“ When dealing with the large capacity cases (220 Swift, 22-250, 22CM, 22XC), I can certainly understand the why someone would use heavier bullets (+75gr), but when using them for varmints, it seems like a person could easily run into a problem where either the bullets won't hold together, you're not pushing them fast enough to warrant the use of such a big case, or you're having to push a bullet that's so tough that it pencils through on impact. “
“…they are limiting themselves to 64gr-75gr bullets right off the bat “.
“…who buys a rifle with a custom barrel and only develops 2 or 3 loads for it? “
Lefty -
Howdy !
None of the following is intended to sound coarse, harsh, abrupt; or smart _ _ _ at all;
and of course…. YRMV.
I have shot the .224” cal Hornady 55SX 550+ fps above the Mv limit Hornady has suggested for that bullet. The 55SX has a .009” thin jacket, and is a FB design with secant ogive; and an exposed lead nose on the core.
Using my “ .22-35 Remington “ wildcat as an example ( capacity 49.4gr H2O ), I had zero bullet blow ups on the way to the target. I was using a 24” SS 1-14 5-groove Hart, and retired the barrel when it started to keyhole bullets after reaching 3,400+ shot count.
Within those 3,400+ shots, I encountered none of the ballistics mischief you mentioned in your first remark. But hey, that’s just my experience. It’s a case capacity within the range of case’ “ capacities “ you noted.
Your ballistics topics and their contributing factors are multi-faceted. Let’s talk about the idea of biasing bullet wt to the fore. As regarding one potentially “ limiting “ themself to a certain weight span of bullets….It think it more likely one has a specific bullet already in mind that they want to try, and moreover… would really like to see group well; along w/ good terminal ballistics. If that bullet disappoints, they then try another bullet. Sure, they might give a variety of bullets a try over time; but one often starts out w/ a preferred bullet in mind. The case size is selected based on what terminal ballistics ( and even terminal effects ) are desired when using the chosen bullet. That is different thinking than… using a heavier bullet because the case has large capacity ( in that that calibre ) …. IMHO.
If one makes informed choices on bullet ( design, construction, weight ), and also on rifling twist and case size; there are not imposing any “ limits “on themselves as regards bullet choice with respect to weight. They will be shooting pretty much exactly what they want, certainly well within a bullet wt span of the size you mentioned. More to the point, IF there is some sort of bullet “ run off “ performed; the candidate bullets would probably be the same or very close to the same weight. ( IMHO ). With this approach, the “ limit “ is what range the shooter chooses to decline humane kills at, for example… a range at which one would be concerned about having a “ crawler “ if considering taking a shot at
groundhog. “ Know when to say when “.
In response to your question:
” …who buys a [ rifle with ] custom barrel and developers only 2 or 3 loads for it ? “.
Well, I’ll give you one answer…..me. When picking the bullet first, my intent is to use that one bullet / one load ( on groundhog ) at all ranges out to the range “ limit “ mentioned above. I myself use 450 ft lb as a guide for the minimum KE I want to put on
“ Soybeanus Digestus “ @ distance. With the case capacity I mentioned and shooting an example 55SX bullet; a 25” barrel along w/ proper powder / charge choices will easily give me a valid 500yd anti-groundhog rifle; as “ wind “ in NE Indiana isn’t as large a consideration as it is out West.
Best of luck in your endeavors !
With regards,
357Mag
To get them down to something more reasonable, you're looking at a MV of around 3500 fps which should be achievable with a 22BR or 22ARC (bolt gun). Regardless, by the time you slow it down that much, you've given up the ballistic advantages that you were likely going for with the big cases to begin with. So it still seems to me that if a person is planning on getting a big 22cal primarily for long range varmints, they should expect to get stuck with a pretty narrow range of usable bullet weights assuming they expect to make anywhere close to full use of the case capacity. Given the expected barrel life of a 22CM, I'm not sure that's a real issue since the barrel would likely be shot out by the time you get board of blowing up PDs with the 62gr ELD-VT.
