twist rate .22/250

C

cclark

New member
What is the ideal bullet weight for a .22/250 with a 1 in 14" twist? From looking at the various conversations in the forums here is a loaded question: What is the best bullet for a .22/250 for coyotes?
 
Your .22-250 should have no troubles handling bullets in the 40 to 55 grain range. I would go with the heaviest, most solidly constructed bullet that my rifle would shoot accurately. That might be a 45 gr or a 55 gr bullet, and only a bit of testing will tell. Personally I'm using either of a 52 gr Sierra HPBT or 55 gr Sierra Game King.
 
I have heard the the optimum bullet weight for the 1 in 14 twist was a 53 grain bullet. However, as others mentioned, it will handle anything relatively well including the 55 grain bullets.

Just don't rely on the match bullets if you hunt in any areas ricochets would be a problem. Several years back, a friend who was shooting a Ruger in .220 Swift using Sierra match bullets and I, shooting a Ruger in .22-250 Rem, with 55 grain Nosler BT's had a little demonstration of bullet frangibility, or the lack thereof. I set up a piece of cardboard on a stake, bottom flush with the ground,in front of the 100 yard backstop. We both took turns shooting at a point on the ground 5 feet in front of the cardboard. All his bullets bounced off the ground and either hit the cardboard nose on, or sideways. None of my BT's hit the cardboard intact. All blew up on the grass and dirt and hit the cardboard as fragments. Even though his gun would shoot Micky Mouse head groups with the Sierra, he switched to the slightly less accurate BT's after seeing that.

I have often seen ricochets with match bullets, but have never seen one with either a VMax or Nosler BT. I don't doubt that it happens on occasion, but I never have seen it.
 
i use a 50 grainer in my 1 in 14. started out at 40 and could get groups anywhere near what i wanted them. the 50 grainers brought them in tight so i stopped there.
 
I have a Tikka 22-250 with a 1-14 twist barrel and I've had a horrible time getting any of the "plastic" tipped 55 grain bullets to shoot out of my rifle. In fact I've heard of several others on this and other forums who have had similar problems. I've change to 55 grain soft points and 55 grain hollow points and accuracy is a lot better, (1/2 to 3/4" with soft point/hollow points vs. close to 2" with the best plastic tipped 55's) The only thing I can figure out is that the plastic tipped bullets are longer and won't stabelize that well with a 1-14" twist. I don't understand how the 1-14" became the standard twist in the 22-250 anyway. I would think that 1-12" would be a lot better. My hunting partner just got a Savage with 1-12" twist and it shoots any of the 55's great. He's also working up loads with the 60's and I've never been able to shoot them.
 
I also have the Tikka 22-250, and Ducksoup answered my question. I just got the gun, the first time out I shot 55 and 50 grain plastic tipped bullets out of it and was not impressed. I was concerned about bullet weight versus twist, now I see I need to try some soft points/hollow points. Thanks Ducksoup!
 
I to own a Tikka 22-250 and shot many different bullets. 40 gr V-Max's, 50 gr BT's, 55 gr BT's, 52 gr BTHP, and 55 gr SP's. 40 grainers shot the best followed by the 50 gr BT's and then the 52 gr BTHP's. 55 gr BT's shot the worst but I did not mess much with different loads with them.
 
I have a 14 twist Kimber 22-250 and I could not get the 55 NBT's to shoot very well out of it. It is just the length of the bullets. I worked up a load with 52 SMK's for that rifle.

Those "plastic tipped" bullets are generally a bit longer than a conventional type. A 55 SBK is longer than a 60 Berger Match.

FWIW, the 75Amax is longer than Sierra 77 and 80 SMK, about the same lenght as a Berger 80VLD, and roughly 0.050" shorter than a 90 SMK.
 
I believe my Ruger M77 is a 1-14 twist. It really likes the Hornady 50 grain V-Max loads. I was using the cheap white box Winchester 45gr hollow points because of the price, however they don't group anywhere as well as the Hornady's but good enough for chuck hunting.
 
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