22-250 bullet recommendations

Flesher

New member
Just bought a Ruger American 22-250, with a 1/10 twist. I'll be using it for coyotes. What do you guys prefer for bullets? Weight, type etc. I would like something that is fur friendly.
I currently use a .223 with 53 gr V-max bullet, with good results. I've noticed that most factory ammo that is available for the 22-250 is 50 gr or 55 gr. Is their a better choice, if you reload your own?
 
When I reload, I use the Sierra #1365 (55gr SP). That said, there's not a thing wrong with the Winchester White box 50gr.
 
I prefer the 50 grain Nosler ballistic tips. At 250 velocities, with that fast of a twist rate, you may want a sturdier bullet than the Vmax, if used for coyotes.
 
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Originally Posted By: BowhuntI prefer the 50 grain Nosler ballistic tips. At 250 velocities, with that fast of a twist rate, you may want a sturdier bullet than the Vmax, if used for coyotes.

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Ballistic Tips are a more sturdy bullet than is the Vmax.
 
White box are 45 gr hollow points and do ok. They shoot good in many different makes of rifles. They shoot a little too dirty for me.
Nosler ballistic tips are a good bullet, they hold together a little bit longer with less splashes. I use 50 gr with good results.
Remington Accutip 50 gr is a flat shooting accurate load that has taken a lot of coyotes for me out to 400 yds. and even a couple at 600. These can splash.
55 gr softpoint for close or brushy stuff. They won't shoot as flat for longer shots.
 
Try the 60 or 69gr TMK with that 10 twist. They'll carry well and expand very well. I get 3200 fps with the 69gr and I'm not standing at it.
 
If you’re satisfied with the 53 gr. V-Max in your .223, just wait till you try it out of a .22-250!
Might not be quite as “fur friendly” at the higher velocities, though.
 
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Tried the 52 gr. Sierra Matchking HP BT years ago and never looked for a better bullet. Fur-friendly on coyotes and will get thru hip and shoulder bones to where it counts.
 
Originally Posted By: K9SNIPERTried the 52 gr. Sierra Matchking HP BT years ago and never looked for a better bullet. Fur-friendly on coyotes and will get thru hip and shoulder bones to where it counts.

+1

Sierra 53g Match HP also.

Had great luck with Sierra 55g BTHP, sp, btsp also....killed very well from all angles.

Speed Kills

Varget with cci 200 is a great place to start, 36g and up.
 
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I can't say it's better, I've never used the 53gr V-Max in the 22-250, but have had very good results with the Hornady 52gr Match HP out of a Tikka Hunter. I believe it is around 3850fps.
 
The Nosler 55 gr Ballistic Tip was my honey hole coyote bullet in my first 22-250, bar none. The Sierra 55 gr Game King (1365) was also good but the Nosler was the “king”

With my latest 22-250 I am running the 50 Ballistic Tip for now. I got a killer deal on regular boxed of 6.xx per 100 ct. on a close out that I could not pass up.

Three44s
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: BowhuntI prefer the 50 grain Nosler ballistic tips. At 250 velocities, with that fast of a twist rate, you may want a sturdier bullet than the Vmax, if used for coyotes.

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Ballistic Tips are a more sturdy bullet than is the Vmax.

X2
 
Here’s another vote for the Sierra 55 gr Game King (1365). One season I shot 17 coyotes, no spinners or runners and they looked like I shot them with a .17 Remington... no fur damage whatsoever.
 
It all depends on where they're hit with the 22-250. I've hit them with a certain bullet and blew huge holes in them one time and the next time it might not do much damage at all. 55gr Softpoints and Sierra 55gr. HP's have done a decent job of not blowing them up for me most of the time. 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tips haven't been very fur friendly for me. Also I like the Hornady 52gr BTHP in 22-250 and .223 both.
 
Originally Posted By: K9SNIPERTried the 52 gr. Sierra Matchking HP BT years ago and never looked for a better bullet. Fur-friendly on coyotes and will get thru hip and shoulder bones to where it counts.

+1 to this man's way of thinking. In addition to having had good results with this bullet, any of the lead tipped 55 grain bullets seem to work well on critters in the 22-250.

ALL of the plastic tipped small caliber bullets which are designed to expand quickly don't hold together in comparison to HP's or lead tipped bullets.

Any external ballistic advantages given to the plastic tipped bullets at normal hunting ranges are nothing more than "feel good" thoughts. We all want a great bullet that gets to the target in grand fashion, but the ultimate need in a bullet is to do its job once it gets to the target. Anything else is just fluff.
 
Originally Posted By: Winny FanOriginally Posted By: K9SNIPERTried the 52 gr. Sierra Matchking HP BT years ago and never looked for a better bullet. Fur-friendly on coyotes and will get thru hip and shoulder bones to where it counts.

+1 to this man's way of thinking. In addition to having had good results with this bullet, any of the lead tipped 55 grain bullets seem to work well on critters in the 22-250.

ALL of the plastic tipped small caliber bullets which are designed to expand quickly don't hold together in comparison to HP's or lead tipped bullets.

Any external ballistic advantages given to the plastic tipped bullets at normal hunting ranges are nothing more than "feel good" thoughts. We all want a great bullet that gets to the target in grand fashion, but the ultimate need in a bullet is to do its job once it gets to the target. Anything else is just fluff.

+1

With all the marketing, many younger hunters can't seem to try anything without a plastic tip. 55g Nosler Ballistic tips are perhaps the best of the plastic tip bullets when it comes to penetration because the jacket design is like no other with that solid base. I have never had a failure on the 22 caliber Nosler 55's shot from 3100 fps to 4100. The Sierra 55g BTHP is perhaps the toughest of all the 55's standard cup and core, but the Speer 55g Bonded is shooting holes clean through deer in 22/250's on broadside shots were no bones are encountered.

Concerning the Sierra 52g and 53g Match, I never had a failure with them. I have a lot of respect for one hunter that has been shooting the 52g Hornady for a long time without issues. I got away from the Match bullets because they did not blow up p. dogs and chucks as well as the other bullets, but for coyotes they were a match made in heaven .

Speer makes a 52g Match bullet and I have 12 boxes on order to try them out.
 
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I agree on the plastic tip bullets for coyotes. Wouldnt waste my time with them. I love the 60 grain Bergers in my .22-250AI and shoot them exclusively at 3800 fps... I like the 35 grain Bergers in my .204 Ruger, and either 25 grain Berger Match Bullets or the 27,30 grain Kindler Golds in my .17 Tactical. The only plastic tip bullets I use are for my .17 Ackley Hornet the 20 grain Vmax and that’s just for blowing stuff up.....
 
I called and spoke w Paul Box at Sierra billets many years ago ,.. he informed me that Sierra bullets have one of the thickest jackets in the industry . He highly recommended the 55 grain Blitzkngfor both accuracy and hunting application.
I made the switch and had great success,..out of the gate I noticed very minimal “splashing “ , less spinners and runners like with lighter bullets . When it comes to coyotes velocity isn’t everything they say ,..it takes a lot of foot pounds of energy to kill a coyote effectively,...
just remember,.. velocity kills but foot pounds of energy is a MF.
 
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