22-250 varmint load?

badland · Dec 12, 2005

Just picked up a Ruger M77 22-250 cal(hevi barrel) any one out there have some varmint loads I could look at starting out with? Coyote and fox will be my two main targets(would like to save the hides). Has a older Redfield 3-9 on it, a good scope but woulld like something in more in the line for varmint hunting. Thanks

JD338 · Dec 12, 2005

badland,

The 22-250 Rem will serve you well for Coyote with a 50 gr BT.
I am using this bullet in my M700 VLS with sub MOA accuracy. The bullets leave a nickel size exit hole through the ribs. Stay away from shoulders or it will become coyote ugly! Not sure about fox but I would assume results are similar.
My load is as follows:

50 gr BT
36.0 grs Varget
W-W case
Federal GM210M primer

Regards,

JD338

remingtonman_25_06 · Dec 12, 2005

I might recomend the lighter 40g bullets for coyotes. I have used them out of a .222 Rem and .220 Swift. If you put the bullet where it needs to go, the little 40g drops yotes just as well as the 50g or 55g. Since you want to save the hides, I would shoot the 40g because you will rarely get an exit with the speed and light frangibility of this bullet. Any shoulder shot on a yote will produce a mess no matter what bullet you use. I cant recomend the 55g Bal Tip because behind the shoulder shots, still account for a nice 2 inch exit hole out of my 220 Swift. My dad has the same Ruger Target rifle in 22-250, and I have one in a 220 Swift. My dad has 2 very accurate loads with the 40g vmax. One using IMR-4895, the other using H-380. Accuracy is hovering around 1/4" at 100 yards, and velocity is 4000fps.

40g vmax 40g vmax
35g IMR-4895 41g H-380
Fed 210 Fed 210
2.350" 2.350"
4000fps 3930fps
.310" @100 .296" @ 100

cal sibley · Dec 15, 2005

I prefer the Nosler 55gr. Bal. Tip pushed along by IMR4064 35.0grs. It give me a velocity of 3500fps. which is fast enough for what I shoot. I seat it out pretty far at 2.56", but it's quite accurate. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

R Flowers · Dec 16, 2005

My favorite load for my 22-250 is exaclty the same as that listed above by JD338 except that I only shoot 35.2 grains of Varget. I just found a sweet spot where that load shoots well under a half inch in my rifle, so that is what I shoot.

A 22-250 is a really great coyote rifle.