222 powder puff loads

[historicfirearms]

I'm picking up a 222 this week. It's a S&W 1500 (Howa) with a heavy varmint barrel. Should be a good shooter.

I'd like to load up some light loads for my kids to shoot and to do some squirrel hunting next fall. I've got the Miha 65 NATO, and am on the group buy for the 75 grain. I'd like to keep velocity to around 1200 fps or so. Any recommendations for loads that have worked good?

I also like that little 38 grain NOE group buy that is going now. I'm thinking a plain base boolit would work fine for these light loads, but have never used a non gas checked boolit in bottle neck rifle. That sure would make for some cheap reloads without the GC.

[catboat]

I have used a 222 Rem reduced load of 12.5 grains H4227 with a 50 grain jacketed bullet. Never chronographed it, but guessing in the 1800-1900 fps range. Accurate in my Rem 788, at less than 1 moa at 100 yards. I used it as a short range load for woodchuck hunting, to serve as a replacement to my 22 magnum Marlin 783 (which I sold). Very mild report.

I used to have a sporter weight SW1500 in 222 Remington. It shot pretty well. I never did much load development for it, but nothing really was over 1.5 moa at 100 yards. I like Howa 1500 actions-well made, and well designed. I sold that rifle 15+ years ago for some trade of some sort. I have a SW1500 in 308 Win, that I plan to hold on to for a long time.

Good luck.

[Doc Highwall]

I have shot a 22 caliber pellet over 1-1.5 grains of bulls eye.

[uscra112]

The .222 is probably a 14 twist, and won't stabilize the 75 grain. Probably not the 65 grain either at cat-sneeze velocities. I don't shoot cast in any .22, but I'd try about 1.5 grains of Clays or VV 310 with your 35 grain boolit. The faster the powder the better for cat-sneeze loads! Use a PISTOL primer, (I prefer Remington 1 1/2), to keep from driving the shoulder on your cases back. If you do get setback, drill your flash holes out to .090" or even .100", (and use those cases only for the powder-puff loads!)

Be cautious - high potential for a squib load that leaves a boolit in the bore.....

[Doc Highwall]

For a 222 Remington they all have a 1-14" twist as far as I know, and a bullet of 55-60 grains max would be your best bet for stabilizing and bearing surface for accuracy.

[historicfirearms]

Thanks for pointing out the twist rate. I had forgotten they are 1:14. I just placed an order for the NOE 38 grain mold. Should make a nice 22 lr power load, and for cheaper than what 22 lr is selling for now.

Side note: we went to an auction yesterday and they had some 22 lr in an ammo can. The auctioneer claimed there were 4000 rounds in there, but I doubted that. This stuff went for $625!