Doing my usual reload and testing, to occupy my leisure time, instead of watching the Boob Tube, or mowing the lawn...

went out and did some testing on the old 22.250 to see some velocity on some loads that had shot quite well at the range earlier this week..

two powders I haven't used much on the 22.250, one old and one new were RL 17 and IMR 3031...3031 has been used in the past in the 22.250 but it is off the trendy list, so it isn't talked up much...

if it was a new powder I think varmint hunters would be talking it up big time....

Given 1/2 sized groups or better out of two of my 22.250s, a Ruger with a 22 inch barrel, and a Model 70 with a 28 inch Pac Nor barrel...

I always test velocity over a chronograph by using at least 3 shots and averaging them, to see how consistency is...

well with a 50 grain bullet ( Varmint Nightmare Extremes) and a charge of 36 grains of IMR 3031 ( 9/10ths of a grain over what is listed in the Sierra Manual), with a Federal Large Rifle primer, the chronograph gave a three readings that averaged 4044 fps, ( with minimal deviation spread!)

That reading was out of the 22 inch barrel tho!!

Then a batch tried out of the 28 inch barrel was right at 4200 fps once again with minimal deviation spread!

This should be noted that this IS NOT out of a 22.250 AI...[color:#000000][/color]....

some of you boys with Quick Load, please feel free to chime in and give us a press estimate..

My personal needs don't really need to run a 22.250 at this velocity... in fact, I usually run mine at 223 speeds, and run my 223s at 218 Bee Speeds or so..

but it sure is nice to know that this velocity potential is possible... primers went in on the next reload nice and tight, just like being brand new..

the above tests were the first use out of this batch of Win Brass...

cheers
seafire

Interesting stuff. I hadn't given much thought to IMR 3031 for a 22-250 mmmmmmmmmmmm.............

QuickLoad has your 22-250 50gr bullet with 36 gr of 3031 running at over 60,000 psi.The actual amount depends on what 50 grain bullet you select(they don't have the nightmare bullets in the data base)That is well over SAMI Pmax. Not a safe place to be.
If you are not over pressure in your rifle you have to be Really Close!
I rather like your idea of throttling it back.

muck

Thanks Muck....

actually SAAMI specs tho on the 22.250 is like 62 or 64000 PSI.. it is a lot higher than much load data is published at..

I tried the same with the 50 grain V Max today...
they are seated to magazine length in a Ruger 77 Mk 2..

both the sporter and the VT take them with no problems..

I may put a 22.250 AI barrel on my Savage tho...just for when I think I need that sort of velocity...

3031 is a pretty forgiving powder tho, when overcharged... it doesn't pressure spike like a lot of other powders do...

seafire and all, Thirty plus years ago when I started into the wonderful world of reloading one of the first powders I ever used was IMR 3031. That particular powder is a very versatile little mixture of nitro-cellulose and other ingredients! It fits a lot of different cases and chamberings quite well! Sierra used to use IMR 3031 for all it's accuracy testing in chamberings from .22-30!! Never thought I'd see a more versatile powder than IMR 3031 until VARGET was introduced by Hodgdons. I think maybe, just maybe that VARGET has the "versatile" edge by an infintesimal degree. The ease of using VARGET through any of the common powder measures other than a Harrel's helps in that edge! I'm on the road and my reloading logs are a few hours away however a couple I can remember from several thousand of them being shot are, 36.0 grains of IMR 3031 and a SPEER 75 grain Hollow Point from a 24" .243Winchester should generate about 3210fps and render a groundhog pretty much "D.R.T."......"dead right there" with much tissue destruction and if the shot is a bit low, much rendering of intestional contents being spilled on the ground.............in other words, "It blows the shit out of them!!" The other load that comes to mind is 25.1 grains of IMR 3031 and the 222Magnum pushing 50 grain Remington PLHP's. That load could have ALMOST been used in competitions excepting the fact that Remington quality control would every now and then let a batch of bullets slip through that was subject to ridicule. Now team that same load up with Ray Speer's 52 grain GOLD MATCH HOLLW POINTS and it won a bunch of shoots in the 70's!! Paper punches clean!(heavy paper with a backing reel behind it because they made little tiny groups!!) Cool beans on varmints! Can't find the entrance but the body feels like jelly!! No exits!! They don't make bullets like that one anymore!! Hornady VMAXS are the closest thing to that result. Sorry to rambe folks! Just remembering! GHD...........PS: Oh and by the way, if anybody is really inquisitive, I can probably find data from the GHD files for a bunch more than 243 or 222Mag! 25-06 comes to mind but wondering if there isn't 7mmMag data there too!(even in my mind, that's a stretch!!)

If you're getting 1/2MOA groups with a 250 producing those velocities, I wouldn't go near another powder.

Seriously, I've owned 3 (All Remington) 22-250s at one time or another and would have to say they are at the top of list when it comes to varmint cartridges. All 3 shot well using 3031 as well as 3 or 4 other powders. I seem to recall getting a little higher velocities with slower powders such as H-380 or IMR 4064, but with the kind of accuracy you are getting with 3031 I doubt you would improve on it much with any other powder.

I have yet to try Reloader 17, but suspect it might be a bit slow burning for the 22-250 as it was designed to perform best in some of the new short fat magnum cartridges.

F. Prefect

quote:

I have yet to try Reloader 17, but suspect it might be a bit slow burning for the 22-250 as it was designed to perform best in some of the new short fat magnum cartridges

Actually that powder is pretty darn good for the 22.250 with bullets of 50 grains or more..

both in my rifles and a friends, who is also testing it out in his Howa, the accuracy groups it is turning in are pretty darn impressive...
and it is giving good velocity figures over the chronograph...

just like I would think that H 414 is too slow for the 22.250, it actually does a darn good job..

just goes to show, you never know until you test some out...

I have had good results with IMR3031 in my 22-250 as well.

I used 3031 in a Rem. 788 22-250 about 35 years ago. Sold it when the 1/4 inch groups went to 1/2, big mistake.
Allan

Seafire that is why I have a 20lb can of 3031.It works in a lot of cartridges.Good Luck

sure wish I had 20 lbs of it...right now I have two lbs of it...

and feel I am about fresh out..

3031 turned a good sporter weight .243 into a real keeper. Nothing I had yet tried really produced groups with much WOW factor until I tried 3031. That and a Sierra 85 gr BTHP is it for me.

LWD