What is 22-250? The 22-250 Remington is a .224-caliber, rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge made by necking the .250-3000 Savage case down to .224 inch. Shooters used it as a wildcat from the 1930s, and Remington standardized it in 1965. It drives light 35 to 55 gr bullets at about 3,700 to 4,000 fps, which made it a long-standing coyote and varmint cartridge. Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures the 22-250 on its CM10 large-frame semi-automatic platform with a 20-inch 416R stainless barrel, a 1:14 twist and a dedicated 10-round magazine.
What Is 22-250 at a Glance
| Specification | 22-250 Remington |
|---|---|
| Introduced | Wildcat from the 1930s; standardized by Remington in 1965 |
| Parent case | .250-3000 Savage, necked down |
| Bullet diameter | .224 inch |
| Case length | 1.912 inches |
| Cartridge overall length (SAAMI) | 2.350 inches |
| SAAMI pressure limit | 65,000 psi |
| Common factory bullets | 35 to 55 gr varmint and hunting bullets, some 60 to 64 gr |
| Published velocity | Hornady 55 gr V-MAX at 3,680 fps from a 24-inch test barrel |
| Chattahoochee Munitions twist | 1:14 on the 20-inch CM10 22-250 |
Cartridge and chamber dimensions are published in the ANSI/SAAMI centerfire rifle standard.
What Is 22-250 History?
In the 1930s, varmint shooters necked the .250-3000 Savage down to .224 inch for a fast .224 cartridge with a case that fed well and lasted. The wildcat, marketed by Jerry Gebby as the 22 Varminter, stayed popular for three decades before Remington standardized it as the 22-250 Remington in 1965. Its traditional rifles use a 1:14 twist for light, fast bullets, and that is still where the cartridge does its work.
What Is 22-250 Used For?
What is 22-250 used for? Coyotes, foxes, bobcats and varmints at long range.
- Coyotes and foxes: 50 to 55 gr bullets at about 3,600 fps reach out across fields and pastures with little holdover. Read 22-250 for coyotes.
- Prairie dogs and ground squirrels: 35 to 50 gr varmint bullets shoot flat and break up on impact.
- Feral hogs: only small hogs, at close range, with a controlled-expansion bullet. Larger hogs call for 243 Winchester or 6mm Creedmoor.
Chattahoochee Munitions does not recommend the 22-250 for deer. Choose 243 Winchester or 6mm Creedmoor. For elk, choose 338 Federal or 375 Raptor; for bear, 458 SOCOM XL or 375 Raptor.
What Is 22-250 Performance Like?
The 24-inch muzzle figure is Hornady’s published number. Downrange values and the 20-inch row are Chattahoochee Munitions calculations (published G1 BC 0.255, 200-yard zero, standard atmosphere, 10 mph full-value wind; 20-inch velocity estimated at 30 fps per inch below 24 inches). They are not chronograph data.
| 55 gr V-MAX | Muzzle | 300 yd | 400 yd | Drop at 400 yd | Wind at 400 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24-inch (published muzzle) | 3,680 fps / 1,654 ft-lb | 2,494 fps / 760 ft-lb | 2,162 fps / 571 ft-lb | -16.0 in | 17.8 in |
| 20-inch CM10 (calculated) | 3,560 fps / 1,548 ft-lb | 2,403 fps / 705 ft-lb | 2,078 fps / 527 ft-lb | -17.3 in | 18.6 in |
The light bullet starts fast but slows quickly and drifts more in wind than a heavy 22 Creedmoor bullet. Compare the two in 22 Creedmoor vs 22-250.
What Is 22-250 Twist Rate?
The CM10 22-250 uses a 1:14 twist, the traditional 22-250 rate. It stabilizes bullets up to about 55 gr, which covers the bulk of 22-250 factory ammunition. Long 70 to 88 gr bullets need a much faster twist; for those, the 22 Creedmoor with its 1:8 barrel is the better fit.
Why the CM10 22-250 Needs Its Own Magazine
The 22-250 cartridge is only 2.350 inches long, much shorter than the 308-length rounds an AR10 magazine is made for. A short round can nose-dive or tip in a standard magazine. Chattahoochee Munitions starts with an Amend2 Mod-2 10-round magazine, trims the follower, fits a forward filler and finishes it in Cerakote, so the 22-250 magazine holds the cartridge in line for feeding. It is not interchangeable with the PMAG used by the 22 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor and 243 Winchester CM10s.
Is 22-250 a Subsonic Cartridge?
No. The 22-250 is a supersonic cartridge, and the CM10 22-250 is set up for supersonic ammunition with a flow-through suppressor rated for .224. For subsonic shooting, look at 300 Blackout subsonic or 8.6 Blackout subsonic.
22-250 Compared With Other Cartridges
- 22-250 vs 223: the classic varmint round against the AR15’s .223 Remington.
- 22 Creedmoor vs 22-250: heavy bullets and fast twist against light bullets and slow twist.
- 22 ARC vs 22-250: an AR15 .224 against the AR10 22-250.
22-250 Rifles From Chattahoochee Munitions
The CM10 22-250 uses a 20-inch 416R stainless SOCOM/HBAR barrel with a 1:14 twist, 5/8×24 muzzle threads and Tactical Grey Cerakote, rifle-length gas, a .750-inch Superlative Arms adjustable gas block, an Odin adjustable buffer and a TriggerTech Duty trigger. It weighs 9 lb 8 oz with an unloaded magazine and ships with one modified 10-round magazine. Choose the 22-250 semi auto rifle in Black Tungsten, the 22-250 AR10 in Cobalt Kinetics Green Cerakote or the 22-250 AR in FDE Metallic, browse CM10 22-250 AR10 rifles, or see the full Predator Plains lineup.
More Predator Plains Guides
- What is 22 Creedmoor?
- 22 Creedmoor ballistics
- 22 Creedmoor twist rate
- 22 Creedmoor vs 22-250
- 22 Creedmoor vs 243
- 22 Creedmoor vs 223
- 22 Creedmoor for deer
- 22-250 for coyotes
- 22-250 vs 223
- What is 6mm Creedmoor?
- 6mm Creedmoor vs 243 Winchester
- 6mm Creedmoor vs 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6mm Creedmoor vs 6mm ARC
- What is 243 Winchester?
- 243 for deer
- 243 vs 6.5 Creedmoor
- High velocity rifle cartridges
- Predator hunting cartridges
- 22 ARC vs 22 Creedmoor
- 22 ARC vs 22-250
- 6mm ARC vs 243
What Is 22-250 FAQ
What does 22-250 mean?
The 22 is the .224-inch bullet and the 250 is the parent case, the .250-3000 Savage, necked down.
What is 22-250 good for?
Coyotes, foxes, bobcats, prairie dogs and other varmints with light, fast bullets.
Is 22-250 good for coyotes?
Yes. It is a long-standing coyote cartridge with 50 to 55 gr bullets out to about 400 yards.
Is 22-250 good for deer?
Chattahoochee Munitions does not recommend it for deer. Choose 243 Winchester or 6mm Creedmoor.
What twist rate does a 22-250 use?
Traditionally 1:14. The CM10 22-250 uses 1:14 for bullets up to about 55 gr.
Can a 22-250 shoot heavy bullets?
Not well from a 1:14 barrel. Bullets over about 55 gr need a faster twist; the 22 Creedmoor at 1:8 is designed for them.
Does a 22-250 AR10 use a standard magazine?
No. The short cartridge needs a modified magazine. The CM10 22-250 ships with a Chattahoochee Munitions modified Amend2 10-round magazine.
Who makes a 22-250 AR10?
Chattahoochee Munitions manufactures the CM10 22-250 AR10 with a 20-inch 416R stainless 1:14 barrel and a dedicated magazine, in Black Tungsten, Cobalt Kinetics Green and FDE Metallic Cerakote.
Who makes 22-250 ammunition?
Many makers load it, including Hornady, Federal, Remington and Winchester. Chattahoochee Munitions does not load 22-250 ammunition.