I was heading out to the range today, but it was later than I had desired to leave, but the weather was clear...

So I loaded up only 10 rounds of 22.250 with the 36 grain HP Varmint Grenade by Barnes...

I decided to just use one of my favorite loads with the 40 grain Ballistic Tips or Sierra HPs, and that is 34.5 grains of RL 7 ( 1.5 grain over max, listed in the Lyman Number 47 manual)... I like it because it is extremely fast.. and pretty darn accurate...

Well I decided to be a little conservative and backed the load off just half a grain from the 40 grain V Max load.. to 34 grains of RL 7...

With the scope set on 8 powder, I did two volleys of 5 shots each at 100 yds...I didn't chronograph them.. as there wasn't time...

However, 10 shots, two targets ( 5 per target) I only had ONE 22 caliber hole in each target!

So I don't know if this was a case of the bullets disintegrating because of the MV ( which on the 40 grainers is 4450 fps, so this had to be higher).. or these are super duper accurate....

primer was a CCI large rifle...Brass was Winchester, and the rifle was a Ruger 77 Mk 2, with a 24 inch Pac Nor barrel...

I am going to load up some more of the same and try it in another one of my 22.250s....

I had this happen once before with a Pac Nor barrel on a 6mm Rem, with a one in 7 twist...shooting a 75 grain Hornady HP, over a charge of 47.5 grains of H 414.. 24 inch heavy magnum barrel once again...

That group measured 0.505! so I loaded up some more, thinking that all but one bullet may have vaporized... the next round proved that was not the case...

Also to note, on the Ruger 22.250, with the above listed load, I was also careful to note, even tho there was a load boom when the round was touched off, I never lost sight picture of the target within the scope during recoil... so the recoil is low enough for that...

If anyone else tests that out, let us know if you have as good of luck as this load might potentially be....

now I have to prove they didn't vaporize....

cheers
seafire

I heard the varmint grenades where tested up to 4600 fps by barnes, I don't think they are blowing up. holy crap 4450 with those 40's, I ran the numbers with that, its a lazer beam!!

Well re-testing these loads this morning, I found out that in a one in 14 twist, 22.250 the VG's will take 4450 fps or more...

however, in a 22.250 with a one in 7 twist.. they are vaporizing.. and this is in cool weather... in hot weather it would probably be even at a lower velocity in that fast twist barrel...

of 5 shots, none hit the target.. same load with 40 grain Ballistic Tips did hit the target and left a nice one hole group...of 4 shots, with one Seafire trade mark flyer...for a total of 5...

This 36 grain Barnes HP is about as long as a 55 grain ballistic tip.. didn't measure it, but is definitely much longer than the 40 grain Ballistic tip... and close to the length of the 60 grain Sierra HP..

I've shot them out of my 9" twist LRPV at around 4,400 fps, no problem, tiny little group. You are spinning them about 100,000 rpm faster than I am at the same MV - apparently that is too much. Don't know how much to much though.

Fitch

quote:

Originally posted by Fitch:
I've shot them out of my 9" twist LRPV at around 4,400 fps, no problem, tiny little group. You are spinning them about 100,000 rpm faster than I am at the same MV - apparently that is too much. Don't know how much to much though.

Fitch

I will consult Barnes on this.. and also figure out the rpms.. can you figure out the MV of that load with your Quick Load? that would help...

cheers
seafire