.222 Remington

[Big Fella]

I want to start loading for a .222 Reminmton. Just ordered some bullets from Bear Thooth. Any suggestions on what powder to use? Thank you!!!

[Larry Gibson]

Which bullets?

What velocity range?

I always found 4759 and H4895 with dacron fillers to give the best accuacy in the 2000-2300 fps range with 14" twist .222s.

Larry Gibson

[Scrounger]

I want to start loading for a .222 Reminmton. Just ordered some bullets from Bear Thooth. Any suggestions on what powder to use? Thank you!!!

AA2015 or better yet, AA2200 if you can find it.

[TCLouis]

so tell us about your 2200 and 222 Remmie loads.
lb

[NHlever]

I would start with Unique for the lower velocity loads (.22LR+), and then move to Alliant 2400 for Hornet duplication loads. For nothing higher than .22LR loads, I might try 700X, or Red Dot. Both the Lyman reloading manual, and their Cast Bullet Manual have good loads using these powders.

[Larry Gibson]

so tell us about your 2200 and 222 Remmie loads.
lb

If you're asking me; H4895 with a dacron filler in cases formed from .223 military cases. The necks are minimally turned for minimal expansion in the chamber neck. The flash holes were reamed and deburred. The cases were then weighed and sorted to +/- 1 gr. This took about 100 cases to get 50 "selected" cases.

Lyman 225462 cast hard (if I remember correctly I was using old WWs, the harder ones, and linotype in a 3/1 mix), Hornacy GCs seated square, bullet sized in a .228 sizer (basically "as cast") and lubed with Javelina. H4895 was weighed to +/- .1 gr. A 1/2 gr dacron filler was used. Bullet was seated to just slightly engrave on the leade. The GC was not below the case neck. Primers were CCI BRs.

The rifle was a very accurate Remington M788 with 24" barrel having a 14" twist. I had rebedded the action, worked the trigger over to an 18 oz pull and had a T10 Weaver on it. It would group Speers 52 gr Gold Match into .3 -.5" with 5 shot groups. Hornady 50 or 55 gr SXs would go into .5 - .6" at 3150 fps with thrown charges of H335. This was with the "cull" cases. With the 225462 in the "selected" cases it would shoot 1 -1.5" groups at just under 2300 fps and I thumped many a "picket pin" (that's a very small ground squirrel) out to 200 yards. I did have to lightly clean the barrel (bore brush wet with #9 a couple passes and then patch out with 2-3 patches) after every 30 rounds or so to maintain that level of accuracy.

Cases were neck sized in a Lee Loader that was honed out to give .002" neck tension on the bullets. Bullets were seated in a regular RCBS seater with epoxy used in the seater to match the contour of the bullet.

Larry Gibson

[454PB]

so tell us about your 2200 and 222 Remmie loads.
lb

I realize you're addressing Scrounger, but this might be helpful.

Using my home made 55 grain swaged jacketed bullets, I worked up to 3185 fps. in my Savage .222 Remington using 22 gr. of AAC2200 and a CCI 400 primer. Adding another 1/2 grain caused sticky bolt lift in my rifle, so work up with caution!


I started at 18 grains for 2600 fps. and worked up in half grain increments.

[Scrounger]

I wondered about that. I've never owned or loaded a .222, I jumped that step and went to .223. I was just selecting the powder by burning speed and my experience with the .223. It is simple physics, you know...

[hydraulic]

I have an old Remington 722 in .222. My brass is anything used I could find at a gun show; mostly R-P and Win. I use a 310 tool, neck sized only, trim with a Lee hand trimmer, load with a Lee dipper #1.3 which throws AA2200 somewhere in the neighborhood of 21 grains. Any small rifle primer. Old Weaver K10, Hornady 50, 52, or 55 grn bullets, whatever I can find cheap. I have one of those .22 targets with the 10 bulls about the size of a silver dollar. I shot 4 groups of three over the bench and all 4 measured .75 at 100 yds. For several years I shot prarie dogs, weekly, out in Wyoming and it is my belief that you just about can't make a .222 shoot poorly. I still have 3 eight lb. jugs of AA2200. I'll tell the wife to post it on the buy/sell forum when she gets home from the funeral.

[beagle]

Scrounger. I'm using 10.0 grains of WC820 under either a 225415HP or a 22-55-SP HP in my .222 for good accuracy. Runs about 2,000 FPS (I'm estimating here) and is a very pleasant shooting and accurate load and does blackbirds in right now./beagle

[SCIBUL]

Hello all !
In France the 222 Remington is a very common caliber because it is free to buy and own with a hunting or a shooting licence. I have an old SAKO S-491 Sporter that shoot from well to exceptional with 50, 52, 53 & 55grs bullets. In this rifle I use CCI 200 primers, WW cases and Vectan SP7 powder (pherical and very flexible powder). I shot thie little chevreuil twoo weecks ago with the rifle while I was varminting nutria...

[454PB]

SCIBUL, is it tough seating those CCI 200 primers?

My .222 brass takes CCI 400 small rifle primers.

[David R]

I use a .228 unsized boolit about 50 grains from a Lyman mold. I anneal the gas checks and just press them on. 2 coats of Lee Liquid Ear Wax. Shoots 10 shots about 1.5" @ 50 yards. After that accuracy goes totally south. . . maybe 8" @ 100 yards, But I don't care. The 222 is over top a 20 guage. Savage model 24 with receiver site. . . My meat gun.

I don't remember the velocity, but its close to what is listed in the book.

[SCIBUL]

454 PB
I confirm it's very HARD [smilie=1:. This must be the result of a very hard day of reloading... :mrgreen:

[Cheshire Dave]

I'm starting to load for my .222 and a couple of .223 and a 22-250. Should I get a .225 sizer so that I have a better chance of them working in all the different guns? I figure bigger is better. Any advice?

[454PB]

Every gun is different, but I can tell you that all my .22's shoot .225" well.

[Houndog]

I have a custom built rifle in 222 and shoot 21GR 4198 in Winchester cases with Winchester primers with a 50 gr flat base Jword hollowpoint bullet I make. It groups around .250 at 100 yards fairly easy and is my favorite groundhog rifle for 250 yards and under.

[Cheshire Dave]

Thanks for the info. I have used dacron filler in my 45-70 I fill the case completly. Any thing to worry about with bottle necked cases like the .222?

[SCIBUL]

I use filler for all calibers but not for .22. The triple deuce doesn't need IMO.

[1Shirt]

2400 and 4895. However am playing with 3 gr. Trail Boss to see if I can develop a tree rat load right now. Havent been able to get to the range with it however.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Larry Gibson]

Thanks for the info. I have used dacron filler in my 45-70 I fill the case completly. Any thing to worry about with bottle necked cases like the .222?

Nothing to worry about at all if you are using one of the medium burning powders like 4895. Also make sure the dacron is a "filler" and not a wad. A 1/2 gr chunk of dacron does the trick for me. A short section of clothes hanger wire is what I use to stuff it into the case. I just stuff it far enough so all is inside the case mouth. I let the bullet push it the rest of the way down.

Larry Gibson

[joedapro]

6.5 grains of unique with the rcbs 55 grain cast bullet.

[kyle623]

I didnt know you could form 223 brass into 222. do you fire form it or use a sizing die and trim?

[454PB]

It's easy.....size and trim.

[crowbeaner]

Cast Lyman 225415 over 9.0 of WW 630 or 10 grains of 2400.
50 grain Speer J bullet over 21.0 of RL7, WW brass, and RP 7 1/2.
52 grain Speer HP over 24.0 of BLC2, CCI 400, WW brass.