Wildcatter -
Howdy, again !
To digress, just a bit.....
While the PPC supplanted the .222 for short-range BR, there was a brief initial period where the 6BR and .22BR were tried out.
When Fred made my one and only bench run, I let him pick the chambering.... and he did it up as a .22BR, on a Wichita " Mini "; and Hart SS 1-14.
I was going to get into BR w/ my best friend ( now NBRSA Eastern Region Director ), but he went back in the Army for a second short stint. I tried the .22BR on my own for a bit, but
never really warmed to it.
When my buddy finally was out of the Army, we decided to re-purpose the .22BR barrel,
by having Fred put it on a M-77 action ( a former .250 Savage my friend was using on groundhogs ).
Now..... Fred was loathe to work on an M-77 action, just as-much-as he spurned M-98s.
None-the-less.....we were able to somehow get " Uncle Dudley " to acquiesce.
While I don't have a pic of the .22BR bench gun, I do send along the one below...
Here we see Fred displaying his obvious pleasure w/ having to work on an M-77 based rifle. Fred used a McMillan M-40A1 stock that very closely matched the camo pattern on my M-40A1-stocked Wichita WBR1375 varmint rifle ( " .22-35 Remington " wildcat ).
The .22BR worked ok on groundhogs, but we both wanted more deliverable energy across the board; and my buddy moved away from use of the .22BR after very long.
You might have to tune the pic, sorry !
With regards,
357Mag
I made the same mistake with my first benhrest rifle when Fred suggested the .085" short 6br tall dog on an xp action i had used in unlimited handgun Sillhoutte class! It was built by Ron Pence, on a Hall stock if memmory serves me right, at Freds advice, and Tom Merrideth was not only the stocker, but produced a beautifully painted stock in Deep Jewel Green with a wieght system.
But like the 22br it proved to be no match for the 222. or on the right day the 6x47,,, we are talking the duece mag taken to 6mm. Both more capable of the accuracy required by top drivers of these calibers in bench rest. But in no way an equal to the new 6ppc.
I fully believe this is the only reason a 222 was left for the 6ppc. It can't compete with the faster 6mm round that uses a better wieght combination to aquire the same top accuracy but offer much more forgiveness of the conditions we use these rifles in.
I just can't at this time, after owning both 22br and 6br as well as the 6br tall dog, list either as capable as the 222 and ppc are for this kind of competition! Let alone consider either as being as easy to tune as I have experienced with the 6mm ppc, and am starting to experience with this 222.
My 22br was the best 22 centerfire varmint rig I have owned, but that is because I found it as fast as the 22-250's I had used, but easier to load and more accurate.
But that tall dog I first tried was very picky and just couldn't compete. I can say that as after about 3 months pulling my hair out, we rechambered that same setup,,, a xp-100 that had a Sako extractor, which allowed it the be used with either case, to a .262" nk 6ppc. I instantly started winning local matches, and quickly learned to properly cut and form brass for the ppc.
Fred only suggested the talldog at the time because the ppc was so new brass as well as dies were hard to get, as well as the fact I was new to forming and cutting custom brass. He thought the short br was an easier way to start and learn.
But when it comes to Benchrest accuracy ability, we are looking at an extreme anal requirement for accuracy out 200 yards that require very specialized components and equipment very few cartridges can offer. I feel so far, the 222 is every bit as capable, just not as easy for a drive to hold that accuracy as conditions raise the bar to keep those shots as easily as the ppc can.
I also am very well stocked on 6br rifles, and once stretched to 400 yards or more, their ability to drive bullets better suited to fight conditions down range, at higher velocities do make it an excellent cartridge for 600 and farther target work than the 6ppc could compete with. Just as the added velocity of the 22br makes it a better choice for varmint with flatter trajectories to make it more forgiving to yardage estimation than 22 ppc offers, with good enough accuracy to make it a better choice out to 400 yards or a bit further on those live targets.
I'm just gratefull to have had all four, and enjoy the bennefits of each. But for now, I plan to have fun using the 222 to keep those 6ppc shooters on their toes, and enjoy having a better day than them when they don't!
After day two fireforming more brass in the rain, and alittle wind with no flags. Shot on the same target as those above. But from 22.5 grains of H322 to 23.4 grains, making cases. It continues to shoot 5 shot groups under .4". All in lousy conditions. This is why I have formed such an opinion so early in the game
