.222 Remington question [Archive]

atr

01-18-2016, 09:49 PM

M-Tecs

01-18-2016, 09:58 PM

The only real issues with the 721/722's are the extractors can wear out. Replacements can be hard to find.

In my 222's I mostly shoot 40 grain V-max's or Ballistic Tips

unique

01-18-2016, 10:36 PM

I'll second the extractor caution. I had a wonderful shooting 721 which became close to useless because of worn extractor. I tracked down the original machinery from Remington factory (long story) which was sold to individual and he was considering getting the machinery up & running since there was a demand. Without original part there is no easy way to fix the extractor without modifying the bolt. Really a shame because I really liked that 721.

Screwbolts

01-18-2016, 10:39 PM

Great rifles, my 722 shoots the NOE 225-55 FN great. The 222 is a natural for cast with a 1x14 twist and the 722 has 26" of barrel.

Ken

Uncle Grinch

01-18-2016, 11:00 PM

Had one and loved it. Sold it when my velocity hormones took over and regretted it almost immediately. I had another one built on a 700 action with a Shilen bench rest barrel and man oh man, would it ever shoot. I carried it to South Dakota years ago to shoot prairie dogs and while it did great, it was way to heavy for a repeat visit.

Long story short, the triple deuce is still king in my book. You got me to wanting another sporter!

Frank46

01-19-2016, 12:00 AM

Back before the PPC cartridges came into being the 222 was THE accuracy king for benchrest shooting. I had three rifles in that caliber. Single shot 40x, 788 rem and a sako vixen. The accuracy load back then was as I remember 19grs 4198, rem cases, rem 7 1/2 copper colored primer and rem 55 grain match bullet. Extractor issues aside I don't think you will be disappointed in the accuracy department. Frank

376Steyr

01-19-2016, 12:14 AM

First thing to do if you get it is flush out the trigger/safety/sear assembly with solvent. I generally find these almost glued together with old oil that has solidified over the last 60 years.

Mauser48

01-19-2016, 01:02 AM

The only real issues with the 721/722's are the extractors can wear out. Replacements can be hard to find.

In my 222's I mostly shoot 40 grain V-max's or Ballistic Tips

I wouldn't let the extractor part hold you back. It will most likely never break. If it does convert it to an m16 extractor. Thats very popular on custom builds now.

GabbyM

01-19-2016, 02:14 AM

I am a huge triple deuce fan.
For coyote I like tougher bullets than the blitz types. Sierra 50 grain soft nose flat base #1330 Varminter.

I shoot my cast bullets in 222 at 2,400 fps. From the 24" barrel CZ pictured in my avatar. If you want to shoot cast rifle bullets it's hard to beat the fun factor of a 222.

Mike in Reedley

01-19-2016, 03:21 AM

I had a Sako extractor installed in a 722 years ago, simple milling procedure. As previously mentioned an AR extractor would be cheaper/easier to come up with.

M-Tecs

01-19-2016, 03:30 AM

I wouldn't let the extractor part hold you back. It will most likely never break. If it does convert it to an m16 extractor. Thats very popular on custom builds now.

The 721/722'sextractors don't break often but they do wear out. This is fairly common. The later 700's with the rivet are far more prone to breaking.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?327-Remington-M722-Extractor

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?264904-Rem-722-extractor-install

A couple of issues to be aware of on the Sako or M16 extractions on Remington bolts. One issue is the modified bolt doesn't handle gas as well. The other issue is the higher ejection angle causing the cases to hit the scope depending on shape and ring height. Cost for the install normally runs $125 to $175.

http://6mmbr.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2101323&goto=nextoldest

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/material-downloads/extractor-install/extractor%20jig%20instructions.pdf

nekshot

01-19-2016, 10:41 AM

Hey!! For all of those defunct 722's that cannot extract give me a call as I will relieve you of your junk if possible!!

skeet1

01-19-2016, 10:58 AM

I Have a 722 that I inherited from a close friend who was the original owner. That rifle has been shot thousands of times by he and I and is still going strong. Because I am a .222 enthusiast I have owned a number of them but they are all gone and the 722 is still in my collection. Even if it did not have sentimental value I would never consider selling it.

Ken

EDG

01-19-2016, 11:57 AM

I had a very accurate 722 in .222 in the late 1960s. After I traded it off I had seller's remorse and bought a 700 in .222 about 1970. I still have that rifle. It too is very accurate. Unless you are getting a screaming deal on the .222 that will pay for a lot of brass I would find a .223 just for the better brass supply.

M-Tecs

01-19-2016, 01:16 PM

Hey!! For all of those defunct 722's that cannot extract give me a call as I will relieve you of your junk if possible!!

Not getting mine. I have one each new extractions for a 721 & 722 just in case. They aren't for sale either.

6mm win lee

01-19-2016, 02:38 PM

Perhaps you shoud give CZ a look. Bought my dad one of their rifles in .222. He was shooting a Remington 788 (IIRC). He said the CZ was lighter and his groups got a bit smaller. His only complaint was the magazine springs were stiffer than the Remington springs and his eighty-two year old hands just did have the strength they once had.

Man could he slay ground hogs. We lost him a year ago come the 27th.

Outpost75

01-19-2016, 02:45 PM

The .222 is far more accurate than the .223 Rem. which replaced it. Its 14" twist of rifling limits it to flatbased bullets not over 55 grains, but with proper bullets it is a tack driver and effective to about 200 yards. It is also more accurate than a .22 Hornet or .218 Bee for lower velocity loads and is well suited for use with cast bullets at around 2000 fps.

Best powders for full power jacketed loads are 4198 and RL7. For cast loads you can use the same powders, just use 75% of the jacketed bullet charge with a 50-grain gaschecked bullet which fits the throat and is cast about 15-16 BHN.

Good advice hosing out the trigger group with Gun Scrubber, then Kroil. Extractor did break on mine, I had the bolt modified to use a Sako extractor which is a good fix, much better than the M16 extractor.

nekshot

01-19-2016, 02:57 PM

Had a 222mag in early 700 remmy that was stolen and I still miss that gun almost 50 years later!

Ballistics in Scotland

01-19-2016, 03:26 PM

I am seriously considering the purchase of a model 722 Remington in .222 Remington.
Has anyone had any experience with this model/caliber?
I would be using it for varmint hunting (coyotes) out to 250 yds. I already have a .257 Roberts which use for that purpose but the .222Rem seems a better fit and the lightest bullet in the .257 is 75 grains where as the .222 I could be using 45 or 50 gr.
Your thoughts are appreciated

The cartridge is an extremely good one, highly accurate and extremely effective on smallish game. 250 yards is a range at which other .22 centrefires, but at shorter ranges it might easily be the other way around. In accuracy, among the cartridges some have named, there is probably more difference between individual rifles than there is between chambering. But the .222 is inferior to none of them, and in a bolt action rifle there is no reason to go for anything rimmed.

The only real decision to be made is .222 or .223. There is no question about quick and easy availability of brass being better for the .223, but I can't see .222 ever disappearing from the market altogether. I don't see a significant accuracy advantage for the .222 when both are handloaded to the same standard with jacketed bullets. But if you plan much use of cast, the longer neck of the .222 is worth having, and the increased powder capacity of the .223 isn't.

Mike in Reedley

01-19-2016, 05:10 PM

[QUOTE A couple of issues to be aware of on the Sako or M16 extractions on Remington bolts. One issue is the modified bolt doesn't handle gas as well. The other issue is the higher ejection angle causing the cases to hit the scope depending on shape and ring height. Cost for the install normally runs $125 to $175./QUOTE]

Mine was a custom build .284 ultralight built by a local shop called Acculight Rifles. I had a Leupold 3 x 9 on it in low Redfield mounts and shot Hornaday 154 grains out of it at max velocity. I never had a case rupture or had brass hit the scope. I guess I was lucky.

tward

01-19-2016, 05:20 PM

I had a Remington 788 in 222, what a one hole wonder! Used 19.3 gr of 4198 with a Hornady 55 gr super explosive. Chose the 222 over the 22-250 because I could reload it more economically. Good luck, Tim:bigsmyl2:

labradigger1

01-19-2016, 06:39 PM

Sold mine years ago and still regret it. Very accurate, you can keep the target in the scope after firing to see poi, nice long cast friendly neck and 223 brass is easily converted into 222.
As said earlier the tripple deuce held bench rest records until the 2 ppc cartridges arrived.

oldcanadice

01-19-2016, 07:25 PM

BigEyeBob

01-19-2016, 08:44 PM

I have a Martini actioned 222Rimmed , it has a heavy barrel and it's a tack driver .Has the same ballistics as the standard 222 Remington
I use a couple of big name projectiles , like the Remington and Speer 50gn projectiles . Its dynamite on feral dogs , small pigs and wallabys .
I bought 1000 x 50g Hornady Zmax projectiles on sale just a short while back and will try those out soon.
I cant recommend the 222Remington highly enough

southpaw

01-19-2016, 09:10 PM

I have a 722 in 222. Great gun. Shoots bullets and boolits very well. If the price is right you should get it, you won't regret it. You regret the ones that you don't buy more than the ones you get that need some unexpected work.

Jerry Jr.

leeggen

01-19-2016, 10:39 PM

Dad had one when I was a young brat. We kids could shoot that thing with no regrets. Dad sold it after about 6 yrs of ownership. 50yrs later he still regrets selling it, except he sold it for more than it cast him and at the time money was needed. Great guns, if I had better hunting for yotes I would have one. Cheap to reload for and easy to shoot an older person would not mind it a bit.
CD

M-Tecs

01-19-2016, 11:51 PM

Oh, please on the rem-bolt/Saco extractor thing.

That was a standard configuration on Rem 700 based bench rest rifles in the 70's into the 80's. 22 BR's and 22/6mm PPC's commonly were loaded to 65000psi+ pressures in match loads for them -- sometimes so high that a case could only be used ONCE.

Whatever else might be going on, the extractor configuration is not an issue.

I stopped doing these installs after a fellow High Power shooter blew one on his right hand 700 action modified to a left hand bolt (not my work). This was during a high power match. The previous round was a ten or X. Next round blew the Sako extractor into the right lens of his polycarbonate shooting glass. It stuck in the lens. These lens will stop a 22 RF. I had a picture of it but I lost it in a hard drive failure.

Read post #6. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/gunsmithing/sako-extractor-rem-700-bolt-194240/

Again post #6 http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?62316-Sako-extractor-questions

post # 4 http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?50710-Sako-vs-Remminton-Extractor

Don't agree this all of it but some good points in post #10 http://www.sniperforums.com/forum/rifles/4795-remington-700-question.html

Again post #6 http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f37/sako-extractor-66223/

The post #6 above is Chad Dixon http://www.longriflesinc.com/contact.html former US Palma team gunsmith and builder of rifles that have won major int’l and national level competitions in Smallbore, Smallbore Silhouette, High Power, and Long Range Palma disciplines. Never met him put I have seen his work. Alan Warner and Chad Dixon are who I refer builds to if I don't have time.

BAGTIC

01-20-2016, 01:39 AM

I have been shooting my SAKO L46 for 60 years. It will take coyotes at 250 yards. I use the Sierra 50 grain 'Blitz' for ground squirrels and other critters that need fast expansion and the 50 grain SP for everything else but deer. Load is 19.7 grain of IMR 4198 at about 3200 fps.. For deer the Sierra 63 grain semi-point works best at short ranges with 19.1 grain IMR 4198 at about 2900 fps.

Ballistics in Scotland

01-20-2016, 01:44 PM

[QUOTE=labradigger1;3512030]Veiry accurate, you can keep the target in the scope after firing to see poi, QUOTE]

This is an advantage well worth mentioning. Even if an animal in undergrowth doesn't need a second shot, it can be very useful to see whether it goes straight down'tn, or which way it moves.

Clearly there are some deer, or deer in some circumstances, which shouldn't be shot with the .222. But in the UK some of our most interesting shooting is offered by the roe deer, which are numerous and particularly good to eat, but is only greyhound-sized. There are legal requirements for velocity etc., differing in Scotland and England, and the .222 makes it comfortably in both. I don't believe many people have found it unsuitable.

skeettx

01-20-2016, 02:45 PM

I have an original 26" factory barreled Remington 722, in 222
20.5 grains of old 4198 and a Hornady 50 grain SX bullet will shoot way under an inch
and is deadly on varmints.
I really line mine
Mike

atr

01-21-2016, 01:41 PM

I'm having a heck of a time deciding...I have found a couple of good Sako's and several 722's. I like that 26 inch barrel of the 722, but I like the action of the Sako better than the action of the 722.
thanks for your thoughts thus far,,,You guys have given me a lot of good input.
atr

rosst

01-21-2016, 05:06 PM

grab a Sako in .222 . . fantastic little rifles that every shooter should own or get to carry and use in the field, they're just old school master craftsmanship in handling/design and build quality.

sundog

01-21-2016, 05:14 PM

I have personal experience with a Sako. Great gun.

rking22

01-21-2016, 05:38 PM

I have a very nice Sako L46 in 222,, I traded my 20 inch Rem 722 -222Rem for the Sako!! I like Remingtons (old ones any way) and I don't miss the 722 at all :)
Can't go wrong with a L46 or Vixen, they shoot amazing, and are very elegant all the while.

Don Fischer

01-21-2016, 06:12 PM

I had a 788 in 222 many years ago. As I recall, it thrived on 52gr SMK and 50gr SX Hornady's. Most accurate gun I ever owned!

lotech

01-22-2016, 05:51 PM

I have a couple of Sako L46s and one L461 .222s, but my first .222 was a 722 Rem. All these rifles shoot very well. I have tried many, many jacketed bullets ranging in weight from 40 - 60 grains. Some will come close to or possibly equal the accuracy of the Sierra 50 grain Blitz, but I don't recall any shooting better than the Blitz.

I read an article by the late Bob Hagel years ago where he reported that 50 grain bullets generally had an accuracy edge on heavier bullets not only in the .222 but in other .22s (including the .22-250 Rem. and Swift) that had a 1 in 14" twist. I was skeptical of this and did some limited testing of my own. Generally, I have to agree with Hagel's conclusion. It's hair-splitting, of course, and it takes an accurate rifle to see a measurable difference, but it's often there. I generally use Reloder 7 powder (probably not the best choice for top velocity), but many other powders are about as good and may be better in some rifles. Other top choices include H322, IMR4198, IMR4895, IMR4064.

The only cast bullet I've ever tried in a .222 was cast in the the Lyman flat nose gas check mould (don't remember the number); weighs around 50 grains. As of yet, I don't recall trying it in the Remington but it shot very well in one of the Sako's at around 2,200 - 2,300 fps.

atr

01-22-2016, 09:25 PM

done deal...I settled on a nice Remington model 722. :D

nekshot

01-22-2016, 09:54 PM

you won't regret that move!

izzyjoe

01-22-2016, 11:06 PM

I picked up a 722/ 222 a few years back in a gun shop, it's an accurate rifle you won't regret it!

Sam Casey

01-25-2016, 04:15 PM

I have a Sako; love the 222 round. If I came across a nice Remington at a fair price I wouldn't hesitate either. You are in for a lot of fun.

BAGTIC

01-25-2016, 05:55 PM

First rifle I ever owned was a SAKO L46 .222. Still my favorite gun. It is a lightweight easy to carry gun. My slightly small hands wrap completely around the action. It was the first gun I ever loaded for. 19.7 gr IMR 4198 and a Sierra 50 gr. 'Blitz'. These were for ground squirrels, crows, etc. Took it to the local police range on 'public day' and fired three shots at 100 yards using the little nonadjustable 2 position peep if came with. All three touched. That was 1955. I still use same load. With 19.1 gr IMR 4198 and the 63 gr. Sierra semi-spritzer it killed black tailed deer easily with one shot.

white eagle

01-27-2016, 10:11 AM

I have a pristine Remington Classic in 222 Rem.
bought it on gun broker for more than I should have paid
but what the heck
its a great cartridge and one my father had high praise for
I see why now...enjoy

KCSO

01-27-2016, 10:38 AM

Had one and it was the BEST varmint gun I ever owned! Trading up to a 223 was the worst mistake I ever made. And as to 722 extractors I have replaced ONE in this shop in the last 30 years.

Houndog

01-27-2016, 04:58 PM

I've got a 222 built on a accurized 700 action with a Shilen select match barrel, chambered with a Hendricson .250 neck match reamer,Jewel trigger and set in a straight grained BDL stock. It will be the absolute last gun I would sell! Groups in the sub .250 range are very common with 52 match bullets and 4198. For varminting I use a 50 grain Sierra blitz bullet and 21 gr IMR 4198. It has a longer than normal throat that allows the stiffer powder charge.

barney67

01-29-2016, 11:36 AM

I have a Vixen in 222 Mag, what a sweet little rifle.

Four Fingers of Death

02-06-2016, 12:59 AM

I have a 788 in 222 and it is a treat to shoot, very accurate. Don't lose the bolt or the mag! I also have a Ruger American Compact in 223 and apart from the 1 in 8" twist is a brilliant rifle and it cost me about the same as a decent 788 would. Mags are easily available as well. Just a thought.

I also have a 222/20 Ga Deluxe Savage Combo. It is pretty acccurate, but the trigger is awful and not really fixable, so it doesn't get much use.

I have two 338WM Ruger No1s and am tempted to rebarrel the 1B to 222. That would be a machine with the 26" barrel.

I had a couple of 222s as a young bloke and the 223s wern't as available and all I wanted in life was a 223. Now 223s are like bums, everyone has one. I didn't really appreciate the 222s until they were gone.

atr

02-06-2016, 11:48 AM

The rifle arrived and I mounted a Leupold 12 power scope on it. I loaded up some 40 and 50 grain J's (alas no casting blocks for this caliber yet) and took the rifle out to the range yesterday. What a fun caliber to shoot ! I had it zeroed after 6 rounds and at 100 yds it was shooting MOA.
You guys were recommending IMR4198, so that's the powder I'm using. 20 grains seems to be a comfortable load for both weights of bullets.
Next, I need to get some casting blocks for this caliber.