22x47 Lapua

[alf]

Several years ago I ordered a 22x47 Lapua reamer from JGS, and put together a fast twist 22x47 Lapua throated for Berger 80 VLD's. It shot damn good and I killed a few coyotes with it in Montana....however.....

I got into night time coyote hunting a couple years ago, and my interest reverted back to old school slow twists, as speed wins at night. I also needed a fatter barrel to thread for my suppressor, so I sent my reamer back and had it reground to zero freebore, sold the 8" twist, and picked up a number 5, 12" twist Brux. I had the new barrel chambered, cut to 18", threaded for the can, and commenced to load work.

The bullet of choice was the 52 Berger Match, and I started with CFE-223, as it looked like a good match for the case, and I had a bunch. I couldn't find what I wanted there, so I moved to Varget. Nothing stood out there, so on to H-4350. It seemed to be so so in speed and accuracy, so I then decided to give H-4895 a run. Found what I wanted in speed and accuracy, and stopped there for the 52's. I had a brief fling with 40 Ballistic Tips, which I got over 4100, but decided to stay with the H-4895 with the 52's at 3800 FPS.

The gun languished in the safe till last week, when I pulled it out to get it zeroed with the Dead Air Nomad Ti attached.

I shot three, 3 shot groups at 100, 200, and 300.

First group was clean/cold, with it previously zeroed with a linear comp screwed on. The group was a little low and left, so I dialed the scope, moved the target out to 200, and shot 3 more.

Still a hair low and left, so I dialed the scope, set the zero stop, moved the target out to the 300 yard mark, dialed the scope up, and banged off three more.

She's ready......

 

[Gary in MD]

I’d say those coyotes are in big trouble!
You are shooting the 52 grain match as opposed to the varmint version? Do you find any difference in performance between the two?

 

[Ryan66]

I’m curious as well about results on coyotes with the match bullet - speed definitely helps open them up but please let us know!

 

[Hal]

Alf
What case capacity does your 22x47 have ?

Hal

 

[alf]

I’d say those coyotes are in big trouble!
You are shooting the 52 grain match as opposed to the varmint version? Do you find any difference in performance between the two?

My reason for shooting the match over the varmint is based on a guy I know that kills 3-400 coyotes per year with that bullet out of a 22-250. When fur prices were up, and the numbers he knocks down, he certainly wouldn't be using that bullet if it didn't work. No reason not to based on his results.

Also, Les Johnson kills a pile every year and uses Hornady 52 match bullets out of his 22-250. Of course Hornady is/was his sponsor on his TV show.

Last year I built a new upper in 22DTI, which is the 6.8 SPC case necked down & shoulder changed slightly to 30 degrees, and it shoots fantastic with the same Bergers, but at 3500. I've killed a couple dozen and have been happy with the results so far.

 

[alf]

Alf
What case capacity does your 22x47 ?

That I don't know for sure. I would assume it's close to, if not a hair bigger, than the regular 22-250. It's essentially an improved case, with about .015" difference in diameter between the case & shoulder diameters, & the 30 degree shoulder. It's hot on the heels of the Crapmore case.......

 

[alf]

Here it is in it's former life. It shot the 80 Berger VLD's at 3370 out of a 23" barrel. I wish I would have done a little more research before I sold that barrel, as it really was just fat enough to thread for 1/2x28 threads.

Would have saved me a pile of time, components, and money, but I'm still pleased with the results.

 

[AlNyhus]

That's a great bullet for your application...no trouble with them at 3,800 in my Swifts. The BIB 52 at the same speeds in my 22 'Anti-Creedmoor' is another good one. R.G. piles up a lot of coyotes with that bullet.

Long range forecast postulates above avg. temps and below avg. precip. fall across our strip of the country this Winter.

 

[varmintshooter]

Nice setup. Can't get much better than that. Zero at 200-250 and hold on fur.

 

[urbanrifleman]

The 22XC would be a 22x48.

 

[alf]

Back to the bullets.....

I have no idea what the difference is between the Match & Varmints, it'd be a question for Berger.

Questions could be.....do the Varmints have a bigger hollow point, are the jackets the same, cores the same, are they made on the same die(s), etc.....

All I know is they work.

 

[Gary in MD]

Here are the two compared. I have to admit to mostly shooting the plastic tip bullets, along with Sierra soft points at ground hogs and foxes. I did shoot some of the Berger 52 varmints at paper this summer and they shot good out of one of my 22-250s and Swift.
Noticeably larger hollow point and the ojive looks a little fuller to my eyes. I was curious as to how they performed on varmints since I haven’t tried them on anything but paper.
Good shooting

 

[alf]

Thanks, that big hole is quite a difference on the Varmints.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I use either, a 55 gr FB Varmint, Berger or, the 50 gr. V-Maxes, in my 1-14 twist, .22-250 Rem.
I'm DONE "searching" for Bullets, for this Rifle, but may gravitate to the 52grain, Varmint Berger's,.. LATER !
Both bullets, "Chop up" Sage Rats, well and, the 55's reach out, to 3-400 yds, on Yotes,.. pretty good !

 

[vlcakc]

Scroll to the end of the end of the .22/250 article to find some info on the 22X47L. https://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/22-250/ There are also several forum threads with loads, etc.
Vic C

 

[AlNyhus]

Back to the bullets.....

I have no idea what the difference is between the Match & Varmints, it'd be a question for Berger.

Questions could be.....do the Varmints have a bigger hollow point, are the jackets the same, cores the same, are they made on the same die(s), etc.....

All I know is they work.

Al, the Berger 52 Match have a .0625 metplat. The Berger 52 Varmints that I have measure .082 for the metplat. Other than that, I believe they are the same jacket...they measure indentically. J4 only lists one jacket as available to us bullet makers.

Berger did a similar thing on the .17 cal 25 gr's I used a lot of...the Varmint series just had the nose trimmed back for more explosive results. The 25 gr .17 Match were pure poison on fox and coyotes with no exit. The Varmint series...not so much.

Hope this helps. -Al

 

[L.Sherm]

I load the 52 varment for my nephew in his Rem SPS 22-250 that he shoots coyotes with, he told me there devastating on coyotes DRT. he likes them because he said they go in and destroy the inside but don't go all the way through and he doesn't have to sew up a exit hole.
I was surprised this factory gun shot literally 1 hole at 100 yards with Varget.

 

[alf]

Al, the Berger 52 Match have a .0625 metplat. The Berger 52 Varmints that I have measure .082 for the metplat. Other than that, I believe they are the same jacket...they measure indentically. J4 only lists one jacket as available to us bullet makers.

Berger did a similar thing on the .17 cal 25 gr's I used a lot of...the Varmint series just had the nose trimmed back for more explosive results. The 25 gr .17 Match were pure poison on fox and coyotes with no exit. The Varmint series...not so much.

Hope this helps. -Al

Thanks buddy,

I surmised the difference was basically the size of the hole up front. Interestingly, I had an old lot of the Targets from the 90's, & did original load work with those. When I reordered, the new lot measure exactly the same as the originals.

My 1st foray into 17's was with a 17-222 built by Dan Dowling, and it shot the original 25 Bergers quite well, and was perfect for fox. The chamber had a loooong throat, so when Berger came out with the 30 grainers, I moved over to those. I don't remember if I ever shot anything with them though, as Hornady came out with the 20 grain Vmax, and I loaded those. Fantastic bullet for fox, bad medicine at 4200.

 

[G Love]

Here are the two compared. I have to admit to mostly shooting the plastic tip bullets, along with Sierra soft points at ground hogs and foxes. I did shoot some of the Berger 52 varmints at paper this summer and they shot good out of one of my 22-250s and Swift.
Noticeably larger hollow point and the ojive looks a little fuller to my eyes. I was curious as to how they performed on varmints since I haven’t tried them on anything but paper.
Good shooting

View attachment 1481564

View attachment 1481565

The 52 varmints are pretty messy on varmints. I shot them out of an 18" 22-250 for a couple years are they were nasty. Very accurate.

 

[DLT]

I’m curious as well about results on coyotes with the match bullet - speed definitely helps open them up but please let us know!

I have found for me shooting a 250 I have better results with a match bullet