Your favorite "explosive" bullet for .22 centerfire?

09 May 2002, 15:29

What bullets are you guys using for small varmints in 222, 223, and the 22-250.
Which work best for a combination of accuracy and explosiveness.
I do have some varmint pack 50gr. Blastic Tips. that I am going to try.
Any other sudjestions?

Daryl

09 May 2002, 15:36

p dog shooter

I use the 52gr serria hpbtmatch in all my 224 rifles never had any trouble killing things with it.

09 May 2002, 16:09

<JerrBear356>

I have found that the new Barnes VLCs are really good and work real well. However, I still use the sierra matchkings 52gr BTHP as well depending on the gun itself. I just got a new 22-250 .250'' neck and I loaded up rounds in the VLCs, the MK, Hornady V-max's, and Nosler Ballistic Tips; because they all do well. Find what shoots best out of you gun and I don't think you will be disapointed with that bullet

09 May 2002, 16:19

tsiero

The two Sierra Blitz Kings in 50 gr and 55 gr. Also the 40 gr Hornady V-Max shoots well inmy 1/9 Ar type , 22-250 1/14 twist, 222 remington BR rifle. These will do .3 moa

09 May 2002, 18:37

Pecos

With the 22-250 Ackley, I have found the 60 grain vmax or the 75 grain amax for longer ranges works the best.

Pecos

09 May 2002, 22:51

Bubster

40gr. & 50gr. V-Max both work well. In my .22-250, the 40's loaded in front 41.2 gr. of VarGet will disintegrate a grounhogs head.

10 May 2002, 01:30

Nashcat

I've been using the sierra 52gr BTHP match for over 20 years now. I've tried nearly every .224 bullets that's made, but I keep coming back to the Sierra.

Nashcat

10 May 2002, 02:17

<338Lapua>

Sierra MK and Berger MEF or Match

10 May 2002, 02:27

Sean

What do guys think of the Speer 50 grain TNT?

10 May 2002, 14:09

Pumpkinheaver

I like the 50gr Sierra Blitz and the 50gr Speer TNT because they are the most accurate bullets in HB .223Rem, plus they are very fragile.

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Walk softly and carry a big bore!

11 May 2002, 00:25

crowrifle

I once tried some 40 grain Sierras ( thin jackets intended for use at Hornet velocities ) in max loads from a 22-250. Those bullets would disintergrate about 40 yards from the muzzle. Kind of fun to see.

11 May 2002, 10:02

Pecos41

Not sure if they even still make them as I don't have a hotrod .224 rifle any longer, but back when I did I shot a lot of Hornady
SX bullets. (Super Explosive) The shot good and did some evil things to the varmints they caught up with. I've always found Hornady bullets very consistent performers.

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A well placed bullet is worth 1,000 ft/lbs of energy.

11 May 2002, 11:02

Pete

55gn V-Max in .22/250

Motive power provided by 38.4gn of H380 gives departure velocity of 3603fps.

Throat shots on foxes create major damage as the bullet impacts the spine and fragments. Chest shots tend to destroy the ribcage.

More velocity I don't need. Ackley Imp I don't need - just a few more foxes!!

11 May 2002, 14:22

Magnum Mike

My favorite in a 223 rifle is Sierra's 55 Blitz. In a 223 pistol it is the 50 Blitz.

I am going to try Sierra's 50 Blitzking in a 22-250 handgun soon. I am also going to try the 40 Blitzking in a 221 Fireball soon.

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mike

NRA Life Member

[This message has been edited by mssmagnum (edited 05-11-2002).]

11 May 2002, 16:50

<zadok>

The Blitzkings are the most accurate, but
nothing explodes like a Calhoon

12 May 2002, 10:25

GeorgeS

I use the Speer 50gr. TNT in my .223s. It is far more explosive than the Hornady SPSX which works so well in my .22-250s.

George

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Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!

12 May 2002, 18:00

Dan G

I use both Hornady 68 gr BTHP and Sierra 69gr BTHP in my Sav heavy barrel .223 with 1 in 9 twist with Accurate 2200 powder. Will shoot 1/2 inch if I'm having a good day. Never was able to get 55 gr bullets to shoot in that fast twist. Both of those bullets cause prairie dogs to explode!

14 May 2002, 03:30

1894

40gr vmax out of my 222.

14 May 2002, 06:18

Stonecreek

Practically any .224 bullet at centerfire velocities will give rapid expansion -- I've had excellent luck with Sierra's, Noslers, and others. However, my favorite for .222 and .223 velocities is the Speer TNT. It gives outstanding accuracy and strikes the target with a detonation-like expansion.

14 May 2002, 13:52

craigster

For high volume squirrel blasting I have been using plain old Remington 50gr hollow points in 222, 223 & 22-250. They are inexpensive, accurate, and delightfully devastating.

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there's a fine line between hobby and mental illnes

15 May 2002, 08:13

Mule Skinner

I don't see any comments regarding the Nosler Balistic tips. Is the general concensus that these are not as good as the Sierra, Hornady and Speer bullets for varmints? I load the Nosler 50 grain BT in my .22-250 with very good accuracy, but have yet to see their affect on varmints. Just wondering why noone is commenting on the Noslers.

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"If it ain't a 45/70, it's just a passing fad"

15 May 2002, 09:46

Stonecreek

No, I don't think that's the concensus at all. The Nosler BT may not be quite as explosive as some wide hollow points or super thin-skinned conventional bullets, but they expand redily and reliably and you will find them extremely effective on varmints.

15 May 2002, 15:01

DannoBoone

quote:
Originally posted by Shark Bait:
I don't see any comments regarding the Nosler Balistic tips. Is the general concensus that these are not as good as the Sierra, Hornady and Speer bullets for varmints? I load the Nosler 50 grain BT in my .22-250 with very good accuracy, but have yet to see their affect on varmints. Just wondering why noone is commenting on the Noslers.
expense

15 May 2002, 16:11

<Steve-O>

I find that 40gr Noslers at anything above 3500fps give satisfactory results.

Steve-O

16 May 2002, 10:47

rudie

I find 40 gr Nosler ballistic tips to very explosive in my hornet at around 2600 fps . Must be a sight to behold at above 3000 fps :-).

Rudie

16 May 2002, 14:23

<Hunter - DownUnder>

Perhaps a bit off topic, I know...
Although certainly not a premium bullet these ones are interesting....
A guy down here has a business making .22 cal projectiles from .22lr fired brass.
They get extruded (takes out the rim and makes it a hollow cylinder, closed at one end) then they get filled with hot lead and run through a crimp that makes them a hollowpoint.
They look really weird as on the base of the projectile is the mark from the firing pin and the manufacturers logo.
I weighed a few of them, they were supposed to be 50gn. Most were spot on but some were +/- 2 gns.

Absolutely devestating on foxes, and I imagine on other light game... Justa real oddity.

17 May 2002, 10:47

redial

Has anyone tried the Blitz/SX (not the polymer tipped jobbies) in a 1-9" twist? My Savage .223 is of that spin and shoots nearly anything wonderfully - I've just never tried any of the frangible ones in it.

I HAVE managed to disintegrate target bullets in 1-8" and 1-7" barrels so I'm leery of how the lightly constructed ones might perform.

Anybody know?

I tried the .22LR-cum-.224 bullets someone was making maybe 10 years ago, but they were so inaccurate I ran them thru a 5.56 machinegun. Sounds like yours work better!

Redial

17 May 2002, 16:33

<MMA10mm>

quote:
Originally posted by Shark Bait:
I don't see any comments regarding the Nosler Balistic tips. Is the general concensus that these are not as good as the Sierra, Hornady and Speer bullets for varmints? I load the Nosler 50 grain BT in my .22-250 with very good accuracy, but have yet to see their affect on varmints. Just wondering why noone is commenting on the Noslers.

In my opinion, the Noslers are THE bullet for high-pressure/high-velocity rounds like the 22-250, 220 Swift, and big wildcats (22-6mm and such), because they have that very thick solid base which resists deformation. Unfortunately, that solid base also results in about 20% of the bullet actually holding together, which makes them compare unfavorably to the really frangible bullets being listed above.

I'll stick with Noslers in fast-twist rifles and high-energy rifles (220 & 22-250s, etc). For the 222 and 223, I've used the old Hornady SPSX and liked it, and have pretty much shot the V-Max for the past couple to four years.

This thread is convincing me to give the Speer TNT, Sierra BlitzKing, and Berger MEF bullets a try. Calhoon too, if I can find 'em.

21 May 2002, 06:08

<CatShooter>

Redial...
>"
Has anyone tried the Blitz/SX (not the polymer tipped jobbies) in a 1-9" twist?"<

Yup... they make it about 20 feet before coming apart.

CatShooter.

21 May 2002, 07:14

redial

Thanks Catshooter - that's what I was afraid of. Happily, it shoots sturdier bullets quite well, so I'll leave vaporizing 'em to my .22-250s.

BTW, the American Eagle redbox hardware-store .22 ammo disassembled a couple dozen gophers this weekend so it must not take very much!

Redial

26 May 2002, 20:18

<Paul Dustin>

I like the 45gr V MAX and the Remington 50gr PT in my 222 Remington and the 45gr Barnes X bullet and the 55gr V MAX out of my 22-250 they all shot good

27 May 2002, 15:56

<Gary Malsbury>

I've found the Starke .224 bullets to be the most explosive I have used. The Nosler seems to be much better in the wind and do the job just fine.Gary Malsbury

27 May 2002, 16:44

N E 450 No2

Daryl D. I have used Hornady 55gr. SX bullets in a 223. They work good on prairie dogs, coyotes etc.

31 May 2002, 07:39

TERRY8mm

HORNADY V-MAX !

01 June 2002, 09:20

<squirrel skinner>

I like the Speer TNT hollow point. IT'S HUGE,
Ballistics aren't the best to be frank,(no wonder,it has that big gapping hole in the center) but accracy is good enough for P dogs at 200 yards.
skinner

01 June 2002, 13:57

<genesispg>

Sierra Blitzkings 50 gr 224 bullets always work for me.

01 June 2002, 19:53

<Tikka22-250>

Gotta love those 40gr V-Max moly coated pills,
Shot a chuck tonight with one, every see a chucks' head turn inside out@175 steps??? Enough said. [Eek!]

02 June 2002, 17:22

claybuster

Just made a batch 35gr. v-max for my H-bar[.223].22gr of imr4198 was pushing them around 3450fps,and grouping nicely.Looking forward to trying them out in the field [Big Grin]

04 June 2002, 14:41

Zedman

I just gotta jump in with the 50 gr TNT folks. These things just splatter stuff! In a 223 at about 3075 they will literally flip a 10 lb. rochchuck off a rock @ 100 yards, we got it on film and weighed the 'chuck. And they blow chunks more consistantly than my 6mm Ackley with an 87 gr. V-Max @ 3650 and these things work great but the TNT is still better just not as high of a B.C., obviously. Good Shooting! "Z"

07 June 2002, 00:14

BIWOZ

In my Savage .223 I've managed to stoke 'em all up (40-grainers that is) enough to make nice little "puffs" about 10 metres downrange ;( ----- except Nosler. I used powder loads that would make Mr Savage's eyes water -- and the Nosler held together and gave MOA accuracy. (Do not try this at home -- I am a trained profe ..... no I'm not, forget it) [Big Grin]

However, on live game the most "oomph" factor I've had has been from either V-Max (I'm a big fan) or BlitzKings --- these were out of my old 340 Savage at, again, max+ loads for 3000+ fps. For example, a fox centre-chest shot at 50 metres held together, but an autopsy showed the heart, lungs and other "top end" organs (I'm no doctor), were little more than a red jelly. Some ribs were dislocated from their anchorage points and "free floating". The hydrostatic pressure (I assume) had bulged the eyes at least 1/2 an inch forwards. The fox took one step (literally) after being hit ---- no flip-flops, no twitches -- just --- dead! Can't ask for more than that.

I'd like to try some Starke bullets because of their great reputation, but importation into Australia is a problem. Might have to try some Bergers and see what they can do. This is all part of the fun of owning a firearm [Big Grin]

Bruce

[ 06-06-2002, 15:19: Message edited by: BIWOZ ]