I just finished building a 22.250 (Savage receiver, Choate stock, 26" PacNor supermatch 1:10" twist) and decided to take it out to the monthly F class (1,000 yard) match in Cuyama, CA (You don't know where that is) this morning.

The winds were light (thankfully) but switchy coming from behind us on the line but shifting almost full right and left downrange.

I shot a 167 in the first relay (out of 200) and a 180 on the second relay. This was on the 10" Ten ring, 20" nine ring, 30" eight ring and 40" seven ring target. The 68 grain Hornady match bullets were being pushed a good 5" from a 90 degree shift in the 5 mph wind over that distance.

It was a lot of fun but I think that I prefer my 6.5x284 over that distance. Hopefully by the end of February I will have the stock for my 243 and that will give me another option for the lighter wind days.

I agree that the 6.5x284 would be a better choice at that distance. The 22 will not retain velocity very well past about 600 yards. You were lucky with the wind I think. What bullet weight were you shooting? Still good on you for trying it out! Did you have enough adjustment in your scope?
Peter.

Shot a 22-250 at NRA Long Range matches, 600-1000yds for some 3 yrs and providing you are using 8 twist, 80gr. Sierras, it will do quite well at the 1000yd line. Using std. NRA 1000 yd targets, but did turn in some scores w/ irons(Warner rear/Anshutz front globe) in the mid to high 190's, not from bag/bipod, with sling prone/mat. Found the adj. for wind/elevation to be very similar to the 308 w/ Sierra 155 Palma bullets. Had two rifles, 40X's, one with Douglas 30" ss and one with Krieger 30" ss and either one would do well if I did my part. Ranges shot at were Perry, Quantico, and Oak Ridge which all have issues with wind at times. (Well, Oak Ridge, all the time for me.) Very low recoil and absolute X ring gun/caliber combo at the 600yd line.

This was just a fun local match so I always play with any new gun that I have. I was shooting the 68 grain Hornady match bullet because I had a box that I needed to burn up. I have a 1:10" twist in this barrel I haven't tried a heavier bullet in it yet. I think that 75 grainers will be its limit.

I have a 20MOA base and elevation was not an issue. As a matter of fact, this load zero'ed my scope on its bottom stop at 100 yards and it only took 25.3 MOA to center the bullet on the 1,000 yard bullseye.

Frank: Great report, and thanks for posting it. Can we see a photo of your rifle? What do you think of the Savage as a basis for a target gun? I'm thinking of building one in 6.5 Creedmoor or .260.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Frank: Great report, and thanks for posting it. Can we see a photo of your rifle? What do you think of the Savage as a basis for a target gun? I'm thinking of building one in 6.5 Creedmoor or .260.

Bill, for a do it yourself tinkerer like me, the Savage action is perfect. Out of the box accuracy meets or exceeds any other major manufacturer. I can swap components from bolt handles, bolt heads, triggers, recoil washers and barrels in my gunroom with just a barrel nut wrench, a vise and hand tools.

I can buy prechambered barrels from a half a dozen barrel makers and install them myself with no machining.

Here's my Frankenstein:

Oh, I see you are one of those "left handed people". Your scores might improve if you went righty. LOL Good shooting!!! I am starting my first Savage build right now. Just got a 28" McGowan 6x47 Lapua barrel on friday. I mocked it up annd it looks Kewl LOL. Wife got layed off so its coming together slowly but am hoping to be able to have it operational by the end of coyote season this year. I am really getting hooked on this Savage phenomenon. Did you have your action trued? I have heard SSS's waiting list is long so am thinking about just screwing it togeter and seeing how it does. I am also just going to use my factory wood stock to get me by. Have to open up barrel channel and do my own bedding but when it's done I can be a little prouder of it I guess.

That action's not trued, it was pretty straight from the factory.

The true and timing is worth just the easier bolt lift from re-cutting the cocking ramp to the correct angles. I'm getting around that by adding the longer bolt handle to give me more leverage.

I have a barreled action ready to ship to Fred at SSS for a new stock and am having them do the true and time while it's there. I asked them last month and have a slot at the end of January so it's about a three month list now. But at least you only send it when they're ready to work on it so it isn't there long.

I've sent parts to gunsmiths and waited over a year to get them back with the work done.

Nice Frank and the Bolt is on the correct side !.

Neat rifle, Frank!

Do you think you'll try it again at another monthly match... trying a different bullet? I'm like you in that I have a pretty competative rifle for these monthly fun matches (a .260 Rem in Left bolt / right port like yours), but I'm always tempted to try something else just to see what it'll do. Next month I think I'll show up with a little 6x45 shooting ~90 grainers and probably get blown all over, but it's fun nonetheless.

Well, I might try it with the 77 grain SMKs if I can get them to stabilize in the 1:10 twist barrel.

My normal gun is a 6.5x284 but I always like to play with other cartridges. In March I hope to have my 243 done and play with the 105 - 115 grain bullets.

I'm getting my 6mm Ackley rebarreled now to shoot the 115 DTACS, I got a box of 500 that were pointed the other day. BC is supposed to be .595!

quote:

Originally posted by MFD:
Shot a 22-250 at NRA Long Range matches, 600-1000yds for some 3 yrs and providing you are using 8 twist, 80gr. Sierras, it will do quite well at the 1000yd line.

The standard fast twist AR will post respectable scores with Sierra's 80 bullet. The downside for .223 caliber is case capacity, whereas that's not so for the 22-250. My personal experience has been that some shots go subsonic at the 900 yard line unless you're pushing the .223 as hard as possible.

As a fellow lefthander, I can appreciate your doin's. Building a Savage "kit gun" sounds like a good idea for someone who wants a .223Rem in a bolty-- like me. All of .223s are either AR or a T/C...

Have observed some of the military teams shoot the 5.56/223 at 1000yds, but it is tough to do and better shooters have scored in the high 180's or low 190's with the arrangement of 7 twist and 80gr Sierras. The 22-250 w/ the 80's is kind of like a 223 Rem. on steroids so to speak.
My experience w/ the 22-250 was some years ago, 10 or more, and now see that Sierra has the 90gr out, but believe you would need the 6.5 twist to stabilize??
I have fallen back on the old reliable 308 for any long range I do these days, but if younger and still trying to reach 'the holy grail.." would do the fast twist 22-250 for as I mentioned in earlier post, the 600 was not a problem to "clean" with sling and "irons." Best score I ever shot at 1000 was 198w/ 13 X's and the 22-250 so I have fond memories of the combination.
Seems strange to me why I never see any long range varmint hunters using such a set up? Factory guns in 22-250 are usually a 14 twist for the 50-60gr bullet range, but to me is a short range set up, 3-500yds?? Have no idea what the bullet would to to a fox, coyote, prarie dog, etc., but be intersting to try.

I actually built this for a medium-long range varmint gun to take coyotes and prairie dogs out to 600 yards. I set this up to shoot the Hornady 68 grain BTHP which I've had great luck with.

I've taken quiet a few ground squirrels and prairie dogs and a few coyotes with that bullet and they've performed exceptionally at long distance.

My long range varminting (600-1,000 yards) and my F class shooting is usually done with fast twist 243s and my 6.5x284

Frank,
Sounds like you have a good combo there and always figured it would work fine, but don't see many reports about that set up being used for varmints. Glad it works for you, but doubt that the varmints are glad! Take care,

martin