22-250 Hunting Loads

[experthunter017]

Looking for the best loads for hunting Deer/hogs/ground hogs/ I have a Savage model 10 22-250 with a 3x9x56 winchester scope with a barrle twist of 1:12, i do reload so i am willing to try any load that puts 5 shots within a 1 inch circle at 100yds thanks for your imput

 

[Flight Risk]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

I think that’s a varmint load, not sure I’d want to shoot anything bigger than a Coyote with that. .270 and above for a hog and deer. Seems the .308 is the choice around here for the two legged. Might want to watch your head around here when it comes to talking about hunting, some of these guys will paint a bunch of red circles with a red dot in the middle of it on it.

 

[varmint slayer]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flight Risk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think that’s a varmint load, not sure I’d want to shoot anything bigger than a Coyote with that. .270 and above for a hog and deer.</div></div>

.22-250 is plenty for deer and is done all the time. Can't do it here in WY but just over the border in SD it can be done all day long (in hunting season of course) and a handful of other states as well.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

I killed a 200+ lb hog with a 223AI, 55Vmax & a full case of Varget. Like they say, shot placement is the key.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Certainly can be done, the only thing against the 22-250 is the twist. Id prefer a bigger bullet, and to do so, you need the twist. Something like a 9 or tighter.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

But. Are you telling the man to sell his rifle? He said he owns a Savage and it has a 1X12" twist. So, what you prefer is your own business but, from vast experience, I can tell you with authority that there are numerous suitable bullets available that will stabilize in his barrel, between 40 and 55 grains and that will kill a deer..... or a prairie dog quite dead.

BB

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Im not telling him to do anything, he can do just fine with a 12 twist. Just saying a tighter twist and heavier bullets would be better. If your experience is as vast as you say it is, im sure you can understand why.

 

[psinclair]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Try the 55gr Hornady Spire Point.....I've taken quite a number of elk, deer, antelope and black bears with that bullet in my Swift, loaded to 3750fps or so.

 

[bohem]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Almost ALL of the bullets that will stabilize in that twist rate are <60gr and many of those are designed for shooting very thin skinned little critters.

I've seen all sorts of crazy stuff kill deer and bigger animals, shot placement is always the key.

Something that has to penetrate the shoulder area of a whitetail varmint bullets are hit and miss. I've shot deer from a 223 with 45gr JHP Remington box ammo. One in the neck and it went down like a sack of potatoes. Never hit anything solid, just blew a gigantic hole through the neck around C4/C5.

Another I put the bullet around the third rib. It entered on a rib and proceeded to explode inside. She made it around 10yd and there was no blood trail whatsoever as it never exited.

Both were satisfactory and worked well enough to get the job done.

Neither was something that I would sit back and "plan it like that".

My advice would be to try a look at the various game bullets that are in the 50-60gr weight class and don't load them as hot as you can. Many times the bullet failures that happen are because impact velocity is WAY higher than the designed IV and the bullet disintegrates upon hitting a shoulder blade.

I think that Barnes makes a TSX/TTSX in the 50gr realm that will stabilize and they're formed from solid copper. You can shoot them at lightspeed but it's unnecessary, likely you'll get better penetration at shorter distances with the reduced MV because the bullet won't be so distorted or destroyed initially.

With a Barnes solid bullet (or any solid for that matter) that issue is pretty moot, but I mention it more for the chance you can't get the TTSX to shoot and need to go with a varmint bullet of some kind like the Amax/Vmax/SGK/etc.

Good luck with it, shot placement is far more important than magic bullets and super-killer calibers.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ColdBoreMiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im not telling him to do anything, he can do just fine with a 12 twist. Just saying a tighter twist and heavier bullets would be better. If your experience is as vast as you say it is, im sure you can understand why. </div></div>

Yes, I do understand, because of my vast experience. And, all I am saying is; like I learned in college many years ago:

<span style="text-decoration: underline">Write to the question, and you will never go wrong.</span>

He has a Savage. I would work with what he has, practical advice, rather than talk about something he doesn't have.

By the way, that's a nice buck, above.

 

[psinclair]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Another one....same rifle and bullet.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Mr. Sinclair, you sure do make a lot of memories. I wish I had half of em.......

 

[SavageLapua]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Up here we're not allowed to hunt with anything smaller than a .243... Varmints are an exception...

 

[nashlaw]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Try some H380- my understanding is it was made for the 22-250 by Bruce H. himself.

The max book load is 38.0 grain with a 52g bullet. I run 40.0g with no signs of pressure.

Also, feel free to disregard my comments and go with what PGS says. He has the t-shirt. I don't.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

I have a Model 77V that I bought in 1975 when they first came out in 220 Swift. Killed a lot of coyotes with the 55 Hornady spire point. Several years ago, due to throat erosion, I switched to the 63gr. Sierra semi pointed seated way out and it still kills coyotes. It's my "loaner". And, there is no doubt, it will also kill a deer. BB

 

[experthunter017]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

Well i have been trying to find a hunting load so i loaded up alot of differnt loads. I loaded Five of each, Here they are:

32.5 gr Accurate 2520 63gr semi point
30.4 gr Accurate 2520 63gr semi point
28.3 gr Accurate 2520 63gr semi point
26.2 gr Accurate 2520 63gr semi point
36.0 gr IMR 4350 63gr semi point
35.0 gr Accurate 2520 50 hollow point (TNT) speer
34.3 gr Accurate 2520 50 hollow point (TNT) speer
33.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 hollow point (TNT) speer
32.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 hollow point (TNT) speer
31.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 hollow point (TNT) speer
31.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 spitzer sierra
32.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 spitzer sierra
33.4 gr Accurate 2520 50 spitzer sierra
34.3 gr Accurate 2520 50 spitzer sierra
35.3 gr Accurate 2520 50 spitzer sierra

These are not hunting rounds but i got a new powder so i wanted to see how my gun like the new powder and if it works good i will try and load some hunting rounds with it. Here they are:

33.0 gr H4895 55gr FMJ BT/WC
34.0 gr H4895 55gr FMJ BT/WC
35.0 gr H4895 55gr FMJ BT/WC
35.5 gr H4895 55gr FMJ BT/WC

i just got in the mail Barnes Tipped Triple-Shock X Bullets 22 Caliber (224 Diameter) 55 Grain Spitzer Boat. I havent loaded any up yet but i will be doing that here in a few days.

What do you guys think??

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

The 22-250 has so many potential loads, it's hard, (if not impossible) to list them all.

4895 is always an accurate powder but it peaks before you get 100% fill so I usually stay away from it. In various high capacity .224" bores, (I shoot 223Ackley, 22-250 and 22-250Ackley, 220Swift and 22-243Mid) using 52-55 grain bullets, I like 4350, 4831 and H414.

As mentioned above, most bullets that will stabilize in your rifle are below 60 grains. Not always, but it's a good rule of thumb. The thing about the Sierra 63 grain semi pointed, besides the fact that it's a dud BC wise, is that it has that longer bearing surface and will usually stabilize in 12 and 14 twist barrels, if you can drive it fast enough?

My Swift, the load is the 63 Sierra and 41.0 grains of #2700. Velocity is 3500fps.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

"... H380- my understanding is it was made for the 22-250 by Bruce H. himself."

Not hardly. That was one of the un-named WWII surplus ball powders Bruce bought by the tons. He found that 38.0 gr. with a 50 gr. bullet shot one hole groups in his 22-250 so that's how it got the name; it's quite good for other cartridges too. Hodgedon did contract for tons of the same burn rate after the surplus stuff ran out and that burn rate continues today.

 

[groundhogbuster]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

IMR 4064 has always been best load for me. I have killed a cpl deer with a 22/250, but not because it's my hunting rifle, but because the shot presented itself. I shoot a 52/53 gr bullet over 34gr of 4064.

 

[spradley]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: groundhogbuster</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> IMR 4064 has always been best load for me. I have killed a cpl deer with a 22/250, but not because it's my hunting rifle, but because the shot presented itself. I shoot a 52/53 gr bullet over 34gr of 4064. </div></div>

Same here.. 4064 works best in my Winchester Model 70 heavy..
I'd have no issue busting a whitetail using a 55gr soft point.
I would not use a ballistic tip on anything larger than a coyote.

 

[Grumulkin]

Re: 22-250 Hunting Loads

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Experthunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looking for the best loads for hunting Deer/hogs/ground hogs/ I have a Savage model 10 22-250 with a 3x9x56 winchester scope with a barrle twist of 1:12, i do reload so i am willing to try any load that puts 5 shots within a 1 inch circle at 100yds thanks for your imput </div></div>

I would recommend Speer 70 gr. Spire Points. I've used them in a 22-250 and a 222, both with 1:12 twist barrels, on a couple of deer with excellent results (both 1 shot kills). I believe you'll find accuracy within the parameters you specify.

My 222 load with them is a compressed charge of Winchester 760/H414. I don't remember what powder I used in the 22-250.