Long Range Newbie, Questions

[justinp61]

Guys I'm new to long range shooting and have a few questions for 22-250 shooters. My Savage model 12 FVSS should be here next week, I still have to order the scope, a Leupold VX3 6.5-20X40AO with a 30mm tube and the varmint hunter reticle. The rifle has a 1 in 12 twist barrel. I will be shooting some 400 yard steel and some long range ground hogs.
What are some good loads? What's the heaviest bullet them 1 in 12 will shoot accurately? From what I've read it should shoot 50-60' grain bullets well.


Thanks

 

[bigngreen]

Bergers in the 60 and 62 gr range are very good out of my buddies Model 12, I think he was shooting H380 but switched to Varget with the Bergers. Smoked an antelope at 506 yrds last year and a few deer and it worked picture perfect, he's been shooting it regularly out to 800yrds+ this summer getting ready for more antelope.

 

[SBruce]

60 grn bullets should shoot very well in a 12 twist. There's tons of options, from 55-60+ grns. H-380 is well known in 22-250, and Varget is great too.

If you want to load alot of ammo with minumal fuss, H-380 meters like hot butter. No reason to weigh charges once the meter is set up. Varget is a little slower because it's extruded. I weigh/trickle each charge when using Varget, but not necessary with H-380.

38-39 grns H380, 35-37 grns Varget.........work up carefully.

Good Luck

 

[longrangefreek]

Model 12 22-250 is a great gun and very accurate. I like the groups I was getting out of the 52 grn bergers and the 50 grn nosler ballistic tips. I used H4895 with these bullets. great combintion and very fast mv. 38.5 grns was getting me just under 4000 fts. it was quite a hot load but shot very well. you will definately enjoy that rifle.

 

[backwoods83]

I have 2 savage 22-250s both are 12 twist and they group well up to 55grn noslers or the new 53grn vmax, 60grn partition will do well as will the 64grn fb berger, but I have found that both of them favor a 40grn nosler on top of 35.5grns of re10x, my model 112 (26" barrel) will push them over 4300 fps and on most ocassions you can shoot 5 shots and have 1 ragged hole or it looks like a 3 shot clover, many ground hogs have fallen to that combo.

 

[justinp61]

Thanks for th info guys. I'm looking forward to getting to shoot this thing gun). I've wanted a 22-250 for years and finally decided to order it. The kids are out of the house for the most part and the hot rod doesn't really need anything so I'm going to spend some overtime money .

I'm going tomorrow to look for a set of dies and maybe pick up some bullets, primers and brass.