Kevin Weaver just finshed my new 223 wssn. He built it on a mod 70 action (from a scraped 25 wssm that only shot 3 moa on a good day) with a 26" 1-14 #2 fluted by Panor. We are still in the barrel breakin and load development stage. It just fired a 4 shot group with 40gr Nosler BTs over 46grs of Varget at 4406 fps into a sub .4 inch goup at 100yd.
We are going to work up the 52 TSX for whittail after we are satisfied with the coyote loads.
It should only shoot better as the barrel shoots in.
Dr B

I had the same trouble with a model 70 25 WSSM - worst shooting factory rifle I've ever owned. Glad to hear it is improving, I've had good luck with pac-nor barrel myself...

Sounds like one hell of a groundhog killer!! I would rather use about 100 more grains of bullet for deer.

ted thorn, your correct 100 gr more will kill a deer, but it will be just as dead either way.
Down here in the south we have kill hundreds of deer with 22-250's over the years, with amazing results. They fall like the are struck with lightning, with total destruction of the heart and lungs. There is more internal damage than any of the traditional deer cartiges will produce. Try it some time you'll like it.
Dr B

Dr B sounds like a great rifle! I've killed many deer with a 22/250 and with the right bullets it is a killer for sure, people get into trouble when they use an explosive varmint bullet and expect it to break shoulders or penetrate 2 1/2 feet of animal to get to the heart. When you said Kevin Weaver built your rifle my ears perked up, great guy and he is a neighbor of mine!

Dr B & Snellstrom,
What bullet(s) do you use in your .22-250's for deer? We can't use anything that small here, but I'm curious. Have either of you tried the 60gr Nosler Partition? Is so how did it, or your favorite(s), perform? How big were the deer on average? Thanks.

Snellstrom, your lucky to have great people like Kevin and Jeannette as neighbors. It would be nice having a Gunsmith as good as Kevin close by.
Kevin just posted a pic of my new rifle on his web page take a look.


WEAVER RIFLES
16850 SAGE CREEK ROAD
PEYTON, COLO. 80831
719-683-3024
kevin@weaverrifles.com
http://www.weaverrifles.com/

Versifier I have shot many different bullets in the past. I have settled on Barnes X as the best 224 for deer. In my new rifle I'll use 52gr TSX if the 1:14 twist will stabilize them if not 45gr XLC
Dr B

I, like Dr B have shot many different bullets in the past, for me with varying results. I too have settled on the Barnes X bullets as THE top choice for this kind of work with a light rifle. The results are devastating. I'm just starting to load the triple shocks but I don't live anyplace that I can hunt with this caliber (I live in Colorado). I spent some time hunting in Texas and grew up in Oregon even though it was illegal I lived on a farm/ranch where those kinds of caliber restrictions weren't going to affect me. I've probably shot 20 or so Blacktails and Whitetails with a 22/250 and a few Antelope. All very dead, all but 2 were one shot kills and the 2 that took a second bullet really didn't need it. One Antelope was 400 yards exactly and the 52 gr. Barnes X exited the far side and made jelly out of the lungs, during the autopsy I was very impressed. A friend of mine and his son in Texas has also taken several whitetails with my loads in .223 and 22/250 and they are really pleased with the one shot kills.
I've heard about the Nosler partition and a Trophy Bonded Bear Claw in 55 grain, both sound interesting but not enough so to switch from the Barnes bullets.

Hey Doc, I looked at your rifle on Kevin's web site, nice gun and nice group!
What scope do you have on that rig?

That's a Burris Fullfield 4.5 X 14 with a balistic plex reticle.
Dr B

Thank you both for responses. Interesting that you have both settled on the same bullet, and I have made a note in my loading data. Sooner or later someone's bound to ask me again, and now I can give an answer.

Doc,

You will like the 53 gr. TSX in your new rifle. That is about all I load for my 22-250 now.

Good Hunting,

Bob