Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Favorite bullet for the 222?

Found some Speer 52 grain Varmint bullets on Gunbroker.com for less than $15/box today. There are multiple sellers offering them.

Ordered 500 of the Hornady 50 grain SXSP.

The recommendations are endless, and not many are wrong.

I picked up an old 700 BDL Varmint last year. Just shooting some IMR4198 in it for now with odds and ends lightweight bullets (under 55gr) and have not been disappointed yet.

RL-7 and IMR-4198 in the cabinet right now.

I figured with those two powders and 3 or 4 different primers I should be able to find something that will shoot "one hole" groups!!

Back in the '70s I used the Hornady 50 grain SX with IMR 4198. Today I would probably use the 40 grain VMax with a ball powder like 2230 or Tac.

Now I think the 40 grain Vmax gets the nod. Used to be 50 grain sx - guess the same as LeonHitchcox.

For 40s I have Sierra, both BK and HP plus some Nosler 40 grain Varmageddon HP.

Wanting maximum explosive effect.

Late to this thread, but IMO, the 222 is the best 22 cf ever designed. I have 3 at the moment. A Krico copy of the Brno 465 is my favorite. Most have twists that favor shorter bullets. Most of mine shoot 50 grain jacketed lead well, but all copper bullets above 45 grain tsx don’t do well. I like 8208 powder, but they’re all pretty forgiving of any powder in that burn range. My wife has a Heym combo gun 16/222 that she hunts hogs with. Use Sierra game kings in hers (50gr).

I'm pretty sure I got this recipe here back around 2018. It appears you have all items needed (per OP 1st post.)

50 gr Hornady sp over 22.2 gr of Hogdon 322 with br4 cci primer COAL 2.135

I shoot this load from my old Sako built the same year I was - 1952

Here's a light bullet load that my 722 likes:

222 Remington 722, 35 grain Hornady V-max, 7 ½ BR, 23 grains H322, 0.44 MOA

This thread is sort of like "what gas will a VW Bug run best on?" Pretty much anything....

What load will a 222 shoot best? Pretty much anything.. pick one.

Its harder to fine a load the 222 won't shoot well, then is to find one that beats all the rest.

same with the 223.l

Seafire: I currently own and shoot 6 Rifles in caliber 222 Remington and have owned 7 or 8 others over the past 55+ years.
And I concur with your contention that it would be difficult (if not next to impossible!) to find an "inaccurate loading" for a good shape 222 Remington Rifle.
One of my all time favorite cartridges.
I still shake my head at the idiotic decision, made some time ago, by the idiots at "Big Green" (Remington) to quit making Rifles in this wonderful caliber???
Long live the "Deuce".
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My guess is the .223 is too close to the .222 to mess with making that chamber anymore. I have always wanted one but I was never in the right place at the right time with cash in my pocket. I see the Speer 52 grain varmint bullet is very available right now. They do shoot good in my 12 twist .223. It would be nice to see the .221 Fireball and the .222 rifles on the shelf again. I have the Remington .221 in the bolt action pistol. For a hand gun it is a screamer.

kwg

There used to be a number of bullets available that seemed to be designed specifically for the 221 Fireball and 222 Rem relatively low speeds for game. The old Sierra SX and several others of this type were constructed with very thin jackets to expand quickly on game at relatively low velocities and were extremely effective and accurate. Sadly, most of these bullets have been discontinued. I see them at gun shows occasionally but my 223, 223AI, and 22-250 are quite happy with the Nosler Bt's and Hornady Vmax bullets these days...

Hornady SX and Sierra Blitz are still available. They are what I shoot in my Triple Duece.

It's pretty much all been said already, I'll just repeat "40 gr Nosler BT and 40 gr V-Max" are best for me, with either H or IMR 4198 powder and Rem. 7-1/2 primers. I'm down to only two .222 rifles at present, but that combination has been good in four or five others.

I wish I had an AR chambered in the 222

I am currently 222less. I have a 6x222 and 25x222 and a lefty Mini Mauser action begging to become a 222. I normally don’t have multiple rifles of the same chambering but for a while had three chambered for 222. I got to be pretty fond of my home swaged 22LR jacketed bullets. They never gave the gilt edged accuracy of commercial bullets but 1/2-3/4” groups were pretty normal. And they spanked coyotes well. And they made ground squirrel shooting a little cheaper and plenty colorful.

Here's 3 loads my 222 likes:

222 Remington 722, 35 grain Hornady V-max, 7 ½ BR, 23 grains H322, 0.44 MOA
222 Remington 722, 40 grain Hornady V-max, 7 ½ BR, 26 grains H335, 0.65 MOA
222 Remington 722, 50 grain Sierra, 7 ½ BR, 22 grains H322, 00.72 MOA

Shooting 40 grain ballistic tips, something in the neighborhood of 22 grains of 2200 in the 222. Easy to remember. Mine likes 21.7 grains. Top rifle.