Thread: 22-250 twist rate

Looking at purchasing the new Sako 90 in 22-250 but have just realised it’s a 1 in 14 twist. How limited am I really going to be in projectiles? The idea behind this rifle is to be a low recoiling meat animal shooter.
Should I be concerned at the low twist?

Pretty normal for 22-250s. You're probably going to have best luck with 55s, but you may be lucky and it might do 60s 64s ect. Are you reloading? The barnes and Swifts Sirocco even the nosler partitions will do what youre looking for.

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You will max out at 55-62 grain projectiles. boat tail 62-63 grain no good, but flat base OK.

With the right 55 grain projo they are still hammer of thor machines. Sierra 55 gn spbt still flattened hundreds of deer for me in the 90's, before fast twist barrels became a 'thing'.

Just nowhere near as flexible as the faster twist.

To be fair youll probably save your self some barrel life too not trying to get every extra fps out of the heavier projectiles. Pretty easy to get the 55s absolutely screaming with mild loads.

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Cheers guys. I suppose something like the Sierra 55s are still going to belt animals. And quite right Cartman, at least the ‘investment’ will have a long life!

Way back in the 70's I bought a Tikka 22-250 cos everybody else was buying 243's and I just wanted to be different. Used Remington factory 55's to get some cases and then reloaded from then on. Tried 55's, 60's and 63's. All shot great and I settled on the 63gn Sierra SP. Still use the same load today and still shoots 3/4moa. The Tikka is either 1-12 or 1-14, never checked it, never needed to cos it just shoots. So I wouldnt get too hung up on looking for a fast twist 250, 12" twist or 14" twist will work just fine.........and kill shit!

It means you won't be able to use the high bc 69gr plus options.

There's still plenty of good options for killing deer that will work in the slow twist. The 50gr (approx) monos, 60gr nosler partition, 70gr speer or simple 55/60gr soft points of various brands.

If you're after a very flat shooting rifle with absolutely minimal recoil and aren't going to push the range then the .22-250 will be awesome. If you're looking for an option with the ability to push the range and shoot high bc projectiles with still light recoil I'd look at the .243 as the better option, the Sakos will be a 8 twist which should allow you to shoot 100+gr high bc projectiles. Recoil with a suppressor will be very similar to heavy .22-250 loads.

I think you’ve settled my worries, Husky!


Dan, you’re also confirming my thoughts. Don’t want to go quite as big as 243 so I suppose it comes down to what I’m trying to achieve, and that is a very low recoiling rifle that’s flat shooting and for easy meat animals.

I'm on my second 22-250.

First one was a Tikka (the genuine item before this Beretta nonsense) LSA 55. I toasted that barrel. Shot a lot of animals with it but not many deer in that mix. My main gun was my 308 whilst the 22-250 was my "fun gun".

I replaced the LSA 55 with a SAKO 75 but never warmed to that rifle like I had to the old Tikka.

I used 52 and 53 grain projectiles and didn't feel handicapted by the slower twist. IIRC the 52 grain were flat based.

It accounted for deer, goats, wild cattle (could have so easily gone pear shaped) starlngs in our big gum tree (shitty arsed bastards), hares, rabbits, a few pigs, possums.

To be honest now, and I love the 22-250 calibre, if I was looking again, I would go the 223.
You're firing a shit load more powder in a 22-250 to achieve not a huge gain over the 223. And 22-250 barrel life is definitely a concern.

Plus they are generally harder to sell second hand.

I decided to ratioalis some rifles down to one.
I had a slow twist 223 A 204 and my old slow twist 22-250.
I have always wanted a fast twist 22-250 so settled on a super varmint factory 1-8 twist that tikka have just released but alas an 18mth wait.
In the mean time I rebarelled my old varmint with a hre 1-8 20 inch barrel and have got kaliteknek adjustable cheek riser.
More than pleased with it.
I'm running 73g eldm but looking at the 88eldm.
Just waiting for some to come into stock.
Should be an awesome bit of k

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I decided to ratioalis some rifles down to one.
I had a slow twist 223 A 204 and my old slow twist 22-250.
I have always wanted a fast twist 22-250 so settled on a super varmint factory 1-8 twist that tikka have just released but alas an 18mth wait.
In the mean time I rebarelled my old varmint with a hre 1-8 20 inch barrel and have got kaliteknek adjustable cheek riser.
More than pleased with it.
I'm running 73g eldm but looking at the 88eldm.
Just waiting for some to come into stock.
Should be an awesome bit of k

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What speed are those 73s going? Have you shot any animals with them?

What about rebarreling something with a faster twist?

Just get an 8 twist .223 despite Andys firm beliefs their for magpies they have accounted for hundreds of thousands of deer I always consider a 22-250 I genuinely love them have shot many deer with the cartridge but a slow twist is case and point and rebarreling is extra cost extra powder bla bla . With in sensible range no matter how hot rod the shell its still a .224 that does the job darn well . Im currently in the market for a .223 and may end up a hypocrite with either a 250 or 22 creed for me itll be what evers price is right on the day

I've got a Weatherby Mk V "Varmintmaster" in 22-250 that I acquired in the UK in 2019. Before I could arrange all the paperwork and carriage covid happened - so nothing happened, it's still there. But options for carriage have started to open up so it might get here this year!

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I decided to ratioalis some rifles down to one.
I had a slow twist 223 A 204 and my old slow twist 22-250.
I have always wanted a fast twist 22-250 so settled on a super varmint factory 1-8 twist that tikka have just released but alas an 18mth wait.
In the mean time I rebarelled my old varmint with a hre 1-8 20 inch barrel and have got kaliteknek adjustable cheek riser.
More than pleased with it.
I'm running 73g eldm but looking at the 88eldm.
Just waiting for some to come into stock.
Should be an awesome bit of k

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The 88 ELDM can be marginal in an eight twist, they are much happier in a seven