22-250 vs 22 Creedmoor?

Joined
May 22, 2022
Messages
6
To simplify the 22CM/22-250 comparison you could boil it down to three facts; 1) to shoot longer (heavier) bullets you need a faster twist 2) more speed requires more powder. The 22CM has more capacity that the 222-250 and the 220 Swift. And you don’t have to fire-form brass. 3) to shoot the 22CM you should be a hand loader. You can buy loaded ammo but is hard to find and will likely need to be mail ordered.

I am a handloader and I have both. I prefer the 22CM for hunting most of the time. I shoot the Sierra 77gr Tipped Match King and have talked hogs out to 500 yards. I also shoot the 22-250 with 55gr Sierra Blitz Kings. It doesn’t miss. I would probably limit my shots with the 22-250 to about 300 yds For head and neck shots. I would never attempt a shoulder shot past 200 yards unless I was shooting a monolithic.

All that said… I also have a Tikka 22-250 with a 1:8 twist shooting the 77 gr TMK’s that I would shoot out to 500 yards because it is shooting a high bc bullet.

All my rifles will shoot under 0.4”. It is hard to do that with store bought ammo. I typically start .020” of the lands and test powders until I get a good group near the max load. Then I vary the seating length in .003” increments, reducing to CTBO until I find a node. I started doing that this year and every rifle so fare has become a one holler.

When you shot them in the head or neck the bullet’s penetration and terminal ballistics are not as important.
 

Travis Bertrand

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2012
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3,888
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Reno,NV
The ballistics on the 22 creed is insane. I would go that route unless you don’t reload.


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Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
1,225
Location
Coeur d alene, ID.
I have ran multiple of each 22-250, 22-250ai and 22 creedmoors.
-Performance wise 22-250ai and 22cm is a wash followed by 22-250.
-Ease of loading 22 cm then 22-250, then 22-250ai due to fire forming.
-Brass availability 22cm has tons of great options srp or lrp brass cheap or expensive. 22-250 not as plentiful for quality brass(if you have a bunch you don't want to dump, you can make 22cm out of it)
22cm factory ammo is out there and comming up for on the bigger manufacturer side.

Really if you just got the 22-250 shoot it up or get what you can out of it and switch. If the 22-250 barrel is a decent twist and you have a local smith rechamber it. You can get a decent blank for 210 to 230$ to your door, then chamber it if you want.

When a few guys have asked me recently same thing, I ask how much 22 250 brass you have? Especially if no matter what a barrel is due that question answers it usually

I am running an 18" 1:9 twist bolt gun with can and have killed dogs with both bullets I been playing with. 69 tmk at 3480 and the new hornady eld vt at 3620fps.
 

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Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
1,462
Location
North Texas
No doubt the 22 Creed wins as far as quality brass availability is concerned. Having SRP option is definitely a plus in the Creed.

I have a 22-250AI that I built in 2103 with a 7 twist barrel that shoots 90 grain ATips at 3350 with RL26 and a 25” barrel so it doesn’t leave much if any on the table to the 22CM.

That said when this barrel does go south I’ll replace it with a 22 Creed just due to brass options.


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aer21

FNG
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
23
I have Petersen brass for my 22 creedmoor and Lapua for my 22-250ai. Fired Petersen 22 creedmoor water capacity is 50.9gr and fired Lapua 22-250ai water capacity is 50.04.
 
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