The best heavy hunting bullet for 1:8 twist 22-250

S

Smokewagon

New member
I'm looking for a heavy hunting bullet to load up for my Tikka 1:8 twist 22-250. I'm currently testing the 75 grain Hornady ELD-M (target bullet) and it's not showing much potential. The heaviest hunting bullet that I've been able to find is the 65 grain Sierra Gameking. Is there anything else out there? I will be shooting pigs,coyotes and other varmints maybe let my 9 year old daughter use it on deer close range.
 
I think your best bet would be one of the heavier Barnes bullets. I have the same rifle but haven't had a chance to do any load development because my wife will be taking it in the divorce next month lol.

Look at the 62gr TTSX, 70gr TSX or the 62gr controlled choas from Lehigh.
 
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64g Winchester is a great bullet, and 65g Sierra is excellent also!

The 60g Nosler partition will make you wonder why they ever invented larger calibers!

Close to max load of IMR 4350 and Win primer is going to be a home run for you!

Good luck
 
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Smokewagon,
I too bought a Tikka T3x 22-250 with a 1/8 twist. I have found mine loves the 75 AMAX with 32.5-32.9 gr of RL-15. I'm seating them .020 off of the lands. It's not a super fast load (3055 fps) but it cloverleafs. Give that a try.
 
65gn SGK, 62gn TTSX, 69gn TMK, 77gn TMK are all good options for a hunting bullet. With the extra velocity of the 22/250 over a .223, it will really make the TMK's into a potent hunting projectile. I hit an armadillo with a 69 TMK out of a 223AI, and it blew a tennis ball sized hole in his tailpipe and blew his actual tail about 6 feet left of where he kept it. Nasty. Nasty enough, that I would have no qualms about shooting smaller bodied whitetail, hogs, predators etc with it. If you just have to have a designed hunting bullet, the 65gn SGK is a fantastic all around bullet. With a 22/250 head of steam, it will put a good thumpin' on most normal sized critters.
 
Originally Posted By: ackleyman64g Winchester is a great bullet, and 65g Sierra is excellent also!

The 60g Nosler partition will make you wonder why they ever invented larger calibers!

Close to max load of IMR 4350 and Win primer is going to be a home run for you!

Good luck

I second the 60 grain Nosler partition, It will do the trick every time.
 
With the 75s elders did what did you try for powder? Maybe try a different powder, there is a lot of combos that might work. Could also try the 80 eldm. Try h4350, h4831, imr4451 endura, rl17, rl16. I don’t know with h4831 will be to slow or not but I’m using it in my 22-243 with really good results.
 
Originally Posted By: Huckleberry7565gn SGK, 62gn TTSX, 69gn TMK, 77gn TMK are all good options for a hunting bullet. With the extra velocity of the 22/250 over a .223, it will really make the TMK's into a potent hunting projectile. I hit an armadillo with a 69 TMK out of a 223AI, and it blew a tennis ball sized hole in his tailpipe and blew his actual tail about 6 feet left of where he kept it. Nasty. Nasty enough, that I would have no qualms about shooting smaller bodied whitetail, hogs, predators etc with it. If you just have to have a designed hunting bullet, the 65gn SGK is a fantastic all around bullet. With a 22/250 head of steam, it will put a good thumpin' on most normal sized critters.


The 69 TMK's is my fav for coyotes in my 223. I would really like to try the 77's but my twist wont shoot them.
 
The 75 Eld shoot fine less than an inch with 32 grains of varget. I'm just not that impressed with performance on game. I just bought 200 65 SGK I'm going to start with 34.3 grains of varget.
 
How are ya'll doing with the ELD-M match bullets? Friend said he tried em but just passed thru, tiny entry and exit and the yotes keep running a long ways.
 
70 gr berger vlds target also you.might want to try 55gr nosler e bullets lead free really long .900 these are like a 80 gr in length
 
Originally Posted By: SmokewagonI'm looking for a heavy hunting bullet to load up for my Tikka 1:8 twist 22-250.Here's data I've worked up in my 1-in-8" Tikka so far:

Barnes 62-grain TSX over 32.2 grains IMR 3031 for 3367 FPS and 0.833" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TSX over 37.2 grains H-380 for 3296 FPS and 0.639" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TSX over 34.2 grains IMR 4064 for 3427 FPS 0.788" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TSX over 37.5 grains W-760/H-414 for 3321 FPS 0.912" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TSX over 35.5 grains Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR for 3298 FPS 0.531" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TSX over 33.2 grains IMR 4320 for 3314 FPS and 0.609" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TTSX over 36.5 grains CFE223 for 3363 FPS and 0.961" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TTSX over 36.7 grains RL-17 for 3346 FPS and 0.683" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TTSX over 33.0 grains VV N140 for 3246 FPS and 0.763" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TTSX over 36.0 grains Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR for 3333 FPS and 0.698" groups.
Barnes 62-grain TTSX over 36.0 grains IMR 4350 for 3197 FPS and 0.958" groups.

All loads used Winchester brass, Winchester large rifle primers, and fired in ten-shot strings over a Shooting Chrony Alpha Model chronograph. Group size is average of two five-shot groups.

All TSX loads were seated to an OAL of 2.400 inches.

All TTSX loads were seated to an OAL of 2.415 inches.

*NOTES:

Varget was also tested with a load of 34.0 grains in the 62-grain TSX combination for an average velocity of 3367 (identical velocity to IMR 3031), but the BEST THREE-SHOT group I could get in 20 rounds of testing was 1.200 inches; this mirrors the results obtained in Handloader #261 when their BEST group size was 1.13 inches. Varget has done well for me in other applications, but has been disappointing here.

Tested load of IMR 4350 nearly filled case.
 
I have been using 73gr Elds with 32gr varget.5moa at 100 yards. Have taken 6 yotes and 3 deer with this load dropped them all bullets never came out made a mess on the inside.
 


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