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

I been shooting the "triple deuce" for several decades and in the early going it was 200 to 250 yards. However, nowdays with a good scope and more modern powders and bullets you can push that out to 350 as a general rule (no wind etc) It will do on P-Dogs out to 400 if you can shoot well and know your tool.

apparently you have tinnitus to even know what it is.....or perhaps the ringing in your ears is just the echo's from being a life time dumbfounded [bleep] ??

And only a complete cretin like yourself would NOT know what tinnitus is.

And, only a asswipe such as yourself would recommend folks shoot high power rifles without hearing protection.

That says all that needs saying about your level of sheer stupidity.

Too bad your daddy did not wear condoms, we could all have been spared your "knowledge".

My one 222 had a 3 pound trigger when I got it on the used market. My other gun has an 8 pounder. Does anyone know how hard it is to have a trigger tuned down to 2.5-3.25 pounds on a remington 788?

Trigger swap: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=25059/Product/REMINGTON_788_TRIGGER_W_SAFETY

As to how far is the .222 good for? How far can you still accurately hit with it? There's your answer.

A quick amd cheap way to fix a 788 trigger, and many others, is to trade out the trigger return spring inside the trigger mechanism with one that is made from lighter spring material such as the spring kits available from Brownells. Swapping out the whole trigger is by far the BEST way, but having owned a pile of 788's over the years I can say that because they have been out of production for so long and so few people are tuning them up anymore that sometimes the triggers are not in stock for long periods of time. Best of luck either way.

79inpa: I have a VERY accurate 222 Remington Rifle that I bought and set up back in 1995.
It is a Remington Model 40XB-BR. This all factory stock Rifle has a 20" extra heavy stainless barrel and with Leupold 24 power scope it weighs 11 pounds 7 ounces.
I can spot my own hits with this Rifle on Colony Varmints.
I have killed both Rock Chucks and Prairie Dogs with this Rifle out just past the 400 yard mark many dozens of times!
I am currently shooting the wonderful Berger 52 grain bullets in this Rifle.
Make no mistake I do prefer to manuever my shooting point so the wind is either directly at my back or directly in my face for those longest shots!
IF you want to extend the effective range of your 222 then I think I would recommend a heavier bullet than the 40 grainers.
I have 2 Remington 700 Classics in 222 Remington that actually prefer 40 grain bullets (one likes the 40 Nosler Ballistic Tips and the other prefers the Sierra 40 grain BlitzKings).
But I would not choose to use these rigs on the extra long range shooting that I can do with the pointy 52 grain Bergers.
Prairie Dogs are smaller than Crows and like I say I have killt them out at 400 yards and just past that many times.
I just checked my loading log and saw that one of my Remington 700 Classics shoots the 40 grain bullet at a chronoed 3,338 F.P.S.
So that prompted me to go check the latest Nosler Manual (#6) and indeed they show a 222 Remington load with the 40 grain Ballistic Tips that runs 3,564 F.P.S.
So maybe the 40 grainers CAN safely be pushed to 3,600 F.P.S. but I don't know how to do it.
With a good drop chart and a laser rangefinder I see NO reason why you could not knock off a Crow out at 400 yards with your 222 fairly often (25% to 40% of the time) under good conditions.
Best of luck with your 222.
By the way with my 40X 222 and the Leupold 24 power scope my last three range sight-in verifications (in three different years) produced groups (5 shots at 100 yards) measuring .360", .286" and .361".
Those that declare the 222 Remington is ONLY a 200 yard Varmint cartridge SIMPLY, are incorrect.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Jane62, Obviously that giant queef you had that rang your ear's and gave you tinnitus must have also damaged countless brain cell's.

Shooting a 222 Rem with no hearing protection is 35-40 decibel's less than that

You have a huge bleeding "queef" between your ears, moron.

Your recommendation to shoot high powered rifles without hearing protection is as dumb as it gets.

WOW Jim, dont know what set you off but you seem to be a flaming azzhole for no reason. chill out a bit and bring a better attitude.

Good choice VarmintGuy, I also have a Remington 40X 222 Rem great rifle

I have had tinnitus since late 1960's and it is NOT something I would wish on anybody. It only gets worse (louder and more changing sounds) as life goes down the yellow brick road. I would advise earplugs under muffs just for the sake of keeping the hearing you have from getting worse.

Thats his nature.

Tom, it takes one to know one.

Look in the mirror.There is the biggest azzhole YOU are likely to ever meet.

Besides, the "flaming azzholes" are the morons promoting the shooting of highpower rifles without hearing protection.

I could really give a flying puck what some of the self styled arbiters of "Civility" think of my opinions on the subject.

GFY.

Damn, I must be a weenie! The 26" barreled #1 I like to use in the briar patches doesn't exactly knock one's proverbial socks off when it comes to recoil or noise, but I still prefer to use hearing protection - and I don't have near as much to protect as I did only 30 or 50 years ago. A shot or two with any centerfire I can put up with in battle, but I can't see the sense in not using hearing protection when one is in "premeditated" mode.

Thats because I have never met you yet.

But if we ever met you'd be crapping your teeth for the next week.

Boatanchor: What model and barrel length is your 40X?
I actually got my Remington 40XB-BR for FREE!
Well, kind of free.
I used to work an off duty job at the Warshals Sporting Goods store in downtown Seattle, Washington.
Someone ordered the 40XB-BR in 222 and then could NOT follow through on the purchase when it arrived.
The owner of the store liked me and allowed me to "work off" the balance owed on that Rifle in lieu of paycheck monies.
It was (and still is!) one of the most accurate Rifles I have ever owned.
With BR quality bullets it has shot groups (5 shots at 100 yards) in the 1's on dead calm days.
Anyway I thank my lucky stars that I was in the right place at the right time to take advantage when it came along.
The 222 Remington IS still an excellent and worthwhile cartridge and I am rather miffed that the folks at Remington no longer offer it up in their Varminters and standard Rifles.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Boatanchor: Also this - I just got a chance to review this thread and did not see any comments from you on ranges or useages of your 222 Remington.
I would like to hear (read) your thoughts regarding range, accuracy and bullet weights.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy, I got my Remington 40-X for free too.....kinda.
I have been in the auto glass industry for over 35 year's, many years ago a friend of a friend wanted me to do all the glass in a 56 Chev Bel Air that he had been restoring for 10 years. I told him thanks but no thanks the quickest way to go broke in the auto glass buisness is to work on restorations.

He said I understand that you LOVE nice guns and I have this purdy little 40-X chambered in 222 Remington that I will trade.
Long story short I did about $2000 trade to get this little gem. In the years since it has been restocked, rebarreled and 3 years ago the trigger broke so all that is original is the action. A blued 40-X with a five digit serial# but still a 222 Rem.

Didn't read the whole thread. Sub MOA load, High BC bullet good drop chart and turrets. I would not be afraid to push that gun on Pa ground gizz to 600 yards. Some cheaters in the field help. ie surveyors tape. Not to sound like a smart ass, but it is more about what you can do. How well can you read the wind, how well you read the animal meaning how long is that pig going to sit there. How good is your hold from the position you are shooting from. PA coyotes that is a solid 300 yard gun if you can hit a 4 inch target from that postion in that condition.

calm day on sticks, good light, dog hangs up 300yards. Wind rocking, frozen hands, twisted up cuase it came in from your right. Well then maybe not so far. You gotta be the judge