22-250 popularity and use

[Deere_Man]

I bought my 22-250 specifically for shooting deer and to get into reloading. I will load up some 65gr Game Kings and some 77TMK’s and see what’s up.

 

[Touchdown88]

My grandpa loaded the test rounds for Browning when they were in the process of commercializing the 22-250. I still have some of the loaded rounds he made that were not delivered to the company.

 

[TaperPin]

Many kids growing up in the rural west have had access to a 22-250 since old enough to graduate from a .22 to a centerfire. For many of us, before our first big game hunt, we’ve already been shooting the 22-250 four years or more. If there’s always one handy, it gets used constantly on small beady eyed varmints, big fat rock chucks, any of the predators, and multitudes of rocks of all sizes. In the summer it is THE rifle to throw in the truck when going out to explore the world for the day.

Even as a kid the slow as smell 223 didn’t do much for me with its rainbow trajectory, when the much flatter shooting 22-250 didn’t require as much thought to connect. Kids aren’t as influenced by influencers, they just know what works when they see it and what doesn’t.

I’ve always had a fixed 12x scope on a 22-250, and over all these years it still seems an ideal combination.

For friends or anyone in the family, they know there’s a loaner 22-250 ready to go with 50 rounds of ammo in my closet if they ever have someone along that needs a rifle for the day.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Nothing wrong with a 22-250. It’s still viable. Tikka makes an 8 twist version that’s fantastic.

 

[TaperPin]

It’s also easy to forget that back before everyone had an AR, the slow twist 223 wasn’t as popular as the 22-250 as a bolt gun trainer/varmint/plinker.

 

[Wyoming300]

It’s also easy to forget that back before everyone had an AR, the slow twist 223 wasn’t as popular as the 22-250 as a bolt gun trainer/varmint/plinker.

Well said points you have.

When ever i see the survivalist people touting 10/22s, i always imagine they have not discovered 22 250. I would take that over anything, and 17hmr over any other rimfire.

 

[VernAK]

I've been shooting and loading 22-250 for over 60 years. I've won two regional bench matches with the 22-250. There are still three rifles of that caliber in my safe. I have used the 22-250 mostly for coyotes but have taken a few wolves with same but I prefer the 6mms for that purpose. The 22CM will probably take some of the 22-250s place but at my age, I'm not changing.

 

[Wyoming300]

I've been shooting and loading 22-250 for over 60 years. I've won two regional bench matches with the 22-250. There are still three rifles of that caliber in my safe. I have used the 22-250 mostly for coyotes but have taken a few wolves with same but I prefer the 6mms for that purpose. The 22CM will probably take some of the 22-250s place but at my age, I'm not changing.

I understand why you say 22 creedmore will gain more 22 250 shooters. However, for many of us, ease of olf guns and inexpensive common ammunition are why we have 22 250. 22cm averages 3x the price of 22 250 and is hard to find in wyoming.

 

[Jermh]

Funny timing on this thread, I was just telling my dad this morning that I was thinking about selling my 250 to fund a different rifle. The thing shoots and has killed a lot of coyotes but I just don’t seem to have the time to hunt them like I used to and it just sits. Fun gun though.

 

[Wyoming300]

Funny timing on this thread, I was just telling my dad this morning that I was thinking about selling my 250 to fund a different rifle. The thing shoots and has killed a lot of coyotes but I just don’t seem to have the time to hunt them like I used to and it just sits. Fun gun though.

That was how i came into 22 250. Deciding ars are pointless, and i needed a good low recoil cartridge that shoots flat.

 

[Wyoming300]

My grandpa loaded the test rounds for Browning when they were in the process of commercializing the 22-250. I still have some of the loaded rounds he made that were not delivered to the company.

Do you know the load formula?

 

[satchamo]

I doubt a 22 creedmore will have much impact on 22 250. Most people shooting 22 250 already have the rifles. I dont think guys choosing 22 250 are worried about running an ar to hunt coyotes.

Right…. I wasn’t saying guys were ditching their current 22-250 for 22 creed in droves. What I’m saying is manufacturers are going to start chambering their rifles from the factory in 22creed vs 22-250 and you’ll start to see a slow degradation of the 22-250s popularity. Similar to how the 6.5 creed has been slowly killing the 308s popularity.

Guys choosing to run an AR platform are not doing so based on a caliber - they’re picking an AR then finding the best option to run in said platform and the 22-250 would be an awesome option for most but they dont even consider it due to the case design. So to say that doesn’t hurt the calibers popularity is a bit naive. LOTS of AR thermal rigs being built these days and I’d venture to say most will be 22 creed/6 creed or 243.

 

[omicron1792]

I doubt a 22 creedmore will have much impact on 22 250. Most people shooting 22 250 already have the rifles. I dont think guys choosing 22 250 are worried about running an ar to hunt coyotes.

For the old crowd absolutely. Over time the 22 creed will take over.

 

[Wyoming300]

For the old crowd absolutely. Over time the 22 creed will take over.

Im the young crowd.

Why would i pay 3x the price for limited ammunition availability, pay a fortune for new rifles that have few options, only to acheive ballistics that are marginally better in the AVERAGE HUNTING RANGES, when 22 250 is a hundred years old and works just great? I think some people it will catch on with. The average coyote hunter making 300 yard shots likely could not tell a difference.

 

[Wyoming300]

Right…. I wasn’t saying guys were ditching their current 22-250 for 22 creed in droves. What I’m saying is manufacturers are going to start chambering their rifles from the factory in 22creed vs 22-250 and you’ll start to see a slow degradation of the 22-250s popularity. Similar to how the 6.5 creed has been slowly killing the 308s popularity.

Guys choosing to run an AR platform are not doing so based on a caliber - they’re picking an AR then finding the best option to run in said platform and the 22-250 would be an awesome option for most but they dont even consider it due to the case design. So to say that doesn’t hurt the calibers popularity is a bit naive. LOTS of AR thermal rigs being built these days and I’d venture to say most will be 22 creed/6 creed or 243.

I think it will be a long time before anyone discontinued a big seller for 22 creedmore which the average yote hunter wont tell a difference with at a 300 yard shot. 22 creedmore has some great ballistics at ranges few people shoot.

I dont think 308 is being killed by 6.5 creedmore.

Maybe for target shooters. Deffinitely not for hunters. People shooting 308 for hunting wyoming are a minority. There are much better calibers for the action size, such as 270 win. Most of us shoot magnums.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Why should I give up my AI Swift? I know some of you are going to say the Swift eats barrels up. That USED to be it's reputation with early powders available when it was released by Winchester. With the new slow burning powders it leaves that behind....way behind. I have shot mine (with my own loads) over 1200 rounds and the barrel still looks like new. My load that I shoot all the time has MV of over 4000 fps(as shown in my earlier post).

I still like the .22-250 and I wish I had the one I built years ago on a short Sako action that I gave my Dad. Bet it would do a great job with some of the new powders.

 

[Skerhunter]

Why should I give up my AI Swift? I know some of you are going to say the Swift eats barrels up. That USED to be it's reputation with early powders available when it was released by Winchester. With the new slow burning powders it leaves that behind....way behind. I have shot mine (with my own loads) over 1200 rounds and the barrel still looks like new. My load that I shoot all the time has MV of over 4000 fps(as shown in my earlier post).

I still like the .22-250 and I wish I had the one I built years ago on a short Sako action that I gave my Dad. Bet it would do a great job with some of the new powders.

Factory ammo would be the only reason I would switch from any of the AIs or swift. Performance is pretty much the same with all of them.

 

[Wyoming300]

Factory ammo would be the only reason I would switch from any of the AIs or swift. Performance is pretty much the same with all of them.

I wont hunt with any ammunition that is not commonly available at the gas stations here.

 

[Skerhunter]

I think it will be a long time before anyone discontinued a big seller for 22 creedmore which the average yote hunter wont tell a difference with at a 300 yard shot. 22 creedmore has some great ballistics at ranges few people shoot.

I dont think 308 is being killed by 6.5 creedmore.

Maybe for target shooters. Deffinitely not for hunters. People shooting 308 for hunting wyoming are a minority. There are much better calibers for the action size, such as 270 win. Most of us shoot magnums.

Depends on what you consider “a long time” but I think we will see the cm/arc cartridges in 6mm and .224 start to take over big game hunting in the next 10-15 years.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I wont hunt with any ammunition that is not commonly available at the gas stations here.

I havn't shot any factory ammo (other than rimfire) in 60 years!! But that's another subject...LOL!