Maybe should have asked this on the Reloading Forum, but am looking for the widest potential response. Am starting a project and would appreciate your knowledge and experience. Realizing there are many variables among rifles etc., the idea is to see if any general “bests” emerge.

In loading for up-tempo .22 centerfire rifles (.220 Swift, 22/250, .222 Rem Mag, - well, OK - .223AI, etc.) what combination of powder and bullet has proven to be the most accurate for you. Not thinking about bullet performance on game – simply most consistently accurate with tight groups.

Lets keep it simple – if you will, please name one powder/grains and one bullet. Like: 35gr of 4895 with 55gr Sierra Spitzer.

Thanks for any help.

For my 223 Rem varmint rifle the most accurate load I've found is 25.5 grains of Reloder 15 under a 55 gr Sierra BlitzKing bullet.

Tikka T3 .223 1-8"
70 grain Nosler RDF
24.5 gr TAC
2905 fps mv










P

Gee Paul, there is no single answer for any of those questions really...

I've got multiple rifles in several calibers mentioned... and loads can vary between each one.. the barrel and chamber have a big input on that....

I've got several rifles that are real tack drivers, with certain loads... but they threw things around like a sling shot for the first 500 to 700 rounds thru it...

I think the answer lies with the individual rifle barrel...

but like for the 22.250 and 223, I've found they aren't overly picky, regardless of powder and bullet weight in general...

you get a load that works like Pharmseller demonstrates above.. then you live with it for that rifle...and smile when your friends are impressed...

Never have loaded for a Swuft, but have loaded both the .223 and .22-250, which I would guess are the most popular. Varget is a good all-around choice in both cartridges, and works well in a bunch of other rounds.

for a .223 (not AI) 24gr Varget under a Berger 77gr OTM. Needs at least a 1 in 9" or faster twist barrel. I will probably be loading some of these in the next couple of days.

.22-250 - 37gr Varget under a 50gr Ballistic Tip. Works in a 1 in 14" barrel

Good post buddy. I agree with this. I once heard the 53gr. V-max shot very well out of most .223 rem's, so I gave them a try. Now, that's about all I shoot anymore. I've been shooting this combo for quite a while now. Just bought another box of bullets a couple hours ago too. The load I use works very well in a few .223 rem rifles I've tried it in:




This group was fired from a Ruger Hawkeye using LC brass.

Generally I run R-P brass and have since gotten rid of all of my LC brass.

I did, however, bump up the charge wt. to 25.5 grains when switching to R-P brass vs. the thicker LC brass, but groups are still pretty good:



Now to test some BR4 primers I just bought.... Ran across some H4350 at a LGS too. Damn it's my lucky day!!!!

The cartridges you listed aren't in the same class.

If you want optimum performance you'll need to narrow things down.




Travis

Thanks, John - but all of the above was understood when I asked, which is why the post noted "Realizing there are many variables among rifles etc.,".

I've have arrived at good loads for my several 22/250s, two .220 Swifts and other rifles shooting .22 cartridges with less powder capacity. Am not looking for a specific load for a specific rifle - the quest is broader.
Thanks again.

Thanks - but not focused on a single rifle or cartridge. Please see reply to Seafire.

My 22 BR loved AA 2015 and 50 gr BTs.

Thanks - appreciate the loadings provided so far - hope there are more coming.

[Unfortunately, right after this thread was started it would not open (403 Forbidden error) so I gave up on it and went over and posted a similar one on the Reloading Forum. Sorry if the duplication is a problem for anyone.]

TAC is pretty good with TTSX, too

T3 1-10"









P

Varget would be my first answer. TAC would be a second, and might beat varget, but just have not had enough time with TAC to know for sure.

I don't shoot either in any of the above anymore for other reasons...

But for overall I'd think this hard to beat probably.

My Savage 112 in 223 like LC brass, Win WSR, 26.0gr. H-335 and a 50gr. V-Max. 26" 1 in 9" twist, avg 3325fps. There are many many dead prarie dogs that wish that load didn't work so well!!

Elk Country

Diameter 0.224 Inches
Grain Weight 40 Grains
Bullet Style Polymer Tip Flat Base
Cannelure yes
Bullet Coating Non-Coated
Bullet Caliber 22 Caliber

Hodgdon BL-C(2) .224" 2.282" 27.5g

0.557" 8 shot group.
rifle Savage mdl 10

will post pictures after it stops raining if it ever does!!!

26/H4895 & 55 Nozler BT.........

right off the bottle..

223 Rem.......

I've never use anything other than H335 in any of my 223's, all shot very well with a variety of bullet weights.

The only thing I use anymore in a 22-250 is 35.5 gr. of IMR-4320 and a 55 gr. Ballistic Tip. It's not a real fast load (3500 fps range) but it's so accurate and consistent and I've come to know its trajectory so well that I just stuck with it. As long as it's accurate the 'chucks can't seem to tell the difference in a couple hundred fps or so.

24.5 grs of Varget and a 75 Amax....223 Rem

Paul,

I purchased a used Reminton 700 about a year ago. The owner had passed away. The date codes indicate the rifle was made in 1967. It still wears the original factory barrel.

Came with some loads that that the old man had worked up.

Remington 700
Cartridge: .222 Remington
Powder: H4198
Charge: 19.0 grains
Bullet: 40 grain Core-Lokt (no longer made)

Top group with the old mans loads...

Bottom group just as a test is from newly purchased Federal Power Shok 50 grain PSP (The stuff in the blue box).

The squares on the target are 1/2" to give you an idea of the group size.

I don't know the velocity of the hand loads. Federal states that their stuff is 3140 fps @ the muzzle.

I sure wish I could find more of those 40 gr Core-lokts...

Best wishes in your new project. Keep us updated.

OH... On Dennis's Chrono, Factory Winchester bulk varmint rounds, in .22-250 45gr HP are hitting 4,250+ fps out of my Savage Model 10, 1:14, 26" bull barrel. That is some FAST stuff. Does wonders on critters when you make a head shot. Shoots sub moa.

Jeff

You hit the nail on the head for my .22/250 loads ........

So I didn't put a load... but I really don't have a common most accurate load.

Let me just put down 25.5 Varget, CCI BR4, LC case, moly 69 smk, one of the loads thats most consistently accurate throughout many 223 ARs...

Along with 24.2 Tac and moly 77 smks, in LC with CCI M31 primer...

In the .223:



and the above mentioned load (50gr BT, 37gr Varget) in a .22-250, three consecutive groups:



I will confess at some point I'm going to try Big Game in the .22-250, which works well in several other cartridges. But by all accounts it's too slow for the .223

22 250AI
50 gr Sierra Blitzking
Enough Varget to go 3744 fps
PacNor 14 twist on Rem 722
Minute of P D to 300 yards

While working up loads and fire forming brass, Sierra BK were marginally, but consistently, more accurate than VMax or Berger.

For my 22-250 Remington Model 700 Varmint Special, 34.5 grains of IMR4895 and a 52 grain BTSP have been real good in my rifle.

Its subjective. For one holers at 100 or are we talking out past 400 yards?

For the 222: Too many "easy" 100 yard loads.

For 40's Id take 23.5 grs. LT 32, Fed. 205.
For 50's its 21 grs of RL-7. For some reason it needs a BR4.

The 222 Magnum:
53gr. Sierra MK, 27 grs. Benchmark and a Fed 205. Shoots lights out even in faster twists. I wish it were a varmint bullet. Fed 205 or Rem 7.5.
For bullets 62-77 grs RL15 (27.5-26grs. depends on bullet) go 3,300-3,000 fps range. It covers the 62 TSX, 68 horn, 69, 75, 75 Amax and 77s.
When the wind is polite 26.5 grs. stacks 75 Amaxes at 450.

The 22-250:
52-55gr. BT bullets love 32.5-33 grs of 3031 in this one. CCI 200s.
Sounds boring; it is. Boringly accurate.
If someone throws me a new scope/rifle in 22-250 to sight in I usually cobble a Nosler BT or Sierra of similar BT flavor and send the paper shot back with the ammo and rifle.

223ai 70 rdf 8208xbr.

If you are going for accuracy, you need to use custom made bullets. No off the shelf bullet will deliver the accuracy as hand made bullets. There are many who make them. Nobody ever won a benchrest match using shelf bullets, in the last 20 years.

It's fairly easy to find a "good" load for a 223, mainly because there are many different bullets and powders out there to play along with. But, I don't think I will ever be able to improve on the one I use in my Remington Model 7 Predator. 27.5 grains of WC846, 50 grain VMax, Remington primer, and Winchester brass. It's fast and it's accurate. In the 22-250, it doesn't get any better than 39.5 grains of Varget and a 40 grain VMax.

Thanks for sharing good stuff guys. Others?