222 Remington Magnum??

[Greenbug]

Any members here have one or experience with one?

I am getting excited about picking up a new to me 222 Rem Mag in a Sako Vixen tomorrow.
Any personal experience by members here would be appreciated, I.E. loading data, what powders you have tried and or like for this cartridge, etc...

I have a bunch of different 22 caliber bullets to try out in various weights as well as several different powders to try. H322, H335, Varget, H4895, BL-C(2), TAC, AA2520 are some of the powders I have that I think would probably work well in this cartridge. Any recomendations on where to start from experienced loaders of this round would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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[Certaindeaf]

Neat. Sounds like a nice rig. I gather that the .222 Magnum is the parent case of the .204 Ruger so I don't see the brass becoming extinct anytime soon.

 

[Goosebrown]

Very accurate. A friend loves 748 in his and it's a 300 yard tack driver.

 

[Greenbug]

I managed to scrounge up 35 pieces of brass from a friend. Loaded some 50 grain Nosler solid base with 26 grains of H335 and sighted in the Leupold VX-2 3-9x40 I mounted on it. It didn't really care for that load too much as it grouped about 2 inches or so, but it was good enough to get the scope sighted in. After the first range trip I loaded up 35 rounds of Nosler 52 grain custom competition HPBT's with 7 different powders. I'll take that out to the range next week and see if any of those loads show better accuracy. Right now I don't have the 222 Rem Mag dies yet so I am using a generic Hornady neck sizing die and a competition seating die from a 223 to make my loads. I should be getting a die set and 100 rounds loaded ammo from the guy I bought the gun from later this week. It is a pretty little rifle, hopefully I can find something it likes to eat...

 

[Greenbug]

Neat. Sounds like a nice rig. I gather that the .222 Magnum is the parent case of the .204 Ruger so I don't see the brass becoming extinct anytime soon.

I do have quite a bit of 204 brass, but I also have a 204 rifle as well. I wanted to avoid using brass with the 204 head stamp for the 222 Mag because I have rifles in both calibers and don't want to get them confused and have any 204 ammo making it's way into my 222 Mag chamber...

But if it comes to it I do have a good source for brass for this otherwise obsolete caliber...

 

[Certaindeaf]

Well good luck. I just peeked at what those generally look like and it reminded me of my stainless Remington Model 7 .223.. a lightweight bolt w small action.
I of course reload for it but haven't landed on a eureka load just yet.. haven't really been trying too hard though.. it's mainly for coyotes but hey, who doesn't like sniping a digger's head at 300 yards? (generic net pic)



I might try a barrel attenuator as I've heard good things.. especially for thin barrels.

 

[Greenbug]

I've owned several Remington Model Seven's over the years. 223, 243, 260, 7mm-08, 308. The 223 and 243's all seemed to be very accurate shooters with minimal load development. I have some friends that I just went coyote hunting with today that were using those barrel de-resonators. They said it made a difference of about 1/4" or so at 100 yards. They look funny though...

 

[Goosebrown]

I do have quite a bit of 204 brass, but I also have a 204 rifle as well. I wanted to avoid using brass with the 204 head stamp for the 222 Mag because I have rifles in both calibers and don't want to get them confused and have any 204 ammo making it's way into my 222 Mag chamber...

But if it comes to it I do have a good source for brass for this otherwise obsolete caliber...

It is most certainly NOT obsolete.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It is most certainly NOT obsolete.

Good luck finding any factory loads for how many decades?
Here's a little luck though.. $70/50
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/93...gnum-50-grain-ballistic-tip-varmint-box-of-50

 

[Goosebrown]

Good luck finding any factory loads for how many decades?
Here's a little luck though.. $70/50
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/93...gnum-50-grain-ballistic-tip-varmint-box-of-50

Factory loads? What are those? No one uses factory loads except to fire form brass.

Brass is available and if you don't want that, it is easy and safe to resize 204 to 222m.

Here is some info on reforming brass.

http://sakocollectors.com/forum/threads/fire-forming-222-mag-brass.7536/

It is a VERY good round

 

[Greenbug]

Not going to pay for factory loads or waste too much time trying to find them either....

I can load this for less than $15 per 50 pieces very easily if I have brass, but I bet you already knew that

 

[Certaindeaf]

Factory loads? What are those? No one uses factory loads except to fire form brass.

Brass is available and if you don't want that, it is easy and safe to resize 204 to 222m.

Here is some info on reforming brass.

http://sakocollectors.com/forum/threads/fire-forming-222-mag-brass.7536/

It is a VERY good round

Yea I hear ya. What round isn't a good round? I guess it all boils down to how one defines obsolete.
Heck, you can still get factory new .577 Snider.. and of course reload for it with new or made brass.. obsolete? see above

 

[roguebw]

I had 2 remington 700's chambered in 222 rem mag., one had a 20" barrel and one had a 24" barrel. I just recently sold both of them this last fall and got rid of all of my brass, which was a lot. Both liked 50 grain Barnes Varminators and 50 grain Vmax. I had good results with several powders including TAC, H4895, and H380. If you are interested I can give you specifics. I loved the rifles but I couldn't turn down the offer. I was selling new primed brass for $1 each when i had it. I still have a FL die set and a Neck sizing die set if you are interested.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I had 2 remington 700's chambered in 222 rem mag., one had a 20" barrel and one had a 24" barrel. I just recently sold both of them this last fall and got rid of all of my brass, which was a lot. Both liked 50 grain Barnes Varminators and 50 grain Vmax. I had good results with several powders including TAC, H4895, and H380. If you are interested I can give you specifics. I loved the rifles but I couldn't turn down the offer. I was selling new primed brass for $1 each when i had it. I still have a FL die set and a Neck sizing die set if you are interested.

Did you make that "new" brass new(er) by pressing a primer in it or were you re-selling new, primed brass from a factory?
Not that it's illegal to sell products that are intended to be broken down for re-loading or anything of course..

 

[roguebw]

Did you make that "new" brass new(er) by pressing a primer in it or were you re-selling new, primed brass from a factory?
Not that it's illegal to sell products that are intended to be broken down for re-loading or anything of course..

It was factory primed brass. I had 1000 pieces of it. I didn't prime it and I definately didn't pull that many bullets.

 

[Greenbug]

I found a load that worked crazy good (bottom center target) with Nosler 52 grain custom competition BTHP's and 25.9 grains of H4895. Three shots on target and 2 through the Chrony for an average of 3236 FPS and a group measuring .191".

It's a keeper for sure!

 

[Greenbug]

I still have a FL die set and a Neck sizing die set if you are interested.

I might be.... pm me with a price and details. Are they RCBS, Redding etc...?