22-250 Rem ?

wisconsinteacher · May 8, 2011

Well my goal of the year is to get my rifles up to par or better. I have reloaded for my 22-250 for a few years and can shoot 1" groups at 100 yards. I have never measured a bullet off the lands until today and after 5 measurements I came up with 2.1105" as my length using a comparator on 55gr VMax bullets. Does the same rule apply for the 22-250 that the starting seating depth is round .005 .010" off the lands? I am using Varget for powder and am shooting a Ruger M77 rifle. The only issue so far is that the length of the finished round will be bigger than the mag well but that is okay, because I shoot it one round at a time when at the range. If I hunt coyotes with it, I will go single shot I guess. Thanks.

rick smith · May 8, 2011

Ther is no magic being close to the lands, just a starting point for seating depth. I have one wildcat which the bullet is more than 0.1" off the lands and it shoots quite well. I normally start 10 thousants off the lands if it will fit the mag box. If not, I start with the bullet seated so that it will function from the mag box.Rick.

SJB358 · May 8, 2011

I agree with Rick. While I would prefer to start closer to the lands, most of my rifles will not do this and still function. You can usually get excellent accuracy further away from the lands also.

I just loaded some stuff for my Vanguard 300 WBY. I was really stuck at 3.560" which is the SAAMI length. I imagine it will shoot fine, just have to find the powder combo it likes. Same for the 22-250. You are using a great powder. Should be a zinger when your done. Scotty

DrMike · May 8, 2011

Almost always a rifle will have two nodes for a given bullet. With cup and core bullets, it often (perhaps even usually) proves that one node will be close to the lands. However, when loading to the lands is not possible, a serious handloader can usually find a second node by seating deeper into the powder column and/or adjusting powder charge.

ScreaminEagle · May 8, 2011

I have been in the process of fine tuning a load for my 22-250 as well. It loves IMR 4320 and Sierra 52gr HPBT! Actually it loves just about any powder. Check out my thread titled "outstanding range results". I have been getting great groups by seating .010" off the lands.

I used to own a rugger 77 in 22-250 before I traded it in on my new one. That gun liked 55gr V-max and 38gr of H380 using CCI 200 primers. It wouldn't shoot tight groups no matter what I tried. Even after a full bed job and trigger job it shot 1" groups at best. That's why I parted ways with it. I wish you luck with yours.

wisconsinteacher · May 21, 2011

Well I loaded up 3 each of 34/34.5/35/35.5/36/36.5 grains of Varget in my Win brass and put a 55gr VMax on top .010" off the lands. As of now, I can only load the rifle one round at a time. Would you seat the bullet deeper to fit in the mag well? If so, would you go so they just fit in or would you go a little deeper so you could play with seating depth later on in the process of finding the "perfect" load.

DrMike · May 21, 2011

Seat the bullet to fit your magazine, allowing a bit of clearance. Play with powder charge to adjust the accuracy.

wisconsinteacher · May 21, 2011

Well I set the bullets to 2.015" measuring off the ogive which makes them .095" off the lands.

JD338 · May 21, 2011

DrMike":y692vibq said:
Seat the bullet to fit your magazine, allowing a bit of clearance. Play with powder charge to adjust the accuracy.

+1
Very sound advice.

JD338

nitroexpress · May 30, 2011

JD338":20n5851t said:
DrMike":20n5851t said:

Seat the bullet to fit your magazine, allowing a bit of clearance. Play with powder charge to adjust the accuracy.

Click to expand...

+1
Very sound advice.

JD338

In an ideal gun world the finished round would fit the magazine, feed properly and be a bit off the lands (as this is usually good for accuracy). What you don't want is for a loaded round to be forced into the lands, as this will cause an increase (jump) in pressure. Sometimes a loaded round will contact the lands even if loaded to the suggested COL. This is important to check whenever a new reloading recipe is tried. Don't get hung up trying to get every bullet 010 off the lands, lots of rifles shoot very well with 1/4 inch or more leade. If you have a cartridge with lots of leade or "freebore" it usually allows you to use a bit more powder and still stay within safe pressure limits.