Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Favorite bullet for the 222?

Im in the process of having a 222 put together. Basic specs are a SA700, bedded into a McMillan classic stock with a 12TW Hart barrel finished at 22”. Rifle will be used for woodchucks, crows and coyotes. I had originally planned on running the 52 speer HP, but it seems to be unobtainable and has been for awhile. I’d like to stay in the 50-60g weight of bullet.

Bullets I have on hand and in good supply of are the 40gNBT, 55g Sierra gameking, 60g hornadySP and the 63 Sierra SMP.

Powders on hand are varget, cfe 223, benchmark, h322, h335, RL7, and IMR 4895.

Still have a brick of CCI....BR4s as well

Of the bullets I have I’m leaning more toward the 55g Gameking....what are you guys running in your 222s and do you have any experience with the above bullets out of the triple deuce ?

I shoot a 222mag a good bit. My go to bullet for and small CF 22 is the 55gr Hornady spire point with second place going to the 55NBT and third the 53Vmax. They all shoot well and my preference is pretty much listed from toughest to softest. I use all of the above on coyotes, bobcats, and pigs with the occasional crow or deer thrown in.

No experience with the Sierra you have but I bet it will be fine at the speed you’re going to be working with.

The 222 deserves a Sierra bullet. The Gameking is great for Coyotes. Good idea to stay below 60gr.

My favorite bullet in the 222 Rem is the 52gr Speer Varmint bullet (HP FB) sorry you can't find it. My second favorite is the 40gr NBT and have found it more than adequate for coyotes, run them fast.

I'd be shooting the 40 nbt and RL7 to start. I was impressed with the combo and it will get another look when I add another 222 Rem.

When stepping up to 50-52 grain bullets I like the 50 grain TNT. H335 is my powder of choice there, but many will work.

Good luck and good choice with the 222 Rem!

50 gr Horn. SX.. Several powders work well..

I am using the Hornady 50 sp in my .222 Rem. Till I run out of them (or find some more) then I am going to try the Berger 52 grain Target.

Dis one got it with a Horn 50 gr SP...

Nice!

The 222 (triple deuce) is my favorite cartridge and I have tinkered with it for years..............of the powders you list I would use H335 to fertilize my garden, CFE223 is a no-go. Benchmark, H322 or RL7 will be worth trying but by far my favorite powder is VVN130.
Of the bullets you have the 40grNBT works awesome in my rifles, all of mine even custom are the traditional 1-14" twist and my favorite bullet is the Sierra 50gr Blitzking, with your 1-12" twist the Sierra 55gr gameking should work well

Mine is still pretty new and I am still figuring it out, but getting great accuracy with 55 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and LT-32

https://www.bergerbullets.com/articles/rh-vandenburg-222-remington.pdf

The only bullet I've used of the ones you mentioned is the 40gr NBT and then only very little. I've used the 40 gr Sierra BKs more than the 40 NBTs. My fav prairie dog bullet for my CZ 222 Rem is the 50 gr V-Max followed by the 50 gr NBT. Those two 50gr poly-tipped bullets work GREAT - very accurate and explosive using powders like X-terminator, H322, H4198, and Benchmark - all with standard SR primers. Plus, the 50gr poly-tips have worked perfectly on larger critters like coyotes, foxes and badgers. BTW, I grew up shooting woodchucks and I would expect the 50 gr polytips to work just as well on them as it does on P-Dogs.

Thanks for all the suggestions and insight gentleman. And Tom——nice pig. You still need to use the .275 on one or three.

I should mention that I run the 40NBT exclusively through my 221FB and have been very pleased with its performance. It’s a tough little bullet.

The Sierra 40 gr Blitzking, the 40 gr B/Tip and the Nosler 40 gr tipped Varmageddon have all done well for me with the Blitzking doing a little better. I like a near-max load of H-322. I tried IMR-4198 but got a little better results with H-322 and it’s not that IMR-4198 did badly; it’s just that H-322 in generally did better.

I used it on one....

I've tried many bullets in .222 rifles. Best overall has been the Sierra 50 Blitz. In fact, I use this bullet in all centerfire .22s from .222 to .220 Swift. Accuracy is comparable to the MatchKing bullets. In the .222, best powder in four rifles with this bullet has been Reloder 7.

i have four .222 currently. never fired a factory round . 3 sako and a rem 700. ( i believe are all 14 twist) l load 50 ballistic tips, 205 gm , lapua brass, imr 4198. i have shot others berger, speer, sierra , hornady. they all shot good. the .222 is the least finicky of all cartridges inlcuding the .308. my dad killed over 50 coyotes with bhis sako mannlicher with 55 sx. i still prefer the 50 ballistic tip , even out of that rifle. i have tried 40 grain both vmax and ballistic tip. i have not shot the 53 hornady vmax. i would for sure try it in your rifle

in all my loading 6 .222 ; i got groups the hovered near an inch on rare occasion. hard pressed to find a undesirable load.

I shoot the 40gr BT most but also shoot the 50gr BT & 50gr Hornady Spsx.

A load I was given to try with the 40gr BT with 28gr of H335. This is over book max but shows no pressure signs, is a screamer and produces tiny groups.

I have a 722 that you really have to work to get it to shoot over an inch with anything 50 grain but the load it loves is the Sierra 45 gn. SPT Varminter over BL-C2. It shoots these in the threes.
My 788 prefers the 40 gn. NBT’s. I use IMR-4198, BL-C2 and H335. I just got a pound of LT-30 that I’m looking forward to trying out. I’ve heard good things about it.