22-250 twist rates

[johnnyk]

Savage makes the Model 12 VLP in .22-250 Rem with 1-9 and 1-12" twist. I have that same stock on my 112 in 6.5-284 Norma and really like it. Rifle started life as a 112 BVSS and another forum member wanted to trade and I am glad I did because its LOP is shorter and fits me much better.
Something I have never quiet understood is rifle Mfg's will make .223 Rem with 1-7" twist barrels but not the .22-250Rem. What would it hurt? What's their thinking on this? Can't the cup/core .224's take the RPM's?

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I have a Savage FVSS with a 26" 1-12 twist that is death out to 470 yards (so far) on groundhogs. It'll shoot 55 grain Sierra Game Kings in tiny groups at 200 yards.

I have a 12BVSS savage 26" 1-12" twist, I quoted justinp61 cause my current longest range groundhog kill is 468yds with hornady 50gr Vmax. My avatar target is the way it groups....

 

[woodneagle]

I have a Mossberg .22-250 with a 1 in 14 twist and two Savage axis with a 1 in 12 twist barrel.
I know my new box of Winchester Power Points 64 grains will stabilized "better" in the Savage, BUT should I really have a 1 in 10 twist barrel? Just try them out is the easiest way to find out of course, lacking any first hand knowledge. Shilen Rifles makes barrels from 7's for 90's and to the14"s for 45's. Of course the heavier bullets reach out way far. Buy a new gun? Rebarrel one of the Savage's?
Probably $500 + either way?

 

[nicholasjohn]

I have a Mossberg .22-250 with a 1 in 14 twist and two Savage axis with a 1 in 12 twist barrel.
I know my new box of Winchester Power Points 64 grains will stabilized "better" in the Savage, BUT should I really have a 1 in 10 twist barrel? Just try them out is the easiest way to find out of course, lacking any first hand knowledge. Shilen Rifles makes barrels from 7's for 90's and to the14"s for 45's. Of course the heavier bullets reach out way far. Buy a new gun? Rebarrel one of the Savage's?
Probably $500 + either way?

I would take whichever one of the Savage rifles is the less accurate shooter, and re-barrel it with a fast-twist barrel. How fast ? Fast enough to shoot the heaviest bullet you want to use, and go with Shilen's recommendation for the proper twist rate for that bullet. The 22-250 has enough case capacity to give you respectable velocities with the heaviest of the .224" bullets. I think the 90's can be pushed close to 3000 fps. I have also heard that the super-heavies can be a bit fussy, even in the really fast-twist barrel, so I would ask Shilen for their recommendations concerning that, too.

I have shot several deer with the 64-grain Power Point you mentioned, all with a 22-250 with a 14" twist. They stabilized just fine, and it killed those Pennsylvania whitetails very well. It was also really hard on coyotes. It was no problem breaking both shoulders of big Montana 'yotes, and rib-cage hits put them down reliably, too. I think that the heavier bullets would behave at least as well on impact, and the real benefit would be from the better in-flight performance. Retained energy at long range should be noticeably better, and it will probably be more like shooting you animals with one of the 6mm's than what you're used to with the 22-250. Good luck, and let us all know how it goes.

 

[dogz]

I have a Mossberg .22-250 with a 1 in 14 twist and two Savage axis with a 1 in 12 twist barrel.
I know my new box of Winchester Power Points 64 grains will stabilized "better" in the Savage, BUT should I really have a 1 in 10 twist barrel? Just try them out is the easiest way to find out of course, lacking any first hand knowledge. Shilen Rifles makes barrels from 7's for 90's and to the14"s for 45's. Of course the heavier bullets reach out way far. Buy a new gun? Rebarrel one of the Savage's?
Probably $500 + either way?

Honestly, I'd not do either. I'd just run a 55 Horn W/C for all that moves from yotes to elk and you'll be golden

 

[dogz]

I would take whichever one of the Savage rifles is the less accurate shooter, and re-barrel it with a fast-twist barrel. How fast ? Fast enough to shoot the heaviest bullet you want to use, and go with Shilen's recommendation for the proper twist rate for that bullet. The 22-250 has enough case capacity to give you respectable velocities with the heaviest of the .224" bullets. I think the 90's can be pushed close to 3000 fps. I have also heard that the super-heavies can be a bit fussy, even in the really fast-twist barrel, so I would ask Shilen for their recommendations concerning that, too.

I have shot several deer with the 64-grain Power Point you mentioned, all with a 22-250 with a 14" twist. They stabilized just fine, and it killed those Pennsylvania whitetails very well. It was also really hard on coyotes. It was no problem breaking both shoulders of big Montana 'yotes, and rib-cage hits put them down reliably, too. I think that the heavier bullets would behave at least as well on impact, and the real benefit would be from the better in-flight performance. Retained energy at long range should be noticeably better, and it will probably be more like shooting you animals with one of the 6mm's than what you're used to with the 22-250. Good luck, and let us all know how it goes

"Breaking both shoulders of big Montana Yotes"...............holy crapola that's one of the funniest things I've heard in a while

On the real, I do love to hunt those dogs

 

[Hugnot]

I have had numerous .22-.250 over the last 6 decades.

Should you want to shoot 53's - 55's go for a 12 twist. The 53 H Vmax was one of my favorite .224 bullets, a wide variety of powders will work.

Presently I have 4 .22-.250 rifles, all with 7.7 twist barrels. The primary load is the 75 HELDM with any of the 4350 powders or Staball 6.5. The 75 .224 ELDM compares very favorably with larger 6mm's and .257's. At extended ranges over 350 yards the 75 ELDM is a more reliable hitter than the 53's, 55's, or 60's. An 8 twist will stabilize the .224 75 ELDM.

Should higher velocities be wanted the 62 .224 ELDVT can be driven just under 3,600 fps from a 8 twist .22-.250 and will crush the 53 VMax bullet ballistics beyond 300.

Bullet form factors are a good comparative way for bullet selection as they provide indications for velocity gains. FF = SD/G7BC, low is better. The 62 .224 ELDVT has a very good FF & the 75 .224 ELDM is good also. Both 62 & 75 FF's give good indications of ballistic worth compared to larger 6mm's & .257's.

Go for an 8 twist.

I have hit silhouette chickens at 880 yards, 1/2 section, with the .224 68 grain Hornady hpbt at 3300 fps from an olde 10 twist .22-.250 but the 75 .224 ELDM at 3150 fps from my 7.7 twist hits them better.