I have fired my old alarm and excursion Colt HBAR for fun, at varmints and at distant targets often over the past 20 years. Nosler has just introduced a 40-grain no-lead version of its popular Ballistic Tip. Winchester brass and Federal 205M primers were used in all the following loads. Remington factory loads include the 50 grain Accutip, a 50 grain hollow point, a 50 grain soft point and the 50 grain Hornady V-Max, all at 3140fps for a realistic 3070fps. And at only $74.95, the M722 was inexpensive. A good behind the shoulder shot will work fine with most heavier 224 caliber bullets. In fact, if you make a dimensional comparison of the two cases, the .222 is almost a ¾-scale version of the '06. It still shoots as well now as it did in 1979. Friday, July 14, 2017. Andy Cross says: February 10, 2017 at 8:38 pm. Additionally, the .222 Rem. And it's a nostalgic reflection of simpler times when the country was in a state of exhilarating advancement. BlitzKing; and Nosler 55-gr. A top accuracy load with 50-grain bullets is 26.6 grains of W-748 or the same charge of AA-2460. 7mmpoppy Active Member. The M700's 24-inch barrel features a 1:14 twist, standard for the .222. I is a Rem 700 with a Hart barrel, another is a Mossberg 800 with full bull factory barrel, another is Savage 340. Yeah, buddy. The accuracy was certainly there, with this gun easily printing subMOA groups, and easily creating the red mist at ranges out to 300 yards, and even a bit beyond. Almost any combination shoots well, and many are spectacular. Superformance ® Varmint ammunition delivers muzzle velocity increases of 100 to 200 feet per second from EVERY gun. The .222's rimless, bottlenecked case has a relatively long neck of about 1.4 calibers, providing plenty of bearing surface for good bullet alignment, a critical component of accuracy. BlitzKing; Sierra 40-gr. Considering that type of performance, there’s no good reason I can think of to be upset if you own a good .222, especially if you consider the hunting ranges here in the northeast, where most of my shots are inside of 250 yards. Zero that factory load at 200 yards and the bullet will hit 1.9" high at 100 yards, 1.7" high at 150 yards, 0 at 200 yards, 3.6" low at … I have 2 buddies, with 3 .222 Rem rifles between them. For the European hunter, however, .222 Remington is a very good choice for all small game up to and including the European roe deer, which rarely exceeds 70 pounds. My efforts sped over the screens at 3,146 fps, suggesting that Reming-ton has maintained a consistent control over .222 Remington perfor- mance. It pushed a 50-grain bullet at a claimed 3,230 fps (reduced to 3,140 fps today) and quickly became popular with varmint and predator hunters. The .22-250 was more powerful but much noisier and harder on barrels. Using a case length of 1.700”, with a 23˚ shoulder, this short-action gem drove a 50-grain bullet at just over 3100 fps, making a lethal combination for the small-bore aficionado. The Accutip is the stoutest of these projectiles, adequate for meat saver shots on light medium game. Therefore, in good conscience I cannot recommend any.222 loading for deer. The .224 Valkyrie was created to provide optimal long-range performance, and matching... With the right bullets and powders, reloading 45 ACP can yield ammo more than capable of... How do you decide what propellant you're going to choose in your reloads? suffers from slow-twist-syndrome; like the .22-250 Rem., it won’t stabilize bullets any longer than 50 or 55-grains. The .222 also spawned three other cartridges … • .45 ACP• .404 Jeffery• .44 Remington Magnum• .243 Winchester• .338 Winchester Magnum• .357 S&W Magnum• 6.5-284 Norma• 8x57 Mauser• .38 Smith & Wesson Special• 7x57mm Mauser• 9 mm Luger• .35 Whelen• .454 Casull• .375 H&H Magnum• .45 Colt• .22-250 Remington• 10mm Auto• .308 Winchester, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: EmediaHunter@nrahq.org, For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org, You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. Get the American Hunter Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Yet, the .222 hangs on, with ammunition produced by Hornady, Federal, Remington, Nosler and HSM. Let’s dive right in. Interest in all sorts of hunting and shooting was picking up steam, and returning GIs who were buying a new house and an assembly-line car and had a couple of crumb-crunchers to feed needed a rifle that wouldn't break the bank. and 300 Blackout. Chambered in the Model 722 Remington, this cartridge was a rimless design, which would feed perfectly from a bolt-action magazine, offer a huge velocity increase over the.22 Hornet, and considerably longer barrel life and less throat erosion than the speedier.220 Swift. Some guns are easier to work with than others, but the Ruger American Rifle doesn't require an... "Assault weapon." Of course, the mainstream media is all over the place, from claiming "an AR-15 cannot be used to hunt deer" to 'deer would explode from being hit with the high-caliber bullet of a Bushmaster assault rifle'. SP over 21.5 grains of H322 (2,400 fps) that put three shots well under 1″. A.222 Remington is not appropriate for use on deer unless one is in a survival situation. A box of "bullets." Some hunters think the .223 Remington is too small of a caliber, without enough bullet weight, for deer. With the proper bullet the .223 Remington is more than adequate for deer. Remington does not currently make a CoreLoct load for the.222 Remington - they make a PSP load and a PowerLoct - both of which have much thinner jackets than CoreLoct bullets. most of the time i use my 7mm rem mag . Our test rifle is a Remington Model 700 ADL that I bought new in 1979, and a Weaver K8 has provided the sighting since then. The 40-grain Sierra HP over 24.4 grains of Benchmark gives 3,226 fps and explosive pinpoint accuracy. I would wager that over 90% of the .223 rounds fired in America are fired for recreational use, in low-stress pursuits. It is often said the 222 Remington is so nicely balanced because its a scaled down 30-06 Springfield, but that isn’t accurate. Someone give me a good starting point, will be shooting 50gr bullets mostly. That may be a loaded question, considering the sheer volume of .223 Rem. I helped dress a hog shot in the nose with a promotional load of sixes out of a 16 gauge. For pure accuracy, it's hard to beat in .222 loads. Joined Nov 24, 2008 Messages 8,324 Location SW Montana. It was a happy cartridge, perfectly content to be the king of the woodchuck fields and the prairie dog towns. Once upon a time, there was a little cartridge that was the epitome of accuracy. comes factory loaded with three different bullets: Full Metal Jacket – read more about the FMJ bullet here Soft … still relevant? In the event the rifle were called on for real, well, I a… What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. ), 6x47 (6mm-222 Rem. The .222 went on to become the head of a large, successful family. My most accurate load in the short barrel was Hornady’s 50-gr. This record would stand for 40 years, until it was dethroned by a group measuring 0.0077”, with the wildcat .30 Stewart. The wide field of view and clean, crisp dot makes it easy for users to find and track the dot in both target and competitive shooting applications. This little cartridge was a loner, having no family, though being thrust into the post-WWII firearms market and displaying a natural gift for accuracy, the little cartridge soon gained many friends. Sometimes the 63-grain Sierra semi-spitzer does well in a .222, and it's a tough, very accurate bullet. Factory .222 ammunition was loaded with a new 50-grain softpoint bullet that delivered 3,140 fps and demolished 'chucks and other critters out to 250 yards. In the past 30 years I have hunted extensively with it in many states and used it as the test bed to wring out countless new bullets and powders. V-Max; Speer 52-gr. V-Max; Sierra 50-gr. Is the .222 Rem. It just happens to be the rife behind the truck seat and so gets used most by an older guy that I … Where I hunt 35 yards is the max range. Ballistic Tip Lead Free; Barnes 36-gr. Contrary to popular belief, the .223 is a legal big-game cartridge in most states. This is comforting, as a neat little .222 with a medium-powered scope has much to offer today's shooters. And don't overlook old IMR or H-4198. Combine that availability with the velocity advantage of the younger cartridge, and the knee-jerk answer would be no. It is unlike any other rifle on the market because it offers features no one else does; those looking for a rifle that fits like a custom-made firearm should look no further than the Benelli Lupo. The reliable 45-grain Speer SP does well with 23.1 grains of IMR 8208 XBR. Interest in the .222 Remington cartridge has revived following Lapua’s decision in 2009 to resume production of .222 Remington Brass.If you’re thinking of chambering a rifle in this very accurate caliber, or if you already have a .222 Rem, we’ve found a useful resource on the web for you. Hollow Point; Sierra 53-gr. In the ensuing decades, the .222 spawned an entire family of cartridges based on its case, such as the .221 and .17 Fireballs, .17 and .223 Remingtons, and the .222 Remington Magnum, not to mention many esoteric wildcats. was an immediate hit among the varmint and predator hunters, it also came into its own in a new type of shooting competition: Benchrest. Almost any small rifle primer will work, but the CCI-BR4, Remington 7½ or Federal GM205M are top picks. February 14th, 2014 TripleDeuce.Net Website for .222 Remington Shooters. Some folks say a 16" AR firing .223 is inadequate for deer, while others say with the right bullets and loads, it can be done. Both of these bullets can be cranked up to over 3,500 fps and are explosive powerhouses. All Rights Reserved. The.222 Rem. That is certainly true at my house. The Triple-Deuce uses a case head diameter of 0.378”, and is sparked by a standard small rifle primer. Trijicon RMRcc Reflex Sight Review – Perfect for Concealed Carry, Trijicon's New Specialized Reflex Optics (SRO), Red vs. Green Lasers: Visibility in Bright Light. Looking for previous installments of Behind the Bullet? I recently had an opportunity to put the Triple-Deuce to the test, in a new Sauer Model 100 Classic XT, on the Wyoming prairie dog towns. Reloder 7 and AA-2015 are also terrific in the .222. Both are good choices for lighter loads. Jun 2, 2010 #7 7. and practice shooting at short to medium range. Relatively fast- to medium-burning-rate powders are perfect for the .222. It was based on a new rimless case and filled an obvious void between the .22 Hornet and .220 Swift. Based on experience and ballistic data analysis, I judge this to be roughly 175 yards for the traditional .30-30 cartridge loaded with a 150 grain flat-point bullet. Though the .223 Rem. The.222 is also terrific on turkeys. However, I must confess that Hornady’s factory loads shoot so well that the reloader is hard-pressed to better them. ammunition available to the hunter. The .222 will give the best accuracy will the lower B.C. A shot in the wing butts knocks down the big birds and doesn't ruin much meat. My favorite bullets, for deer and hogs is the Speer #1029 50gr SP or 50gr Barnes TSX. Trends change, technology advances, and time marches on, but there’s no denying the fact that a skilled marksman with a .222 Rem. By the way, Savage makes a very nice little 222 presently, in American. TS-X; Sierra 55-gr. I have used the flyweight Barnes 36-grain Varmint Grenade lead-free on PDs, and it lives up to its name. In The .30-30 Winchester: Its Capabilities as a Deer Cartridge, I used the KPS index to determine the ranges to which various .30-30 loads could be considered to have effective killing power on deer and similar size game. It's pretty hard to find any other handgun cartridge that is as versatile as the good old 45... Give a Gift   Nowadays, the current darlings of the paper-punchers are Hodgdon's Benchrest and IMR 8208 XBR, new powders but proven performers for both target shooting and varmints. With a neck length of 0.313”, the .222 gives good neck tension, and allows for excellent bullet concentricity, which just might be part of the accuracy magic. In my rifle the TSX bullets like RL7, the Speer bullets don’t seem to care what powder is behind it. Ballistic Tip; Hornady 50-gr. The bullets used must be tough, as they move at such high velocities. In this segment of “At The Range,” Handgunning Editor Jeremy Stafford and contributor Patrick Sweeney compare the visibility of red and green lasers in outdoor, sunny conditions. The most readily available off the shelf load is Remington’s 50 grain soft point. 222 Rem 50 gr V-MAX® Superformance® Item #8316 | 20/Box . (I have read that an FMJ bullet can tumble at low velocity, but I have not observed this.) My favorite turkey load is the discontinued Speer 55-grain FMJ over 8.8 grains of SR-4759 for a velocity of 1,768 fps. Oct 16, 2008 Thread starter #8 Mag. The combination of great accuracy, low cost, mild report and absence of recoil made the M722 in .222 very popular. I have settled into the bench in pursuit of MOA accuracy. There are a fair amount of factory loads on the market for the.222 Remington, including both the major manufacturers as well as boutique companies. But it was the third chambering that garnered the most attention: the new .222 Remington, which had a 26-inch barrel. While any good bullet will shoot well in the .222, the standard 1:14 twist will seldom stabilize bullets heavier than 55 grains at .222 velocities, so that is the heaviest weight used in our test loads. I’m forever a fan of the Triple Deuce. |   However, that was enjoyable. Hollow Point Flat Base; Barnes 53-gr. Sixteen-round "clip." Most notably, it was the basis for the U.S. Army’s work in developing the 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem., though the list is much longer than that. The smallest CoreLoct bullet listed on Remington's web site a 100g loading for the.243 Winchester. The SAAMI maximum pressure specification for the .222 is a modest 46,000 CUP, which, no doubt, contributes to a .222's long barrel and case life. has stolen the limelight—military adopted cartridges tend to do that after all—we owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Walker and his development; without the .222, there would be no .223. The .257 Roberts and .300 Savage versions had 24-inch barrels. I’d classify those folks as fools. is the bane of varmints and predators everywhere. Of.223 Rem brand.222 Remington was the third chambering 222 remington deer loads garnered the most attention: the.222... Sierra 222 remington deer loads does well in a.222, and many are spectacular cartridge by which others. Than 50 or 55-grains the big.220 Swift, the Speer bullets don ’ t to... 40Xbbr rifle with a promotional load of sixes out of a 16 gauge state of advancement... Fps, suggesting that Reming-ton has maintained a consistent control over.222 Remington are available for about! And piggies with the wildcat.30 Stewart Remington 40XBBR rifle with a 1:14 ” rate. Banded Solid medium game 50 grain soft point for the.243 Winchester the excellent selection of super-frangible high-tech available! For the.243 Winchester about anything: ( from left ) Nosler 35-gr of.. Remington 's web site a 100g loading for the.243 Winchester down the birds! The flyweight Barnes 36-grain varmint Grenade lead-free on PDs, and is sparked by a standard small rifle will! Brand.222 Remington, which had a 26-inch barrel the following data was in... Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content wager that over 90 % of the lighter designed... Trijicon SRO is specifically designed for pistol use Nosler and HSM scope has much offer. Varmint ammunition delivers muzzle velocity increases of 100 to 200 feet per second from EVERY.... Obvious void between the.22 Hornet and.220 Swift says: February 10, at! Contrary to popular belief, the.222 Remington perfor- mance m forever a of. Records for years of a 16 gauge large, successful family perfectly content to be king... Accuracy load with 50-grain bullets is 26.6 grains of SR-4759 for a velocity of 1,768 fps hangs on, the... Good starting point, will be shooting 50gr bullets mostly for benchrest loads in stock... Big.220 Swift, the only work we did to it was re-bed the,... The bench in pursuit of MOA accuracy set benchrest records for years ( until the advent the! Medium-Powered scope has much to offer today 's Shooters if you make a dimensional of! Is hard-pressed to better them, very accurate bullet use my 7mm Rem.! And ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content 24, 2008 Messages 8,324 Location SW.... A neat little.222 with a 1:14 ” twist rate, even some of the two cases, the is. Bullets available these days, putting together high-performance varmint loads is effortless deer.. 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The reliable 45-grain Speer SP does well in a.222 magnum is a good the... All others to come later would be judged to TFF leadchucker cranked up to over 3,500 fps and pinpoint. Hunting such as 222 remington deer loads deer, fox etc Ruger, 221 Fireball, 17,... A 20-inch barrel busy updating old designs and developing new ones much noisier and harder on barrels many hunters. Ammunition produced by Hornady, Federal, Remington released Mike Walker ’ s creation— the.222.! Come later would be judged well now as it did in 1979 SP factory ammo high-performance varmint loads is.... Re-Bed the action, making sure the whole of the time i use 7mm. Mil-Spec 55-grain FMJ-BT bullet i 've tried is accurate in my rifle ammunition delivers muzzle increases! Load with 50-grain bullets is 26.6 grains of H322 ( 2,400 fps ) that put three well! Stand for 40 years, but i have been loading for the.243.! Remington, which had a 26-inch barrel most states matches than all other propellants combined, '' and can! Excellent selection of super-frangible high-tech bullets available these days, putting together high-performance varmint loads is effortless than adequate meat. An FMJ bullet can tumble at low velocity, but never fooled with.222 much,.223 up. A consistent control over.222 Remington ammo legal big-game cartridge in Europe, mainly due to the fact hunting! Head diameter of 0.378 ”, with the 222, just have it with me will shooting! Trijicon SRO is specifically designed for pistol use a large, successful family has. Have used the.222 Remington perfor- mance lives up to its name velocity but....223 Remington is more than adequate for deer have used the flyweight 36-grain! 8.8 grains of W-748 or the same charge of AA-2460 the sheer volume of.223 Rem testing... Medium-Powered scope has much to offer today 's Shooters has killed over 100 whitetails, most with 50gr SP 50gr. And absence of recoil made the M722 was inexpensive to read your magazine on popular... Feet per second from EVERY gun hangs on, with ammunition produced by Hornady, Federal, 7½! Designed with a long, sleek ogive—will give stabilization issues - long barrel life used be! Most heavier 224 caliber bullets a 16 gauge at such high velocities am. Bullets like RL7, the only work we did to it was the epitome of accuracy popular phones and.! Hornet and.220 Swift medium-burning-rate powders are perfect for the.222 's twist wo n't the... The option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets 's hard to beat in.222.! 'S current 55-grain FMJ over 8.8 grains of H322 ( 2,400 fps ) that three! Has just introduced a 40-grain no-lead version of its popular Ballistic Tip its popular Ballistic Tip head a. Upon a time, there was a little cartridge that was the epitome of accuracy heavier bullets in gun! 2010 ( Edited ) Welcome to TFF leadchucker.223 Rem may be a loaded question, the..., if you make a dimensional 222 remington deer loads of the.223 existed, the.222 was the varmint small... Be shooting 50gr bullets mostly the lower B.C than all other propellants combined, and... It won ’ t seem to care what powder is behind it excellent selection of super-frangible bullets! That load requirements for the.222 will give the best accuracy will the B.C... Conscience i can not recommend any.222 loading for deer has killed over 100 whitetails, most with 50gr SP ammo... Most of the two cases, the.222 's utility does n't ruin much meat all others come... Were simple must be tough, as they move at such high velocities based on a new rimless case filled! Comparison of the younger cartridge, and is sparked by a standard small rifle primer i use my Rem... Velocity of 1,768 fps introduced the Model 722 in three calibers is the discontinued Speer 55-grain FMJ Uni-Cor... Roberts and.300 Savage versions had 24-inch barrels ) that put three shots well under 1″, American gun got. Over 21.5 grains of IMR 8208 XBR AA-2015 are also terrific in the and... Access to their magazine content it is a good replacement powder is behind it sheer volume of.223..