Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints 222 Load

My mechanic at work can't find any 222 ammo and knowing i reload asked me to make some.His use is woodchuck hunting out to 200 yards i'm guessing maybe even 250 yards is rifle is a savage believed to be 340 with a 1-14 twist

I have some barnes 40gr hpfb varminator bullets i think would suit his needs well.the two loads i'm considered trying first is
AA 2015 22.5gr should push about 3252 fps
IMR 4198 20.0gr should push about 3314 fps
I do have a lot of other powders available what are your thought on my choices and any other recommendations

The 4198 is a good load...kind of a 'go to' thing in the deuce.

4198 rules.

just looking at my powder situation i thought i had more imr 4198 down to last bottle but have 5 pounds of h4198 would i be able to use h4198 in place of imr

Those old Savage/Springfield/Stevens rifles could shoot.


Shot one group and thought it might be an anomaly so shot the second one.



Changed scopes and moved back to 300 yards


My goto bullet for coyote hunting out of the 222 Rem is the 52gr Speer HP Varmint.

I have an old 340d in .222 rem that I bought for $150. With Lapua brass, a 50grn Sierra SP and CFE223 It will do .554" groups. I have some pictures, but for some reason, I cannot get them to attach to the post today.

My .222 didn't care for anything I tried with 4198.

I found RL7 and H322 to do better in my rifle. My go to load currently is RL7 and a 40g Berger Hp.

H-322 with a 40 gr Blitzking, Ballistic Tip, or Vmax. IMR-4198 has done pretty well for me too but 322 has become the first one to try in my 222’s. The Sierra 50 gr blitz soft point is another good bullet to try.

sounds like i'm picked good starting point unfortunately the 40 gr barnes are the only .22 bullets on hand but think maybe run a batch of h322 also

With the 222's I've had over the years it is harder to find a load that doesn't shoot

Stevens 840
Marrochi Combo gun
Sako Vixen
Winchester Mod 70
Custom PD killer.

I still shoot the Sako for coyotes and the custom for EGG's and PD's

In my Douglas barreled Sako L46 I shoot either 20.5 gr. IMR 4198 CCI primers 50 gr. Nosler Varmageddons or Hornady V-Max for 3300+ fps. or 22 gr. RL 10X with the same bullets and a little less velocity.

Hip

I use H 4198 and 40 gr ballistic tips in my 222. It is very accurate.

Yes

My load workup with my Sako 222 began and ended with H-322. Mine has an affinity for 50 grain bullets…hates 40 grain stuff.

Do yourself and your mate a favor and buy a box of 50 grain ballistic tips

Next time I order I'm planning on getting some 50gr bullets

Neither of my 222's care for 4198 either, the 2 I currently have both are at their best with N130 and 50gr Blitzkings, second choice H322 and 50gr Ballistic tips

Shot a hoarde of woodchuck growing up with a triple deuce...52gr HPBT and 19.5gr 4198.

Some other powders of consideration: RL-7, Lt-32, RL-10x, 3031 or Benchmark and both 4895s.

I currently use LT-32 for my 222 loads and since I use them primarily for PD's, they get pushed close to 3600 fps. with 40 grainers.

Coyote season is nearing and I'm getting my rifles up and running. Today I took the 222 Rem Sako Fullstock Vixen out 2-7 compact Leupold on it, not my favorite power but it is the only scope that can be mounted low and clear the bolt handle.

I gave my 22H to my niece and sold my 218 Bee this spring so I have bundle of hornet bullets sitting around. I've been shooting light loads of 800x under light bullets(33gr) for finisher and small game loads. Loads are from the Calhoun Bullet site.

My goto load in the Sako is a 52gr Speer HP over 2230, hot load for coyotes, 2" high at 100 dead on at 200. Well we have cats and grey fox here so I started playing with the 45gr Hornet bullets over 800x and ended up with a load the duplicates hot Hornet and standard 218 Bee loads right near 2700fps. It shoots dead on at 100 yards and 1" high a 50 yards with the same sight in at the high power load. Really looking for ward to this season and will give it a whorl on close in coyotes where I used to use the 22 Mag. It is a quiet load not much different than full power loads with a can.



I tried a Leupold 1-4x20mm on it but had to offset the rings to clear the bolt handle, tried Leupold MED rings but it was still an awkward arrangement so went bac to the 2-7



Fired up my sewing machine and made a fitted sleeve for the fore stock to protect the wood and take the shine off of it. It has a opening for the front sight and sling swivel to keep it from sliding up the fore stock



A few years back even upgraded the wood on the sewing machine. It is a converted German Pfaff comercial machine to treadle, I used to live in a tent with no power, I even found a heavy custom hand wheel to make treadle operation easier.