I just purchased my first 22-250 and am preparing to work up loads for it. Assuming it has the standard 1/14" twist, will the Hornady 55 gr. VMAX stabilze? How about the Sierra 55 gr. Blitz King? I have read that the 55 gr. Nosler BT often is not stabilzed with 1/14" twist. Any comments?

Thanks.

rollinghills

I shoot the plastic tipped 50 and 55 grain V-max bullets all of the time with no problem out of my 1 in 14", 22.250

As stated above, you'll be fine with the 55gr. in a 1-14 twist 22-250.

Good Huting,

Bob

Thanks for the replys. Saves wearing out the barrel trying unsuitable bullets. I plan to start with Hornady 55 gr. VMAX. More bullet shank to chase lands with.

rollinghills

A 75 grain AMax will not stabilize unless the twist is at least one in 9. One in 8 or 7 is even more preferential.

Sorry but already tried it so don't waste the bullet trying.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

The only bullet in the Vmax family it would not stabilize is the 60 grain VMax. It will also not stabilize the 75 grain A Max.

Beyond that you should be good to go.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

Try the JLK 60 gr LD bullets in that 12 twist. I shoot their 52 gr LD's out of my 14 twist. They have a BC of .302. One of my best groups with them is a 2.25 at 650 lasered yards.

Does anyone know if JLK bullets are available in Canada? On paper, a B.C. of .302 for a 52 gr. bullet would make even my .222s into 400 yard guns. How exposive are the JLK bullets? Are they good Varmint bullets?

rollinghills

In my experience, the 55 grain Hornady V-Max will stabilize just fine in a 22-250 with a 1 in 14 twist. The Nosler 55 grain Ballistic Tip and the Sierra BlitzKing probably will not.

I have shot all the above bullets and the Hornady is the only one that works well in 1 in 14 inch twist 22-250's.
Calls to Nosler and Sierra have confirmed that they get reports of their 55 grain plastic tipped bullets not being stabilized.

Both companies suggested that I try their 50 grain versions and I have, they work very well indeed.

I am not talking about trying the bullets in question in one rifle, I have tested them in a half dozen rifles and my dad had the same experience in three more.

R F

Mr Flowers...

Your above post does not make any sense to me...

Hornady 55g Vmax bullets are just as long as the Nosler and Sierra ballistic tipped bullets...

If the Hornadys 55g bullets shoot any better in a given rifle,it is surely due to some OTHER reason than the barrel twist!!

Sharpsman :

I believe R Flowers findings as they reflect his actual experience. The flat base and secant ogive of the Hornady 55 gr. VMAX are features that would tend to make this bullet more stable than the competitive 55 gr. bullets from Sierra and Nosler. I have a "K" Hornet with a 1/16" twist which will stabilze Hornady 40 gr. VMAX down to about 10 deg. C, but will not stabilize Nosler 40 gr. BTs until the temperature is above 20 deg. C. (Groups sizes doubling and tripling from normal and elliptical target entrance holes are symptoms of instability.)

R Flowers :

Thanks for sharing your experience. Saves me purchasing unuseable bullets and unnecessary wear and tear on the bore.


rollinghills

My 22-250 shoots bug holes often in the 2s with a 50 grain NBT over Varget with a Fed match primer. Rem factory gun. Speed is around 3900fps

You didn't say what kind of rifle it is, so the twist rate is in question. Savage uses 1:12" in their .22-250s. Dunno what other makers are using presently. Their websites ought to tell you.

Well sharpsman, I do not expect anyone to believe me, this is just what I have experienced.

For whatever reason the Hornady 55 grain V-Max shoots darned well in my rifles. In fact, it is the bullet of choice that I load in two of my 22-250 Remingtons.

But, the Nosler and Sierra versions shoot crappy and even tend to make oblong holes in the paper, obviously tipping and yawing as the go.

When the Nosler Ballistic Tips first came out I bought the first box I could get my hands on. I promptly tried them in a couple of 22-250's and was totally dissapointed.

I called Nosler and gave them heck. They readily admitted that those 55 grain BT's were too long to be stabilized in a lot of 1 in 14 inch twist rifles. Then they asked what
elevation I lived at. I told them about 300 feet and they said I should go try them at some higher elevation, maybe something over 3500 feet just for fun. You know, I did just as an experiment and they worked much better.

When the BlitzKings came out I had the same problem. Lousy groups with obviously oblong bullet holes in the paper. I called Sierra and they admitted to getting lots of complaints about that very problem.

Both companies recommended I drop down to the 50 grain versions of their bullets. The 50 grain bullets shoot just fine in my guns and those of my friends.

In fact, I sometimes go to Oregon to visit family. I stop at the Nosler plant in Bend to buy some of their seconds.
The last batch of 50 grain Ballistic Tip seconds I bought will shoot 1/2 inch groups in the latest 22-250 I had built.

R F

RF,



Sorry if my reply may have offended.By the details you've provided,I understand where you are coming from.



The folks at Nosler may have recived complaints about their bullets,but I'd bet they have no CONCRETE reason for the problems.If they did,they would put a warning on their 55g BT bullets with a minimal twist requirements just as they do with their heavy .22 match slugs.There are a lot of thing that make a rifle inaccurate with certain(or all)bullets.I'd bet Nosler sure as heck has no clue as to ALL of the variables and circumstances surounding the source of the complaints.They have an inhouse range.I would be willing to bet their own testing has been done with at least ONE 22-250 barrel with a 1-14 twist...



As to my experiences ,it is the LENGTH of the bullet that matters with regards to stabilization in a certain rifling twist,not pure weight.It could be the Sierras and Noslers are that much longer than the 55g Hornadys and that's why they don't shoot well.The flip side of this is I have seen 60g FB HP bullets shoot in 1-14 22-250s and .220 Swifts(one whole groups at 100yards) when 50-55g bullets would not shoot!!



Velocity and twist rate TOGETHER produce the RPMS required to stablize a bullet, so one would think that in a 1-14" twist barrel is 50-55g bullets won't shoot well that a 60g bullet at LOWER velocity would DEFINITELY not shoot better.But yet,they did.Go figure..



I too have had good luck with 50g bullets in my 22-250.My 1997 Vintage m700 VLS(factory barrel w/1-14") likes the 50g Hornady Vmax bullets well enough that it averages 1/2" and under groups at 100 yards with two different powders!

I am still searching for yet more accuracy,so, I will be trying some 55g bullets as well.I will try some Hornady,Nosler and Sierra bullets in my 22-250 and get back with you in a week or so...

I have tried a lot of different bullets in my 22-250 Remington and have not had any good luck they just don't group worth a darn. I get a 1/2" 5 shot group then it will open to 1". Next time it will be two together in one spot then two together in another spot and one by its self. When it does this the groups are about 1.5" I use Wilson Bench Rest dies, and I load the bullets to touch the lands. The rifle is steel beaded free floated and has a sixteen ounce jewel trigger. I did not think about using bullets lighter than 55gr. I did have extremely good luck with the 52gr Nosler Match bullets in my 223 in the past but Nosler don't list them anymore. The 223 may have been a tighter twist, but it did not like any thing heavier than the 52gr bullets. I believe my Remington is 1 in 14 twist also.



Thanks for the info I will try lighter bullets and see if I can get them to group.

sharpsman :

A laymans explanation of some of the variables affecting bullet stability:

The upsetting force that contributes to bullet instability is varies directly with bullet length and air density. Centrifugal force stabilizes bullets. The greater the centrifugal force, the longer the bullet that can be stabilized. Centrifugal force can be increased by increasing the twist rate, or increasing the mass, or increasing the average distance of the mass from the bullet centerline. Flat Base bullets are more stable than Boat Tail bullets of the same length and mass, because more of the mass is close to the Outer Diameter of the bullet. Secant Ogive (straight VMAX type nose shape) bullets are more stable than Tangent Ogive (curved Ballistic Tip type nose shape) bullets, given the same mass and bullet length. Because Air Density decreases with elevation and temperature, a bullet that will not stabilize on a Cold day at Sea Level, might stabilize on a Hot day in the Foothills.


Ricochet :

My 22-250 is a used SAKO AII Heavy Barrel manufactured around 1990. I am sure that the listed twist was 1/14", but sometimes actual twist rates vary from the specifed rates. For example, I have a Remington 788 in .222 that, as close as I can measure it, has a slow 1/15.5" twist rate. Specified twist rate for all Remington .222's that I am aware of is 1/14". It does well with short bullets.

rollinghills

I have a Savage 110 with a 26" heavy stainless steel Hart barrel on it. Unfortunately it weighs almost 14lbs, but boy will it shoot. It shoots both the Nosler 50 and 55gr. Bal.Tips into .2 and .3" groups (5 at 100yds.). It shoots the same tiny groups with the Berger 52gr. HP and the Sierra 52gr. HPBT. All of these rounds come out of the barrel at approximately 3600fps. I seat all of them the same 2.42" and use IMR4064 for most loadings. Basically the only element that is varied is the bullet, and I find all of the ones mentioned shoot almost equally as well as each other. So much for bullet superiority. In a good, well tuned rifle all of them will shoot well. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Well,I just measured the overall length of both the Hornady Vmax and Nosler Ballistic tipped 55g bullets.The Hornady's are actually LONGER .809" vs .807".

I still do not see how a blanket statment that the Sierra and Nosler 55g bullets will NOT shoot in a 1-14 twist barrel yet a Hornady will ???

Sharpsman, I was in no way offended, believe me.

There is so much stuff on these forums that I take a lot of it with a grain of salt myself.

I have been in the Nosler indoor testing facility and I am sure they have tested any number of 22-250's with 1 in 14 inch twists. They did not offer any specifics about the instability of the 55 grain BT's, just that they were aware of it, for sure.

And, like you, I have certainly seen some 1 in 14 twist 22-250 rifles shoot 60 grain bullets well. Once again, a Hornady, but some of the rifles I have tested shot the 60 grain Hornady flat base HP very well.

Let us know how your testing comes out. I will be interested to see how your rifle does with the 55 grain bullets.

R F

RF,

Thanks for the reply.I agree with you,it is VERY puzzling.

I have been shooting 22=250s since 1981,when I bought my first varmint rig(a beautiful Browning B-78).

Since then I have shot about every bullet in the half dozen .22-250s.I also have friends that have owned several custom "250s" and the best loads for each particular rifle have run from 40g Vmaxes to 60r HP bullets.All the guns had 1-14" twist barrels..

I will get back with you.I now have some 55g Nosler BT and Hornady Vmax bullets to try.We will see....