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22 Cal. rifle option?

I have started making my own (copper jacketed) projectiles in .224 diameter. It looks as though I will be going with 52 FBHP projectiles. I currently have an AR that I can get really good groups out of but I am starting to think of building a 22 cal rifle that I can take out to further distances.

I am seeing some people that have .223AI, 22BR, 22PPC, 222 Rem and a whole lot more to mention than that. Curious what and why some of these would be a better option than others. I would primarily like to go 300+ yards.

Any advice would be appreciated. What other information would be needed to from you guys to help aid me in this?
 
I rarely shoot more than 300 yards with my Rem. 700 40x .223 so I can't speak to the "+" element in your target shooting interests. I can say that by simply fine tuning the loads for that off the shelf nothing fancy Remington rifle, the ground squirrels live in fear of my having time to go squirrel hunting.
 
22br or 22 ppc whould be my choice mainly bc of inherant accuracy and case design and die avail. best choice 22 br for 300+
 
The 224 fbhp dont tend to open up as much as the balistic tip designs, thus velocity is important if you are planing on PD shooting, if target - then it is not a problem,

for Pd, the 223ai

if target the 22br, 223, ppc

Bob
 
Utah -

Howdy !


Well... you asked:

IMHO - .224" calibre cases w/ larger capacities ( larger than say... .223AI, .224WB, .225 Winchester et al ) bring with them
increased capability for the shooter to engage targets successfully at longer ranges.

I DK whether you might be going after Rock Chucks, but might I add.....
Midwestern " soybeanus digestus " are a slightly larger marmot, and in recent years... have become the target of interest for shooters
trying for 500yd ( and even further ) kills.

The minimum level of KE required to obtain a clean/humane kill on a 10-12 lb groundhog ( IMHO ) is around 450ft lbs... when delivered by a well designed/constructed .224" cal 55gr varmint bullet.

The challenge of putting 450 ft lb on such a varmint @ 500yd, taxes the abilities of a rifle shooting traditional 55gr .224" cal varmint bullets from say.... a 24" barrel. If a 24" .22-250 or .220 Swift are taxed to " get there ", IMHO.... a .22BR of .223AI
won't get you there; either. ( I've had a .22BR, multiple 24" .22-250s; and know what my best friend could do w/ a 26" .220 Swift ).
The powder charges required attempting to cross the desired KE threshold, will put the energy delivery system into the " over-bore " range; with only marginal performance gains ( if any ) to be seen. The 55s are just plain runnin out of steam @ 500, and many shooters reach for something else; as a result.

.224" cal cases w/ larger capacities ( than a .223AI, .22BR etc ) afford one a comfortable level of " performance margin ".
Whether one wants to see "red mist", not see " crawlers", or be able to shoot a combo that yields more flattened trajectories;
a case capacity that gives you that performance margin seems in-order. This goes hand-in-hand with.....

The rise of heavier & more aero "VLD" bullets is testimony to the desires of shooters to engage targets at extended distances.
Switching from shooting 55s in my 24" barreled large-capacity .224" cal wildcat to shooting 75 "A"-Max w/ that same case capacity
in a 28" barrel.... transformed the rifle into a viable 1,000yd gun; for potential use on " soybeanus digestus".
The large capacity of my .224" cal wildcat allowed me to more-fully exploit the engagement range capabilities that the 75gr VLD offered.

My point:
If it's unlikely you'll see or subsequently want engage a target @ much past 300yd; those cases you mentioned might serve you fairly well.

On the other hand...... if you want to be able to attempt valid kills on a larger population of varmints that you see in the scope;
screw the scope onto a rifle chambered for a large enough capacity case for the tasks being asked of it.

Best of luck in your endeavors !


With regards,
357Mag


The " expansion ratio " of such a rig
 
Utah Shooter said:
I have started making my own (copper jacketed) projectiles in .224 diameter. It looks as though I will be going with 52 FBHP projectiles. I currently have an AR that I can get really good groups out of but I am starting to think of building a 22 cal rifle that I can take out to further distances.

I am seeing some people that have .223AI, 22BR, 22PPC, 222 Rem and a whole lot more to mention than that. Curious what and why some of these would be a better option than others. I would primarily like to go 300+ yards.

Any advice would be appreciated. What other information would be needed to from you guys to help aid me in this?

My the nature of your question, you are new at this stuff - so I will save you some pain and money.

Stay away from wildcats like the 223 AI, Any of the PPCs or BRs, you cannot buy cases (you must make them) and quality dies are 2 to 3 times as much.

If you want a PD rifle, get a good 223. A larger rifle will mean less hits (been there, and got that teeshirt).

If you want a RockChuck rifle, use the 223, or for longer ranges, get a 22-250. 243, or Swift...

You do not need 450 foot pounds to drop a 'chuck... there are eleventy seven billion dead 'chucks that can attest to that.

Get something nice, get the best scope you can, then go shoot it and be happy.
 
Ok so I guess there is something that I should have pointed out. I am not primarily looking fot a varmint gun. Sure that is icing on the cake but not the main idea. I dk not mind having to make my own brass. After all I am already making the projectile. Looks like I may have to make some in a larger grain though.
 
Hi, a 223 in an Ar will work past 300 yards. We do frequently hit and kill prairie dogs in the 800 to 900 yard range using 55 grain Nosler b/t's and Hornady vmax's. It may take a few shots to get there but it can be done. The elevation is easy, the wind judgement is a stinker!
Even with 22/250 and 220 Swifts you will have the same issues, the wind. Heavier bullets and vld's types of bullets will help get you there if your rifle can handle them. If the wind is up consider a 6mm or 257 it will make a difference with the right loads.

oldhoward
 
My suggestion would be to try a bullet similar to the Hornady 75 gr HPBT in a .223. This combination is effective to 800 Yards, and will retain more energy and ultimately shoot flatter than lighter bullets at long range, and will have less wind drift. I actually use the Hornady 75 gr A-max for long range (up to 1000 yards) due to the higher BC vs. the HPBT, but you would have a tough time duplicating the plastic tip.
 

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