.22-250 for ~100 lb. Whitetail

When the military went from .58 caliber rifles to the 45-70 it was considered the original poodle shooter. Many were convinced that such a small caliber couldn't possibly work. They were wrong.

Same thing when they went to 30 caliber, and then 22 caliber. They were all wrong then too.

Deer ain't hard to kill. Virtually all of the laws prohibiting 22 caliber were aimed at the 22 Hornet and were were written long before the existence of the much more powerful 223. The fact that it works just fine has been proven over and over again. Last time I checked there were only 4-5 states that still held onto the antiquated laws prohibiting them.

The 22-250, if it will shoot the heavier bullets will work too. That is it's disadvantage.
 
Remington came out with the .22-250 as a slightly changed version of Nebraskan gunsmith Jerry Gebby's "Varminter" of the 1930s. He was one of two or three wildcatters who'd necked the 250-3000 down to .22.

My uncle bought one of his barrels in the late 1940s and set it up with a K98 bring-back action, a Bishop stock and a Weaver K-10. Half-MOA.

Early .22-250s likely had 1:14 twist (or similar) barrels with the intent of using 40-grain bullets for varminting.
 
I would shoot anything today with a .22 Cal Barnes Bullet that I would have shot with the best .25 cal conventional bullets available 30 years ago. Bullet technology has totally changed the rules.
 
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Sorry, been holding back, but I have to say this - it's definite truth, though some might disagree (and thus be wrong :) ) - listen very carefully please:

If you're the type of person, or the hunter you are instructing about "which rifle/ chambering to get" is the type of person who is non-meticulous - who is *NOT* going to listen to advice concerning "don't get and use a light varmint round; use a good hunting bullet - a soft point 55 grains or heavier" (i.e. someone who might just pick up whatever is cheapest for the rifle, even if it's a varmint load), then .223 Rem is without a doubt better for that type of person than .22-250 Rem, for deer hunting. Reason being, ceteris paribus, more speed is worse, not better, in terms of blowing up on a shoulder and wounding / losing game. .22-250 has more speed. The slower that same varmint bullet is going, the more it will penetrate (at least at .223 rem speeds), and the less likely to completely "explode".

Obviously, the corollary is, conscientious hunters who will use a good hunting bullet / load, AND test it for accuracy in their .22-250 (since most are 12 or 14 twist), then .22-250 of course wins the day here. There's been a long discussion about the Nosler 64 gr "BSB" - bonded solid base (flat base) with a flat point as well - THAT in a .22-250 will git 'er dun. Not in 14 twists, and likely hit or miss in 12 twists - my guess from reading is that 12 twists will deliver accuracy with this bullet, more often than not. It's gonna depend upon your altitude and temperature, and the particular rifle.

Of course, then there's the Federal Fusion factory load with 62s, and the Winchester 64 "power point" PSP.... The latter is longer than the Nosler, so it's going to be even more marginal in a 12 twist. But again, altitude and temp (and rifle) will make a difference. Don't think you can buy the Fusion bullet for reloading (?).

Plus, there several 55 gr PSPs, all of these should work in 12 twists; maybe even 14ers, as long as not all-copper, which leads me to...

On Barnes, no doubt they'll git 'er dun, but the 55 and 62 grainer TSX and TTSX are OUT - they need a 10 twist. The 50 grainer says it needs a 12 twist, so that should work in 12T .22-250s:

http://www.barnesbullets.com/bullets/ttsx/
 
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You can easily shoot the 55 grain tsx in a 1 in 12 .22-250. The 55 will stabilize in a 1 in 12 barrel at .223 Remington velocity. It will easily stabilize in a 1 in 12 250.
 
Though I'm not a fan of the tiny bullet at ludicrous speed theory...

..... in this case reynolds is right: stabilization is depends upon rotational velocity, so if you push the bullet faster, you could get away with a bit slower twist.
 
the hornady 50gr GMX works fine in a 1:12 twist. it's actually pretty short and stubby considering it's an all-copper HP. i am pretty sure they even mke a factory GMX 22-250 loading. Don't qoute me on this, as i cannot pull up anything on this stupid tablet, but i am pretty sure the 50gr GMX says on the factory 22-250 loaded box, 1:14 or faster.
 
In fact, the 1 in 14 .22-250 will stabilize most of what you try to feed it. I have never seen a bullet the 1 in 12 would not stabilize.
 
That caliber and 14 twist will for sure (most likely, and from personal experience) stabilize all cup and core bullets up to and including the 63 gr Sierra SMP. Lyman shows it working for a 70 gr Speer, but I've never tried that bullet. My rifle will not stabilize the 60 gr Nosler Partition, the 65 gr Sierra GK, or the new 64 gr Nosler BSB (darn it). The Partition and the BSB were both on the ragged edge of stabilization, in that in some temperatures (hot weather, I think, going on memory) would stabilize but would not in weather that was just a bit colder. I think I have that weather thing right, but forgive me if I don't. On the solid metal bullets, I have no personal experience, but that ballistics/stabilization website was correct on everything I did shoot and try to shoot.

I have read that some folks with 22-250's and Swifts can stabilize those bullets that my rifle won't. I'm envious.

For the record, all those bullets that would not stabilize were pushed with Max loads of IMR4064. Maybe....just maybe...a faster powder would stabilize them, but it would still be marginal if it did.
 
OK, so to summarize the gilding metal bullets:

1. Barnes TSX:
45, 50, 53, and 55s - 12 twist or better;
62s - 9 twist

2. Barnes TTSX:
50s - 12 twist or better;
55s - 10 twist
62s - 9 twist

3. Hornady GMX:
50s - 12 twist or better;
55s - ???
70s - ???

4. Nosler E-Tip:
55s (new product) ???
 
U.D.
The TSX 62's will stabilize easily in a 1 in 10 barrel at .22-250 and Swift Velocities. It would be extremely marginal in .223 Remington thus the faster twist recommendation from Barnes.
 
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