Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints how far is the .222 good for?

I am wondering how far you think that the 222 remington is good for as a varmit gun. Several of the older books say that the gun is good for about 200 yards. That said we have the new plastic tipped bullets and more modern propellants than the had back in the 70s.

Back about ten years ago before we got coyotes in the area I used to hit woodchucks out to 250 on a fairly regular basis. Now between the flooding in my area and the predators I don't see enough woodchucks to make it worth going after them.

I always used to use the cheapest factory ammo possible because I didn't reload at the time. Now that I reload I tried to get some accuracy and velocity out of my gun. My one book hints that 3400 might be doable in my .222 with the 24 inch barrel and a 50 grain nosler ballistic tip bullet. I tried max charges of h335 and couldn't safely get past 3300. I did get four shots into slightly less than half an inch though which isn't too bad considering that my dad never really cleaned the gun and it has some bore pitting in it.

So now the big question for those that bothered to read my rambling. How far can you hit crows and woodchucks on a regular basis with a half inch .222 spitting a 50 grain ballistic tip 3300 fps? How far do you think that it be effective with a 40 grain grain ballistic tip going 3600 fps?

Do any of you have anY really accurate zippy .222 loads?

400 yards if you know your equipment.

Zippy is subjective.

22.2 gr of H322 and 50 gr Sierra varminters.

No throat. I got it jammed in the lands and my calcs based on drops are 3300+.

add: It's a Zastava mini mauser with a shaw 12 twist heavy contour.

I've made a lucky assed shot past 450 on a PDwith a 50 gr. Berger, but I've run it comfortably to 300 with holdover.

A turret gunner could easily do better, lest the wind is too crazy.

It was so windy here Sunday the 22 Hornets blew off the 6 inch plate at 200, so it was going off more than 3 inches!

I routinely connect on ground hogs past 300 with 40 grain pills and H322. Hard to find a triple deuce that will not shoot well with that combo.

Yeah but the carolina groundhogs are bigger

I noticed that most folks that love the 222 claim its not a finicky caliber. My experience as well.

300 yds...

ingwe is correct IMO - at 300 hits are fairly easy once past that the odds of not hitting increase dramatically.

JBM is your friend - as you can see after 300 yds things start going downhill pretty quickly.

drover



Trajectory
Input Data
Manufacturer: Nosler Description: Ballistic Tip� Spitzer
Caliber: 0.224 in Weight: 50.0 gr
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.238 G1
Bullet Length (Library): 0.800 in

Muzzle Velocity: 3290.0 ft/s Distance to Chronograph: 15.0 ft

Sight Height: 1.50 in Sight Offset: 0.00 in
Zero Height: 1.00 in Zero Offset: 0.00 in
Windage: 0.000 MOA Elevation: 0.000 MOA
Line Of Sight Angle: 0.0 deg Cant Angle: 0.0 deg
Barrel Twist: 14.0 in Twist Direction: Right

Wind Speed: 10.0 mph Wind Angle: 90.0 deg
Target Speed: 0.0 mph Target Angle: 0.0 deg
Target Height: 8.0 in

Temperature: 70.0 �F Pressure: 29.92 in Hg
Humidity: 0.0 % Altitude: 5000.0 ft

Vital Zone Radius: 5.0 in

Std. Atmosphere at Altitude: No Pressure is Corrected: Yes
Zero at Max. Point Blank Range: No Target Relative Drops: Yes
Mark Sound Barrier Crossing: No Include Extra Rows: No
Column 1 Units: 1.00 in Column 2 Units: 1.00 MOA
Round Output to Whole Numbers: No
Output Data
Elevation: 4.022 MOA Windage: 0.000 MOA

Atmospheric Density: 0.06231 lb/ft� Speed of Sound: 1128.2 ft/s

Maximum PBR: 366 yd Maximum PBR Zero: 314 yd
Range of Maximum Height: 177 yd Energy at Maximum PBR: 509.8 ft�lbs

Sectional Density: 0.142 lb/in� Stability at Muzzle: 0.000
Calculated Table
Range Drop Drop Windage Windage Velocity Mach Energy Time Lead Lead
(yd) (in) (MOA) (in) (MOA) (ft/s) (none) (ft�lbs) (s) (in) (MOA)
0 -1.5 *** 0.0 *** 3308.2 2.932 1214.9 0.000 0.0 ***
100 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 2957.8 2.622 971.1 0.096 0.0 0.0
200 -0.5 -0.2 3.9 1.9 2633.6 2.334 769.9 0.203 0.0 0.0
300 -7.0 -2.2 9.2 2.9 2331.4 2.066 603.4 0.325 0.0 0.0
400 -20.0 -4.8 17.4 4.2 2049.5 1.817 466.3 0.462 0.0 0.0
500 -41.3 -7.9 29.0 5.5 1789.1 1.586 355.3 0.618 0.0 0.0

I'd agree with 300 yards. Sat behind a highly accurate 222Rem and shot rabbits at a lasered 220-270 yards with monotonous regularity. Past 300 yards though it starts getting a bit tougher and its easier to pull out the bigger guns.
Cheers...
Con

I never had a problem with my 788 to 300 yds with a 50g pill either.

I agree that the deuce isn't finicky. Mine will put anything into less than an inch. I do have trouble holding much better than .4 inches on a regular basis, however my rest really isn't the greatest.

Right now I only have 1 222Rem, but it is one of my favorites. On a calm weekend 3 summer's ago I shot 40 rockchucks with it from 325yds to 400yds using 40gr Blitzking's and VVN130. I also have target turret's on my scope. almost no recoil and you dont need hearing protection.........what's not to like ?

It is a solid 300 yard varmint round and a bit further if you know your rifle and load

I know a guy with a 40X in 222 and has made some very long
shots on crows with it, but is more selective with groundhogs.

I4198 20.5-21.5 50 baltip. 20.5 -21.5 I4198 40 vMX

If you like losing your hearing and/or tinnitus ,that is GREAT advice....

This a average group is from my old 40 X BR in 222 Remington

huh, what did you say? 300 is a cinch if you know your gear Russ

Good enough to kill the 3 groundhogs I shot today with mine.

I always have used hearing protection when I shoot my .222 and any other firearm.

BUT, if your hearing is all gone by now, you can opt out, I guess...what's the difference?

Exactly, if all some dude hears is that ringing in his ears from tinnitus, I guess a lil'ol .222 getting uncorked 2 ft away is no big deal.