Finally got out to test some loads today, weather wasn't great constant rain but apart from a bit of trouble keeping targets standing I don't think it effected things to much.
Mainly testing some HiTeked loads in my marlin 357 but managed to crohno and shoot a couple of groups with my 222.
Rifle is a S&W 1500, howa manufactured so pretty much the same as a weatherby vangard, has some light pitting in the barrel, with J-word loads it likes, its a 1-1.25moa rifle.
For years I've been using 22magnum projectiles and a light charge of AR2205 to duplicate 22mag performance accuracy with these is around 3moa but they are perfect for shooting bunnys under 100y without destroying them.
Load tested today was
Winchester case
CCI small rifle primer
AR 2205 powder
Lyman 225438 44gr GC boolit, cast COWW + 2%, visually sorted for obvious defects, 2 coats HiTek red copper baked for 10min 200c, gas checked prior to coating and sized to .225 after the second coat.
Oal 2.025"
Cases were FL sizes and I don't own a 22 M die so projectiles seated as I would J-words.
10gr AR2205 averaged 1898fps
10.5gr AR2205 averaged 2019fps
Targets were shot at 50m so by my calculations 2.34moa & 2.90moa, doesn't make the grade I know but equal to or slightly better than the 22mag projectiles at the same velocities in this rifle. I'm more than happy with the results, with a little work I think 2moa is achievable.
Both targets had 4 under 2moa but one opened them up.
Only 4 shots on the 10gr target 5th was just off the bottom measured before pulling the target and the widest measurement was across the 4 visible in the pic.