I have shot 30.2 gr of IMR 4895 with a 50gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in one of my .22-250's for a wile and my last couple of times out I have noticed the groups have opened up quite a bit. This rifle has been in the 1's and 2's for it's entire life and now I have a hard time putting 5 shots inside a 3/4" circle. It's not the scope or bases, or rings or stock or screws. This barrel doesn't like to be pushed fast and doesn't like anything over a 50gr bullet. 1:14 twist A&B stainless, fluted barrel from years ago. What is the round count you ask? Pretty close to 1,500 rounds to date from me and I bought it used. It doesn't copper so I know that's not an issue. Did I finish my very first barrel?
I doubt it's completely toast. I had about that many rounds through my first Savage barrel and went back to shooting tiny groups when I switched to bullet with a shorter nose profile (60g Sierra).
I couldn't push the 50's out far enough due to throat erosion so I had to switch bullets. If you've got enough bullet in the neck, try seating them out farther.
+1 on throat erosion. A bore scope would confirm that. Try seating your bullets closer to the lands (if possible). If no improvement, a new barrel or rechamber is in order. I personally wouldn't spend the money to rechamber an A&B, may end up being more expensive than the cost of a barrel.
Vietnam Vet, Jun 66 - Dec 67
+1 on what others are saying, also consider the dreaded "carbon ring" in the throat area as a possibility.
Well, the bad news is, when I bought the barrel some time ago, the 50gr ballistic tip seated at 2.354" was still almost .030" off the lands. Seating them to the lands didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling in respect to how much bullet was left in the neck of the case. I haven't checked it in the last 1500 rounds but I am pretty sure the lands didn't get any closer. I found it hard to believe that a 14 twist barrel had such a long throat but it is what it is.
Well it depends on the barrel, I have had 22/250 barrels with well over 2000 rounds still shoot good. The main thing is to get the carbon out of them. You may be able to set back and rechamber the barrel and get another 1500 rounds out of it. I have seen a Hart barrel that was chamber in 22/250 that had well over 4000 rounds down the tube, and it was tortured in prairie dog towns. That barrel was set back and re-chambered in a 22BR, and would shoot groups in the mid .2's. In fact I think it won a couple of match's. This barrel was on heck of a shooter! Looking at it with a bore scope you would see that the first 6 inch's of the barrel was completely wiped out, not a single land to speak of, just nothing but firecracking. Moral of the story is it don't matter what the barrel looks like, it is how it shoots.
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