My 22-250 that used to shoot sub half inch groups with a couple different loads has gone to pieces for some reason that has me baffled. The same loads that shot so well are now shooting two or three inch groups. The targets plainly show "shadows" on the side of each bullet hole, indicating to me that the bullets are not stabilized. I have cleaned the bore with Barnes CR10 and I don't think there is any fouling causing the problem. The barrel only has about 200 rounds through it and there is no damage to the crown. Action screws are tight and bedding is intact. Barrel is still free floated.
One good load last year was 39.0 gr. of IMR 4350 with the 55 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip. It has shot a .479" group in the past, the last one now was nearly 3 inches.
Another shooter was 35.0 gr. of IMR 3031 with the 55 gr. Speer, it's now way over two inches.
I've removed the scope and made sure bases and rings were tight, but I'm sure that the bullet holes indicate an unstable bullet.
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?
Some good news, I finally got components to handload some ammo for the Marlin 218 Bee. Found a dandy load with the Hornady 45 gr. "Bee" bullet with 13.0 gr. of IMR4227. Shot two 100 yard groups with that load that put the first four in 1 1/4" and the fifth opened it up to about 2" I'm blaming that last shot on the barrel heating. Don't know of any Coyote that will allow me to get off that many shots anyhoo.
