.22-250 Remington
Encyclopedia
The .22-250 Remington is a very high-velocity (capable of reaching over 4000 feet per second), short action, .22 caliber
rifle
cartridge
primarily used for varmint hunting and small game
hunting, though it finds occasional use on deer. This cartridge is also sometimes known as the 22 Varminter or the 22 Wotkyns Original Swift. Along with the .220 Swift
, the .22-250 was one of the high-velocity 22 caliber cartridges that developed a reputation for remote wounding effects known as hydrostatic shock
in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
(or high velocity cartridge) developed from the .250 Savage case necked down to take a .224 caliber
bullet. In the early days of the cartridge
there were several different versions that varied only slightly from one to the next, including one developed in 1937 by Grosvenor Wotkyns, J.E. Gebby and J.E. Smith who named their version the 22 Varminter.
The .22-250 is very similar to but slightly outperformed (approx 100 ft/s
) by the longer .220 Swift
cartridge. However, it is in much wider use and has a larger variety of commercially available factory ammunition than the Swift. This makes it generally cheaper to shoot. The smaller powder load also contributes to longer barrel life, an important factor for high-volume shooters. Due to its rimless case the 22-250 also feeds from a box magazine with ease.
In 1937 Phil Sharpe, one of the first gunsmith
s to build a rifle for the .22-250 and long time .220 Swift
rifle builder, stated, "The Swift performed best when it was loaded to approximately full velocity," whereas, "The Varminter case permits the most flexible loading ever recorded with a single cartridge. It will handle all velocities from 1,500ft/s
up to 4,500ft/s
."
Sharpe credited the steep 28-degree shoulder for this performance. He insisted that it kept the powder burning in the case rather than in the throat of the rifle, as well as prevented case stretching and neck thickening. "Shoulder angle ranks along with primer, powders, bullets, neck length, body taper, loading density and all those other features," he wrote. "The .22 Varminter seems to have a perfectly balanced combination of all desirable features and is not just an old cartridge pepped up with new powders."
Accuracy was consistently excellent, with little need for either case trimming or neck reaming, and Sharpe pronounced it "my choice for the outstanding cartridge development of the past decade." He finished by saying he looked forward to the day when it would become a commercial cartridge.
started to chamber its Browning High Power Rifle in the .22-250, at the time a wildcat cartridge
. This was a risky yet historical move on Browning's part as there was no commercial production of the .22-250 at the time. John T. Amber, reporting on the development of the Browning rifle in the 1964 Gun Digest, called the event "unprecedented." "As far as I know," he wrote, "this is the first time a first-line arms-maker has offered a rifle chambered for a cartridge that it - or some other production ammunition maker - cannot supply." Amber foresaw difficulties for the company but "applauded Browning's courage in taking this step." He said he had his order in for one of the first heavy-barrel models, expected in June 1963, and added, "I can hardly wait!"
Two years later in 1965 Remington Arms
adopted the .22-250, added "Remington" to the name and chambered their Model 700 and 40 XB match rifles for the cartridge
along with a line of commercial ammunition, thus establishing its commercial specification.
The .22-250 was the first non-Weatherby
caliber offered in the unique Weatherby
Mark V rifle.
(3.56 g) spitzer bullet
at 3,680 ft/s (1122 m/s) with 1654 ft.lbf of energy. Many other loads with lighter bullets are used to achieve velocities of over 4,000 ft/s (1,219 m/s), while still having effective energy for use in hunting small game and medium sized predators.
It is particularly popular in the western states of the USA where high winds often hinder the effectiveness of other varmint rounds in prairie dog
hunting. Many states in the USA have minimum caliber restrictions limiting the use of this cartridge on larger game such as deer, although some states do allow the cartridge to be used for big game.
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
primarily used for varmint hunting and small game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
hunting, though it finds occasional use on deer. This cartridge is also sometimes known as the 22 Varminter or the 22 Wotkyns Original Swift. Along with the .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
, the .22-250 was one of the high-velocity 22 caliber cartridges that developed a reputation for remote wounding effects known as hydrostatic shock
Hydrostatic shock
Hydrostatic shock or hydraulic shock describes the observation that a penetrating projectile can produce remote wounding and incapacitating effects in living targets through a hydraulic effect in their liquid-filled tissues, in addition to local effects in tissue caused by direct impact...
in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
History
The .22-250 started life as a wildcat cartridgeWildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
(or high velocity cartridge) developed from the .250 Savage case necked down to take a .224 caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
bullet. In the early days of the cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
there were several different versions that varied only slightly from one to the next, including one developed in 1937 by Grosvenor Wotkyns, J.E. Gebby and J.E. Smith who named their version the 22 Varminter.
The .22-250 is very similar to but slightly outperformed (approx 100 ft/s
Feet per second
The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds...
) by the longer .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
cartridge. However, it is in much wider use and has a larger variety of commercially available factory ammunition than the Swift. This makes it generally cheaper to shoot. The smaller powder load also contributes to longer barrel life, an important factor for high-volume shooters. Due to its rimless case the 22-250 also feeds from a box magazine with ease.
In 1937 Phil Sharpe, one of the first gunsmith
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
s to build a rifle for the .22-250 and long time .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
rifle builder, stated, "The Swift performed best when it was loaded to approximately full velocity," whereas, "The Varminter case permits the most flexible loading ever recorded with a single cartridge. It will handle all velocities from 1,500ft/s
Feet per second
The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds...
up to 4,500ft/s
Feet per second
The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds...
."
Sharpe credited the steep 28-degree shoulder for this performance. He insisted that it kept the powder burning in the case rather than in the throat of the rifle, as well as prevented case stretching and neck thickening. "Shoulder angle ranks along with primer, powders, bullets, neck length, body taper, loading density and all those other features," he wrote. "The .22 Varminter seems to have a perfectly balanced combination of all desirable features and is not just an old cartridge pepped up with new powders."
Accuracy was consistently excellent, with little need for either case trimming or neck reaming, and Sharpe pronounced it "my choice for the outstanding cartridge development of the past decade." He finished by saying he looked forward to the day when it would become a commercial cartridge.
Commercial acceptance
In 1963 the Browning Arms CompanyBrowning Arms Company
Browning Arms Company is a maker of firearms, bows and fishing gear. Founded in Utah in 1927, it offers a wide variety of firearms, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and rimfire firearms and sport bows, as well as fishing rods and reels....
started to chamber its Browning High Power Rifle in the .22-250, at the time a wildcat cartridge
Wildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
. This was a risky yet historical move on Browning's part as there was no commercial production of the .22-250 at the time. John T. Amber, reporting on the development of the Browning rifle in the 1964 Gun Digest, called the event "unprecedented." "As far as I know," he wrote, "this is the first time a first-line arms-maker has offered a rifle chambered for a cartridge that it - or some other production ammunition maker - cannot supply." Amber foresaw difficulties for the company but "applauded Browning's courage in taking this step." He said he had his order in for one of the first heavy-barrel models, expected in June 1963, and added, "I can hardly wait!"
Two years later in 1965 Remington Arms
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
adopted the .22-250, added "Remington" to the name and chambered their Model 700 and 40 XB match rifles for the cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
along with a line of commercial ammunition, thus establishing its commercial specification.
The .22-250 was the first non-Weatherby
Weatherby
Weatherby, Inc. is an American gun manufacturer founded in 1945 by Roy Weatherby. The company is best known for its high-powered magnum cartridges, such as the .257 Weatherby Magnum and the .460 Weatherby Magnum...
caliber offered in the unique Weatherby
Weatherby
Weatherby, Inc. is an American gun manufacturer founded in 1945 by Roy Weatherby. The company is best known for its high-powered magnum cartridges, such as the .257 Weatherby Magnum and the .460 Weatherby Magnum...
Mark V rifle.
Military acceptance
The cartridge was used by the Australian Special Air Service for urban counter-terrorism duties in the 1980s, in an attempt to reduce excessive penetration and ricochets.Performance
Typical factory-loaded .22-250 Remington can propel a 55 grainGRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
(3.56 g) spitzer bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
at 3,680 ft/s (1122 m/s) with 1654 ft.lbf of energy. Many other loads with lighter bullets are used to achieve velocities of over 4,000 ft/s (1,219 m/s), while still having effective energy for use in hunting small game and medium sized predators.
It is particularly popular in the western states of the USA where high winds often hinder the effectiveness of other varmint rounds in prairie dog
Prairie dog
Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
hunting. Many states in the USA have minimum caliber restrictions limiting the use of this cartridge on larger game such as deer, although some states do allow the cartridge to be used for big game.