I shot my first hand loaded 22-250 yesterday. This was the fist time I have shot this rifle, or any other 22-250 for that matter. I was also sighting in a new scope on my new rifle with newly/novice handloaded ammo. Rifle: Rem. 700 VS SF 1/14 twist, Scope: Leu. 4.5x14 AO, ammo: Win. brass, 36gr and 38gr H380, 55gr Nos BT bullets.

I do not have a bore sighter so I set a target out about 20 yds, centered the bore with the target then moved the cross hairs to the center. I was hoping this would get me on paper (8 1/2" x 11") at 100 yds. It didn't and I couldn't tell where I was hitting. Now I only loaded 14 rounds so I needed to find out fairly quickly where I was so I moved a target to 40 yrds. at this point I learned I was about a foot high. I made the adjustments and shot a three group that was touching - one large hole, but still a couple of inches high. I couldn't see three holes in the paper but I could see the 3 holes in the plywood behind the target. I made the adjustments but before trying again, I moved back to the 100 yard target and shot my last 4 rounds. These grouped less than an inch and still 1 1/2 inches high so I thought i'd leave it there so I would be close to center at 200 yds. I was shooting at some private property that only has max 100 yds to shoot. I was pleased with all of the "firsts" but I hope to get a little bit more accurate with more practice at shooting and hand loading.

Now comes the question; I shot several rifles (of different calibers) yesterday but the 22-250 was the only one using handloaded ammo. I noticed that only the 22-250 had black necks after shooting? Almost the entire neck is black, none of the shoulder is black. This isn't like a residue - I can't scrape it off. It looks to me like it may be caused by heat. Is this normal for 22-250, type of power, or something else? I would like to know if this is something I should be concerned about since I am new to hand loading and shooting for that matter since I have been bow hunting for 20 years.

When you fired the cartridges they performed just as they should have done. The brass case expanded, especially at the shoulder, and effectively sealed the chamber from the gas formed by the propellant charge. The neck released the bullet and the burning propellant darkened the outside of the neck. There is absolutely no cause for alarm - this happens with all well formed and properly charged ammo, and happens quite frequently shooting ball powder. The tarnish can be removed with steel wool and a bit of solvent.

When you get sooty shoulders and sidewalls of the case after firing it usually means the cartridge was underloaded and the case isn't expanding to seal off the chamber adequately.

It is caused by your case neck not sticking solidly to the chamber during firing. That can be caused by a number of things, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. You can try a faster stick powder, like IMR4895 at about 34.5 grains (work up to it). That will let pressure move forward more quickly than ball grains will. You could also use match magnum primers and try deburring your flashholes to help the ball powder get going a little more quickly. Work the loads back up if you make those changes, but its not a really heavy load, so I doubt you'll have a problem with it.

As Kdub said, this is common with ball powders. Mainly, I think, it is because the initial pressure gradient in the case is higher with ball powder, so the neck doesn't get enough pressure to stick to the chamber before the bullet moves enough to let gas come out aroiund its base.

Thanks for the assurance guys. I will just clean up the brass and keep working on the loads. I was just concerned because none of the other brass from the other guns shooting factory ammo looked this way. The entire case looked the same - nice and shiny on the factory loads.

I always get black necks on my 22-250 brass, and I ignore it. Hasn't caused a problem of any kind in 20 years or so, so I suspect it won't. :)
I would like to ask one thing about your day at the range. You mentioned loads of 36 and 38 grains of H380. Did you try only those 2 powder charges? Or some in between as well?