loading down a 22-250

StevieK

StevieK

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Just got a 22-250, Rem 700 HB. Just wondering, if I load the 22-250 down to around 223 velocities, will I reduce the barrel burning and hope to get around the same barrel life as a 223? Or is the pressure still that much greater?
Everyone seems to be so worried about burning out a barrel, it's not going to stop me from having fun and shooting a cartridge that I like. I personally think it's all a little overrated.
 
Unless you're running a lot of rounds down the barrel one right after the other, I really don't think you'll have an issue. All this hoopla of burning out barrels means little to most hunters. It's an issue to competitive shooters (or someone who just shoots that much), but for most hunters that is quite a few years of hunting. - dan
 
First reason, I had a chance to get the 22-250 as a good local deal. Second, I can load the 22-250 down to high 223 velocities, but I can't load the 223 up to high 22-250 velocities
 
Also curious to see what others have to say.
I know some powders are more prone to be used in light charges, I think H4895 is one of those.
 
"...burning out barrels means little to most hunters..." Absolutely. It isn't an issue. If you're really concerned about it, work up a cast bullet load.
Loading down kind of defeats the purpose of buying a .22-250. Velocities aren't that much different anyway. Just a few hundred FPS. Mind you, no varmint will care what cartridge the bullet that killed it came from.
 
Like I said, I think the issue of barrel burning is over rated. Like it has been pointed out, the velocity difference is only a few hundred feet per second, yet people moan and groan that 22-250's eat up barrels like the cookie monster eats cookies. So i was just wondering if loading down would actually even the playing field or not. I like the speed that the 22-250 gives, especially for nailing song dogs :)
 
"...that 22-250's eat up barrels..." They say the same thing about the .243. Had my Cooey for nearly 40 years and it still shoots well enough. Never has driven tacks, but it shoots the same now as it did after I changed the stock and bedded it 30 years ago.
 
This is my 'downloaded' load for my 22-250.

#2 Low velocity Load (22 hornet simulator, 2250 fps -measured-, nice and quiet)
Primer: CCI #200
Powder: Trail Boss 14.0gr (case could take about 16.0gr)
Bullet: Hornady Hornet bullet 45gr
Brass: Remington

Downloading the 22-250 to .223 or 22 hornet levels makes sense to me, if for any reason you don't need full power 22-250 loads all the time. Sure, a guy can go spend several hundred dollars each on both a .22 hornet rifle package and a .223 rifle package, to go with his 22-250 package, but, for the rest of us who don't have loads of cash just cluttering up out livingrooms, for about $40 worth of load development, you can load your 22-250 to do anything from quietly shooting gophers a 25 yards, to smacking coyotes at 400.

The load I listed also lets you plink for considerably cheaper than full power 22-250 loads.
 
Northman999 said:
This is my 'downloaded' load for my 22-250.

#2 Low velocity Load (22 hornet simulator, 2250 fps -measured-, nice and quiet)
Primer: CCI #200
Powder: Trail Boss 14.0gr (case could take about 16.0gr)
Bullet: Hornady Hornet bullet 45gr
Brass: Remington

Downloading the 22-250 to .223 or 22 hornet levels makes sense to me, if for any reason you don't need full power 22-250 loads all the time. Sure, a guy can go spend several hundred dollars each on both a .22 hornet rifle package and a .223 rifle package, to go with his 22-250 package, but, for the rest of us who don't have loads of cash just cluttering up out livingrooms, for about $40 worth of load development, you can load your 22-250 to do anything from quietly shooting gophers a 25 yards, to smacking coyotes at 400.

The load I listed also lets you plink for considerably cheaper than full power 22-250 loads.
Click to expand...

X2 I agree its alot easyier to make a fast round slow than it is to make a slower round fast.have never shot trail boss but my next powder buy will include some for my 22-250.
 
Northman999 said:
This is my 'downloaded' load for my 22-250.

#2 Low velocity Load (22 hornet simulator, 2250 fps -measured-, nice and quiet)
Primer: CCI #200
Powder: Trail Boss 14.0gr (case could take about 16.0gr)
Bullet: Hornady Hornet bullet 45gr
Brass: Remington

Downloading the 22-250 to .223 or 22 hornet levels makes sense to me, if for any reason you don't need full power 22-250 loads all the time. Sure, a guy can go spend several hundred dollars each on both a .22 hornet rifle package and a .223 rifle package, to go with his 22-250 package, but, for the rest of us who don't have loads of cash just cluttering up out livingrooms, for about $40 worth of load development, you can load your 22-250 to do anything from quietly shooting gophers a 25 yards, to smacking coyotes at 400.

The load I listed also lets you plink for considerably cheaper than full power 22-250 loads.
Click to expand...

accurate nuff?
 
Have you ever burned out a barrel? Ever?

If you didn't shoot it at all, even at low velocity, it would last forever. Sound stupid?

If you own a race horse, let it run. Have fun with it and, if you ever do manage to burn out the barrel, congratulate yourself on having done a LOT of shooting, and then get another one. Maybe even a better one!

What's wrong with that?
 
rral22 said:
Have you ever burned out a barrel? Ever?

If you didn't shoot it at all, even at low velocity, it would last forever. Sound stupid?

If you own a race horse, let it run. Have fun with it and, if you ever do manage to burn out the barrel, congratulate yourself on having done a LOT of shooting, and then get another one. Maybe even a better one!

What's wrong with that?
Click to expand...

I like to fool around with slow loads in many of my guns. I have never done it because I was worried about barrel life, but that is as good a reason as any, and yes I have worn out quite a few barrels. I have slow and medium loads, quiet loads and full throttle loads for the 22 Hornet, 17 FB, 221 FB 223, and just about every other cartridge I shoot, including the 22-250.

It is part of the fun of reloading that a guy can build things like a 308 Winchester that shoots 40 grain round balls over 6 grains of Trail Boss, so you have chicken loads and don"t have to carry a 22 when big game hunting.

For real quiet and slower loads, Trail Boss is great, for downloading 4895 is great and can be reduced to about 70% laods very easily and 4759 makes great reduced laods too. The hogdon website has all the data you would ever need to cover off any of these. Never be afraid to experiment, carefully, no matter what your motivation to do so is.
 
For a given bore size and bullet weight, the barrel is only good for a fixed number of pounds of powder. If you load lighter it will last longer. Assuming H4895 is a recommended powder for the cartridge, then Hodgdon says you can load down to 60% of the maximum load.

Remember it is the weight of powder and resulting heat that burns the barrel, not the velocity. Barrels burn out at the throat where the bullet has very little velocity, and not at the muzzle where it has full velocity.
 
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