrease the wind drift.

Depending on range, etc might consider that the lighter bullet could have just as much energy and less wind drift form increased velocity. On the 22-250 I really don't know just something you might look at.

[muzzlebrake]

I appreciate all the feedback. I never considered whether a bullet being boat-tailed or flat based would have an effect. In fact, if I were to have guessed, I would have thought boat-tailed. I use boat-tailed bullets in all of my other long and short action rifles. Perhaps this design has a bit of a back draft effect which knocks a little bullet around a bit. I don’t shoot any 22 caliber other than a 22LR.
I will try several of these rounds this summer to see how they perform. I really want the heaviest bullet for the energy and to decrease the wind drift.

I hear ya. I have never thought of a 22 cal as a really long range bullet. 400 yds is stretching them a bit. I did pop a P-dog at 435 yds once with my Savage 12VSS 22-250 and a gazillion of them out to 300-350. Wind drift is the 22 cal killer IMO. It don't much of a puff to knock that light bullet off path or destabilize it. On the other hand the faster it gets there the less likely it gets interrupted. I used to run moly coated Berger 40gr hp to 4100 fps shooting p-dogs and crows. I could make it snow black feathers and green spray off them dog hills at 200 yds. I've never been on a P-dog town that didn't have wind blowing 15 to 30 mph.

[hully1029]

I shoot 55s out of mine (my son's deer rifle).. use simple 55g soft points for deer and can switch to 55g vmax for yotes and such without touching the sight.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[TX03RUBI]

I hear ya. I have never thought of a 22 cal as a really long range bullet. 400 yds is stretching them a bit. I did pop a P-dog at 435 yds once with my Savage 12VSS 22-250 and a gazillion of them out to 300-350. Wind drift is the 22 cal killer IMO. It don't much of a puff to knock that light bullet off path or destabilize it. On the other hand the faster it gets there the less likely it gets interrupted. I used to run moly coated Berger 40gr hp to 4100 fps shooting p-dogs and crows. I could make it snow black feathers and green spray off them dog hills at 200 yds. I've never been on a P-dog town that didn't have wind blowing 15 to 30 mph.

I’ve consistently taken prairie dogs with a simple 223 running 75 BTHPs well past 600. Spotted for another buddy take one at 995 yds with those same 75 BTHPs. Ive ran a 223 Ackley and 223 Rem (long throated chamber) out past 1000 a handful of times. I’ve watched another buddy with an identical build and long throat chamber stretch his with consistent hits at 1302 on a perfect day. The light 40-50 Gr projectiles fall on their butt pretty quickly, but the 70+ Gr projectiles do just fine as long as it’s not 15+ wind. We shoot a lot on windy days, and get lucky sometimes on calmer days. We still shoot the 223s on windy days, just don’t stretch them much. Our closest shots are 350 though. Majority are between 400-725.

[muzzlebrake]

I’ve consistently taken prairie dogs with a simple 223 running 75 BTHPs well past 600. Spotted for another buddy take one at 995 yds with those same 75 BTHPs. Ive ran a 223 Ackley and 223 Rem (long throated chamber) out past 1000 a handful of times. I’ve watched another buddy with an identical build and long throat chamber stretch his with consistent hits at 1302 on a perfect day. The light 40-50 Gr projectiles fall on their butt pretty quickly, but the 70+ Gr projectiles do just fine as long as it’s not 15+ wind. We shoot a lot on windy days, and get lucky sometimes on calmer days. We still shoot the 223s on windy days, just don’t stretch them much. Our closest shots are 350 though. Majority are between 400-725.

but I did mine with open sights

[softpoint]

The old, but still produced 70 grain Speer is a killer on deer and hogs. Speer specifically made that bullet for the older rifles with the slower twists. I killed a deer this year with one out of a .223...It isn't as flat shooting as the varmint weights, though. Other bullets i have hand loaded for deer and hogs were the 64 grain Nosler Accubond, and the 64 grain Winchester Power Point. The Barnes TSX bullets are supposed to be good, but the heavier ones likely won't stabilize in that twist.