22-250 - left handed models and reloading tips

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jamesm049

Member
hello everyone

im new to the forum and have been target shooting for the last there years (mainly bench rest). im looking for a left handed 22-250 that i can target shoot with and possible hunt some small game. im also looking to reload and have just purcahsed some rcbs competition dies.

so my question is, can anyone recomend some good models? and does anyone have any reloading tips for 22-250?
 
Hi James,
you've rather limited yourself a bit with your choice of chambering if you want to hunt "small Game" which I will take as being the smaller species of deer (CWD and muntjac in England &Wales plus roe in Scotland).
Of course, you still have pest control e.g., foxes but we don't usually eat them, so we don't usually regard them as being game.

Excellent choice of chambering for roe in Scotland from what I am told, but with a reputation for being a bit of a barrel burner if shot a lot. I'm just wondering if you would have been better going for a .223rem if your main use will be target shooting?

I don't have a .22-250 myself but my mate does as his foxing rifle, and he loves the chambering but only for field use. Just a word of advice for what it's worth, a well-known RFD said to me some years ago that he would never take a .22-250 in second hand if he could avoid it due to the barrel burner reputation. From what I would take from that personally is that I wouldn't buy a used .22-250, unless that is I was absolutely certain that it had only been shot very little.
 
I have and reload for a T3 chambered in .22-250

@8x57 covered at lot of points and I would agree that it's more for foxing/vermin than small game.
A .22-250 with a 50gr bullet shoots reasonably flat out to 180M, @ 200M is still within 1MOA drop (zero @ 160m @ 3600fps).

A 50gr bullet travelling that fast does a lot of damage to Roe, too much IMO.
A .22-250 is LOUD too.

For small game shooting a better rifle would be a .223.
50gr @ 3200fpr, zero @ 150m with a 3" drop @ 200M - much greater availability of factory ammunition, less damage on deer (haven't actually shot one with my 223 yet TBH but have seen it first hand), smaller case, less powder.
Overall a 223 is quieter, lighter easier to handle rifle with similar point and shoot characteristics albeit at shorter ranges.


Rifle reloading data | Handloading | Rifle calibers | Centerfire Rifle bullets | Reload your own ammo - Vihtavuori
.22-250
Rifle reloading data | Handloading | Rifle calibers | Centerfire Rifle bullets | Reload your own ammo - Vihtavuori
.223
 
That a lot to think about. i hadnt heard about barrel burning being aproblem and was mostly looking the reloading spectrum and think that with a spectrum that wide the calibur has to be incredibly versatile.
 
I too am a left handed shooter. I have never seen a left handed 22-250.

There are a number of options in 223 - Rem 700, CZ, Tikka T3.

There are also a number of options in 243.

Not sure about switch barrels eg the Sauer, Shultz and Larsen, Blasers, Berreta etc but with these you can use any of the barrels on right or left handed actions.

My personal view on the 22-250 is that it is an in between cartridge in the UK. You can pretty much replicate it with a 243 and a light 50 or 60gn bullet for long range foxing yet still have an any UK deer legal cartridge.

Drop down to the 222/223 and you have a very easy, but flat and fast shooting cartridge that is cheap to run. They use half the amount of powder as the 22-250 /243 and yet are not far off in terms of point blank point and shoot range.

Only downside is that crows and rabbits remain in one piece, indeed with a head shot rabbit with a 222 you can probably still eat the hind legs. With a 22-250 you just have little bits left.

Edit - just reread the OP. Target shooting is one thing he wants to do. Get a 223. It’s so much cheaper to run. You can get solid target ammo for 50p per round (well last time I bought a 100rd box of S&B). Or use PPU bullets and a pinch of N133 (or slightly over 20gn).

Any full sized cased cartridge cost will be double just from additional powder. Go up to PRC sized and its treble that.

Mind you overall cost is the same cos you just shoot a lot more, but you also have a bigger grin :)
 
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If you do go second hand make sure to see the barrel with a bore scope as has been said the round is fast and barrel wear can be an issue, especially with a poor cleaning regime
Tikka would be a good choice.
I shoot 55g varmageddon with Viht 140, zero at 200y, fox flat to 300.

22-250 is a great calibre in fact it’s gods own choice. Whereas 223 tends to be for shrinking violets and persons of a nervous disposition.

Bryn
 
bryn said:
If you do go second hand make sure to see the barrel with a bore scope as has been said the round is fast and barrel wear can be an issue, especially with a poor cleaning regime
Tikka would be a good choice.
I shoot 55g varmageddon with Viht 140, zero at 200y, fox flat to 300.

22-250 is a great calibre in fact it’s gods own choice. Whereas 223 tends to be for shrinking violets and persons of a nervous disposition.

Bryn
Click to expand...
Agree, but looking at Hornady load data 243 with a 58gn bullet is doing 3600 to 3700 fps with a BC of .26.

The 22-250 with a 55gn which is also has a BC of .255 to .26 has a muzzle velocity of 3500 to 3600 depending on which powder etc.

Given similar BC’s, similar bullet weights and similar muzzle velocities no fox is going to notice the difference out to 300m.

Challenge for the OP is that he is a left and in my nearly 30 years of rifles ownership and keeping an eye open for left handed rifles, I have never seen a left handed 22-250.
 
I'm reloading for my 1:14 T3X 22-250, so far I've tried 50gr Vmax and 55gr Blitzking, both are superb and the worries over the 55gr boat tail Blitzking not stabilising are completely unfounded, genuinely one ragged hole at 140 yds.
However, if you wish to use it for target then you would need a faster twist and they are not that easy to find in the UK. Although I love the 22-250 and find it absolutely devastating on foxes, you may be better with a faster twist 223 to cover both bases.
 
Hi James - Welcome!

As a fellow Southpaw who shoots 22.250 quite a lot, I hope I can offer some practical real-world experience/advice.
Given the hybrid mature of your requirement, I would think quite carefully about what you are going to buy.

Barrel Length: I have long been of the opinion that one needs to buy a rifle of a barrel length that gets the best out of the cartridge for the shooting I want to do. For that reason, and assuming you want to stretch to 600+, I recommend a minimum of a 24in barrel, getting to 26in if possible.

Twist Rate: Most standard factory rifles are 1:14 twist - designed for 50gr-55gr ish bullets. Based on your hybrid target mode, I'd recommend seeking a 1:9 twist. This will allow you to shoot both heavier bullets (75-80gr) for better BC long range - and cater for copper if you are looking at small game. (For the record the 224 53gr VMax has the best BC of all bullets up to around 60gr if you're staying in that weight range).

Barrel profile: I'd recommend a heavier varmint type esp if you are going to shoot longer strings in target world.

There are a host of LH options out there: Tikka, Savage, Remington, plus the higher end component types - Blaser, Mauser, Schulz & Larsen, Heym. For me, off the shelf - the Bergara B14 HMR is a serious contender for you to consider - a true left hand rifle and meeting the criteria as laid out above. You could of course go semi-custom on a Rem700 type action for not a lot more money - and then have fun with stocks and other accoutrements.

In terms of 'barrel burning' - I think this is a sentiment based around a number of factors. It is true that the 22.250 is a fast round. It does depend on just how hard it is pushed - and yes, if you're chasing 4000fps, the barrel will wear more quickly. Quality of barrel, shot strings and all those other factors can lead to a barrel not 'lasting long'. My current Remington Sendero factory barrel is over 2500 rounds - and yes there's some throat erosion, yes it takes a little longer than it did to settle down after cleaning - but it's still sub-MOA of sticks at 400. It's a tool and tools wear. I've heard of barrels going south after 800-1,000 rounds - but all calibres are capable of that. When the time comes it will get a rebarrel with the specs as above.

So - there are Bergaras about (also check out the 6.5CM as a hybrid round) - and keep an eye out, look for any 0.473 SA bolt face LH guns that can be rebarrelled (it won't be a lot more ££ than a new factory gun) - and have some fun. It's a great round.

Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to chat further esp on reloading for it etc.
 
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Click to expand...
Certainly judging by the pictures that is a right handed rifle, and in the latest Bergara catalog there is no mention of them making a proper left handed rifle. But I would be delighted to be proven wrong.
 
My brother shoots a left hand remmington 22-250 20yrs old still good also a lefthand tikka 6.5x55 the keeper on one of my perms has one of the black remmy 700 15yrs still shoots
 
As a leftie I started with a Ruger No1V in 22/250. That lasted me nearly 20 years. £350 well spent, I had to get an inch lopped off the muzzle and then the throat eventually was pretty shot out. I replaced it with a left hand drive Tikka T3, PSE stock and a lighter trigger spring.
I think this one will see me out. However I have my eye on a Sauer 200 in 243, @Heym SR20 , bought in Scotland! So they’re out there.
 
I think Savage does LH 1:12" rifles. It's a great deer cartridge.

I find that 50gr Barnes TTSX with the plastic tips pulled out works well in 1:14" barrels.
 
ive sent an e-mail requesting more information on the begara. i searched all begara's on guntrader and gunstar and they do make let handed versions. whether this is one or not well have to see!!
 
I have a Tikka T3 in left-handed configuration. It's a very good piece of kit and incredibly accurate. I use it for small deer and vermin. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Tikka rifles; In fact I have 3 of them!!! However, you if are considering a .22/250 for target use this can be an issue, depending on where you shoot. I cannot use it on any of the ranges where I target shoot (mostly military) as the MV exceeds the range limits. Something to consider when making your calibre choice perhaps?
 
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