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Thread: 22-250AI Love or Hate?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    22-250AI Love or Hate?

    I am thinking about getting a Ruger BVZ in 22-250 that has been Ackley cut--only had a couple hundred down the pipe. I am mainly trying to punch paper at 600 yards. Any opinions at all would be appreciated. I think the barrel is a 1:14, so I will only be able to stabalize the light ones. The other option would be a rebarrel to a 1:8 twist to get the heavy ones down in the 1000 mark.

    AS usual, any and all info i appreciated.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Years ago I had my rifle chambered for the 22-250AI and it turned out to be really good. You can use the .220 Swift load data for the 22-250AI as they have the same case capacity. I was able to put ten shots into one hole at 100 yards fairly easily. I used it for varmints and prairie dog hunting for quite a few years. I fired out to about 400 yards when hunting the little varmints. Of course with smaller light weight bullets you need to choose the ones that can handle the higher velocities. Otherwise the centrifugal forces will force the bullets to vaporize in the air. I did try some 22 Hornet bullets once and sure enough the bullets disintegrate in the air before they reach the target.

    One thing I liked about the .22-250AI was that I could fireform the 22-250 rounds in it. That is really handy if you need ammo while out as many gun stores stock some 22-250 ammo on the shelves.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    I've had a 22-250AI that was a rechambered M700V, it shot just as well after rechambering as before and velocity was comparable to 220 Swift's with 55 gr bullets which I preferred to use in the 14" twist......3800 t0 3850 fps as I recall. With the advent of repeatable adjustment scopes (I uses a T-16 on it) I found no practical field difference shooting varmints between it and the standard 22-250. Give the equal accuracy both hit cone of fire on various size varmints at pretty much the same ranges. On my recent foray in SE Montana against PDs I used another M700 in 22-250 with pretty much the same results out to 500 yards (it has a T-10 scope on it) as I had with the previous 22-250 and 22-250AI.

    Target shooting is another matter. You may find with BT'd 55 gr bullets such as the Sierra Blitz King that the increased velocity of the 22-250AI may stabilize them for excellent accuracy. They are borderline stable out of my 14" twist 22-250. If they are accurate in your 22-250AI they would be excellent to use out to 600 yards. If not then the 55 gr Sierra HPBT would be my next choice. In the long run for long range shooting a faster twist longer barrel of 8 or 9" will prove much better and less frustrating with 75 to 80 gr match bullets.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  4. #4
    Boolit Master dh2's Avatar
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    I have been thinking about building a 22-250 AI because of the brass, I do love my .220 Swift but brass can be hard to get and can be formed from nothing that is readily available. I do have other rifles that are AI so forming the 22-250 AI is no issue. I use mostly 52 Gr. bullets this would be easy to do with the 22-250 AI.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    lefty o's Avatar
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    biggest consideration for me with that would be, did they just run an AI reamer into the existing chamber(way too many people do it this way), or did they do it correctly and set the barrel back then recut the chamber.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    I had the barrel set back one thread and the AI cut headspaced so a FL sized 22-250 case was a slight "crush" fit. That way there was minimal case stretch when fireformed.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  7. #7
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    My 22- 250s could always hang with .220 Swifts on the high plains of Muleshoe so I never saw the need. But the Ackley is tempting for sure.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Banned
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    Kinda like a 30-06 AI --- adds nothing. If you want a fast twist 1000 yard gun, the Valkyrie is the current darling. Federal is bring out a 100 gr J-bullet. may need more than 1 in 8 ! "Supersonic to 1200 yards"

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Birch -

    Howdy!

    I owned/loaded for or shot a variety of .22-250s. All 1-14s to my knowledge, including full customs.
    I also shot for many years, my own “ .22-35Remington “ wildcat. Case capacity is between that ofa stock
    .22-250 ..... and a .22-250AI.

    My accuracy/field load had my 55SX’s runnin’ 3,690 FPS, and was not a Max load ( 24” Hart SS 1-14 ).
    I was able to also shoot any bodies 55s, and keep them stable. Some of the various 55s Did not group well, however.

    I was also able to stabilize and get to group .224” cal 60’s, as-long-as they were under .75” in length.

    And, while I was able to get a 510yd groundhog kill using a prototype of Hornady’s 55”V”-Max; I decided
    to up-gun to a 1,000yd-capable rifle when re-barreling time came.

    I went w/ K &P 28” SS .224” cal 1-8, and shot 75”Max” in it; exclusively! Once again, this was for use as a
    a dual-role varmint/target rifle.

    Although the rifle & cartridge were 1,000yd capable in both disciplines; I did not get that 1,000yd groundhog kill
    before moving from NE Indiana.

    My point:
    I myself sorta look @ it as a how far away do you want to engage your targets ?
    Why build say... a rifle optimized for just 700 yards? If that’s the case, why not make it 1,000yd-capable; and use it @ all ranges out to that distance ?

    55s wouldn’t be my personal choice for use on GH much past 500yd. But hey, that’s just me.
    The 75 “A”-Max worked well for me on “Soybeanus Digestus”, and I only had one “shoot through” in my several years of using them. I was running them as an accuracy load “@ 3,420fps. Again... not a Max load.

    I DK if that helps you any?!


    With regards,
    357Mag

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    Tom W.'s Avatar
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    I have a 30-06 A.I. and love it. I want to rechamber my 30/30 to an A.I. If I had another 22/250 I would do so in a heartbeat. The 22-250 I had was an encore pistol, not the best candidate for rechambering. I just like the A.I. platform. If it adds nothing that makes the hot rods excited, that's fine. It gives me plenty of opportunity to tinker with various loads, and the fire formed brass looks good, too!
    Tom
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    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    I had a Clymer 22-250AI reamer. Bought it to rechamber one of my varmint rifles. That went south in a hurry when it wouldn't even enter the current chamber. It was so oversized I got rid of it and any thought of buying another reamer from Clymer!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    dk17hmr's Avatar
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    If it’s not chambered correctly just stay away all together. I have several Ackley cases 22-250 and 6-250 being two of them. 14 twist Ackley wouldn’t be my first choice, oddly enough that’s what mine is but it’s a fireforming barrel, unless I was planning on shooting 53 gr Vmax.

    If you go with a faster twist I would do an 8 that way you can still shoot bullets in the 55gr range 7 is to fast. When you get use to the 90gr plus range you might as well just step up to a 6mm.
    Doug
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  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Man, I can't thank you guys enough. I was all ready to do this deal, and I asked if the chamber was done correctly. The guy had no idea what I was talking about. He said his "smith" only charged him 50 dollars, and I knew instantly that it was just a reamer.

    I had no clue it had to be turned and headspaced and not just a reamer to make an AI.

    My hat is off to you folks. Thanks a million for helping me avoid a headache and a bunch of money burned.

  14. #14
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I'm glad you dodged that bullet
    3 shots at 100yds- why I love the original.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

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