22-250 Squirrel Load?

[davidheart]

I recently acquired a 22-250. Brassmagnet was gracious enough to give me reloading dies for it about 4 months ago and I finally have the rifle to match my dies! I understand I'm able to load a 65gr GK for deer, a 55gr V-Max for the Coyotes.... but could I use cast for squirrel and if so is it reasonable to ask for only 1200 fps? I have no 22 caliber cast boolits so this is speculation for me but I have H4831, 4007 SSC, and 748 which *might* be good? I also have Unique, Ramshot Comp, and Power Pistol.

Does anybody have any experience using the 22-250 for squirrels and if so how do you make sure it doesn't destroy the squirrel? Thank you!

[1Shirt]

Just my opinion, but it is a lot of work, and 22LR is a much easier way to go for squirrel.
1Shirt!

[bruce drake]

5gr of Unique with a 55gr Bator Mold will set you up out to 50 yards. There have been several threads on 22-250 and cast in the forum's past. Depending on the twist of your barrel will determine the overall accuracy I own a 1-14" twist 22-250 and it doesn't like bullets either jacketed or cast above 55gr for accuracy. I go from 1 MOA with 45-50gr bullets to 3-4MOA with heavier 62 and 75gr bullets. 3-4MOA will put the bullet in the chest of a deer but it would miss a squirrel easily...

Also check your state's small game regulations. Some states limit squirrel to rimfire or shotgun. If you don't have that restriction, the 5gr Unique/55gr BATOR load should be the zapper for your local squirrels. I used that load 2 years ago to quietly clear the neighborhood trees out after the neighbors started complaining about the tree-rats.

Bruce

[farmerjim]

Just my opinion, but it is a lot of work, and 22LR is a much easier way to go for squirrel.
1Shirt!
Jacketed bullets are easier than casting.
I have a 22 RF with a bull barrel that shoots a ragged hole at 50 yds. I would love to have an accurate load with my 55 gr lee cast in my 22-250, 223 ,or hornet, but have not found one yet. I will keep trying for the fun and self satisfaction of it. I just love this hobby.

[FLHTC]

I personally think it's WAY too much case capacity for shooting cast bullets but some may differ. I suspect some sort of filler would be needed and there are many here that take that path. Me personally, I shoot the Hornet because it's simple and effective. I shoot a 250 but only with jacketed and solids. With those it shines.

[bruce drake]

FLHTC,
It sounds like you have an alternative (22 Hornet) as do I as well (223 Rem) but if you only have one 22 caliber rifle, you develop a load for it to work for the situation. 5gr of Unique has never given me an issue regarding how the powder sits in the case before it is fired. Some powders are position sensitive but not Unique.

I built my 22-250 cast load because 22-250 brass at one time was pretty tough to get so I decided to switch over to cast boolits to lengthen the case life of my cartridge brass. Secondary benefit was the very nice cap-gun loud pest/varmint load that barely caused a turned head in the neighborhood when I sent a boolit towards a treerat out of its 24" barrel...

Bruce

[davidheart]

I don't have any Unique, nor may I find it around here. I do have Bullseye and Ramshot Competition. Is there any comparison?

I have a 22lr and a 22 hornet, but the point is to have one rifle capable of doing many things. If I'm sitting in the woods and no deer appear but 5 squirrels do (like the other day), I could simply change my ammo and have dinner.

I don't understand why asking for a 22-250 squirrel load is unreasonable though. Plenty of loads are available for 308, 30-06, 30-30, 357mag/38sp, 7-08, 7x57, 6.5x55....

[Old Coot]

Several people have reported good accuracy with cast bullets in the 22-250. Go over to the CAST BULLET ASSOCIATION web site and use the search feature. I am sure that you will find something of value. Brodie

[Lead Fred]

Im going with 1shirt, take some 22 rimfire, pull the bullet, dump the powder into a 22-250 case, and stuff the rimfire bullet on top of the 22-250 case.

Or

Just use a 22 rimfire

[davidheart]

Im going with 1shirt, take some 22 rimfire, pull the bullet, dump the powder into a 22-250 case, and stuff the rimfire bullet on top of the 22-250 case.

Or

Just use a 22 rimfire

I appreciate the help... :|

[GabbyM]

Just saying: My squirrel rifle is a CZ-527 in 222 Rem with cast boolits. 55 grain boolit at 2,400 fps. Maybe to much gun for a squirrel but they don't complain. Then if a coyote would happen to show up I've plenty of gun for that too. Will take the high velocity cast boolits over a shot gun any day. If I were to load the rifle just for squirrels I'd use a load more like Bruce Drakes.

Another favorite is my 243 A.I. using an 84 grain cast boolit over 11.0 grains of Unique. Sub MOA at 100 yards. With it's 6.5 x 24x scope it's plum sneaky.

[Sensai]

I know that it's hard to find right now, but Trailboss is excellent for your stated purpose. ;)

[FLHTC]

I don't have any Unique, nor may I find it around here. I do have Bullseye and Ramshot Competition. Is there any comparison?

I have a 22lr and a 22 hornet, but the point is to have one rifle capable of doing many things. If I'm sitting in the woods and no deer appear but 5 squirrels do (like the other day), I could simply change my ammo and have dinner.

I don't understand why asking for a 22-250 squirrel load is unreasonable though. Plenty of loads are available for 308, 30-06, 30-30, 357mag/38sp, 7-08, 7x57, 6.5x55....

Is small game legal to hunt in your state when deer season starts?
The 22 caliber cast slug is pretty temperamental and much more so than the 30 calibers. For accuracy, it's unlikely that you can successfully switch from jacketed to cast just like that. Copper fouling can really play havoc on cast loads and it's magnified as the bore shrinks. I have cast bullet guns and then I have jacketed guns but it's rare that I switch back and fourth because it takes too much bore scrubbing. Go into Google and search for 22-250 cast loads. You'll have enough links pop up with data to try. You might find your pursuit to be quite frustrating.

[davidheart]

Yes, it's perfectly legal to use centerfire rifles to hunt small game and yes small game is perfectly legal to hunt here. Squirrel season is from August 15 to Feb. 28th and the limit is 12 per day. The only restrictions come into play on WMA's after deer season. Between Jan 2nd and Feb 28 the only legal firearm to use to hunt small game is a rimfire in many WMA's but not statewide. This is the case even if your hunting Coyotes, Hogs, Bobcats, Fox, Groundhogs, Pigeons, etc which have no set limits or season dates on WMA's from Jan 2nd to Feb 28th. (well.... Bobcats and Fox have a season... ) Outside of WMA's if your on private land you could even hunt with a suppressor at night if you want to so long as you don't shoot a deer at night. Furthermore, because deer, squirrel, rabbits are nuisence animals which tear apart my farm in the off-season I could be special permitted to "hunt" out of season to protect my livelihood on my own property.

When people on forums say "Is it legal to...." or "You should check your regulations on...." I get a little irritated.... If I could humanly kill an animal I'm about to eat that's all which should matter, not if some bureaucrat has deemed my caliber too big or too small.

Outside of hunting use, I want a cheap way to get some trigger time in on my hunting rifle and practice on a few AQT's. My 22lr is not a duplicate of my hunting rifle and 22lr is VERY RARE to come by. It's easier for me to cast and load practice boolits in .224, .358, 7mm or 30 caliber than to buy 22lr.

I was able to check out the load database on castpics.net and they have several great suggestions. I don't have any of the powder they listed and none of my local stores stock the powder listed. I'd love some 2400 but it doesn't exist around here.

[FLHTC]

Yes, it's perfectly legal to use centerfire rifles to hunt small game and yes small game is perfectly legal to hunt here. Squirrel season is from August 15 to Feb. 28th and the limit is 12 per day. The only restrictions come into play on WMA's after deer season. Between Jan 2nd and Feb 28 the only legal firearm to use to hunt small game is a rimfire in many WMA's but not statewide. This is the case even if your hunting Coyotes, Hogs, Bobcats, Fox, Groundhogs, Pigeons, etc which have no set limits or season dates on WMA's from Jan 2nd to Feb 28th. (well.... Bobcats and Fox have a season... ) Outside of WMA's if your on private land you could even hunt with a suppressor at night if you want to so long as you don't shoot a deer at night. Furthermore, because deer, squirrel, rabbits are nuisence animals which tear apart my farm in the off-season I could be special permitted to "hunt" out of season to protect my livelihood on my own property.

When people on forums say "Is it legal to...." or "You should check your regulations on...." I get a little irritated.... If I could humanly kill an animal I'm about to eat that's all which should matter, not if some bureaucrat has deemed my caliber too big or too small.

Outside of hunting use, I want a cheap way to get some trigger time in on my hunting rifle and practice on a few AQT's. My 22lr is not a duplicate of my hunting rifle and 22lr is VERY RARE to come by. It's easier for me to cast and load practice boolits in .224, .358, 7mm or 30 caliber than to buy 22lr.

I was able to check out the load database on castpics.net and they have several great suggestions. I don't have any of the powder they listed and none of my local stores stock the powder listed. I'd love some 2400 but it doesn't exist around here.

I can't see why? State laws are different and just because something is allowed in your state, doesn't mean it is allowed throughout the country. No one knows unless they ask. Here in my state nothing is legal to hunt during deer season. Unfortunately, we can't make the laws ourselves so we elect the bureaucrats and they do it. I try to follow the law, even though I might not like it. If I were in my deer stand and some idiot came by hunting squirrel, I'd be pretty pissed. Even the small game hunters around here know when the rut comes in and they don't bother the archery hunters. Centerfire rifles are legal for small game here but nothing over 22 caliber.

[davidheart]

I can't see why?...I try to follow the law, even though I might not like it. If I were in my deer stand and some idiot came by hunting squirrel, I'd be pretty pissed. Even the small game hunters around here know when the rut comes in and they don't bother the archery hunters. Centerfire rifles are legal for small game here but nothing over 22 caliber.

I understand your reasoning. I get irritated because when I'm asking a question about load data or a specific application, I'm not asking for legal advice. I'm asking for data from others who have experience. ;)

We have a funny WMA system here and as I understand we're only allowed to hunt specific game on specific dates within those WMA's. Those dates are set by the WMA managers and each WMA has it's own set of regulations. The general state laws though apply to all other private and public land which don't fall within a WMA. For example, some WMA's only allow hunting on the weekend. Some only allow adults with children to hunt, some only allow women, some only allow archery even in firearms season.

I think the laws are confusing but I appreciate the effort to avoid tromping all over my private property rights and my rights as a hunter. The only firearm regulation which is statewide is that deer must be taken with a .22 caliber, centerfire rifle or larger. Even baiting laws are split between northern and southern regions and are specific to the game being hunted.

I would hope most people would be considerate to other hunters like you mentioned to hunting small game during deer season, even though it is legal to do so. My point applies to that moment you've been sitting in the deer stand all day long with nothing in front of you but 5 squawking squirrels all looking straight at you and you may be feeling a little hungry.... or in the off season when you want to get in some practice with your hunting rifle. :-P

[rsrocket1]

Yes you can use Bullseye in this application instead of Unique, but I would increase the charge to 6-7 grains. That would put you close to 2000 fps wich might be a little nasty for squirrels, but the pressures will be up into the area where Bullseye likes to burn. In such a big case, a low charge of Bullseye would not get the pressures up which will result in smokey shots, sooty cases, blowback into your face and erratic velocities. You should work down your loads until you start to experience these symptoms, then bump it back up a little for insurance against cold weather.

[Jack Stanley]

David , I'm not sure my experience with a .223 will help but I give it at no charge or obligation .

I use the Lyman 225462 cast from a four cavity mould and given a very light coat of Johnsons paste wax before sizing in a Star machine at .225" and putting Alox in the bottom groove .

I have used both pistol and rifle primers and they seem to work about the same for me .

I have used two different powders , Bullseye and 700X . Currently I'm using four grains of 700X and getting fifteen hundred feet per second . Accuracy is excellent in two different rifles one with a twelve inch twist and one with a nine inch twist . I can slow it down some but the accuracy is not as good and since I'm not using gas checks I am happy right here . So far case type doesn't matter and I haven't tried mixing the cases . Crimp is just past removing the bell from the expander . Cases have been annealed and I tend to keep them in a group with regards to how many times they have been fired .

What the velocity of a similar load in a 22-250 would be I don't know . I am quite confident that you could make a load accurate enough to make head shots on tree rats all day long . Just as a matter of perspective I also use the RCBS 22-55-SP with three point seven grains of Bullseye with everything else the same but I do use a gas check on this bullet . Accuracy is just as good but velocity is in the twelve hundred feet per second range . For those tree rats chattering at you during deer season ...... doom on them . I've shot them before with a thirty-one caliber round ball from a .308 but , as size and velocity goes up . Do try for the head on the little beasties ;-)

Jack

[gnoahhh]

50 grain jacketed bullet and a case full of 4350.

Oh, you want to eat them too...?

[sundog]

Gabby beat me too it. When I saw this thread, first thought I had was 222 Rem and 50-55 gr boolit. Prolly cheaper than a 22 RF!

[davidheart]

Just shot a 55gr Hornady SP with 4gr of Bullseye. Sounded like a pop gun and at 50 yards the impact is exactly at the bottom of my thin 30/30 reticle giving me a good point of aim. I don't have a lead 22 mold yet but I think 4gr Bullseye will give me a good area to work in. The primer was poofed out though which tells me there might not have been enough pressure? Should I up the grains?

I always get a little scared with these bullseye loads because I hear so many horror stories. I couldn't get a velocity read because the sun is going down now and it's really cloudy.

[floydboy]

I tried the 22-250 route without much success. I had a 14 twist barrel and used 225415 and 225462? cast boolits. The 225415 was working better for me. I tried several powders and couldn't do much better than 1 1/2 MOA. 2 MOA was more like it with a 5 shot group. I was going for 2500+ FPS. I would think one could do better with some of the shotgun/pistol powders listed above and go slower. I was mainly after a way to cheaply shoot 22 cal. plinking loads after 22LR got so expensive. With advice given on this thread I went and got a 222 barrel with a 14 twist and after some work found Joy. I can consistently get MOA at over 2500 FPS. This does mean headshots are the only way to go with squirrels now but I'm fine with that. Just get close to a pesky bird and nothing but feathers. Makes for an enjoyable evening on the front porch after work with a cool beverage. Good luck. I'm sure with enough work it can be done.

Floyd

[FLHTC]

I understand your reasoning. I get irritated because when I'm asking a question about load data or a specific application, I'm not asking for legal advice. I'm asking for data from others who have experience. ;)


Well in my initial post I wasn't offering legal advice, I was merely asking the question about whether or not squirrel hunting is legal during deer season. When someone types, "Is it legal?", that doesn't come close to advice.
All that aside, It's been my experience to say that cast in the 22-250 is a c r a p shoot at best.

[MarkP]

I had good results with the 55 gr Bator over a full case of Trailboss also used 6.0 gr Reddot in a 1:14" 22-250. Similar results in a 22-6mm 1:14" twist.

A friend was using a small charge of Greendot with the Hornady 45 gr Bee bullets in his 22-250. The 45 gr Bee is like a baby XTP handgun bullet.

[Jack Stanley]

If you are going to use jacketed bullets you might have a better reference using a load that Larry Gibson used . I'd have to look up the thread but if I remember right it was a primed .223 case , a fifty five grain bullet and five and a half grains of bullseye . If you do a search for "panama load" it may come up and give you some insight that you can use . I know his knowledge helped me out feeding my rifles .

In a case like the 22/250 I would up the charge , I think that may stop the primer from backing out once the pressure is up a little .

Jack

[Jack Stanley]

This may help http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?228020-Larry-was-it-your-quot-jungle-quot-load-I-m-thinking-of

Jack

[tomme boy]

I used to use the Hodgdon load of 38gr of H380 and a 50 gr HP. Drops them in their tracks. Never had one crawl into a hole with a head shot.

[gnoahhh]

Be doublydammed careful shooting mouse fart loads with jacketed bullets. The likelihood of seeing a new topic posted by you reading "how do I dislodge a stuck jacketed bullet from my barrel" is very good. Been there, got the T-shirt.

[davidheart]

Be doublydammed careful shooting mouse fart loads with jacketed bullets. The likelihood of seeing a new topic posted by you reading "how do I dislodge a stuck jacketed bullet from my barrel" is very good. Been there, got the T-shirt.


:D :D

I appreciate the input! I think 4 grains Bullseye was slightly too little. I'll try a 5gr charge later today and we'll see how things progress!

[Greg Skinner]

I have had good results with the Lyman 225415 cast using Hardball alloy and powder coating in my Tikka 22-250. It has a 1:14 twist but seems to stabilize the 53 grain boolits fine. I use Green Dot and load to around 1800 fps - I think about 7 grains. They shoot pretty consistent 1" groups at 50 yards without gas checks. That's good enough for head shots on squirrels and the flat point kills well without mangling. I haven't really done anything special to load them. I neck size and then use the M die to bell the case mouth with just enough crimp to take out the bell. They don't seem to be any more difficult to load than any other cast boolits I have used.

The best part is that I don't have to adjust my scope from my 45 grain Speer setting at 100 yds, nor have I had a problem mixing shooting the powder coated cast with jacketed without cleaning.

[davidheart]

Just brought up 5gr of bullseye. I don't have any cast 22 boolits so I'm still using the Hornady sp. At 5gr of bullseye primers were still like bubbles some soot on the neck of one of cases. Point of impact was brought up substantially to *almost* the same POI as my standard load which is zeroed at 200 yards. My hunting load is a 65gr Gameking at 3475fps which took a nice young buck this past weekend.

Upping to 5.5-7gr may be a good idea as Jack mentioned. Will let y'all know.