22-250 with 1/9 or 1/12 rwist rate...

[skeetman28]

I know Savage has these twist rates in there line...does anyone have one...thinking about going to 1/9 twist...looking for some input...want to shoot heavier bullets in 22-250...68gr...75gr...etc...Thanks for any input or suggestions...

 

[throttletony]

If they offer both of those, you don't lose much by going with the faster twist. It sounds like you're well informed about being able to shoot heavier projectiles and extending the range. The only caveat is: DO YO HANDLOAD? If so, get the faster twist and load up heavy-for-caliber projectiles. Most factory 22-250 ammo is for slower twists, and ranges from 45-60 grains, typically. Since the .22 cal is so ubiquitous, it's nice to be able to load something heavier - in the 70-80 gr range!
THat said, if you DON'T handload, then stick with the slower twist rates. This would be typical varmint work and still plenty capable to 300-400 yds in the right hands.
Beyond your original question --- maybe look at the 243 family, since you get great ballistic coefficients and an even wider variety of projectiles. Sure, it's a bit more powder, but you can load them to duplicate a 22-250 ballistic, or push it up enough to handle deer (although, not in IN w/ our current caliber restrictions). A fast twist .243 should leave a fast twist .22-250 in the dust past the 600 yd mark. But very few people push it out that far (myself included, I rarely shoot past 250-300 yds)
Another great option for loaders is the .204 Ruger, which uses less powder, less recoil, and "on paper" can surpass the 22-250 in terms of less wind-drift and energy on target beyond 300 yds

I'm interested to see what others have to say here as well...

 

[Yeah]

9"

Slower twists have no upside.

 

[throttletony]

9"

Slower twists have no upside.

I agree, in real world application there's no real downside to a faster twist rate.
In a theoretical sense, however, you could overspin a bullet to the point where it could disintegrate or destabilize the projectile, especially with a light-for-caliber bullet. Centrifugal force at muzzle would be a cool thing to observe, especially on a HP/Fragmented/Frangible type bullet where the structural integrity is already less than a FMJ counterpart. Think of a 1 in 3" twist (theoretically) where it would suck up so much energy just to get down the barrel that any pros of fast rotation are overshadowed by the loss in energy by the time it reaches the muzzle. In the real world nobody does that, of course.
It would be interesting to see what happens to a hot loaded 40 gr V-max from a 1 in 7" twist AR (not 22-250 as OP asks, but this is a combination that I'm sure someone has experimented with)

 

[USMC-Johnson]

the only rounds you'll have issues with in 1/9 is the ultra light fragmenting rounds that approach 4500 ft/s.

 

[skeetman28]

Thanks for the input...thinking I'm going to go ahead with 1/9 twist and go with the savage..I really don't want another caliber to load for and think I will have alot of fun with working on heavier bullets for th 22-250...Thanks again guys...

 

[ChalupaCabras]

I do believe the 1-9" twist was only on their PALMA rifle - or have they begun offering it on their more general purpose models?