Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 50 or 55s in .222

I'm in the midst of loading up all my empty brass before moving and took a couple minutes to try something out. I've already figured my loads for my .222 (700 BDL) and though Xterminator consistently produces a bit tighter group, IMR4198 is available and does well enough with Hornady 50 gr sp and spsx as well as Win 50 gr sp. For gits and shiggles I tried some 55 gr Hornady sp for groups last week and I'll be damned if they didn't shoot really well, again a bit tighter with Xterminator, but hell 1/2" at 100 with IMR4198 and just a bit higher POI than the 50s. Figured I'd better not bitch. So long story short I wanted to try the 55 w/ cannelure against the 50 sp to see if there was any appreciable difference in performance. Both loaded with 20 grains IMR4198 shot into water filled milk jugs at 15 yards. Not a whole hell of a lot of difference, but a bit. The 55 was a bit wider of a mushroom, and the lead was still in the jacket when I poured it out of the 3rd jug. The 50 was in 2 pieces, and the mushroom was smaller, the jacket material had peeled further back and it barely made it into the 3rd jug. I threw them on the powder scale, and the 55 weighed in at 29.4 grains and the 50 at 23.1 grains.

I thought it was kinda neat and thought I'd share.

BGG: My deuce shoots both weights as well...but I gotta admit it definitel The difference is slight and wouldn't matter hunting, but its there. FWIW Mine is a Rem. also and it LOVES the cheap Varmint Nightmare bullets from Midsouth.... favors the 50 grainers..

Your post a couple years back on the possiblities of the 55 for deer got me thinking, inspired me you might say. Going to order some 45 grain Barnes on my next Midgay order and have it on standby. If we had any phoucin B tags this year I was going to try the deuce for giggles.

I waited waaaaayyyyy too many years to get my deuce. I'd love to chop a couple inches off the tube and have it be a perfect mate for my '06 BDL, but it shoots so damn well I can't bring myself to do it.

FWIW it shoots the 50 gr TTSX too......

Ive got two deuces, both Rem 700s, one is a build, the other a BDL sported. Both slightly favor the 50 grainers.
Just built a Heavy BDL for a pard and used a 1 in 12 Bbl from a .223...that thing LOVES 55s!


Both of mine are 1 in 14s and its my #1 goph getter



Currently contemplating a lighter weight deuce with a 1 in 12 Bbl Ive got laying around......

Mines the sporter 24". And the irons are sighted in.

With the Barnes, I just like the added security of slinging them as fast as possible to make sure it opens. Now that would be a cool test, the tipped 50 agin the 45 non. Might be I'll try that.

First rifle I ever shot groups with that made me go WOW were with my uncles Vixen in .222 as a kid. But I like the Rems.

I have been shooting 50 grain Remington PLHP bullets in mine for years. I am talking in the thousands. I still have plenty loaded to keep me shooting for awhile, but after finding out how well the plastic tipped 40's shoot in my Hornet and 222 magnum, I have changed my mind.

All the talk of fast twist and heavy bullets is wasted on a 222. Velocity is what makes these guns kill and that 40 will zip along better than the 50 ever thought of. Borrow some and try them before you settle on any 50 grain bullet..

Ha, you know Shrap I've most of a 250 count box of 40 gr Vmax's on the shelf I've been meaning to try in it and just have never got around to it. I really should though.

Initially I tried the 55s to see if they'd shoot for economics. I run the 55s out of my AR and my son's #3, figured if the deuce shot them I could just buy in bulk.

Let me add, I've seen what 40 gr vmax's do (or rather didn't do) to a coyote out of a .223. I'm thinking the 50 sp or 55 would do a better job, but for goofers or pdogs I may well have to try the foties.

Think 40 grain noslers, gruff.....

tuffer eh?

yassuh.

In my experience it's hard to beat the 40 Ballistic Tip as an all-around varmint bullet in smaller .224 centerfires.

I agree. I'm not sure yet why I keep trying others.

40gr b-tips and don't look back

I think my favorite rifle is a custom 40X in .222 ,I always thought the perfect bullet weight to be 50-52gr bullet.......wrong. in my rifle I found the perfect bullet to be the 40gr Blitzking, most days it shoots better than my 6ppc benchgun (would shoot it instead of my benchgun but it is a bit heavy) .

Had a friend that thought I might be over stating this a bit until I gave him a box to try.......I have to buy them from him now as he has a stock pile of thousands

"Solid base"

OK, how about a poll . 40grn VMAX, 40 GRN BT, or 40 GRN Blitzs, I have only tried 40Vmaxs in my hornet and duece. I like them but are the other 2 better?

I shoot 40 gr V-Max's in my .222. I tried various 50 gr bullets, but could not get any accuracy. 40 gr V-Max's were the answer.

John, do you notice any difference in the Ballistic Tips and the 40 grain Varmaggeddon Tipped bullets?

have a couple thousand Ballistic Tips in 40 grainers, but also picked up a couple thousand or three of the Varmaggeddon Tipped this past spring...

in the field I thought their performance was pretty much the same... but we are only talking sage rats, so that might not make much difference...

Tried and field tested, V-Max performs...