Have got a remi 700 vssf .22/250. Been reloading using varget powder 55 gr v max with pretty poor results.
Just got some h380 and started loading min to max ie 38 gr to 41gr. My problem is 40gr fills the case to the neck. Have double checked my books that is the data given. Whats going on

In my book(s) it shows 41gr of H380 as being a compressed load.

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Have got a remi 700 vssf .22/250. Been reloading using varget powder 55 gr v max with pretty poor results.
Just got some h380 and started loading min to max ie 38 gr to 41gr. My problem is 40gr fills the case to the neck. Have double checked my books that is the data given. Whats going on

I use a 40gr load in my 22-250 with Winchester brass and 50gr Berger HP target bullets, it's a slightly compressed load, but not full to the top. What brass are you using??

It says on the h380 tub 41gr is max load to start 10% lower. In my lee reloader book is says to start at 38gr and work up which is what I did however 40 grains fills the case.

Thanks for that I am using remington brass and when resized is 1.912" as the book says.

quote:

Originally posted by CoyoteKiller82:

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Have got a remi 700 vssf .22/250. Been reloading using varget powder 55 gr v max with pretty poor results.
Just got some h380 and started loading min to max ie 38 gr to 41gr. My problem is 40gr fills the case to the neck. Have double checked my books that is the data given. Whats going on

I use a 40gr load in my 22-250 with Winchester brass and 50gr Berger HP target bullets, it's a slightly compressed load, but not full to the top. What brass are you using??

You know, you don't have to load all the way to max or to get every last bit of velocity and pressure out of your loads. My rifles are all capable of handling maximum loads, but I rarely load that high. My loads are minimum or somewhere between minimum and maximum. I use this reloading philosophy not just for the .22-250, but for all of the cartridges I reload for and if accuracy or performance suffers, I can't tell it.
joe

Yes I do know I dont have to load max loads but trying this new powder I was going to load 4 at 38gr 4 at39gr 4 at 40gr and 4 at 41 gr and then fine tune it from there. Would this not be the way to do it. As I said though 40 gr fills the case to the neck so of course have not loaded them. Heres hoping 38 or 39gr will provide better results than varget and give me something to work on.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe R. Lock:
You know, you don't have to load all the way to max or to get every last bit of velocity and pressure out of your loads. My rifles are all capable of handling maximum loads, but I rarely load that high. My loads are minimum or somewhere between minimum and maximum. I use this reloading philosophy not just for the .22-250, but for all of the cartridges I reload for and if accuracy or performance suffers, I can't tell it.
joe

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Thanks for that I am using remington brass and when resized is 1.912" as the book says.

quote:

Originally posted by CoyoteKiller82:

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Have got a remi 700 vssf .22/250. Been reloading using varget powder 55 gr v max with pretty poor results.
Just got some h380 and started loading min to max ie 38 gr to 41gr. My problem is 40gr fills the case to the neck. Have double checked my books that is the data given. Whats going on

I use a 40gr load in my 22-250 with Winchester brass and 50gr Berger HP target bullets, it's a slightly compressed load, but not full to the top. What brass are you using??

The remington brass you are using may not have the capacity that other brands of brass have...I'd suggest you go with what will fit without compressing the load too much and see what kind of accuracy you get. I've been thinking of backing my loads down a bit as brass life isn't very good with these closer to max loads

Cheers I am going to try 38 and 39 tomorrow and see how I get on

quote:

Originally posted by CoyoteKiller82:

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Thanks for that I am using remington brass and when resized is 1.912" as the book says.

quote:

Originally posted by CoyoteKiller82:

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Have got a remi 700 vssf .22/250. Been reloading using varget powder 55 gr v max with pretty poor results.
Just got some h380 and started loading min to max ie 38 gr to 41gr. My problem is 40gr fills the case to the neck. Have double checked my books that is the data given. Whats going on

I use a 40gr load in my 22-250 with Winchester brass and 50gr Berger HP target bullets, it's a slightly compressed load, but not full to the top. What brass are you using??

The remington brass you are using may not have the capacity that other brands of brass have...I'd suggest you go with what will fit without compressing the load too much and see what kind of accuracy you get. I've been thinking of backing my loads down a bit as brass life isn't very good with these closer to max loads

Be sure to let us know how your loads shoot!! I absolutely love H380 in my 22-250, meters perfectly & is accurate for every bullet I've ever tried it with. Have 500 40gr hornady "Z-max" bullets to try out next spring on gophers...should be fun!!!

Will let you know how it gets on tomorrow. I perhaps should have said I am shooting of a bench with bipod and sand bag so ultra steady. Scope is 6.5/20x50 leupold lrt. I also have a kimber 84m in .308 loaded with varget and 165 sst's which is v v good so it is not me. If I dont have success I am going to throw it into the loch.

quote:

Originally posted by CoyoteKiller82:
Be sure to let us know how your loads shoot!! I absolutely love H380 in my 22-250, meters perfectly & is accurate for every bullet I've ever tried it with. Have 500 40gr hornady "Z-max" bullets to try out next spring on gophers...should be fun!!!

If you only neck size the case, you can get an extra 1.0g in, compared to a new, unfired or F/L resized case.

I use the Lee neck sizing die.

quote:

Originally posted by bigkimbo:
Yes I do know I dont have to load max loads but trying this new powder I was going to load 4 at 38gr 4 at39gr 4 at 40gr and 4 at 41 gr and then fine tune it from there. Would this not be the way to do it. As I said though 40 gr fills the case to the neck so of course have not loaded them. Heres hoping 38 or 39gr will provide better results than varget and give me something to work on.[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joe R. Lock:
You know, you don't have to load all the way to max or to get every last bit of velocity and pressure out of your loads. My rifles are all capable of handling maximum loads, but I rarely load that high. My loads are minimum or somewhere between minimum and maximum. I use this reloading philosophy not just for the .22-250, but for all of the cartridges I reload for and if accuracy or performance suffers, I can't tell it.
joe

Unless you like blown primers and gas in your face, 1gr incriments are too large for a 22-250.

The powder was named H380, because MR. Hodgdons, when he first tried it, could shoot bugholes with 38.0 grains of it in a 22-250. I don't remember which bullet he was using.

I'd suggest using 1/2gr increments in this round, other wise you could completely skip over our node, and/or encounter excessive pressure unexpectantly quick.

quote:

Unless you like blown primers and gas in your face, 1gr incriments are too large for a 22-250.

???? Where did this information come from? Every ballistician I have talked to (and that includes those from Accurate Arms, Hodgdon, and Speer) has told me to work up loads at 1 grain increments.

quote:

???? Where did this information come from? Every ballistician I have talked to (and that includes those from Accurate Arms, Hodgdon, and Speer) has told me to work up loads at 1 grain increments.

For what size of case?

The standard for an .06 size case is 1/2gr.
22-250 is smaller then an .06.

If you like jumping 6,000 psi per increment with your face behind the bolt, that's fine. I'm not doing it with my face behind it.

Cartridge          : .22-250 Rem. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .224, 52, Nosler CC HPBT 53249
Useable Case Capaci: 40.854 grain H2O = 2.653 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.350 inch = 59.69 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon H380

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.632% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-26.3   73    28.00   2706     845   23451   7054     78.8    1.392
-23.7   75    29.00   2804     908   25623   7430     81.0    1.347
-21.1   78    30.00   2902     973   27972   7802     83.1    1.303
-18.4   81    31.00   3002    1041   30544   8166     85.1    1.261
-15.8   83    32.00   3102    1111   33358   8521     87.1    1.220
-13.2   86    33.00   3203    1184   36437   8865     88.9    1.180
-10.5   88    34.00   3303    1260   39805   9194     90.6    1.133
-07.9   91    35.00   3405    1339   43491   9506     92.2    1.087
-05.3   94    36.00   3506    1419   47527   9800     93.7    1.043
-02.6   96    37.00   3607    1503   51951  10071     95.0    1.002
+00.0   99    38.00   3708    1588   56807  10319     96.2    0.962  ! Near Maximum !
+02.6  101    39.00   3809    1676   62144  10541     97.3    0.924  ! Near Maximum !
+05.3  104    40.00   3910    1766   68022  10733     98.1    0.888  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+07.9  107    41.00   4011    1858   74507  10895     98.9    0.853  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.5  109    42.00   4111    1951   81683  11023     99.4    0.820  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+13.2  112    43.00   4210    2047   89643  11116     99.8    0.789  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     99    38.00   3772    1643   60100  10378     97.6    0.938  ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     99    38.00   3640    1530   53548  10217     94.5    0.988

quote:

The powder was named H380, because MR. Hodgdons, when he first tried it, could shoot bugholes with 38.0 grains of it in a 22-250. I don't remember which bullet he was using.

I'd suggest using 1/2gr increments in this round, other wise you could completely skip over our node, and/or encounter excessive pressure unexpectantly quick.

I believe that was with a 52gr MK.

With the smaller caliber high case pressure cartridges, I like to test in .3 gr increments.

38.2 H-380 with 50gr Nosler ballistic tip, Norma Brass, CCI br2, was my happy place.

Id watch my primers and go from there. Max may vary in different chambers. If the primers are flat or pierced or they extract hard then back off a little. I always like to run my swift or 22 250 max for trajectory reasons. You might as well shoot a .222 if ya dont.

Mine likes 37.1gr under a 55gr Sierra GKHP. I started at 35.5 gr and worked up to 40gr.

I'd suggest you start lower than 38gr.

bigkimbo

How ye doin' there lad?

I also have a Rem 700 VSSF in the first version in a 22-250 with a 6x24 scope on it. When I first got it I read like you did, that H380 and a 55g bullet was the time proven way to go and so I followed that recipe. I later changed the bullet out to a Sierra Match Grade 52g HPBT and the accuracy went up. At that time I didn't have a chronograph but didn't think I was setting any velocity records.

Fast forward to the future and I started using Varget at 37.5g with W-W cases a CCI 200 primer and a 55g NBT and picked up a wee bit of accuracy and now with a chronograph was tracking my velocity. Accuracy was truly into the .5-.7 all day long and was more of a sure thing than any other rifle I had owned. I was talking to a gunsmith client of mine and he loved the NBTs and suggested that I go to the 50g. NBT. Upon doing that I'm getting right at 3800fps with that loading of Varget. I like the temperature insensitivity of Varget as my hunting will go from 100 degree F for rockchucks to deer hunting at 30 degree F and like the knowledge of not worrying about pressure changes due to temperature. I've take 4-5 mule deer bucks with that load and have shot a lot of rockchucks, crows, and coyotes with that rife.

Here is my question for you. Do you have access to a chronograph and have you tried Winchester brass? My guess is that you are getting higher velocities than you might think and the W-W brass has always worked out for me. Check with someone who had a chronograph and I think you will be surprised. The accuracy from those rifles is amazing.

I am extremely impressed with my VSSF and only wished that I had bought one in a .223 also at the same time. I've messed around with some VMax 35g with RL-7 and pushed those bullets to 4400fps but only did it on a lark as I want to preserve that barrel.

I saw where you live and it brought back some memories to me when I lived in Belfast and Dublin a long time ago for a couple of years. My father was born in Glasgow and grew up in a wee town west of Aberdeen to later immigrate to Canada and then down to the US and into Idaho.

Hi Teancum, Thanks doing fine here apart from the fact we are freezing our nuts of. Temp is down to -8 at night and hardly getting above freezing durung the day, very clear and dry but makes stalking red hinds difficult as it like walking on cornflakes.
Back to the rifle, I have not had time to try what I have made yet but friday I will have time. I do not have a chrongraph however I am tempted to get one. As I have said I have tried varget with different heads all pretty poor. Another thing I did not mention is the barrel has been shortened to 21.5" and threaded for a A TEC moderator which makes the rifle far nicer to shoot. We have been allowed to use sound moderators in the uk for the last 15 or so years and tend to tighten groups as the recoil is greatlly reduced and make for a nicer shooting rifle.
Interesting to hear your father is from Aberdeen, what did he emmigrate to do.
bigkimbo

How ye doin' there lad?

I also have a Rem 700 VSSF in the first version in a 22-250 with a 6x24 scope on it. When I first got it I read like you did, that H380 and a 55g bullet was the time proven way to go and so I followed that recipe. I later changed the bullet out to a Sierra Match Grade 52g HPBT and the accuracy went up. At that time I didn't have a chronograph but didn't think I was setting any velocity records.

Fast forward to the future and I started using Varget at 37.5g with W-W cases a CCI 200 primer and a 55g NBT and picked up a wee bit of accuracy and now with a chronograph was tracking my velocity. Accuracy was truly into the .5-.7 all day long and was more of a sure thing than any other rifle I had owned. I was talking to a gunsmith client of mine and he loved the NBTs and suggested that I go to the 50g. NBT. Upon doing that I'm getting right at 3800fps with that loading of Varget. I like the temperature insensitivity of Varget as my hunting will go from 100 degree F for rockchucks to deer hunting at 30 degree F and like the knowledge of not worrying about pressure changes due to temperature. I've take 4-5 mule deer bucks with that load and have shot a lot of rockchucks, crows, and coyotes with that rife.

Here is my question for you. Do you have access to a chronograph and have you tried Winchester brass? My guess is that you are getting higher velocities than you might think and the W-W brass has always worked out for me. Check with someone who had a chronograph and I think you will be surprised. The accuracy from those rifles is amazing.

I am extremely impressed with my VSSF and only wished that I had bought one in a .223 also at the same time. I've messed around with some VMax 35g with RL-7 and pushed those bullets to 4400fps but only did it on a lark as I want to preserve that barrel.

I saw where you live and it brought back some memories to me when I lived in Belfast and Dublin a long time ago for a couple of years. My father was born in Glasgow and grew up in a wee town west of Aberdeen to later immigrate to Canada and then down to the US and into Idaho.[/QUOTE]

bigkimbo

Check you mail on this site.

FWIW I have found with my REMINGTON 700 that it loves H380 powder and 52grain Sierra Match bullets. But my experience has shown a sweet spot at both 36.0grains and 38.2grains. plenty of speed and low pressure allows me to reload my brass over 20 times (neck sizing only) before having to replace.

Also I have noted that 32.5grains of RL15 also is a sweet target load.

loads have been good for .50" groups at 100 yards as regular as clock work. Have noticed though that the H380 is a bit temperature sensitive in the winter months.

Anyone using mag primers with above noted loads? Mine loves the H380 at 41.0 with mag primers but with the 45 grain TSX bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by muygrande:
Anyone using mag primers with above noted loads? Mine loves the H380 at 41.0 with mag primers but with the 45 grain TSX bullet.

Yes I do.
Fed 215 or CCI 250M with 40 gr. H-380 and 55 gr. Rem. PLHPs in one of my 22-250s.

I understand that H380 is an excellent powder for the 22/250. If you want to try something else, nothing beats IMR4064 in that caliber.

quote:

I understand that H380 is an excellent powder for the 22/250. If you want to try something else, nothing beats IMR4064 in that caliber.

Good advice! Don't sneeze at IMR4895 either. If you really are set on experimentation, you might could grab a jug of V-V N540. I have been impressed with their products each and every time I tried one. Availability is often an issue tho.

I have always used 38gr of 380 under a 55gr boattail and did real good out of a rem700.