Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Opinions on the 222 rem for Predators

I have been using a 17 Hornet with great success on Fox. But have had a few coyotes get away with what i thought were good hits. Found a heck of a deal on a Tikka 222Rem https://www.eurooptic.com/tikka-t3-...x?utm_source=eoic2017&utm_medium=rbh thoughts on this?

Great caliber, great gun, great deal. I love the .222 and Tikka .From a practical standpoint in terms of ammo cost and availability, I ' d consider .223 as well for coyote.

They are a great cartridge, especially for 200 yds and under. Very accurate, and in a tikka you can't go wrong. I have killed piles of deer with mine too.

Im heading to Texas again in December for some night predator hunting, fox, bobcat, and maybe coyote. The .222 is going to be my #1 gun...heres one stand from the last time it went...

I'm not a fan of the Tikka rifles.

I like the .222 cartridge. Have not ever owned one but my varmint shootin' buddy used to show up with a .222 and I'd bring my .257 Roberts. Good times. He killed a lot of stuff. I think a .223 is a simpler solution today but I would not turn up my nose at a .222 if the right rifle came by at the right price. I would even think about it if I were building an old-school target rifle.

I love the 222 R for predators(mostly coyotes) I had a combo gun in 222/12ga, I use a Sako Vixen and a Win Mod 70 in 222 Rem, for coyotes. My goto bullet for coyotes in the 222 Rem. is the 52gr Speer FB HP.

I have two .222 Rem rifles. By far, the very easiest to reload for and get sub 1/2" groups with. They're relatively quiet with a soft report, use very little powder. Easily good to 200 yards, 300 max.

Not sure why I can't get images to post - here are links to the pictures

From a recently purchased (only $150) Savage 350-d from the 1950's

.5" group

Remington 700 - Sub .5" group

SUB 1/2" group

I was just a little concerned with fur damage. But i guess with a solidly build bullet it looks to do ok... Thanks everyone

If you use solid(FMJ or Monolithic) I think your going to experience runners. With the right bullet I doubt fur damage will be a problem. On coyotes my pelt hunting bullet is the Speer 52gr FB HP as mentioned above, virtually nothing but an entrance hole and a dead coyote. I haven't used them on fox or cats I might go to a 40 gr V-max or if coyotes and fox were on the menu the 40gr NBT.

Only problem is it is not legal to use a FMJ bullet in Pa.. I was thinking something like a Barnes bullet or something like that

Im shooting a basic 50 grain Hornady soft point for fur..I
This year Im using a bit of a reduced load...but in the past Ive shot them pretty much full speed (2900) fps and had little to no damage on grey fox, even close up...

Greyfoxhunter: I began centerfire Varmint Hunting with a Remington 722 in 222 Remington back in the mid-1960's.
I have loved the cartridge ever since.
I hope you jump on the Tikka in 222 Remington - I am sure you will be happy with its accuracy.
I recommend the Sierra 50 grain Blitz (not the BlitzKings!) and heart/lung shots on Coyotes - many Coyotes shot thusly by me have all been dead right there or within a few yards.
This 50 grain Sierra Blitz bullet at 222 speeds is amazingly lethal on Coyotes.
Best of luck to you if you decide to try the Tikka.
Hold into the wind
VarmrintGuy

Thank you!!!

I've had at least one 222 in the accumulation for the last 30+ years. Varmintguy offers some good advice with the Sierra 50 grain Blitz. I've also had good luck with the Hornady SX, the Speer 52 grain HP and my own home swaged 22LR jackets 52 grain HPs. You'll be disappointed in the FMJs on coyotes. I've tried them and had too many runners that required one or more follow up shots. Unless you make a CNS hit first shot, they run. Sometimes a very long ways. And with a minimal blood trail. As for powders 4198 is your friend. A 222 that will not shoot a 50 grain bullet and 20-21 grains of 4198 well has other issues.

40 grain ballistic tips rock....

I earned about 30% of my living shooting fur in the 80s. I killed thousands of Coyotes, foxes, raccoons and a good handful of other varmints too with a 222 Remington. I never had a single complaint. I used a SAKO 222 and found it to be a far better gun then the 22-250 I had used before, because it did far less hide damage, and a far better gun the the 22 WMR I used because it had much more usable range. I sold both the 22-250 and the 22 Mag rimfire after I go the SAKO.

I could load the ammo for less then I could buy 22 WMR ammo for, and I made kills on coyotes out as far as 450 yards fairly often. And I made LOTS of kills with it at 300 to 350. The best I could expect from my 22 WMR was about 225 yards. My 22 WMR shot about 1.3 MOA and my SAKO shoots about 1/2 MOA.

The 222 is no longer popular, but it's as good today as it ever was and everyone I know who owns one seem to love it.

erich,

you mention a Win M 70 in .222.

Is that an old pre '64 that was originally chambered as a .22 Hornet?

I recall that there were a number of old M 70 Hornets that were converted when the .222 cartridge came out. If I recall correctly, they had the 1 in 16 inch twist. I remember from his articles that Frank Martin was using one for fox back in the 1950's and 1960's.

No, mines a sporter weight pushfeed from 1976. I need to shorten the LOP so I dropped it into a modern synthetic youth length stock and kept the original wood incase I ever decide to sell it.

Mod 70 222 Rem 1-4x24 scope
https://imageshack.com/a/img924/5701/X5aAGk.jpg

Would LOVE to have one of those!

Another fave of mine is the Ruger #1-A in .222 with a 9 twist...LOVE this rifle, and yes, it works on coyotes!