Howa 22-250 Range Report

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So, I went back to the range today and shot two boxes of ammo through the Howa 1500 .22-250 varmint rifle I bought on Wednesday. As described in another thread, it has a 24" heavy target bull barrel with a (probable...not sure) twist of 1:14 and a walnut stock. Scope is a Leupold VX II 6-18 variable.

Since I don't have either dies or components yet for this caliber I grabbed some Hornady off the shelves of my local Sportsman's Warehouse. The first box was Hornady Varmint Express (brown box) 55gr V-Max with a velocity of 3680fps. The second box was Hornady Super Performance Varmint with a 50gr V-Max bullet pushed to 4000fps.
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I used the 55gr to initially sight in at 100 yards. All on paper, some in black.
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Then after 10 rounds and a few clicks for windage and elevation, 10 more all in black:
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Then I used the hotter loads to put 20 rounds and make 20 holes on a B-6 50 yard Bullseye pistol target out at 200 yards (kept the 100 yard scope adjustments for this):
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Observations:
Although it is flatter shooting I will not be using the 4000fps loads again. Recoil was slightly more, but negligible difference if you're used to .308. No, the barrel was getting too hot for my liking with the hotter load. The whole box of 3680fps went through the barrel and made it just a little warm, as it should. Just 10 shots of the 4000fps and the barrel was uncomfortably hot. Not too hot to hold, but hotter than it should have been. I waited for it to cool before expending the last 10 rounds. I'd like to say that the flyers at 200 yards was due to the hot barrel, but that may be the old blame the gun trick. ;)

A good time was had, and now that I know what ammo it does and does not like I'll be returning to practice with the Howa prior to next year's hunting season.
(I'm getting my 2018 hunting license)
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Re: Howa 22-250 Range Report

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senorgrand wrote::clap:

Nice range btw.
Thanks, Senorgrand.
That's the 100/200 yard range at Douglas Ridge Rifle Club in Eagle Creek in the hills outside Portland. I'll be going back there tomorrow and Sunday for the two-day Oregon State Service Rifle Championship shot at 600 yards prone. Not a chance in hell I'll win, but it should be a nice day out with my M1A. :)
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