I want to shoot a bunch of beavers with my 22 250. I am trying to save the fur. I have
40 gr v max and 50 gr v max as well as some tsx.
I have IMR 4895 , H 4350, IMR 4350 and H380 for powder.
I had hopes to run some of this powder and also load it real slow so bullets do not go through the beaver to make a big hole.
Any suggestions?
I was going to try 20 Gr of powder but don't want to get too low it might blow a barrel up on me with pressure spikes. I am only shooting 50-80 yards max and doing body shots so accuracy is not all that important as long as I can get a 1-2 inch group which should be easy.
Any ideas guys?

Rather than download the charge, you may want to try a FMJ bullet. Bullets for the Hornet and the Bee would work well.

Get some Trail Boss powder and follow Hodgdon's loading recommendations.

the 4895 will reduce down to around 22.0 grs. no problem.
that's still around 2500 fps.
you can probably go down to 18 or 19 but I haven't tried it that far down in the 22-250.

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Get some Trail Boss powder and follow Hodgdon's loading recommendations.

and FMJs or shoot some Boat Tails backwards roger

quote:

Originally posted by nube:
I want to shoot a bunch of beavers with my 22 250. I am trying to save the fur. I have
40 gr v max and 50 gr v max as well as some tsx.
I have IMR 4895 , H 4350, IMR 4350 and H380 for powder.
I had hopes to run some of this powder and also load it real slow so bullets do not go through the beaver to make a big hole.
Any suggestions?
I was going to try 20 Gr of powder but don't want to get too low it might blow a barrel up on me with pressure spikes. I am only shooting 50-80 yards max and doing body shots so accuracy is not all that important as long as I can get a 1-2 inch group which should be easy.
Any ideas guys?

The V-Max will make a 22 cal. entrance hole then EXPLODE making Beaver stew, it may or may not exit. The TSX will be through & through at your range. Or as said above get some FMJ's & don't look back. Have fun!!

I'm messing with the trailboss now. Forgot I had some of that. I think I should be safe with 13 Gr of powder and a 40 gr pill.

Many ways to go.

Out of a Swift or .22-250 the 50 gr Remington PLHP never exited any woodchuck we shot in the body at distances beyond 200 yds. Oddly, the 55 gr PLHP was another matter. Mature woodchucks are smaller-bodied than mature beaver. So a very frangible .224 (blitz, SX) bullet loaded to .222 levels is one way to go.

With the more typical jacketed .224 bullets you'll need velocities approaching rimfire levels to completely eliminate exit holes.

FMJs are more likely to exit, IME. Again greatly reduced velocity will make the exit wound smaller. We used to shoot them with M193 - nothing in the .224 bore diameter gave nastier exit wounds.

Never shot beaver with a .22 CF, but we've shot a bunch of nuisance beaver with .22LR. CCI Minimag HPs never gave full penetration and always killed them just fine.

I push the 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades at 4,500 fps out of my 22.250AI and they break the skin and then explode. On coyotes I get a minimum size entry hole and no exit from 50 yards to past 300+ yards. On ground squirrels it just red, chunky rain.

You can either make caliber size inlet and exit holes with a really hard bullet or you have to get a bullet that disintegrates, every time.

I often download my 22-250 by grabbing my 222 instead

Honestly, in either cartridge you will be pushing it to get the bullets slow enough to avoid hide damage.

You need a really frangible bullet that will blow up on impact. I always found the Speer TNT HP to blow up and not exit, even in my 25-06 flat out.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Cheers.

Sorry I can't offer any wisdom - except that my bed-time reading at present is Grey Owl's Pilgrims of the Wild.

I like the bit about how he built a log cabin but hadn't had time to plug the gaps with moss. When he woke up the morning, the beavers had done it for him during the night.

Well just to update you guys. Killed a handfull now with 12 Gr of trailboss and 40 gr vmax. Seems like even at low velocity that little v max blows up fast. Going in it is still leaving a half inch size hole.
I reverted back to just using the 22 mag. Had some fun trying something new anyhow. Thanks for the info guys

FMJ work great. I have done it on Coyotes, two 22 cal holes to sew is all. No need to load down

Shoot em backwards? How you do that use a mirror?

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Shoot em backwards? How you do that use a mirror?

What a great IDEA!! Never thought of that before. roger