.22-250 powder

[dukeboy]

hi all, interested in which powders people are using, I'm currently using blc-2 but want to try varget or h380, are there any others you are using with good results?

thanks

[kent]

If you are limited in availability there in NI stick with what works and what you can get if it is working ok. In the past I have bought powders to try and they did not improve what was an already good load, what happens then is they sit unused.

If the current powder isn't working that's another matter

[dukeboy]

I'm new to reloading and blc-2 is my first powder, have tried a few different loads and not been overly impressed, got some different bullet heads yesterday which i'll try but would like to try a different powder as well

[kent]

BLC 2 is a used powder for 22-250 up to and including the 50 grain in the data books I have. If you new to reloading just to prevent you chasing you tail change one thing at a time and for me that might be bullets, brass and round construction before powder in that order as 1lb of powder is quite expensive and becomes a waste if it don't work.

 

If your new to shooting such a round ( I have not a clue on that point ) remember that there are more Sub MOA guns than sub MOA capable shooters and still I always start a rifle off on high grade factory to find its worth.

 

Is Powder not expensive in NI and hard to obtain? whenever I have had some to shift I often get people from NI keen to buy if I will send and cost seems little object to them

[dukeboy]

I have been using it with 55gr v-max, and got 40gr blitzkings yesterday, I will get a chance to try them at the weekend, the reason i ask is because im well through the blc 2 and curious to try something different next time.

Powder seems to be easy enough to get but varget seems to sell out pretty quick! Ranges from £40-£50 per 1lb

[kent]

Not too much different cost to here then. Out of interest have you tried something good in a 50 and what's it like in factory? I see your point but it would be a shame to not try other variables with what BLC 2 you have left. Powder can make a difference don't get me wrong but narrow down all the other stuff first as if you switch bullets and powder you don't ever know which worked or which didn't if you get me

[dukeboy]

havnt loaded any 50's yet but tried them in factory ppu and tried 55 hornady factory which weren't bad. it def won't go to waste ill use it till it's done and must get some 50's to try. I've found that reloading and testing has became very interesting and addictive!

[steve_b_wales]

I use H380 for my .22-250 and .243.

[bjlfishing]

H4895 I found better than h380

[Dougy]

H380 in mine, it works well and I have a decent stock.

[kent]

havnt loaded any 50's yet but tried them in factory ppu and tried 55 hornady factory which weren't bad. it def won't go to waste ill use it till it's done and must get some 50's to try. I've found that reloading and testing has became very interesting and addictive!

Yes that's a problem, its amazing how soon you settle on loads when you have been at it a while. all that testing is fun but costs in components and barrel wear

[jamie g]

i have used varget and it was very good but also imr 4007ssc is very good. superb accurate in my rpa 22/250 and good speed. 50 grain nostler at 3840 fps.

[Underdog]

Friend has done very well with H4895 and H322, the H322 won't give top vels but will give 223 kind of performance around 30grns.

 

Bl-c2 will always be a favourite of mine....very forgiving powder.

 

U.

[Guest stevo]

I have tried lots of different powders but settled on varget . For my .22-250 and my .243 AI

[dukeboy]

Thanks for all the info so far. Also how much difference does seating depth make? I've been sticking to 2.350

[pestcontrol1]

Re-17 or ELCHO-17 works very well in a mates 22-250 with 50gn-55gn bullets

[Underdog]

Thanks for all the info so far. Also how much difference does seating depth make? I've been sticking to 2.350

Difference to what Duke?

[dukeboy]

To accuracy

[kent]

Thanks for all the info so far. Also how much difference does seating depth make? I've been sticking to 2.350

 

Very, very little if anything physically- indeed it might actually work against you! I am speaking factory rifle here with the generous chamber to rifling they use, firing hunting ammo. Its very different when you have a custom cut chamber, using a single shot rifle that doesn't need to mag feed and high grade target ammo.

 

Many might believe otherwise and dispute this, however measure some bullets to the curve and you will find quite a lot of difference! We gain most of our knowledge of handloading for accuracy from the world of competitive bench rest shooting though must remember both the guns and the ammo is very different and the teeny tiny differences some things make might matter at long range on paper but at 1- 2-300 yards will perhaps make no difference at all even fired through a bench gun. Case in point I was demonstrated by one of the best in the UK that at 100 yards a good bench gun could have its powder dropped so it was visibly different and still shoot competitive groups

 

Now a 55 grain Nosler B/Tip is a very good bullet in a .243 as regards accuracy but you will not get near the rifling with the bullet still in the case and seated 6mm (a calibre deep) it will generally shoot at its best. Now tell me that 5 thou closer makes a difference

 

some target shooters now seat there bullets over long but with a bare minimum of neck tension so the bullet is always in the same light contact with the start of the rifling, it being pushed back into the case to suit (obviously not practical in mag fed or field loads) however contact especially with a std tight neck grip can dramatically increase chamber pressure, so on safety grounds alone don't do it

[Underdog]

The main reason I use to have the bullet a long ways out was so I could get more powder in the case!

There is no golden rule to seating depth and accuracy, it is just what your rifle likes.

In saying that I have seen some rounds where the bullet has obviously been seated too deep in the case, this may increase pressures some but mostly looks poor. But if that's what it takes to get an accurate load so be it.

 

I use to black a dummy round, bullet seated long and keep looking for rifling marks on the bullet. As soon as I didn't see any marks trim another .025" off the overall length and go from there....if the magazine lets me!

 

U.

[Dougy]

I think you need look more at the availability of the powder nowadays, that being the deciding factor. As for seating depth I take on board Kents comments and seems very knowledgeable,

but !!! I may have an odd ball rifle but if I alter my seating depths I alter my groups fron 1 inch to 0.3 of an inch.

[kent]

Don't forget the mental factor, it works because you think it does "confidence factor". Make a good round of ammo with good components and its very hard to tell what works best at less than 200 yards at 100 yards I should just be looking for pressure not accuracy personally, especially with just a couple of groups. Sometimes a 100 yard test will show up what a gun really doesn't like that's about it, if you doing a lot of load testing at 100 your just wasting ammo and barrel life in such a gun

[Dougy]

There was a big difference in seating depths should have been 2.0975 and it was 2.0200 couldn't have been a confident thingy, I didn't realise the mistake til I got home.

[kent]

Shoulders on hunting bullets vary 10 thousands or so, could also have been having a good day /bad day. Heck I don't know but at 100 yards I can say personally I shouldn't draw any conclusions

[Underdog]

There was a big difference in seating depths should have been 2.0975 and it was 2.0200 couldn't have been a confident thingy, I didn't realise the mistake til I got home.

Bit short that is Mr!

 

U