Short barreled 22-250ai

[Luke45]

Ive got a chance to buy a 20" 22-250ai 1/12 twist for cheap.

What do you think? I've never had that hot of a round in that short of a barrel. It never would have crossed my mind before, untill I came across it and I'm very intrigued as it seems like it would make an awesome handy coyote barrel.

And the 1/12 twist is fine for me, I already have a varmint rifle that shoots heavies.

Any thoughts on muzzle
Blast and velocty loss? Is it worth the trade off?

Dean gave it the thumbs up

[bootsmcguire]

I say go for it. Just because it will go fast doesn't mean you must load it that way. The Ackley Chamber will greatly increase your brass life, especially if you are running mild loads. FWIW I have a 16-1/2" barrel in 250AI and muzzle blast is not bad at all. As far as your velocity loss, you will still smoke the pants off of a 223.

If you don't like it just sell it here to one of us Striker owners. Seriously though, you should be fine, and enjoy.

[Luke45]

Thanks Boots! any alternatives to headpacing one? i cant find a 22-250AI go gauge in stock anywhere. polish 4 thou off a standard gauge? or use a standard shell and tighten the barrel up to get a crush fit? or just space it with standard gauge and load fireformed bullets outinto the lands?

[bootsmcguire]

Do you have your 22-250AI dies yet by chance? Specifically the FL die?

[Luke45]

I have not, only a collet neck sizer.

[bootsmcguire]

Hmmm ok. That makes it a bit tougher. I have set some of my AI's by using a "crush fit" on a pc of brass before, but the issue there becomes when you need to FL size again. If you got it a bit too tight then your FL die may not push it back enough to get it to fit your chamber again.

What you might do is pick up a Redding Body Die for the 22-250AI and size a pc of 22-250 brass to push back the shoulder. Add scotch tape to create a no-go.
Midway has them in stock. Here is a LINK to that page. Sooner of later you will have to bump them back and when you do this die works great. You could also look for a 22-250AI FL die. Midway has the Lee 2-die set for the 22-250AI in stock in this LINK. Only thing I will say is use the seater that came with your collet dies, its a Dead Length Seater and the one in the 2-die set I linked is not.

I use Lee Collet Dies for the parent and a Redding Body Die for the Ackley as the reloading setup for most of the AI chambers I have had. The only exception is my current 250AI which was sold to me with a 3 die Redding set.

[Luke45]

thanks for the advice boots! Really appreciate it, there are 2 more of those 20" barrels fore sale if your interested pm me and I'll let you know where there being sold