Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors How much for .22 Savage

Hey all,

Just wondering, I am in California and am still looking for a source for .22 Savage. I know it is also known as 5.6x52R. How much should I expect to spend when I do find it?

-Connor

Box of 20 for ~$30.

The internet is your friend.

https://www.ammobuy.com/ammo/22-savage-hi-power

I’d buy as many boxes of the stuff you can stand, knowing what it means buying ammo in our state, and then start investing time, money and research into reloading. I’m a fan of the 303, but considering it too is a niche round, I committed myself to reloading a long time ago. And along that path, should you so choose, I’d also keep on the lookout for brass. Once you’ve did all this, you’ll be set for many years of shooting pleasure!

Has anyone miked the bullets on those Sellier&Bellot loads. I'm curious if they're indeed .227"

It has been at least 15 years since I did, Jeff. Back then the one's I mic'ed were .227.

I have Jeff. They were .227 but long. Dont shoot well in mine at all.

I was advised to pass on the S&B's. Found 3 boxes of the Norma 71's and they shoot well in my rifle.

I bought some "Gnoahh Special 22HP" many years ago and still need to kill something with it!

It bears repeating that Euro-spec .22HP ammo isn't quite the same dimensionally as our old Savage ammo. Bullets aside, the case dimensions are awfully close but not perfect, generally smaller in the body. No big deal if the brass goes into the garbage can instead of onto the loading bench. The swelling that occurs has to be ironed out in the sizing die each time and that spells decreased case life. The Euro 5.6x52R also is loaded hotter than old domestic ammo was which to me isn't wonderful for 100+ year old lever actions. Best bet, as with other vintage cartridges, is to load your own - in this case with fresh .25-35 brass.

Bullets are, and will be, the major stumbling block. Euro ammo (S&B, Norma, RWS,etc.) is tailored for Continental rifles that remain popular for Alpine roe deer hunting and such. They were/are made with faster twist barrels that handle the long 70 grain spitzer bullets loaded by their ammo companies - definitely not compatible with our slow twist antique rifles.

Rule of thumb I worked out through a heck of a lot of experimentation with an arm full of Savages is the bullet has to be .750" long or shorter. To employ longer bullets will most likely result in the poor performance associated with unstabilized or marginally stabilized bullets in any rifle. (Of course factors such as thinner higher altitude air, barometric pressure, temperature, etc. may well ameliorate things. My testing was all done at sea level and somewhat above sea level on warm humid days.)

Some folks employ "normal" .224" bullets and report good results. All well and good, but only if the gun is subjected to minimal usage. A proper diameter bullet is better though for throat erosion reasons. Think about it - as the hot gas pressure builds in the case and the bullet is just starting its forward motion, if the throat isn't sealed like a cork in a wine bottle a lot of that hot gas is going to squirt past the undersize bullet and act like a tiny blow torch on the steel. A bullet jacket is too hard to "bump up" instantly to seal an oversize bore. I think it does though before it has moved too far but it's that first inch or two I'm talking about. I for one am a bit guarded about preserving as much of the barrel steel as possible, since after all Savage isn't making them anymore.

Couple solutions to the .22HP bullet problem: A) Seek out old stocks of "proper" bullets - they're out there, use your sleuthing skills to smoke them out. B) Acquire a bullet mold and make your own. It's not rocket science and remains cheaper than hell, and they work, and provide lots of shooting fun. C) Have a custom barrel fitted, with a .224" bore. Problem solved. But, at that point it's not really a .22 High Power anymore, is it? Call it a .219 Zipper instead.

Good to see you hanging out here, Andrew! Any trouble landing your Great Lakes bi-plane on the Savage Forum runway?!

We got some of those out west. Ugly suckers. And heavy! One time I got bit by one. Nasty.

You know that airplane is older than most of the 99s we se on this page! She was born in 1930.

That aeroplane is mighty sweet, and what is even sweeter is following your pictorials of the adventures you have in her.

annealing can & does prolong brass life

I can attest to the fact that the S&B's are loaded hot, and the bullet is .224. I have an HP22 circa 1915 and it was keyholing the S&B's at 25 yds. Got some bullets from Reeds Ammo, .228 in 70 and 60 gr. reformed brass from 25-35 brass, and load info from the wonderful fella's here at the fire. The gun now makes round holes, and likes not to be loaded hot. Doesn't matter which bullet, as long as they are .228. I pulled bullets from the S&B ammo and the Norma Ammo. They were .224 and .227 respectively. The Norma is also loaded hot.

If you do a search on this forum, there are lots of HP22 info. Good stuff!

Just my humble 2 cents.

Blitz.

The link to the Reeds bullets:

https://shop.reedsammo.com/228-for-22-Savage-Hi-Power-56x52R_c367.htm

Read this very carefully.

Then ponder it, and all it's possible ramifications and manifestations.

Then multiply by 7.

Ahhh, too much math!

The shooting game is nothing but math!