.22 caliber choice

[Spike A]

Looking for opinions/ experience on a heavy twist ( pb 1/7) caliber for varmint / some long range target want to be able to shoot from a 65gr to 80gr ... was considering a 22 creed but wondering about barrel life... would a br be a better choice? Or drop down to let’s say a 223AI? Any opinions would be appreciated ..

 

[Mark M.]

How long is long range

 

[Spike A]

Let’s say 6-800 maybe 1000 once in a while

 

[Spook]

22-243 Middlestead
I experimented with a 22BRX and 22TTH before deciding on the Middlestead.

 

[venatic]

22 Creedmoor or just a 22-250 with 1/8 or 1/7.5 would be good option as you just buy brass and load and shoot. Barrel life 1100-1500 depending on many factors

 

[swimster]

My choice is a 22 Brx or Dasher 8 twist with 75 or 80g bullets. Should be a little easier on your barrel than the bigger cases.

 

[22vartarg]

22 Creedmoor with a 1:8 or 1:7.5 twist. Barrel life will be less, but very accurate round that will reach out there. Love mine.

 

[Spike A]

Talking to a friend he mentioned the 22 nosler... said it’s between them and has much better barrel life?

 

[Terry]

I have a 22BR. It gets the job done. Easier on the barrel too.

 

[ACF]

22 creedmore.

Chris

 

[expiper]

a 22 BR is just rite for the bigger (60-80 gr) bullets an perfect for 52-55 ,,,,Roger

 

[xswanted]

A 7 twist 223ai will do you well.

85.5 bergers, 88 ELDs or 90 Sierra will got to 1000 with ease.

 

[Spike A]

Dumb questions.... will a br feed ok from magazine? .. will a 223ai with an 80grnr fit in a magazine or more better suited to a single shot?

 

[hunter67]

Ok if I were to do over again I would go 22 CM over 22-250 ai. But I do love my 223ai and would do that again.

 

[Sundown]

I was at the range the other day and a guy was shooting his new AR 223. He was trying to sight this thing in and could not get it to register on target at 50 yards. He must have shot 30 rounds and couldn't get it on target. I said the rest of use will stop shooting and you can move the bench up to 20 yards, so he did. Still couldn't hit the 11"x17" paper. I asked him what bullet are you shooting and what twist barrel do you have. It was a 50 or 55 gr bullet and a 7 twist barrel. I don't know what his load was but I believe his bullets were turning to dust when they left the barrel. He never did get it to register a hit on target.

 

[357Mag]

Looking for opinions/ experience on a heavy twist ( pb 1/7) caliber for varmint / some long range target want to be able to shoot from a 65gr to 80gr ... was considering a 22 creed but wondering about barrel life... would a br be a better choice? Or drop down to let’s say a 223AI? Any opinions would be appreciated ..

Spike -

Howdy !

I DK what ranges you might be shooting groundhog & coyote etc in MI ?

For NE Indiana groundhogs, I first tried factory and custom .22-250s, but felt a little under served on deliverable enegry, when shooting 55gr varmint bullets from a 24" 1-14; w/ practical range limit of 500yd.

For me, the answer was my wildcat .22-35 Remington, which gave me my minimum desired 450ft lb of deliverable energy out to further distances. The .22-35 is pretty much a " .22 Creedmoor ", as regards case capacity; but designed 3 decades earlier. Cases of this capacity range can give good barrel life, provided you use sensible load choices, control rapid fire rates; and use good cleaning practices. They can also get a lot done, when fired from a 24-26" barrel.

These days, your cartridge choice might be influenced by primer availability. SR primers seem to become
un-obtainium before LR primers do. That might persuade one away from cases that only come set-up for SR primers.

If you don't' slave yourself to an AR platform / magazines, and also are not averse to shooting a single shot bolt gun; things become pretty much catre' blance.

I myself don't think one would have to go much heavier than 73-75gr in .224" cal for a Midwest varmint rifle.
The breezes are not quite like the winds encountered further West in the U.S. In cases capacities like the .22-35Remington, .22-250AI, and .22 Creedmoor..... these bullet weights in a long 1-8 or 1.75 barrel can give you a 1,000yd capability.



With regards,
357Mag

 

[Spike A]

Spike -

Howdy !

I DK what ranges you might be shooting groundhog & coyote etc in MI ?

For NE Indiana groundhogs, I first tried factory and custom .22-250s, but felt a little under served on deliverable enegry, when shooting 55gr varmint bullets from a 24" 1-14; w/ practical range limit of 500yd.

For me, the answer was my wildcat .22-35 Remington, which gave me my minimum desired 450ft lb of deliverable energy out to further distances. The .22-35 is pretty much a " .22 Creedmoor ", as regards case capacity; but designed 3 decades earlier. Cases of this capacity range can give good barrel life, provided you use sensible load choices, control rapid fire rates; and use good cleaning practices. They can also get a lot done, when fired from a 24-26" barrel.

These days, your cartridge choice might be influenced by primer availability. SR primers seem to become
un-obtainium before LR primers do. That might persuade one away from cases that only come set-up for SR primers.

If you don't' slave yourself to an AR platform / magazines, and also are not averse to shooting a single shot bolt gun; things become pretty much catre' blance.

I myself don't think one would have to go much heavier than 73-75gr in .224" cal for a Midwest varmint rifle.
The breezes are not quite like the winds encountered further West in the U.S. In cases capacities like the .22-35Remington, .22-250AI, and .22 Creedmoor..... these bullet weights in a long 1-8 or 1.75 barrel can give you a 1,000yd capability.



With regards,
357Mag

I agree ... I usually use a 223 with 55 gr .. out to 500 ish ... after that I will rely on my new 6xc... I’m half way wondering about just running a 75 gr through that... but a friend of mine got me thinking...

 

[Dub]

Why not just a 223 throated for the 80 gr? (ISSF Reamer). I had @skeetlee build me one on a Remington 700 SS action and it flat hammers out to 1K

 

[justinp61]

My Savage FVSS 22-250 has a 26" 1-12 twist barrel, I've killed groundhogs out to 470 yards with a Sierra 55gr Gameking with no issues. I just finished a walk around groundhog/coyote rifle using a LH Savage mdl 11 action with a 22-250 Shilen SS Select match barrel. It too is a 1-12 twist, I don't think I'll have any issues with a 62gr bullet, maybe even a 65. I have a handful so I'll give them a try when the weather breaks.

Had I planned on a 70-80gr bullet I'd went with a 1-8" or maybe a 9".

 

[357Mag]

I agree ... I usually use a 223 with 55 gr .. out to 500 ish ... after that I will rely on my new 6xc... I’m half way wondering about just running a 75 gr through that... but a friend of mine got me thinking...

Spike -

Howdy, again !

When I finally had shot-out my 24" SS Hart 1-14 chambered in my .22-35Remington wildcat, I re-barrelled using a 28" SS K & P 1-8; and shot 75"A"-Max exclusively. Thought that was the longest barrel I could put on, and still have the gun fit in my " Airglide ". Turns out, 29" would have fit, and that extra inch would have boosted the range of the rifle even a bit more. But, the 28" barrel worked just fine, for me

The 75 "A"-Max performed great on " Soybeanus Digestus " @ all ranges I applied it, and I never had one crawler.

Comparatively heavy barrelled / heavy varmint rifles are great, if you are shooting from a fixed position.
Mine run around 17+ lb, and I'm not afraid of going heavier. Others shooter sure have.


With regards,
357Mag