I did some load development yesterday morning for a 22.250 of mine and got some interesting results.

In the picture below the target sheet on the left was shot with a load using a 50 grain Barnes VG loaded with different amounts of H4895. Each load numbered 1-4 is a 0.2 grain increase in powder size and you can see that the loads are pretty consistent around .5 MOA until I hit the max (book recommended) load in target 4. The change was so drastic that I shot another three shot group on top of the first to see if I had just pulled it but no such luck. The additional 0.2 grains of powder opened the groups up from around .5 MOA to about 1.25 MOA.


The target sheet on the right was shot using identical components but with H380 powder instead of H4895. If you go to a lot of reloading sites you will see people recommend 38 grains of H380 with a 50 or 55 grain bullet as the accuracy standard to measure everything else against. My gun hates H380!

Target 1 is 38 grains of H380 and each successive target is a 0.2 grain increase in powder charge. The powder was performing so poorly I shot 5 shot groups to see if it was just an occasional flyer. But as you can see the groups are very consistent at about 1.25-1.5 MOA.

This is from a Savage action with a 3 groove PacNor supermatch barrel (1:10" twist) chambered with a .250" neck and the necks of the cases turned to a loaded diameter of .248".

Hey Frank

50 gr bullets are a little light for a 1 in 10 IMO. I shoot a 1 in 14 factory Remington and it shoots 55 gr real well. Seems to me that bullet from 60 to 70 gr would be better for your gun.

Also I love Varget and IMR4064

Hey Frank, On the right Target Sheet, is that two shots nearly touching in the Black of the "un-numbered" Target?

quote:

If you go to a lot of reloading sites you will see people recommend 38 grains of H380 with a 50 or 55 grain bullet as the accuracy standard to measure everything else against. My gun hates H380!

Perhaps it really hates the PCBs and not the Powder. Have you tried any real Bullets in it???

Sounds like a rifle with excellent accuracy potential. For what it is worth, I typically Benchmark a new rifle with Match Grade Bullets to start with, just so I know what it is actually capable of. Then I move on to the other Bullets and have a Standard to measure their accuracy against.

Best of luck with it.

I have a model 77 ruger in 22-250 1:14 twist.
the gun loves H380 and RL15.
53 grain matchkings FB
and for a factory rifle .38-.40 groups at 100yrds consistently....
I do notice that for this gun
h380 likes 38.2gn
RL 15 likes load at the starting load


in a 1:10 I would go try the heavier bullets.

Never had any luck with H-380 myself.

Of course I've never had any luck with Cameron Diaz, either, so logically my experience is no reason for everyone to give up on H-380. It just doesn't work for me or Fjold. Who knows, maybe Fjold has been successful with Cameron Diaz? Or maybe Bruce Hodgdon and Cameron Diaz are a number? Naahh, I think it more likely that H-380 is just an over-rated powder.

I have had similar luck with H 4895... that is why I hate that powder..yet everyone gives me grief over it..

2/10th a grain difference can open up groups like crazy..it has no consistency...

however,IMR 4895 is a total different story...

I use IMR 4895 and RL 7 consistently as my " Go To" powders for the 22.250

Varget and H 322 are good alternatives..

no flies on good old 3031 either...

I have had great luck with IMR 4895 and 55 gr bullets in my Rem 700 .22-250, not so much with H380 and Varget

Woods - These are the 50 grain Barnes VG's they are as long as the 70 grain lead bullets.

HotCore - That's two shots but they are sighters from another load that I was trying with my 223, that I shot on the wrong target. I typically bring three or four guns to the range when I'm doing load development to allow the guns to cool down between groups.
My favorite varmint bullets are the Hornady V-Maxes but I have to develop some lead free loads for when I'm shooting in the Condor areas of California.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
...That's two shots but they are sighters from another load that I was trying with my 223, that I shot on the wrong target.

Hey Frank, They seem to be great loads from the get-go.

quote:

...My favorite varmint bullets are the Hornady V-Maxes but I have to develop some lead free loads for when I'm shooting in the Condor areas of California.

Totally forgot you are in Califoney. Darn shame the Antis are ramming that kind of Political garbage down your alls throats.

The only way to Save the Condor is to put a Hunting Season on them and come up with some good recipes.

Best of luck on the Loads.