I have a standard Rem 700 in 22-250. I have been told the rifle will be accurate out to about 300-yards b cause it has a standard Remington barrel and the available bullet weights limit the performance of the caliber past 300-yards. Any truth to that? Also, what's a good coyote load for 300-yard shots?

Thanks,

JDG

Yes a factory barrel is normally a twist that won't handle heavy and long range bullets.

Just like Todd I've killed a lot of dogs and other varmints at far longer than 300yds. I use a 223 under 300 and my 22-250 past. I have no problem taking 500 yd shots on a calm day.

I use a lot of 55gr BT and Imr4895. If you stay away from the boat tail and LONG bullets you can probably get some 60gr to work as well.

I killed a crow with a long-since sold Rem 788 in 22-250 from a measured 423 yards. Had to get the leaf rake out as it was nothing but a scattering of black feathers across a 10 foot radius! With the proper twist barrel and a steady rest, I believe guys have been zapping prairie dogs out to serious distances like 700 yards+. YMMV.

I've killed a couple of coyotes at around 440yds with mine. One dropped on the spot the other ran about ten yards. 55gr Sierra Game King BTHP on top of 37.1gr of H380.

A fast twist 22-250 with a heavy VLD bullet can do anything the majority of any other long range 6mm/6.5mm precision rifles can do.

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A fast twist 22-250 with a heavy VLD bullet can do anything the majority of any other long range 6mm/6.5mm precision rifles can do.

I agree however he has a factory barrel which is normally too slow a twist for the heavy VLD bullets.

+ one on the 55 gr Sierra BTHP, they shoot really good out of my older M700.

I never had any probs exceeding 300 yards with any of mine. factory box guns with then standard 1/14 twist. 55gr bullets. No range finder but I practiced out to 500 yards using paper targets to verify my hold and on occasion I'd exceed that on a Pdog.

If I call Remington with the model and serial number will they be able to tell me the twist rate?

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If I call Remington with the model and serial number will they be able to tell me the twist rate?

Probably. But I would bet you a it is a 1/14. Good for 55gr and less. Maybe a short 60. You can also measure it yourself. Take your cleaning rod with a tight patch and see how many inches it takes to get 1 revolution. At best it might be 1/12 but my $$ is on 1/14.

The furthest deer kill I've had was a one shot DRT 360 yard shot with a 22-250 shooting Speer 70 grain Semi Spitzers.

The gun I shot it with had a 1:12 twist barrel.

It's also very easy to determine the twist rate yourself. Insert a patch on a cleaning rod and get the patch started in the breech end. Mark the cleaning rod right at the muzzle with a piece of tape with a line marked on it. Pull the cleaning rod out until it has made one full revolution. The distance from the tape to the muzzle will be the twist of the barrel.

I've seen people take antelope out past 400 yards with 22.250's and factory barrels.

I shoot my factory stock barrels until they're worn out then re-barrel with faster twists. My 22.250 now has a 10" twist barrel and occasionally I'll shoot the 69 grain SMK's out to 1,000 yards.

I saw a pronghorn antelope shot from about 500 yards once, dead right there.

Look around, Savage makes a 22-250 with a 1-9 twist! Long heavy bullets at speed!

Concur with the 1/14 twist on Rem .22-250s. I took a gunsmith's .223 Rem take-off barrel with a 1/12 twist, had it rechambered to .22-250 and installed it as a replacement barrel on a .22-250 I was shooting. Accuracy was great and better with the heavier bullets. Used this rifle to get into the Varmint Hunter's Assn. 500yd club. Had seven witnesses to pd hits at just over 700 laser-measured yds.

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Originally posted by John Galt:
I killed a crow with a long-since sold Rem 788 in 22-250 from a measured 423 yards. Had to get the leaf rake out as it was nothing but a scattering of black feathers across a 10 foot radius! With the proper twist barrel and a steady rest, I believe guys have been zapping prairie dogs out to serious distances like 700 yards+. YMMV.

I did that with the neighbors cat who was putting the sneak on a cottontail.

Stepchild

Last year, on a prairie dog hunt in Wyoming, a buddy of mine hit one at a laser measured 632 yards using a .22-250. Second shot (first shot was about a foot low and two feet left).

I've taken 3 coyotes @ 500 yards with my factory rem 22-250 & 50gr bullets. The more u practice shooting longer distance the easier it gets!!!

I've found the 22/250 and 52 grain Berger varmint match to be a solid 500 yard coyote combination. It shoots to the B&C reticle as well, which is a right handy thing.

For varmints I have found it will kill coyotes as far away as you can hit them..We hunt the Owayhe desert and 500 and 600 yards or better can be the case..Hitting them is the hard part. We mostly use the 60 gr. Hornady HP or SP..Lot of the cowboys around here use that combo on deer also, and it works like a charm at least to 250 to 300 yards from what I've seen and form my limited experience of using it on deer at those longer ranges...I've only shot 3 beyond 200 yards, but it worked great for 3 one shot kills..and those Ive witnessed did the same thing..One of the rancher ladys shoots her elk every year with a 22-250 and that bullet, slips it behind the shoulder with a kitchen door rest and down they go at about 100 yards to the haystack..Used right its quite a caliber..picking the proper bullet is the secret IMO..thats the 60 gr. Hornady, get mostly exit holes on deer and coyotes.

I totally agree with Ray. In "63" I was using my Mc Gowan 22 Varminter ( later to become 22-250 ) With the Barnes' original 70gr. bullet it was the hammer of Thor. No other bullet that I used at that time could get the job done right on mule deer.
Two deer that come to mind were shot with a 63gr semi pointed bullet. One was shot in the middle of the chest twice as she ran toward me at less than 35 yds. The other was hit three times at the classic low behind the leg at close range. Both deer were found hrs latter as there was zero blood trail. Could not comprehend the devastation in the wound areas at that time.
with super fast cartridges bullet construction is really critical. roger

my buddie shot a nice mule deer buck with a 22-250 a year ago at 490 yards we ranged him 3 times to make sure dialed the turret and boom deer was hit hard went 15 yards and piled up.
upon cleaning the deer the heart was mush and the lungs wernt in great shape either bullet was a 50-55 grain barns x bullet. rifle was a heavy barrel rem 700

I got a Savage barrel in 223 for its' 1:9" twist twenty-plus years ago and had it rechambered for the 22-250. I shot the JLK, Jimmy & Lois Knox 80gr VLDs over 500yds on 'chucks with great success.

The speed virus struck me down that fall, and I had it rechambered for my 223 Valkyrie, a version of the 22-284. It was killer close to half a mile out, with my Geovids.

Problems with killing deer with a 22-250, one is blood shot everything and I dislike that mess, and the other is normally a lack on blood trails if they run off..

Mostly they kill like a lightening strike, but when they don't its bad and sooner or later you will have to deal with that..

When its good its very good, when its bad its very very bad..

Im comfortablel with hunting deer or antelope with a 22-250 in open country, not in the thick stuff and long range kills, although mostly Ok, are asking for trouble IMO. One shot on a heavy bone such as the shoulder can allow one to travel miles to die or at least find a hidy hole..I keep my shots to broadside and at about 200 yards otherwise I use a larger caliber.

Any caliber suits me for deer and antelope, even used the 22 L.R. with 100% success, but I do adjust my hunting style to the deers advantage.

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Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I got a Savage barrel in 223 for its' 1:9" twist twenty-plus years ago and had it rechambered for the 22-250. I shot the JLK, Jimmy & Lois Knox 80gr VLDs over 500yds on 'chucks with great success.

The speed virus struck me down that fall, and I had it rechambered for my 223 Valkyrie, a version of the 22-284. It was killer close to half a mile out, with my Geovids.

How close? 1/2 mile = 880 yds.

Thanks fellows. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those capable of accurately shooting 300+yards. I've shot out to 300 and I know I need a lot of practice with that right ammo in order to be effective. My 700 is topped with a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20x AO with a ballistic reticle. I'll call Rem and confirm the rate of twist and then track down some suitable ammo.

I am surprised that some shoot deer-sized game with a 22 cal rifle. Not something I would do regardless of skill. I prefer a bigger heavier caliber for "big" game.

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Originally posted by Doublegun:
... I'll call Rem and confirm the rate of twist and then track down some suitable ammo.

Not necessary to call.

1) Put a patch on your cleaning rod, perhaps with a little oil, and run it well into the barrel, allowing the rifling to rotate the rod.

2) Mark the top of your cleaning rod with a magic marker, using some point on the receiver as a reference point.

3) Withdraw the rod, allowing the rifling to counter-rotate the rod.

4) When the mark you placed on the rod is again on the top, mark the rod a second time at the same reference point.

5) Measure the distance between the marks.

I just looked in one of the Speer Manuals, it states a Model 700 Remington in 22-250 is twisted 1-14".

Jerry

So how heavy a bullet can I shoot through a heavy 1:14" twist barrel?

As JAH said you will have no issues with a 55. As you reach the limit it will be the bullet length not weight that will decide.

There has been A LOT of game and varmints taken with a 55 over the years. Many with bullets of far worse quality than you can buy today.

If you want to try heavier look for shorter design. Or do like a loot of use burn the barrel out with 55s and lighter then rebarrel with a faster twist.

I once killed a prairie dog at a paced off 523 yards with a .223 remington. Obviously the 22-250 will do it too assuming you have as much luck running your way as I did that day.

The prairie dog wasn't "splattered" at all.....merely a small hole in him as if hit with a .22 short.....but deader than all get out just the same.

I say this as the range depends on what you're shooting at, along with a long list of other things such as wind, your rifle's accuracy potential, and the load your shooting being at the forefront of the list.

To say that the 22-250 has a range of 400 yards is simply asking for an argument.....but WTH.....I'll risk it....:.....For targets under 50 pounds the range of the .22-250 is about 400 yards.

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To say that the 22-250 has a range of 400 yards is simply asking for an argument.....but WTH.....I'll risk it....:.....For targets under 50 pounds the range of the .22-250 is about 400 yards.

I'd disagree with that!
I've seen Deer and Antelope dumped at 400 with a 22/250. Couldn't be deader.
22/250 is a great round and kills so well it gets people to try to test its limits.
I know I have. It's not for everyone but it is a fine round.

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quote:
To say that the 22-250 has a range of 400 yards is simply asking for an argument.....but WTH.....I'll risk it....:.....For targets under 50 pounds the range of the .22-250 is about 400 yards.



I'd disagree with that!

Are we having fun here or what?????

Vapo you were trolling for that one!

600yds depending on shooter, 1000 for targets with 80-90 gr bullets

I have shot a springbuck in SA at a distance of little over 300m with a .22-250. The 50grain varmintbullet(Sierra) went straight through, with a sideshot, creating enough damage on the springbuck it only took a few steps and tipped.
Very efficient cartridge.

I shot PD's out past 500 yards with mine I would not be afraid to use it on yote's out there also.

But a 243 or 25-06 is a lot more gun out there.

I once killed a prairie dog at 800 yards with a 22-250 give or take.....I only wish it was the one I was shooting at!

Have to ask: what optics are you using that allow one to even see a prairie dog at 500+ yards?