Help with mold selection .222

[fred2892]

I have just ordered a new rifle in .222rem with a 1 in 14 twist barrel. Can anyone help me out with mold selection. I have a few noe molds and that would be my first choice of manufacturer. Target shooting at 100-400 yards.
Thanks

[altheating]

NOE 225 55Gr. FN This Boolit shoots well in bothe of my Rem 222's.

[fred2892]

NOE 225 55Gr. FN This Boolit shoots well in bothe of my Rem 222's.

Is that the mx22 or the rcbs 22 055 clone?

[altheating]

The RCBS clone. We were shooting that boolit out to 350 - 400 yards last spring, killing dirt clods in a freshly planted corn field.

[fred2892]

Excellent, thanks for that. Just ordered the last rcbs clone 5 gang mold in stock from noe.
(I wish there was a way to edit the title of this thread. It reads as if I need to get my head straight before choosing a rifle)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Excellent, thanks for that. Just ordered the last rcbs clone 5 gang mold in stock from noe.
(I wish there was a way to edit the title of this thread. It reads as if I need to get my head straight before choosing a rifle)

I also have the RCBS clone by NOE, I've only loaded it in 223 so far though,,,it has shot well in a CZ 527. Also title fixed.

[fred2892]

Also title fixed.

[.22-10-45]

Before you go the custom route..give the SAECO .22 mould a try. I never could get any accuracy from the RCBS .22..long nose unsuported in bore due to being undersize.

[brotherdarrell]

The rcbs shoots OK in my 222, the nato mold does better but the saeco #221 is tops in the 55-60 gr. range. I have also been working with 225107 noe mold and have been getting excellent results up to 2900 fps, though at less than 40 grs. I am not sure how well it will do at the longer ranges

The 4895 powders will be your friend at the higher velocities.

Darrell

[fred2892]

Thanks for your input Darrell. I have a noe 225107 mold which I bought for loading the 297-230 morris round. Do you think it would be OK at the nearer range then, say 100 yards? Could you also suggest a starting point with the 225107 and 4895. I only have one of the older Lyman manuals where the 225107 is paired with the 222 and 4895 isn't listed.
Fred

[brotherdarrell]

I would start around 18-19 grs and work up from there. I have gone as high as 23 grs. With sweet spots being 20 and 22.2 grs. Both give about 1.5" groups in the 2400 & 2900 fps respectively, depending on temps above 50 degrees.

Two things I have done that have made the most difference. I form brass from 223. This allows me to trim brass to fit the chamber. An impact cast will show you how long it really is. You will probably find that factory brass will come well short of the end of the chamber. I fought consistent accuracy for three years until I did this. I would avoid Lee dies for this. They have a vent hole on the shoulder that tends to pick up a brass booger. It doesnt seem to cause any problems but is a little un-sightly.

The second thing was adding a pinch of copper to my alloy. I figure I picked up a couple extra hundred fps by doing this. There is a sticky in the lead and alloy section that covers this real well.

Darrell

[brotherdarrell]

One other thing. Dont be afraid to try small pistol primers.

[fred2892]

Priceless information, thank you Darrell. I look forward to following your advice. I can see the impact cast may be something of a new experience for me as I haven't made one smaller than 30 cal before. Do you have a problem with donuts when forming the .222 from .223?
Edit: How about lube? I use Lars carnuba red on my 30 and 45 cal boolits but I don't believe its been pushed beyond 2700 fps before.

[brotherdarrell]

I haven't ran into any donuts that I know of. As far as the C.R. I have never used it so I can't say one way or the other. Give it a try and see what happens.

Darrell

[TCFAN]

Fred2892
I have used Lars 2500+ lube in my 222 788 Rem with the Lyman Ideal 225415 Hp cast out of Linotype at 2550fps with zero leading and very good accuracy.Never used carnuba red.........Terry

[GabbyM]

NOE 225 55Gr. FN This Boolit shoots well in bothe of my Rem 222's.

Is that the (MX3-22) Egan design?

I have that mold in a 4 cavity and am looking forward to getting a butter tub full cast up this winter for my 222 caliber CZ-527. Had the mold all last summer but no casting. The rifle stabilizes the Lyman #225646 which is pretty long for a 1:14" twist and finishes out at 60 grains from a 3:6 alloy. Been running it right around 2,400 fps with 13.5 and 14.0 grains of XMR-5744 and 24" barrel. Since I have a few very old opened pound cans of various slower powders. Like BL-C2 and 4198. I plan to try them out and get that burned up. This triple deuce has so far happily digested everything I've fed her.

I've considered buying the NOE 37 grain 224107 for shooting over small charges of Unique at 2,200 to 2,400 fps. For economy and pleasant shooting. But just keep to the heavy slugs so I always have a good coyote round. Although the 37 grain would do fine out to a modest range. Grandson shot three yotes dead from his cousins back porch a couple weeks ago with a puny 17 HMR. Proving they are not bullet prof. My old Lyman 45th shows the 225107 from a 26 inch barrel 7.5 grains of Unique (would be the old Unique) at 2,481 fps and 29,400 C.U.P. Sounds pretty fun to me. Would be 933 rounds per pound of powder. That 37 grain boolit would be pretty small trying for your stated 400 yards however. Lyman list it's B.C. at .091. While the #225646 is listed at .155.

[selpaw]

TCFAN: seeing your post reminds me that the 225415HP was my first bullet mould about 57 years ago when I first started casting. I bought linotype from the local paper for ten cents/pound. Sure made beautiful and accurate bullets. I remember the first jackrabbit I shot with it. The bullet didn't exit the jack. Near as I could tell it was probably brittle enough that it just busted into pieces. That bullet always shot great in the two 222s I have owned. You could do worse. selpaw

[GabbyM]

Alert for 222 fans. Powder Valley has Winchester 222 brass in stock. First brass besides Lapua I've seen in a couple years.

I've heard that about Linotype 22 bullets fragging with reliability. Always assumed it is the small SD of a 22 that lets it come apart. Since the larger calibers will general punch through. I haven't cast any straight Lino bullets. Been casting my 22's from foundry 2:6 alloy with 1% tin (lead free solder with very small amount of Cu) added. This winter I'll be testing 1 to 2% RottoMetals #3 Babbit. Which has lots more copper in it. The 3:6 air cooled bullets are already very tough. They do not bow up and actually punch though more trash and steel than one would expect. We mowed down a patch of corn field behind the target board this summer. Those 60 grain boolits at 2400 fps really explode an ear of corn. We placed boards behind water jugs and the booolits punched through the wood after clearing a gallon jug.

[TCFAN]

I have shot several ground hogs at least 30 or so with my 222 and the 225415 HP Ideal mold at 2550fps cast from Linotype..Very few of the boolits exit if the range is more than 50 yards or so. Crow size birds just seem to come apart very nicely.To me it seem like the Linotype boolit comes apart about like a Hornady 50 gr SX.....Terry