In your experience, what has been the most accurate 50 to 55 grain .224 bullet in your .22-250? (I'd like to try the major manufacturers first for money reasons, but will try the custom makers if necessary)

While I realize that there are many reasons for poor accuracy, I'd like to narrow down the large selection of bullets to 2 or 3 that have unqualified potential in most rifles.

The 52 and 53 grain Sierra MatchKings would normally be my first choice but I've been scared off them by people who say they are very ricochet prone. Is this true or not?

Rifle is 700VLS - Pillars - Floated - Jewell 10 ounce trigger - Leupold 18X

A consistent 1/4 MOA Groundhog gun is the goal.

TIA

[ 09-07-2003, 15:48: Message edited by: The Birth Controller ]

Cold Bore ...

Thanks for that straight up post! I appreciate it.

I'm headed to the range in 1/2 hour - hope I have something good to report when I get back.

Mike

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cold Bore:

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Birth Controller:
The 52 and 53 grain HPBT Sierra MatchKings would normally be my first choice...

---

The 53 gr MatchKing is always the first thing I try. I don't believe that at any range that a 22 caliber rifle is shot with this bullet weight range, you need the boattail of the 52 grain, so I go with the 53's. (If I'm "going long" with a 22 cal, I'm shooting 77's or 80's).

My second choice (and it's a very close second ) is the Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Either are excellent bullets for what you want to do. If the rest of the rig is up to it, these bullets definitely won't be your weak link as far as the accuracy department is concerned.

As for the ricochet potential of any of these bullets, I'll let others handle that one...

---

Match bullets almost always will be the most accurate bullet in any rifle because the manufacturing process and tolerances are kept to very high standards.

Yes, HPBT match bullets will ricochet..in my experience not much different from military ball.

I have found all the plastic tipped bullets from the various manufacturers to be capable of match bullet performance. In particular the Hornady V-Max and Nosler ballistic tips both shoot VERY small 5 shot cloverleafs or smaller out of my Cooper M21 .222 Remington. They also seem capable of match grade bullet performance in my assundry other .22 centerfires including my AR.

The V-Max in particular has been good and is very lightly constructed...they go to pieces pretty easily. Back east where I live I'd give up a 1/4 MOA accuracy if I could be certain the bullet wouldn't go zinging through some unseen persons front window. Fortunately you don't have to make those tradeoffs as the BT type bullets all seem to perform superbly in terms of accuracy.

[ 09-07-2003, 16:24: Message edited by: Kentucky Nimrod ]

Of the older style standard bullets the Sierra 50 gr SPT has been always accurate for me in various .224's.

I tried the 69 gr MK in a overbore wildcat with a 1-9 twist on chucks and it did not make much of an impact on them even at close range. That bullet was going about as fast as it can be shot also. I would suspect that it might richocet also but I did not have that happen.

It seems the way to go on varmint bullets is to take the advice above and try the plastic tipped ones. I don't have a 1/4 MOA .224 but the 50 gr Sierra BK shoots well in my Swift and the 40 gr Nosler plastic tip shoots well in mine and others guns.

Each gun, loading dies etc. may be a little different so you must experiment. The 55 gr Sierra BK does not do well at all in my Swift however and I suggest that you don't buy it unless you have a twist faster than 1-14.

While a 1/4 MOA rifle is something that we all want it's not really necessary for hunting. So use a bullet that performs well.

The Hornady 50g V-Max has allowed me groups of the size you are looking for,if the gun is able they won't be the limiting factor in 1/4" accuracy from my experience.Important to have the bullets in the case perfectly straight with close to zero run-out and every load exactly the same with bench prepped brass for that level of accuracy.Good Shooting

woods

My most accurate load out of my .22-250 is with the 53gr Sierra Match. It is an accurate bullet.

Personally, I haven't seen any problems with them ricocheting, but the majority of my shots with them have been at targets that have boulders or mountainsides or hillsides as backstops.

I have found them to be unpredictable as far as terminal performance on chucks and prairie dogs. Sometimes they act as a FMJ and just drill a hole in and out, and sometimes they are extrememly explosive.

At any rate, a 1/4MOA factory rifle is hard to find, no matter how much load development one does. In my experience, 5/8" to 3/4" is great for your rifle. Not to say that 1/4" isn't possible...just unlikely.

Most Sierras and Nosler Ballistic tips. Also Hornady V-maxes have proven accurate. I know I am of no help but all of the above have worked in the past in 22-250's I worked with.

I will have to agree with the other gentlemen on the 53gr Sierra for accuracy.
What I did in the past before the B.T.'s came out was I opened up the hollow point by using a 1/16" drill bit. Accuracy stayed the same and the bullet worked better on them coyotes.

I have also had very good accuracy with the Speer 52 HP (non-match) in several of my 22-250's.

I haven't tried them in a 22-250, but I've found the Berger match bullets to give excellent accuracy.

I would think your chances with a non benchrest bullet would be with the Sierras. Flat base will probably more accurate than Boattail. The various Benchrest bullets will shoot better in a high end barrel; but in a factory barreled 22-250 you probably won't see much of a difference from the flat based Sierras. I do my powder chrono work for least velocity deviation and preliminary groups with the Sierras and tweek with the benchrest bullets ( twice the price ). Fowler, Barts, ZIA, Gentner, Knights and several others all are excellent. A well tuned 6 mm or 22 ppc will consistantly group in the low teens in dead air and occasionally get 0.0XX when the planets are lined up. It is hard to describe the satisfaction of shooting a sub 0.100 five shot 100 yard group. You feel like you are wielding a pulse lazer. Barts is a little fatter bullet and would be my first one to try in a factory barrel among the above.

[ 09-11-2003, 06:51: Message edited by: Old & Slow ]

If the Sierra box says Matchking then they aren't hunting bullets. Sierra usually lists a warning to this effect on the boxes. Since most of my shooting is from the bench I use a lot of Sierra
52 gr HPBT's, and also take them for woodchuck hunting simply because I usually have so many. Sometimes they leave a tiny entrance and exit hole in a woodchuck. Other times they'll turn that chuck inside out. They're not all that dependable for hunting. I find the Nosler Balistic Tips are equally as accurate and a better hunting bullet. Still, I love my Sierras.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal