53gr Vmax twist rate?

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calvin5673

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Hey all,

Trying to decide on an optimal twist rate. Looking at shooting the 53gr vmax, and probably up the the 60gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. This will be out of a .22-243 or .22-250ai (Still haven't decided) so velocity will be quite high, past that of a standard .22-250. What twist rate should I go with? I live at sea level, and shoot in the cold and I know that means a faster twist then normal. Also the 53gr vmax is quite long so that will hurt too.

Any and all thoughts appreciated.


Calvin,
 
I also went through the same dilemma. I tried 53gr Vmax in 3 different 14 twist 22-250's they didn't stabilize at all at subzero temps -15/20 C (keyhole). At 25 degrees C they seem to stabilize but the accuracy wasn't there.They shoot very well out of a 12 twist 223 & savage 12 twist 22-250. So not wanting to take a chance with unstable 53gr Vmax @ subzero temps when I built my 22 Cheetah I went with a 12 twist Shilen ,but I've also built a 11 twist 204 Pacnor also to be on the safe side in cold weather. I think there is also a plus/minus margin of error of twist rate in the manufacturing of a barrel also a variable. My elevation is 1900'/577m.
http://www.shilen.com/calibersAndTwists.html
 
Hornady suggests a 1:14 for the 52gr A-MAX, but the V-MAX box is not marked with a suggested twist rate.
I have a custom Rem. 700 22-250 with Gaillard 1:12 barrel that shoots the 52 A-MAX very well.
 
Here is a tool to calculate twist rate. Be sure to enter your best guess or what you hope to use for twist rate. It will give you more data, and you can change the twist rate if needed.

Twist Rate Calculator
 
I have shot the 53 V-max in a couple of 1-14" 220 Swifts with success. But I was loading them pretty warm. [c.3980 fps]

I am not sure how they would perform in extremely cold weather...I shot a couple of 'yotes when it was -20ºC, and they
seemed to not like the results, even the one out at 355 yards, lol.

As Doug says, barrels can be individuals. I had a 6.5/06 Douglas Match barrel with a 1-10" twist, and it would stabilize the 142 Sierra just fine.
By all the charts and opinions of "experts" It should not have worked, but it did. Regards, Dave.
 
I've tried 50 gr Barnes varmint grenades. Nosler 60 gr partitions. The slightly heavier vmax. 53 or 55 gr can't remember and a couple Speer and Sierra bullets. The gun didn't like them. Most key holed at 50 yards when they hit the paper. I haven't tried lighter bullets yet. It shoots the 50 gr 1-1/4" 5 shot group at best. Good candidate for a re barrel I think
 
I shoot everything from 40's to 69's from my 9 twist .223. It's a good middle of the road twist for me, but 40's out of a 9 twist 22-250 might not stay together. I think the 53's would though.
 
brybenn said:
I've tried 50 gr Barnes varmint grenades. Nosler 60 gr partitions. The slightly heavier vmax. 53 or 55 gr can't remember and a couple Speer and Sierra bullets. The gun didn't like them. Most key holed at 50 yards when they hit the paper. I haven't tried lighter bullets yet. It shoots the 50 gr 1-1/4" 5 shot group at best. Good candidate for a re barrel I think
Click to expand...

Barnes bullets are made out of copper, and are long for their weight. Nosler partitions have a solid/copper waist, and also are long for their weight. The weight is kind of concentrated at the ends rather than the middle. All of this is bad for stability if you are marginal for twist. Key hole patterns are a sign of instability and insufficient twist, and not necessarily an indication that the barrel is done. Just the wrong bullets.

For stability you want a flat base, spire type point, so the bullet is short for the weight.

Here are the results from the Kolbe calculator for the Berger 64 Grain Varmint bullet. It is not the full 1.5 stability factor but about 1.3 and should work in a 12 twist. Berger says it is good for a 12 twist and they base their recommendations on a stability factor of 1.5 and round down to the next even faster twist.
 
I meant re barrel to another cartridge. I may with a 25/45 or 20 practical. I love the gun but can't get it shooting good enough for what I want. That and 223 is rather boring. I like to be different
 
Tried the 53gr Vmax in my Rem VSF 22/250 with the 1/14 twist and it would not stabalize the bullet. This was at 70 F at sea level. I was pushing them at about 3700 ft/sec.
 
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