I have a 22-250 Rem 700 with a Lilja barrel 26" 1 1/8 in diameter with a 1-14 twist. After 2300 rounds the throat was burnt out. The gunsmith cut off 3" and rechamber it. During the life of the barrel I was shooting mostly sub 1/2" 5 shot groups at 100 yds. Is it normal for a barrel to go after only this many rounds? The gunsmith said it is normal with a 22-250 wit the bullet going about 3200 fps. Would another barrel manufacturers barrel last longer, if so who?
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Whose Barrel Should I Get
- Thread starter Poconolg
- Start date
ammo.crafter
New member
Are you happy with the 23" barrel at this time?
What is the main purpose of your 22-250...bench rest, varmint hunting, long distance steel?
You have given me something to think about as my .204 leaves the barrel at 4100 ft/sec and have about 2,000 rounds through it.
Have you researched Hart, Broughton, Lothar Walther, Krieger, and Pac-Nor barrels?
What is the main purpose of your 22-250...bench rest, varmint hunting, long distance steel?
You have given me something to think about as my .204 leaves the barrel at 4100 ft/sec and have about 2,000 rounds through it.
Have you researched Hart, Broughton, Lothar Walther, Krieger, and Pac-Nor barrels?
Jim Watson
New member
My only aftermarket barrels are a PacNor and a Krieger. The Krieger is better. A friend has gone to Bartlein. Agree with joed, you did pretty well for a .22-250. How did it shoot after it was re-breeched to get a clean throat?
The gunsmith said it is normal with a 22-250 wit the bullet going about 3200 fps.
Something to read:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/overbore-cartridges-defined-by-formula/
No, a different barrel manufacturer won't last longer.
You want a long life, rechamber for something milder.
Lothar Walther might last longer as the metal mix is harder.
How much? No idea.
What I can tell you is that your cartridge drives the wear out, so the 22-250 is going to go faster than a 308/30-06. Those are good for 5,000 to maybe 8,000 rounds.
Velocity contributes, the hotter the load the quicker the wear out.
6.5 CM is another barrel eater as is 243, 300 WM, 7mm mag.
If you are going to stick with the Rem and the 22-250 you should look into the Remage barrels that you can changer yourself, eliminates the gun smith fees.
How much? No idea.
What I can tell you is that your cartridge drives the wear out, so the 22-250 is going to go faster than a 308/30-06. Those are good for 5,000 to maybe 8,000 rounds.
Velocity contributes, the hotter the load the quicker the wear out.
6.5 CM is another barrel eater as is 243, 300 WM, 7mm mag.
If you are going to stick with the Rem and the 22-250 you should look into the Remage barrels that you can changer yourself, eliminates the gun smith fees.
JeepHammer
Moderator
I don't know what your gunsmith saw, but 3" for throat wear sounds REALLY excessive!
Most times it's about 3 THREADS will allow for complete rechamber.
If the bore is damaged, more removal required... Sometimes the rifling disappears so you have to take more.
Makes me wonder about the barrel material, while .22-250 is hard on barrels 2,300 rounds sounds short.
You can't expect 10,000 rounds like some calibers/barrels will give you, but you should have got 4-5k, depending on powder choice.
Most times it's about 3 THREADS will allow for complete rechamber.
If the bore is damaged, more removal required... Sometimes the rifling disappears so you have to take more.
Makes me wonder about the barrel material, while .22-250 is hard on barrels 2,300 rounds sounds short.
You can't expect 10,000 rounds like some calibers/barrels will give you, but you should have got 4-5k, depending on powder choice.
Don Fischer
New member
I hate saying this but when Winchester was first making the 264 made made it with a stainless barrel to slow down barrel wear. Then put some kind of black finish on the barrel ti hide the stainless. Di it work? Don't really know. Friend had one and when the groups opened to 3/4" @ 100, he called it shot out! The only aftermarket barrel I've any experience with is a Shilen in 6.5x06, no problem's but then again I don't match shoot either. I have read in the past that the 22-250 can be hard on barrels.
"...After 2300 rounds the throat was..." Who told you that? 'The gunsmith' selling barrels? Sounds like he sold you a bill of goods.
"...bullet going about 3200 fps..." That's decidedly slow. For example, every bullet weight in .22-250 Federal loads starts way faster than that. The slowest being a 60 grainer at 3500 FPS MV. Up to 4,000 FPS MV with a 43 grain bullet. If barrels were burning out in 2300 rounds, Federal would not be loading at those speeds.
It takes a heavy bullet starting at roughly 55 grains with Start loads to dilly-dally along at 3200 FPS.
"...sub 1/2"..." Those are not Benchrest groups. Benchrest groups are measured these days starting with .1. You're target shooting off a bench. Nothing wrong with that, of course.
"...bullet going about 3200 fps..." That's decidedly slow. For example, every bullet weight in .22-250 Federal loads starts way faster than that. The slowest being a 60 grainer at 3500 FPS MV. Up to 4,000 FPS MV with a 43 grain bullet. If barrels were burning out in 2300 rounds, Federal would not be loading at those speeds.
It takes a heavy bullet starting at roughly 55 grains with Start loads to dilly-dally along at 3200 FPS.
"...sub 1/2"..." Those are not Benchrest groups. Benchrest groups are measured these days starting with .1. You're target shooting off a bench. Nothing wrong with that, of course.
The 22-250 will eat up a barrel in that round count depending on how hard its pushed and what your accuracy requirement is.
Powder is also a factor. How hot the barrel gets is a factor. 223, 308, 30-06 are all known to go up through 5k (and probably won't drop below 1/2 MOA until it hits 8k).
Often to cut and re-chamber a barrel cost as much or more than a new barrel (depends on the Gun Smith).
As noted if the OP goes with a Remage pre fit the barrel costs go down to just the barrel and swap out.
I had to laugh when I read the 6.5 CM was designed not to use up barrels. Gets it up around 2500 rounds (again dependent on various factor)
Twist rate is also a factor.
Powder is also a factor. How hot the barrel gets is a factor. 223, 308, 30-06 are all known to go up through 5k (and probably won't drop below 1/2 MOA until it hits 8k).
Often to cut and re-chamber a barrel cost as much or more than a new barrel (depends on the Gun Smith).
As noted if the OP goes with a Remage pre fit the barrel costs go down to just the barrel and swap out.
I had to laugh when I read the 6.5 CM was designed not to use up barrels. Gets it up around 2500 rounds (again dependent on various factor)
Twist rate is also a factor.
Last edited:
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Yeah, 3,200 is a mild load for the .22-250.
Jim Watson
New member
Or a heavy bullet.
My LR friend is good enough to see a decline in accuracy at 2500 rounds of .308.
I read a lot of 10000 round stories on the Internet. But not by competitive target shooters.
My LR friend is good enough to see a decline in accuracy at 2500 rounds of .308.
I read a lot of 10000 round stories on the Internet. But not by competitive target shooters.
Don Fischer
New member
Can someone define loss of accuracy?
I have a 22-250 Rem 700 with a Lilja barrel 26" 1 1/8 in diameter with a 1-14 twist. After 2300 rounds the throat was burnt out. The gunsmith cut off 3" and rechamber it. During the life of the barrel I was shooting mostly sub 1/2" 5 shot groups at 100 yds. Is it normal for a barrel to go after only this many rounds? The gunsmith said it is normal with a 22-250 wit the bullet going about 3200 fps. Would another barrel manufacturers barrel last longer, if so who?
OP,
When you have your barrel swapped out, plan on rebedding with one of these & have your smith turn 2 barrels.
https://westtexordnance.com/switchlug/
Jim Watson
New member
Can someone define loss of accuracy?
A target shooting poster, Bart B or kraigw maybe, said that to the target shooter, "loss of accuracy" meant an average group size 50% larger than what he started with.
So if you are tickled with a half moa, then 3/4 moa shows wear.
I have rebarreled my 22-250 several times over its lifetime. Typically around 2,500-3,000 rounds, but I no longer try for the highest velocity possible and I am willing to tolerate up to 3/4" groups. That said, none of my 22-250s were ever what I would call great shooters, typically 1/2"-5/8" groups. My Interarms Mini-Mauser 223 would outshoot it regularly. But the 22-250 was good enough for ground squirrels out to 450-500 yds.
Barrel Shot Out is all about you. If you tell a gunsmith at 100 ends or 10000 ends, that you don't like the accuracy, barrel shot out is the answer, unless a scope or mount has wore out.
Cut rifled barrels are said to have a longer useful accuracy life.
Have you considered a different round for bench shooting? 6mm PPC with Lapua brass chamber is popular and easy. It is just a hair slower for longer barrel life too.
....or 222 Rem, if you like 22 cal
Cut rifled barrels are said to have a longer useful accuracy life.
Have you considered a different round for bench shooting? 6mm PPC with Lapua brass chamber is popular and easy. It is just a hair slower for longer barrel life too.
....or 222 Rem, if you like 22 cal
Jim Watson
New member
Agreed.
I know you would like to keep a .22-250, you have dies, brass, loads, sight settings.
But you can get longer barrel life if that is what matters.
I would look at a 6mm on the standard head diameter, maybe a 6 BR.
I know you would like to keep a .22-250, you have dies, brass, loads, sight settings.
But you can get longer barrel life if that is what matters.
I would look at a 6mm on the standard head diameter, maybe a 6 BR.