22-250 Barrel twist help

[Codiekfx400]

I am wanting to buy a xcaliber 22-250 barrel. I want to shoot 50 vmax and 75 eld. I am thinking a 1-8 twist will work for the 75 eld but it might vaporize the 50 vmax. I think I can get the vmax going about 3900fps with benchmark powder. The idea behind the rifle is shooting prairie dogs what do you guys think?

 

[6brshooter]

I'm pretty sure the vmax max rpm is like 250000 or 275000. Find the bullet rpm formula and see if 3900 and 8 twist will spin it apart. Might also look at 53gr vmax, it has a bc just below 69smk and can be ran at vatmint bullet speeds. I've got a 9 twist criterion savage prefit 22-250, haven't put it on yet. I plan to use 53gr vmax in it and might try the 75-77gr bullets. It might not be fast enough to stabilize that heavy, but it is more for a yote rifle that "could" do double duty on steel. That rifle has a 20" 8tw 243 on it now, 70gr blitzking@3475 and 107smk@2920. It still shoots too good to swap barrels, yet. 70 gr load is zeroed at 275yds, so 0-340 I dont have to hold off fur. That same scope setting puts my 107 at a 190yd zero. I use 190yd as zero in shooter for double duty on steel.

 

[Mech_eng]

1-9 might support both. If I was only targeting P dogs, I would go with a slower twist and run light bullets as fast as possible. I hate to say it but you can’t have both... “Red Mist”

 

[6brshooter]

I think Sierra blitzking have a higher max rpm than the vmax. I call would be in order to both companies to verify

 

[RTH1800]

22-250 8 twist will ruin all 50 grain lead core bullets when ran to top velocity. I have tried it many times in 7 and 8 twist barrels.
You will not get optimum performance with a compromise barrel. I have quite a few 22-250 rifles in both fast 8" and slow twist 12-14'. They are specialized rifles. Several for sale if interested.

 

[John Glidewell]

1-9 will shoot up to 73 grain. 75 might not stabilize. I am running 69 grain SMK and 73 grain ELD in mine, likes them both.

 

[RTH1800]

Stabilization is more related to length than weight. You cannot reliably make a blanket statement that a certain weight will or will not work. Lot of variables. Mostly bullet length but velocity, throat condition and other factors come into play as well.

 

[John Glidewell]

What ever!! Not a blanket statement....".MIGHT" Troll!

 

[RTH1800]

Sorry, I did not mean it that way at all. Be glad to modify or delete it. I was just sharing information.

RTH

 

[natdscott]

Sorry, I did not mean it that way at all. Be glad to modify or delete it. I was just sharing information.

RTH

Yeah, geez. You're such an asshole for sharing real-world information on a thread from somebody asking for just that, and for trying to help them avoid a bad decision.

OP, I've attached a quick reference on RPM per speed. May be of some use.

 

[sjc929]

I’m not an expert on gain twist barrels, but from what I know of their effects this might be a perfect application for one. Obviously you can’t get an Xcaliber barrel that is gain twist, so you’d have to get a custom Bartlein, so it may not be something you’re interested in. You may want to look into it at least. I think it would probably be your best bet of being able to run both light high velocity varmint bullets and long heavy match bullets successfully. I’m not sure if the max rpm data talked about before is based purely on the basic physical rotational force the bullet experiences, or if they are considering the effect of the rifling as well in that recommendation, so it may be irrelevant anyway.

 

[Codiekfx400]

Okay here is a rpm bullet calculation formula I found online. Bullet RPM = MV X 720/Twist Rate So I have a 1-7 twist 24” Krieger barrel 223 currently that is shooting the 50 vmax at 3400 fps. So the math is 3400 times 720 divided by 7 equals 349714 rpm. Since this combo has been working for me for over 300 rounds fired I will assume the 50 vmax can handle 350000 rpm. So a 22-250 1-8 twist would be 3900fps times 720 divide by 8 equals 351000 rpm. I am still not sure it will work though because of the extra powder in the 250 might affect the bullet jacket some. It seems to me a 1-9 twist would work but that will not stabilize the 75 eld. So I am thinking a 1-10 twist might be the way to go. I could shoot the 50 vmax 55 blitzking and also the 60 gr. Sierra tmk. The 60 gr. Tmk has a bc of .323 and would take all of that 10 twist to stabilize.

 

[RTH1800]

You guys are unduly complex.
Life is simple.
50 grain 22-250 bullets are optimized at 12-14 “ twist.
77 grain bullets are optimized at 7-8 twist”

 

[Codiekfx400]

Yeah, geez. You're such an asshole for sharing real-world information on a thread from somebody asking for just that, and for trying to help them avoid a bad decision.

OP, I've attached a quick reference on RPM per speed. May be of some use.

Thanks for the chart. It looks like my 223 load rpm is in the danger might explode part of the chart. I might look into a heavier bullet and see how it shoots. Thanks

 

[RTH1800]

Thanks for the chart. It looks like my 223 load rpm is in the danger might explode part of the chart. I might look into a heavier bullet and see how it shoots. Thanks

Results count. If you are doing it, ignore the chart. Believe the bullet.

 

[natdscott]

You guys are unduly complex.
Life is simple.
50 grain 22-250 bullets are optimized at 12-14 “ twist.
77 grain bullets are optimized at 7-8 twist”

You're right about the chart being a finite answer. It's a guidline, and quick reference on RPM.

But as for being overly complex...No, not really. The 77 SMK, first of them all, was designed ground-up as a magazine bullet for the M16 snd AR15 Highpower Service Rifle.

Those rifles mostly had the mentioned 7.0-8.0" twist rates, no gain, 20" tubes, and were restricting the 77 to basically 2,700 fps.

A .22-250 is no such thing, and therefore you can ignore the 'usual'.

 

[Ledzep]

9 twist will most likely stabilize the 75's, and shouldn't blow the lighter stuff.

 

[natdscott]

Codie, I can verify 100% that the mid-70 class bullets HAMMER at 275 to 280,000 rpm. 4" groups from magazine at 600...silver dollar potential at 300...that kinda thing.

I think you'd find that if you hit a prairie dog with a 77 SMK, 73 Berger, or 75 BTHP from a fast twist -250, it will be damned devastating.

Said bullets, or even 80s, are gonna make longer range hits a whole lot more achievable. No amount of speed makes that 50 Vmax cut the wind at 400 yards, and with the -250, it's not as though you are forced to "cruise" the heavies like I am.

Ideally, I'd go 9.5"-8.5" progressive 5R Bartlein at 22-24" in a light or medium Palma or a straight taper to 0.900" if you won't be carrying it. 26-28" if I meant ti spend a lot of time at 1,000 yards, but I doubt that's your plan.

If you need a straight twist, 1-8.0" is the call if you want assurance the 70s and 80s will work.

Honest: I've a stack of fake walnut and a lot of very sad coyotes that say you don't need two loads. And I'm just a knuckledragging .223 service rifle guy...at LEAST 300 fps behind you.

That 300 fps is worth about 25,000 rpm. I finish at about 6.6" on those loads, where you'd be near 8.0" to get the same revolutions on a mid-70 class bullet. Ie: totally copacetic at 8.5, or even 9 with a .22-250.

You're doing the right thing, pondering twist. Spend time on the dimendions of the reamer too. Call JGS.

 

[Ledzep]

I'll inject some opinion here. I built a 1:8 twist 22-250 for my grandfather. It was a shot out 70's M700 and we just freshened it up with a heavier Rock Creek barrel and new HS stock. I got him talked out of light stuff and into 90gr Berger VLD's and now 88 ELD's. The rifle is a lazer beam, and the heavies at 3000fps is no joke. We both have P-dog tags out beyond 500yd with that rifle.

To that end, I agree with natdscott; one load will do. But sometimes it is fun to vaporize shit