Keith: It takes a heap'o shootin to "shoot out a 222 barrel"!
In my initial post and postings on this thread I tried to make it clear that indeed the factory folks felt the increase in velocity of the 223 over the 222 was reason enough to foresake the 222!
I make no argument against the increased velocity thus flatter trajectory of the 223 and the slightly increased lethality factor that those attributes produce.
I just have experienced a noticeable accuracy advantage to the 222 Remington versus comparable Rifles in 223 Remington.
Your parable (story or opinion carrying a message) that "the 223 walks all over the 222" then must have a corollary (statement deduced from one already proven) that one must then use their 223 Rifles ONLY on windy days!
And of course no one would pass up a days shooting in calm conditions for any reason.
I live and Varmint Hunt IN wind country - the wind is BORN here in Montana and Wyoming and I have had countless wonderful days afield with my 222's!
Instead of saying 223's are more accurate on some days would it not be more correct to say that 223's can deal with distance and conditions better than the 222, BUT, the 222 is more accurate?
I went to the Sierra trajectory/wind deflection tables and using the 52 grain bullets at 3,500 FPS and at 3,200 FPS the wind deflection at 200 yards in a 10 MPH crosswind is 4.98" vs. 4.31" respectively - noticeable this, maybe, but only 3 bullet widths more deflection out at 200 yards is not "walking all over" category.
By the way in that same Sierra Manual it showed MAXIMUM recommended loads for the 222 Remington and the 223 Remington using the 52 grain bullets at 3,200 F.P.S. - for BOTH cartridges!
Let me check another Sierra manual - in this later manual they show maximum loads for the 223 at 3,400 F.P.S. and the 222 at the aforementioned 3,200 F.P.S.!
You see I have involved myself in this ballistic comparison "game" before where the proponent of one cartridge gives pressure sign and loose primer pocket loadings for his preferred cartridge and then soft pedals the antagonists cartridge - I will concede 200 F.P.S. advantage to the 223 "safely" with your chosen 52 grain projectile!
And that safe concession leads to a wind drift at 200 yards in a 10 M.P.H. wind of 4.50" vs 4.98" (0.48" difference) or two bullet widths difference/advantage to the 223!
Definitely not "walking all over" category this slight difference.
Using a wind drift comparison with the more often used 50 grain projectiles in the 223 and 222, again at listed safe MAXIMUM loads for each, the 10 MPH wind drift numbers at 200 yards are 4.21" vs 4.58" respectively (0.37" difference)!
I still like the 222 Remington for a lot of reasons not just the smaller powder charges, the longer barrel life and ease of finding accurate loadings but for nostalgic and baseless reasons.
I guess that makes me a 222 "freak"!
By the way my Vihtavouri Oy manual shows their FASTEST MAXIMUM loading for a 50 grain bullet (let alone your heavier 52 grain bullet!) to be 3,398 F.P.S. in the 223!
I would then dare say your 3,550 F.P.S. loading with the even heavier 52 grain bullet in the 223 to be well over MAXIMUM!
I suggest you not use it.
My latest Vihtavouri Oy does not show loadings for 52 grain bullets in the 223 but does give both 50 grain and 55 grain loading recommendations.
My latest Sierra Manual DOES show Vihtavourhi Oy N133 powder in their 52 grain bullet loading table for the 223 and they show a MAXIMUM loading at 3,400 F.P.S.!
Again it sounds like you are pushing things a bit.
Do you notice loose primer pockets after a few firings, hard bolt lift, short brass life, case head seperations, flattened primers or other pressure signs with your 3,550 F.P.S loading?
If you do I suggest you cut back to safer levels.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
