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Just picked up an older 222 Varmint and am looking for some good loads to start with. I plan on using 50gr V-Max. Thanks.

I�ve had a heavy-barreled Sako in .222 Remington for close to 40 years and have �worked up� a good many different loads for it using a variety of rifle powders together with 50 grain varmint bullets. The most accurate powder I�ve ever used is VihtaVuori N-130. It also happened to give me the greatest muzzle velocity which averaged 3197 fps with my chronograph sitting 15-feet from the muzzle. Just prior to 1995, I mounted a 6x-24x variable scope on this rifle and all bench rest test groups were firing with the scope set on 24x @ 50 yards with parallax adjusted out of the scope.

My previous �best load� was developed �way back in the early 1960�s when I used 24 grains of the OLD (not the replacement BL-C�) �BL-C� with a 50 grain Hornady �SX� varmint bullet. That �load� shot an honest 5-shot group that measured just .25-inches at 100 yards. I didn�t have a chronograph �way back then, but I�d �guess� the muzzle velocity was in the 2900 fps-2950 fps �neighborhood�.

According to my records, my current �best load� was fired at my club�s rifle range on May 27, 1995 using 21.8 grains of VV N-130 sparked by Remington 7� primers in �accurized� Winchester cases topped off by Sierra 50 grain �Blitz� (varmint) bullets. This load�s best 5-shot group measured .092 inches @ 50 yards. The first four (4) rounds measured �0.0� group size the first 4 bullets went through the same hole without increasing it�s size above .224�. Subsequent groups consistently measured UNDER 2/10th of an inch. All bullets fired in the same group were weighed on my powder scale and only bullets of EXACTLY the same weight were used in these tests.

I got so �excited� at the prospects of shooting a .224� sized 5 shot group that, in spite of all my efforts to the contrary, I �pulled� the 5th round a little which increased the overall group size to .316 inches measured outside edge to outside edge of the group by dial calipers. This measurement minus .224 inches (bullet diameter) yields a final group size of .092 inches. Standard muzzle velocity deviation was 16 fps with a +7 fps and a �9 fps.

I suggest you work up your load SLOWLY. Maximum safe load, according to VihtaVuori�s Reloading Guide is 22.1 grains of VV N-130. However, I began to have �pressure signs� (slightly �puckered� edges around the firing pin dent in the primer) at 21.9 grains. Those �signs� may have been due to �soft� primers, but I was getting �3200 fps out of my rifle�s 23� barrel at that powder level (21.8 gr.), so I pushed the load first to 21.9 grains, then to 22.0 grains resulting in increased group sizes of .340 inches & .394 inches respectively and muzzle velocities averaging 3210 fps & 3232 fps respectively. I could see that while I was gaining a little muzzle velocity, I was losing accuracy.

Obviously, the �sweet spot� in MY rifle using Vihta Vuori N-130 rifle powder is in the 21.6 grains (group = .183�, MV = 3178 fps), 21.7 grains (group = .980�, MV = 3187 fps) and 21.8 grains area.

I hope this information is useful to you.


Strength & Honor�

Ron T.

I've also had excellent results with N130. My best loads are on the mild side. I use the Sierra 50 grain BlitzKing rather than the V-Max. A rifle chambered for the triple deuce will spoil you.

Ron, I am going to take away your quotation mark key <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Just funning ya. Flinch

Yeah... Flinch <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I get teased a lot about those "quotation marks".

Shucky-darn, if you took 'em away, I couldn't do any "posts". But as you can readily see, they are very effective when used for emphasis... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Strength & Honor�

Ron T.

Flinch
I didn't really take notice to the quotations til you said something. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Ron
Like always, good read. Thanks.

Scott...

Awwwwww..... (blush)... GARSH! Thanx, mah frien'. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />



Ron T.

Scott, what action is it built in? I've been keeping my eyes open for one of the Win. M70 HB in .222. Darned hard to find one of these critters. If I ever get one I'm going to yank the barrel and rechamber to .222 Rem. Mag.. I can build one, but I want a factory rifle if possible.

I shoot 22.grs H-322 with 55 gr. bullets, WW brass and Remington BR primers in mine. With 40 gr. BT's I stuff a little more H-322 into the case. Prairie dogs don't like it at all.

Isn't there an all-time classic load out there for the 50-grain bullet? I've never loaded for this cartridge, but if memory serves me, the old classic load used something like 21.5 grains of IMR 4198 with that bullet. Can anyone confirm this?

Good point, P17� <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

IMR4198 was reportedly �THE� classic rifle powder for the .222 Remington (50 grain bullet) for many years, but the �maximum safe load� varied considerably over those years.

As an example, in two of my old loading books (both from the SAME source), the book published in 1960 lists 22.0 grains of IMR4198 as a �maximum load� & indicates a muzzle velocity of 3213 fps. No chamber pressure or barrel length was given.

Ten years later, in their 1970 issue, the �maximum load� for the .222 Remington (50 grain bullet) is listed as 20.5 grains of IMR4198 with a muzzle velocity of 3205 fps out of a 26� barrel with a chamber pressure of 45,900 C.U.P.

I attempted to work up an accurate load using IMR4198, but never got any unusually accurate 5-shot groups from my heavy-barreled Sako using this classic .222 rifle powder.

However, I did get some excellent results (�-inch, 5-shot groups @ 100 yards) using 24.0 grains the old �BL-C� (often called �Ball-C� by reloaders) powder. At that time, I didn�t have a chronograph and so, I don�t know what muzzle velocity I was getting from this load, but I suspect it was in the 2900 to 2950 fps area� far slower than the then published 3200 fps muzzle velocity of factory-loaded ammunition.

In the mid-1990�s, after reading some encouraging and very positive reports about the quality and consistency of VihtaVuori powders, I decided to try their N-130 rifle powder in the .222 which yielded some excellent results (see my earlier post on this thread).

As I admitted at the beginning of this post� IMR4198 was and may still be �THE� classic rifle powder for some .222 Remington rifles, but such is not the case for my .222 Sako heavy-barreled rifle.


Strength & Honor�

Ron T.

21.5 of IMR-4198 was the best in my old Vixen. That's one rifle I wish I still had.

Well I don't guess you'll PM me with the Name of the Contact for that Triple Duece. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Good Luck with the Duece You'll love it.

I have had very good results with H322 loaded to Speer's manual's max load, Rem 7.5 & Fed 210m, and 50 grain bullets (find the right seating depth).



In a 24" sporter barrel I could obtain 3300+ fps with a Nosler B-tip and a max load of H322 (from Speer #11 manual). A chrono reveals that there can be up to 150 fps difference between different bullets when all other components are the same. After testing B-tips against Speer and Sierra for fps, I went with the B-tips (not sure about the V-Max). With this load I could make accurate hits out to 400 yards.



Did I mention the accuracy was outstanding! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Okie

Yea, there's a pretty good chance that you won't get the contact info. LOL