22-250 10 Twist

Redcloud

Redcloud

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Just got a Ruger American w/1-10 twist. Looking for those with experience shooting heavy bullets(70+ gr) How heavy can I go and still have good accuracy.
 
Originally Posted By: RedcloudJust got a Ruger American w/1-10 twist. Looking for those with experience shooting heavy bullets(70+ gr) How heavy can I go and still have good accuracy.

You might be able to go to 80grains. Here is the kicker. You might do well at 100 yards, but not at longer ranges. If you are like me, I shoot anything from 100 to 800 yards with my 22-250. I saw this happen with a 223 I was using. things were great short, but the bullets started to yaw and tumble starting between 200 and 300 yds. Go with good bullets that give the best coefficient. Try looking at Speer 70gr I know it will work, and you can load it with IMR4350 39grs 3300fps Barnes has some bigger bullets, But they are the only ones for hunting. Berger makes some bullets for competition, but I can't think of any for hunting in the grain range. You will want to be smoking them out the barrel to help stabilize them. 3000Fps and above.
Do check your leade on your chamber. make sure the bullets clear and won't get jambed back into the case. This would increase pressure and cause you some grief. A good gunsmith should be able to lengthen if you need him to. I am sure you know all about your gun, but if you are unsure, you can make a dummy round. Just seat a bullet into a case with NO powder or primer ( at the prescribed OAL ) and try to slowly put it into chamber. Of course if you have a OAL gauge then by all means use it instead. But soon you will know what you can or cannot do. If you can't close the bolt, then it is time to lengthen the leade. Good luck on this new project.
 
You might give the new 69 grain Tipped Sierra SMK a try. Should work great in the 10 twist rifle. The ones that I have measured run right around 0.986" and have a BC of .375 according to the Sierra website.
 
I would look long, hard and thoroughly at the 75 scirocco. It is an awesome bullet for any game and quite likely super accurate in your rifle. Difficult to tune, but worth the trouble.

You might get something heavier to stabilize, depending on your elevation.
 
I am not sure where the dividing line is with a 10 twist. I shoot an 8 twist in my 220 Swift, and can shoot pretty much anything I want. I haven't tried the 90 Berger, that one might have to have a 7 twist.

Realize though, that stabilization isn't about bullet weight directly, but bullet length. Sure, most heavier bullets are longer, but design comes into play as well. The old 70 Speer is pretty short for a 70, whereas a 70 VLD is going to need more twist to stabilize it than that Speer.

I am thinking you could probably shoot the 69 SMK. It is not as long and slick as some of the VLD offerings, but still offers quite a bit more than the flat base designs. The 60 NBT or VMAX would be good too. I have been shooting the 69 SMK in my Swift and flat hammering coyotes. Most of them do not exit unless for some reason I hit around the edges. That 1-8" twist really helps them come apart though. If I try to shoot the 64 Berger varmint, it makes it about 150 yards before they come apart in the air. I called the Berger tech line and they said that sounded just about right for the twist/velocity I am shooting. I really like the looks of the new 69 TMK (tipped matchking) though, and just ordered 300 of them to try. I think they are going to be the cats meow.

In fact it wouldn't hurt a bit just to call Berger and ask them what would stabilize. If anyone would know it would be them (for their bullets). That would give you a benchmark to judge other designs by as well.
 
As far as how the 69 SMK shoots for me, this is 5 shots at 100 yards. Obviously it won't do that every day because I can't shoot that good, but it is very consistent in the twos and threes for me.

 
Originally Posted By: RedcloudJust got a Ruger American w/1-10 twist. Looking for those with experience shooting heavy bullets(70+ gr) How heavy can I go and still have good accuracy.
I should have been more precise with this post as my intentions are to try this rifle on deer(150lbs+)I'm thinking about the Hornady 70gr GMX, 60gr Nosler partition possibly a Barns TSX and maybe some Superformance powder. I just shot a couple of half in groups with the 60gr Hornady V MAX and Varget so I'm very happy with that. Here in Maine our shots are not normally beyond the 100yd. mark and usually closer to 40 or so. Cabelas sells some sample packs but selection is very limited.
 
Originally Posted By: RedcloudOriginally Posted By: RedcloudJust got a Ruger American w/1-10 twist. Looking for those with experience shooting heavy bullets(70+ gr) How heavy can I go and still have good accuracy.
I should have been more precise with this post as my intentions are to try this rifle on deer(150lbs+)I'm thinking about the Hornady 70gr GMX, 60gr Nosler partition possibly a Barns TSX and maybe some Superformance powder. I just shot a couple of half in groups with the 60gr Hornady V MAX and Varget so I'm very happy with that. Here in Maine our shots are not normally beyond the 100yd. mark and usually closer to 40 or so. Cabelas sells some sample packs but selection is very limited.

The scirocco is a great deer bullet. Of course, so is the 60 gr v max, and the partition. And the NBT, and many others. I really wouldn't put much thought into it if deer is your target.
 
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