Just got my rock chucker kit last night and I'm excited!!! Now I'm gathering all the little things. I think I'm going to at least start with H-380 or IMR4064 powder....and this is just a starting point. The Lee dies seem to be the way to go because you get a 3 die set for about what you would pay for 2 RCBS. The Lee's will fit in the Rocki Chucker....right???????

Now I'm onto the bullet. I was dead-set on V-max just because of what a big difference there is between those and the regular hollow points in my savage .17 HMR. Major varmine damage difference. I now realize thought that a 22-250 is all together quite different. Major speed and energy increases. I've never studied BC before and it's quite interesting. I can see why the boat tail has less drag. Basically, I need to know what you all are shooting and why. My .17 is going to stay my rabbit gun. I'm looking to punch 'yoties at 300-400 yards in 22-250. Is the V-max still the way to go, or is there much better flying lead out there??? Thanks!!!

dubs...I too have the Rock Chucker and load for a Sako 22-250...Mine likes the Sierra HPBT's...I haven't found a great work up yet for Blizkings or V-Maxs, but I also haven't spent much time trying.

Your Lee dies will work great in the Rock Chucker.

quote:

Originally posted by archer_375:
dubs...I too have the Rock Chucker and load for a Sako 22-250...Mine likes the Sierra HPBT's...I haven't found a great work up yet for Blizkings or V-Maxs, but I also haven't spent much time trying.

Your Lee dies will work great in the Rock Chucker.

I think I have it in my mind that a ballistic tip is a hollow point that flys straighter because the hollow point is covered up until impact thus making it more accurate. Is my thinking B.S.??? I realize the hollow point is not that like a .357 or .44.....just wondering if a true "point" can make them more accurate at 400 yrds.

I was using Sierra HPBT's when I first started shooting my 22-250 and had good luck with accruacy and performance. Tried the 50g Nosler BT and found an increase in accuracy and the same terminal performance for my Rem 700 VSSF.

Berger 52 gr. FBHP. No better! roger

For me the most accurate has been 50gr Hornady V-Maxes. Sierra HPBT's were never quite as accurate. Play with em all and see what works best in your rig.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by dubs22-250:
...I think I have it in my mind that a ballistic tip is a hollow point that flys straighter because the hollow point is covered up until impact thus making it more accurate. Is my thinking B.S.??? I realize the hollow point is not that like a .357 or .44.....just wondering if a true "point" can make them more accurate at 400 yrds.

Hey Dubs, Some rifles simply shoot one type of Bullet better than a different Bullet. If the Bullet is too l-o-n-g for the Twist Rate, then there will be Stability problems, but the Bullet Manufacturers WARN you about this in their literature by specifying a Tighter than normal Twist Rate.

As to the Hollow Point, the "Tip" does indeed help with the Ballistic Coefficient. However, the Design Profile is as important, if not more so. The Hollow Point Design does tend to aid Accuracy because it shifts the Center of Mass a bit farther to the Rear. And a Boat Tail helps the BC once you get out beyond 400yds.

However, your specific Barrel might just shoot a regular old Flat Base Spire Point the best of all. You just never know until you try them.
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One of the great things about Reloading is you can use a specific Bullet for a specific task. For example, if you have a desire to sell the Coyote Hides that you shoot with your 22-250, you might want an accurate Bullet that will "typically" go in and NOT Exit. With all the Bullets to choose from, that can be a HUGE issue to sort out. If you are not going to Sell Hides, then your Bullet choices expand logarithmically and you can blast them with about anything.

If you are Selling Hides, you want excellent accuracy, enough Retained Energy to Kill well at the intended distance, extreme Fragmentation of the Bullet once it is inside the Varmint, but not so Fragile that the Bullet self-destructs as it is flying along. Have I left anything out?

I see Bartsche has recommended the 52gr Berger and I have no on-Varmint experience with it. But, it is real easy to "Over Bullet" the Varmint and end up with a HUGE off-side Hole(aka lost $$$).

So, are you Selling or Blasting?

I've been loading Sierra 52 grain Match Hollow points in my 22/250 for years, 38 grains of H380 most of the time. This load and bullet combo give spectacular Jackrabbit and Prairie Dog kills or should I say explosions and they sometimes stay in the Coyote and they sometimes don't which makes a big mess. The 22/250 is fast anyway so you won't need to hot rod it but shoot a frangible 50 grain bullet ( plus or minus a couple grains ) at a normally fast speed not hot and you will get the desired results. Another method to use is to shoot Barnes X bullets and you will always get an exit although normally it is a small one with tons of internal damage. I don't like to use Barnes x or full metal jackets for this personnaly because I don't like pass throughs with livestock around.
Good luck with yours

quote:

Originally posted by dubs22-250:

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
[QUOTE]For example, if you have a desire to sell the Coyote Hides that you shoot with your 22-250, you might want an accurate Bullet that will "typically" go in and NOT Exit.

So, are you Selling or Blasting?

That was really good info! I didn't think about how the twist rate comes into play. Make no mistake......no hide business for me. Too much work. I make "road trophies" when I hunt. I think the ranchers actually like to see a dog hanging on their bobbed-wire fence that has been blasted beyond recognition!!!!!

The Sierra 52 hpbt and the 55 v-max both shoot extremely well out of the Ruger for me, I think the v-max is a little more explosive. My wife drilled a 4 pt mule deer buck with the v-max, she took a shoulder shot?? at about 150 yds, dropped dead on the spot, when I skinned it there was blood shock from the neck to the flank. Women

I use 55 grain nosler ballistic tips in my 22-250. I use a rockchucker and the lee 3 die set with the collet most of the time. I don't use the full length die unless the cases start to chamber too tight. 38.0 grs H380 in winchester brass with federal GM210 primers and seated to touch the lands in my savage 12BVSS gives me one hole groups at 100 yds.

quote:

Originally posted by dubs22-250:
.....no hide business for me. Too much work. I make "road trophies" when I hunt. I think the ranchers actually like to see a dog hanging on their bobbed-wire fence that has been blasted beyond recognition!!!!!

Hey Dubs, That being the situation, you have hundreds of Bullets to choose from. So, now the Trick is deciding which ones to try first.

What ever you choose, just buy a single box and see how well they shoot before you buy a bunch. Just because you want a specific Bullet to shoot well for you does not mean it will. If you do find one you like and it shoots well - get a bunch and enjoy the Hunting.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Okay, this is where I go against the tide. I've shot a couple of tons of Sierra match kings. Both 52 and 53grs. And if your 22-250 is any good, you should be able to tune the rifle and load to shoot bug holes. BUT, if you're talking about popping coyotes (or Pdogs or what have you) out to 400 or 500 yards, save yourself some bucks (and they do mount up) and buy you some 500 or 1000 boxes of core lokt or hornady bulk bullets. I understand that Midway Dogtown bullets are pretty good also. You'll still be shooting one holers or near to it and the dogs won't know the difference. FWIW, some of the most accurate bullets I ever shot thru my 22-250 were some bulk hornadys. They would match or pass any other bullet you could come up with. But, alas, when I ordered the next box, they were slightly different.
Unless you're shooting competition, that $30.00 or so you'll save can make a down payment on a tank of gas.