22-250 seating depth

[rmkey]

I have a 1:14 .22-250 for which I am trying to develop a load. I have read best accuracy may be found just off the lands. My problem is I am limited to 55 grain or lighter- which are too short to allow adequate seating depth in case mouth in order to come anywhere near the lands. How is best accuracy obtained? The gun is meant for varmit shooting yet it seems to have been designed so that optimum accuracy cannot be obtained? Any suggestions?

[J.Baker]

I wouldn't worry about kissing the lands or just being off them, most guns will shoot just as well (sometimes better) with a good bit of jump to the lands. What I generally do is start with the bullet seated to published OAL, then try seating it further in or out in 0.005" increments until I find the sweet spot for that bullet/barrel combo. Generally speaking though, if you're already getting consistent 1/2 to 3/4" groups the extra effort really isn't worth the minimal amount of gain you'll see unless you're striving for the absolute smallest groups possible for competition.

[rmkey]

I wouldn't worry about kissing the lands or just being off them, most guns will shoot just as well (sometimes better) with a good bit of jump to the lands. What I generally do is start with the bullet seated to published OAL, then try seating it further in or out in 0.005" increments until I find the sweet spot for that bullet/barrel combo. Generally speaking though, if you're already getting consistent 1/2 to 3/4" groups the extra effort really isn't worth the minimal amount of gain you'll see unless you're striving for the absolute smallest groups possible for competition.

Thanks. I am currently getting moa but my goal is 1/2 moa. From reading lots of comments from other savage shooters the 22-250 should be typically bit more accurate than what I am seeing. I suppose I was under the notion best accuracy was near (.002) the lands. At any rate I will keep trying. I am loading berger 50 gr flat base ahead of a intermediate powder charge of H380. No need to burn up barrel punching paper at 100 yds. I have some sierra 55 g flat bases I can try. If I cannot achieve 1/2 moa I will likely rebarrel to 6 br. The same goes for my .308 only it will continue to be 308 in Shilen.
I have a 260 LRP and I am getting 0.5 moa so I know it’s not me. My son bought a Savage 308 and immediately got 0.4 moa with fed 168 match ammo. I think 0.5 moa is a realistic goal for Savage rifles. Maybe the 22-/50 is the exception.

[SageRat Shooter]

Maybe the 22-/50 is the exception.

Nooo... my 22-250 is a .5MOA shooter easily.... and it's built on an Axis platform. I've upgraded the barrel (CBI), stock (Boyds), pillar bedded, and glass bedded. My hand loads are running the 33 or 34 gr. BLC-2 (55 gr. Vmax) seated 2.10 to 2.15 on the OG. It started out at 2.10 but now is closer to 2.15 on the OG (1500 rounds later). I ring every bit of accuracy out of my builds that I can. I try to make mine one hole shooters...

Sometimes a barrel just wont like a certain powder either.... I've had good luck with H4895 as well... Perhaps try a different powder and load. My uncle has great accuracy using the 50 gr Vmax and BLC-2, he also has a 1-14 twist.

[rmkey]

Nooo... my 22-250 is a .5MOA shooter easily.... and it's built on an Axis platform. I've upgraded the barrel (CBI), stock (Boyds), pillar bedded, and glass bedded. My hand loads are running the 33 or 34 gr. BLC-2 (55 gr. Vmax) seated 2.10 to 2.15 on the OG. It started out at 2.10 but now is closer to 2.15 on the OG (1500 rounds later). I ring every bit of accuracy out of my builds that I can. I try to make mine one hole shooters...

Sometimes a barrel just wont like a certain powder either.... I've had good luck with H4895 as well... Perhaps try a different powder and load. My uncle has great accuracy using the 50 gr Vmax and BLC-2, he also has a 1-14 twist.

Mine is factory except the barrel is free floated. You have done what I am considering if I can’t get to .5 moa. Dumb question but when you say 2.10 to 2.15 on the OG how far off the land is that? 0.005?

[SageRat Shooter]

Dumb question but when you say 2.10 to 2.15 on the OG how far off the land is that? 0.005?

Mine is free floated also, just bedded the action up to the recoil lug... Your question is not dumb, and unfortunately I can't remember how far off the lands that is... My father is a ballistics expert and has been reloading since before I was even born. All of my knowledge has come from him. I had just started getting into varminting and really didn't know anything about rifles other than how to shoot them. He just started me on a load and seating depth that he had used on his 22-250. After we found one that was grouping well, I just started tweaking the seating depth a little to see what happened. I just happened to find those seating depths that really shrunk my group down... I made 5 rounds up (each) in increments of 2.10, 2.12, 2.15 and took the best group from that. I still don't know how far off it is to be honest. Now you've got me wondering how far off it actually is...

standard Specs for the 22-250 round are: 2.35 COAL and my 2.10 to 2.15 is measured to the ogive, which I'm sure you know is shorter than the COAL. I'll measure the COAL of one of my loaded rounds tonight to see what it is. that should get me an estimate within .01 or so of knowing how far off.

[rmkey]

Mine is free floated also, just bedded the action up to the recoil lug... Your question is not dumb, and unfortunately I can't remember how far off the lands that is... My father is a ballistics expert and has been reloading since before I was even born. All of my knowledge has come from him. I had just started getting into varminting and really didn't know anything about rifles other than how to shoot them. He just started me on a load and seating depth that he had used on his 22-250. After we found one that was grouping well, I just started tweaking the seating depth a little to see what happened. I just happened to find those seating depths that really shrunk my group down... I made 5 rounds up (each) in increments of 2.10, 2.12, 2.15 and took the best group from that. I still don't know how far off it is to be honest. Now you've got me wondering how far off it actually is...

standard Specs for the 22-250 round are: 2.35 COAL and my 2.10 to 2.15 is measured to the ogive, which I'm sure you know is shorter than the COAL. I'll measure the COAL of one of my loaded rounds tonight to see what it is. that should get me an estimate within .01 or so of knowing how far off.

I see what your saying. You started at a certain point you knew to be good and set the bullet out in increments of 0.02 or 0.03” until you found the best group and set your die. The set back from the lands is only relevant to your chamber and choice of bullet. The distance between your ogive and the lands is the amount of “jump”. Seated touching the lands is referred to as “jammed”. I think. I have worked with the 260 rem and have just started with the 22-250. Since you are limited to lighter bullets with the 1:14 twist it is possible to be able to jam or even jump .005 to the lands. My 260 likes to jump 0.015. The 22-250 is a different beast. Like you I will have to start at 2.35 and incrementally close the jump till the bullet fails to seat properly. My gun could have used a shorter throat. If I can’t find a sweet spot then i’m looking at a custom barrel.

[big honkin jeep]

I'm gonna go way out in left field here and make an unrelated suggestion that may yield results.
When I was working up a load for my 22-250 I tried a lot of varibles with mediocre results. Yes I was able to mess around and get under an inch with no problem and then spent a lot of time trying different things including seating depth but just not the results I felt my 12BVSS was capable of. I had a starting load of Varget shooting 55gr bullets pretty well and had shot several 50 round boxes of handloads with this data. I was using Federal gold medal primers. I experimentally loaded 50 more using several different primers including the Federal gold medal 210M, 215M, CCI Benchrest BR2s and Winchester WLR 8 1/2s. I was shocked when the loads with the standard Winchester WLR 8 1/2s all went in darn near the same hole shrinking the group size I had been getting by nearly half. Found the same phenomenon with a 25-06 sporter that likes the Winchesters too while several other rifles also seem to have their favorites. With the primer being the least expensive of the components it may behoove you to try a few brands. then you can see if there's one that a load that you already have eliminated several variables from has an ignition it prefers.
Just thought I'd throw it out there and maybe try and suggest another approach, because if you're shooting a long throated rifle, there doesn't seem to be as much of a seating depth variable to work with.
Good luck man
PS. I'm just guessing but is the rifle a "big green" product?
Factory Savages usually have throats that are easy enough to reach in my experience.

[rmkey]

Big honking jeep,
I have not really explored primers. I had been using WLR because I have a lifetime supply. I have some CCI benchrest I will try. It’s amazing the primer can have that much effect on grouping. I do not know what big green is but i’m pretty sure it’s not John Deere!
My rifle is pretty old. Just a factory Savage. I bought it and a 10-FP some time after Savage gained a reputation for accuracy out of box. I am so old I forget things but it was around the turn of the century! What is big green?

[SageRat Shooter]

Big Green is "Remington" I believe. RMKEY, Man, I like your choice in calibers! I just finished building my 260 Remington about 6 months ago... And yes, you get the idea of how I came to find my seating depths. Tried to measure my COAL last night for you, but the battery in my calipers was dead. Figures... Anyway, sounds like you're heading in the right direction. Good luck to you! I love my 22-250 for busting those Prairie dogs (sage rats) where I come from....

[rmkey]

Sage rat, I see you are on the west coast. Here in alabama big green is definitely John Deere. Now that I think of it Rem stuff does come in green! It’s just I have so little use for Rem I forgot. I do have a Rem rifle but it’s goes back before rem was green. 1903A3 Springfield. I have several dozen rifles-all WW1 and 2. Every caliber. My Savages are my accurate rifles except one AR15 that shoots less than moa. 3 ARs and 3 AKs and several TC Encores. Had a custom 17” bull in 30-30 made this year that shoots sub-moa. Somewhere in the 70-80 range of total number of firearms. However the Savages and Encores the one AR are the ones that I shoot mostly because someone once said “if it’s not accurate it’s not interesting “! Oh I got another accurate one a Ruger 10-22 but the only thing Ruger is the receiver. I have a lot of reloading dies! But the Savages are my favorites. We’re I to designate one as a long range tactical it would be without doubt the 260.

[SageRat Shooter]

We’re I to designate one as a long range tactical it would be without doubt the 260.

I totally agree with you on this... I built mine for that exact purpose... It sure has become an addiction for me... And it all started because I hit a Sage Rat @ 450 yards with my 22-250. Down the rabbit hole I went looking for bigger, better, more accurate.... 2 years later and a bunch of $$$... The 260 came to fruition!! Looking for a hit at 700+ in high winds now... LOL!! and steel at 1000+ yards.