Due to multiple injuries and seven surgeries over a 4 year period I'm still dealing with some significant nerve damage / issues and am told I'll need at least two more surgeries in the near future. Also, because I am no longer Active Army I no longer feel the need to be 'tacti-cool' and have pulled the bolt actions out from the back of the safe. Unfortunately, even the recoil from some light 308 rounds cause the nerves to fire off like what I expect it feels like to be strapped to an electric chair. Because of this, I have decided to give the 22-250 a try. I've got Savage building me a custom rifle in 22-250, basically the 308 caliber 10 FCP HS Precision but in 22-250, with a 1:9 twist 24 inch barrel.

I intend to use this rifle to shoot in a local 'hunter rifle' bench match shooting steel p-dog and rabbit targets from 100-300 yards, as well as actually getting out from time to time to shoot some actual p-dogs and coyotes. Also, I may have the opportunity to go with a couple of my neighbors on a group deer and pig hunt in the late fall, thus the 1:9 twist so that I can shoot heavier bullets such as the 60gr Nosler partition rounds.

From the research that I have done over the last few weeks I understand that it is actually bullet length that correlates to barrel twist vs actually bullet weight, all things being equal. Still, I've read from many sources that a 1:9 barrel should be able to shoot, approximately 50 or 55gr up to approx. 70 grain bullets, again bullet length. But internet 'opinions' are like everyone's butts, everyone has one and they all stink. So to avoid opening that can-o-worms I'll ask the question differently. For those out there that actually have a 22-250 with a 1:9 barrel, what actual 50gr to 60gr varmint bullets have you shot, especially reloaded, that you have had good accuracy results with as well as what powder did you use (don't include the charge weight - internet Nazis and liability, etc, etc ). Also, what 60gr or higher hunting (A-Max, Partition, ect) bullet have you had good accuracy as well as game stopping results and what powder were you using. I did go to Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday and bought a box each of Hornady 55gr SP and 60gr SP Varmint bullets, Nosler 60gr Partition, Barnes 62gr TSX BT, and Sierra 63 gr Semi Point to try out but could not find any heavier except for HPBT match bullets in the 75gr-80gr weights and am unsure about using these in a 1:9 twist barrel. Also picked up a 1lb bottle of H4895 to try.

I understand that what your 22-250 barrel likes may be different than what my barrel likes, I'm just hoping to not completely recreate the wheel.

Any real world experience from those with a 1:9 twist barrel would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve