What is your favorite 22 cartridge?

[single shot jimmy]

Have a ruger #3 in 22-250. Wanting something different. Thinking maybe 218 bee or something else in between 22 hornet and 22-250. Have both of those calibers in ruger m77s.
The #3 has a heavy 26" stainless barrel. Will mainly shoot boolits. Going to set back 2" and rechamber. What would you do?

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/20140502_190915_zpsuxej9tp1.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/jimdgreat1/media/20140502_190915_zpsuxej9tp1.jpg.html)

[1Shirt]

Depends on what you are going to shoot with it! If p-dogs, 222, 223, or leave it alone as a 22-250. I am partial to my K-Hornet in a #3 Ruger for what ever it is worth.
1Shirt!

[Bullshop Junior]

22/250 is my favorite.

[Larry Gibson]

So what's wrong with the 22-250 with cast?

I've had a #3 Ruger in 22 Hornet since the mid '70s and have just about shot the barrel out. I will probably have it rebarrel to 22 Hornet but with a 14" twist this time. If your #1 has a 14" twist and you want a smaller capacity cartridge I would go with the .222 Remington with a "tight neck" chamber. That twist with the longer neck of the .222 would make it and excellent cast and jacketed bullet rifle. You already have the rimless case extractor which can be modified to fit the smaller case head.

Larry Gibson

[WallyM3]

.22-250

[3leggedturtle]

Its hard to decide between 222 or 223. Its really to bad the 5.6x53mm brass in both rimmed and rimless isn't easily available

[Bullshop]

221 fire ball with 1/14" twist

[country gent]

I have a martini cadet in 218 bee that is a real dream to shoot and carry. Case capacity would be great for cast boolets on the down side brass is one they only run a few times a year and isnt always available. But once you have a supply thats not as big an issue.

[chsparkman]

I love my #3 in .223. I'll never run out of available brass and it shoots boolits wonderfully. The 22-250 could probably be loaded to act like any other .22 out there, so why not experiment before you decide?

[single shot jimmy]

Rifle was originally a 223. Still have the original barrel. It could eventually go back to stock.

I should probably leave it as is. Surprised there isn't more 218 Bee love flying around. It is a cute little cartridge.

[Bullshop Junior]

Rifle was originally a 223. Still have the original barrel. It could eventually go back to stock.

I should probably leave it as is. Surprised there isn't more 218 Bee love flying around. It is a cute little cartridge.

Its a great cartridge, but brass in a problem. 221, 222 and 223 brass is easy to get/make.

[Bullshop]

The 218 is perfectly suited for cast boolits but the brass is the thing. My choice of the 221 stays with the small case but the brass is not a problem. I built my 221 about 4 years ago and have never bought brass for it, NEVER! I find enough 223's lying about to keep me in plenty of 221 brass. Performance wise the 221 will slightly out do the 218.
I have done some fine cast boolit shooting with 22/250 and 223 but the 221 is the most consistent with cast and easiest to develop loads for. I have tried numerous Hornet rifles but none gave the consistency of the 221.

[kenyerian]

Hard to beat the old 222 Remington for accuracy.

[TCFAN]

I have always been partial to the 222.A few months back I found in a flea market 150 new unprimed 218 Bee brass with a set of loading dies and a Redding neck size die. Everything I needed except something to shoot them in.
So I ordered a 218 barrel from MGM for my T/C Encore.I have been shooting it now for a little while and to say I am impressed in how well it shoots cast boolits would be a understatement.
The 218 is a great cast boolit cartridge if you can find brass.........Terry

[Mk42gunner]

I have a soft spot in my heart (or is that head?) for the Hornet. It is quiet and gets the job done.

My all time favorite cf .22 is the .222 Remington. Again it is fairly quiet, and I have never had one that wasn't accurate.

Nothing wrong with the .22-250 for those longish range shots, plus I think it handles coyotes better than the smaller cases (with jacketed bullets).

These days, if I was building a light carbine type rifle, I think I would go with Dan's recommendation of the .221 Fireball. With your #3, given its barrel I think I would go with the .222.

Robert

[Changeling]

Well you already have the high speed .22 market fairly well covered with 22-250, BUT, if it was me I would build anothere rifle based on the 22-BR Remington or the 6mm-BR Remington (my preference) use Lapua brass and you would have the most accurate rifle you have ever owned, or likely to own. It's a small case, case lifetime is LONG, powder charges are small, recoil very low!
The accuracy of the 6mm -BR Remington litterally can't be touched out to 600 yards (or more). If you go over to benchrest Central you can read all about this cartridge.

I am getting together the parts now to build one. So far I have the Wood blank, Lilja SS rifle blank, looking for action now.

[floydboy]

I can't get by without my 22-250 for J-words and when I'm wanting to reach out and touch something. My 222 is a dedicated cast gun and gets more use and it's cheap to shoot and most of my varmit shooting is around a 100 yards. Never could get my 22-250 to shoot nearly as accurately as my 222. I've got a 223 the wife uses for cast and J-words. Nothing wrong with it but it's not a 22-250 on the high end and not as accurate as my 222 on the low end.

Floyd

[gnoahhh]

Just to be different, I would consider an R-2 Lovell. Captech (formerly Jamison) makes the brass, a bit spendy but is of excellent quality and will last a long time. Nips along at the heels of the .222.

[nanuk]

... If your #1 has a 14" twist and you want a smaller capacity cartridge I would go with the .222 Remington with a "tight neck" chamber. That twist with the longer neck of the .222 would make it and excellent cast and jacketed bullet rifle. You already have the rimless case extractor which can be modified to fit the smaller case head.

Larry Gibson


I happen to have a reamer with a slightly tighter neck (0.250) but I don't have access to a lathe... and too chicken to freehand a chamber ream yet. but I have a 219Savage that I am hoping is strong enough for a 222Rem.

[Gunslinger1911]

Single shot jimmy,
I also have a 22-250, but a Ruger #1. Want a 22 Hornet. Can't seem to sell the 22-250, haven't seen a 22 hornet #1 in years.

Who were you going to use to set back and rechamber ? Cost ?

[single shot jimmy]

I will do the set back. Have a 9 inch southbend. Cost my time.

Watched a 218 reamer sell on eBay. Didn't bid. Still watching dies. No hurry. May just leave as is.

Need to look into a quick switch barrel conversion.

[Gunslinger1911]

Well darn. lol

[shooterbob]

218 is my all time fav. Prob the most fun to shoot out of all my contenders

[xpaholic]

22 hornet in the contenders, all mine just seem to shoot rimmed cartridges better. 221 fb or 222 rem 1/14 twist bolt guns, have both in rifle and pistol. you didn't mention what twist your 22/250 is. that should be considered along with what boolits you want to use. xp

[AlaskanGuy]

Well, cuz nobody has mentioned it yet.... I will say my 22 jet single shot h&r topper.... Brass is not a problem while Grumpa is alive... His remake of 357 brass into 22 jet is flawless, and the old iron sight 22 jet puts a real smack down on the bunnies around here with the 22 bator boolit... :) or the 45gr noe boolit... Just cant beat it with either boolit....

AG

[MT Chambers]

My fav. is a CPA in .218 Mashburn Bee with Unertl 20X scope, a real tackdriver with J-word bullets, still working on cast loads.

[Finarfin]

243 win.

[rollmyown]

These days the 22 Hornet. Mild report, accurate and cheap. I have not shot cast out of them, but very economical with jacketed anyway.
Plenty of gun for rabbit and wallaby.

I like the idea of a 218 bee also, although I don't own one.

[roverboy]

I like the .223, because I've shot it more. I've had a Savage 110 for 25 years. I do like the .22 Hornet and .22-250 though.

[DHurtig]

I have an old Remington 788 in 222 that has been my go to rifle for 20 years or more. It's not fussy about components. Most loads shoot 3/4", a bad load will shoot 1 1/2". This gun has killed thousands of prairie dogs and dozens of coyotes, fox and badgers.

My other go to gun, especially for a walking around gun is a Contender carbine with a 16 1/2" 22 Hornet barrel. I bought the barrel used and it had been opened up to 22 K hornet by SSK Industries. Just beginning to work on cast bullets for these two. I have cast bullets with a 225438 and a 225415, but have not loaded any as of yet. I'm hoping to have this problem rectified before the summer is out.

Both guns are shooters and I have high hope for shooting cast as well.

[Bogone]

220 swift might as well have the best.

[Lead Fred]

My Ole man shot long distance with a Sako .222 until he got his Remy 22-250 when they first came out.
If I were to ever fall into the 22 cal realm, I'd only go with 22-250.

[gwpercle]

22 Savage Hi-Power. I like odd ball stuff, rimmed cartridges and the obsolete. Cases can be formed from 25-35 Winchester. And would be a neat round to go with that single-shot falling block rifle design. You said you wanted something different and that's what I would do!
Gary

[Alferd Packer]

I would think you could get more all around shooting with a .222.
The long neck just like the 30-30 is perfect for cast and you can form .222 brass from .223 .
The .222 can be downloaded easier than a 22-250 and there are few shots with cast that a .222 can't do almost as well as a 22-250.
I think the .222 is proven to be more accurate than the 22-250.
Of course with jacketed bullets, the 22-250 is out in front, but what will most of your shooting be with? Jacketed or cast?
I would never feel undergunned with a .222 either.

[leadman]

If you decide on a Hornet go to the K-Hornet. Brass stretches much less.
No need to buy a reamer as Reamer Rentals and another company will rent them at a reasonable rate. Just Google rental reamer and they pop up.

[country gent]

I have several 22 center fires all have thier place and use. A 22 hornet old savage, a 218 bee built on a martini cadet action with shilen barrel, A facory ruger #1 in 220 swift a contender in 222 rem, and a AR10 built to 22-250 with 1-7 twist krieger barrel. The all around favorite is the Martinni in 218 bee, light handy rifle. Report is on line with the hornet better performance just a fun handy little rifle. The most accurate is the AR-10 but it was built for true long range shooting with 75-80 grn vld bullets.