5 222Remingtons. One Load ''ONLY''
- Thread starter sw282
- Start date
First figure out which rifle has the minimum chamber and size all of your brass to it, it should be close enough that you won't have headspace problems in the rest of the rifles.
Next pick a bullet that will do what you expect from the rifles, a bullet tough enough to work well on coyotes or splat factor on P-dog or GSs. I really like the 52gr Speer HP Varmint bullet as it works well in all my 222's for coyotes. It is inexpensive and usually easy to find plus it has proven to be very accurate in all my rifles, I use it from my 222 thru 223, 5.6x50R and 22-250. I use 2230/Exterminator in my 222's while maybe not ideal it meters like water and has proven to be accurate, 748 is another like it and they are usually easy to find
Then find which one has the shortest throat and seat to fit that chamber. Now you have a round that will fit all your rifles.
I would then build a load around the round with the deepest seating depth as more than likely it will be the one that pressure would build the fastest.
So now you have a load that should work in all your rifle. Test in all of them in case you have a tight bore but even then you shouldn't get in enough trouble to wreck anything and you can adjust down your load for that rifle and now make it your benchmark load development rifle..
Next pick a bullet that will do what you expect from the rifles, a bullet tough enough to work well on coyotes or splat factor on P-dog or GSs. I really like the 52gr Speer HP Varmint bullet as it works well in all my 222's for coyotes. It is inexpensive and usually easy to find plus it has proven to be very accurate in all my rifles, I use it from my 222 thru 223, 5.6x50R and 22-250. I use 2230/Exterminator in my 222's while maybe not ideal it meters like water and has proven to be accurate, 748 is another like it and they are usually easy to find
Then find which one has the shortest throat and seat to fit that chamber. Now you have a round that will fit all your rifles.
I would then build a load around the round with the deepest seating depth as more than likely it will be the one that pressure would build the fastest.
So now you have a load that should work in all your rifle. Test in all of them in case you have a tight bore but even then you shouldn't get in enough trouble to wreck anything and you can adjust down your load for that rifle and now make it your benchmark load development rifle..
SSL
Gold $$ Contributor
Maybe it's possible for a couple rifles, but 5? Good luck. Not saying it can't happen, but my friend once presented me with a pair of Remington 700s in .17 Remington that wore consecutive serial numbers and asked me to work up loads. Now I realize that consecutive serial numbers don't guarantee that they were actually made in tandem...just when the numbers were stamped. Anyway, no matter how hard I tried, the best loads in one didn't make it in the other. Both had distinct likes and dislikes but were equally accurate with their preferred loads. And that was a search for the "universal" load for only two rifles.
White Eagle
Silver $$ Contributor
5 Rifles one load
well that is like saying one pair of socks all week
each rifle is different but I have serious doubts that one load will shoot equally as good in all rifles
well that is like saying one pair of socks all week
each rifle is different but I have serious doubts that one load will shoot equally as good in all rifles
Lucky Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
I've done this using 3 rifles and probably wouldn't do it again. There was
a lot of preliminary work involved to:
1) Ensure safety
2) Settle on a safe load that provides acceptable accuracy on 3 different guns.
I had some advantages over your process---only 3 guns, all barrels were new
A&B heavies on Rem actions and chambered with the same reamer such that all fired brass would chamber in all 3 guns. No sorting of brass was needed----shoot all 3 rifles out of one bucket.
I started out chambered for 221 FB and later chambered all for 223.
Your process will be more difficult but possibly could be successful if you're
willing to devote the time and effort----plus a compromise on your single load.
Please keep us posted on how this goes.
A. Weldy
a lot of preliminary work involved to:
1) Ensure safety
2) Settle on a safe load that provides acceptable accuracy on 3 different guns.
I had some advantages over your process---only 3 guns, all barrels were new
A&B heavies on Rem actions and chambered with the same reamer such that all fired brass would chamber in all 3 guns. No sorting of brass was needed----shoot all 3 rifles out of one bucket.
I started out chambered for 221 FB and later chambered all for 223.
Your process will be more difficult but possibly could be successful if you're
willing to devote the time and effort----plus a compromise on your single load.
Please keep us posted on how this goes.
A. Weldy
Id probably start with 3 it 4 different bullets with brass and an OAL that suits all guns.
Pick a power charge half way between min and max and load 5 rounds for each bullet for each gun. Test and determine if the guns are more tollerant to one bullet or another. Fine tune your power charge after that.
Other than a bit of added caution that would normally be applied during good reloading practices anyway, the biggest risk I see would be all your eggs are in on basket so you need to ensure that you have enough components to get through the forseeable future. If you can't get that bullet then ALL your guns are out of service or need re tuning.
Pick a power charge half way between min and max and load 5 rounds for each bullet for each gun. Test and determine if the guns are more tollerant to one bullet or another. Fine tune your power charge after that.
Other than a bit of added caution that would normally be applied during good reloading practices anyway, the biggest risk I see would be all your eggs are in on basket so you need to ensure that you have enough components to get through the forseeable future. If you can't get that bullet then ALL your guns are out of service or need re tuning.
Yes, double yes!
20.5 grains of H4198 and a 50 vmax. My L461 varmint and Howa heavy barrel mini shoot both sub 1/2" and L46 sporter shoots in in less than 3/4".
The 222 shoots well with any reasonable combination, as I tried many yrs ago. Had 2 222 rifles, a light and heavy barrel one is now a 6 dasher. My favorite load was H335 40 gr Nosler BT moly applied and 3750 fps
Or 50 gr HP at 3400 fps. The old Hornady 50 SX gr and 55 SX thin jacket, would make Jackrabbit explode, duck body parts as they come apart at close range, running or sitting, get twice as many rabbits with the 222 with a 3-9 X scope on 3 power than dad would kill with a shotgun when you could shoot 80 rabbits a day, 29 rock chucks in a day and countless sage rat...even a couple of coyotes all with a .222... shooting Jackrabbits as they run through the sagebrush and pick em out of the air as they leap, over the brush ...even downed a coyote on a full run as it leaped through the air at 200 yards, coming in to eat the dead jacks from the day before but saw us instead, and tried to get out of sight over the hill, but interrupted its escape with a .222. One shot It hit the ground dead. Lots of fond memories in the field with the .222
Walt Berger was fond of the 222 and won matches with it, H335 and a 52 gr bullet at 3225 fps his load.
Or 50 gr HP at 3400 fps. The old Hornady 50 SX gr and 55 SX thin jacket, would make Jackrabbit explode, duck body parts as they come apart at close range, running or sitting, get twice as many rabbits with the 222 with a 3-9 X scope on 3 power than dad would kill with a shotgun when you could shoot 80 rabbits a day, 29 rock chucks in a day and countless sage rat...even a couple of coyotes all with a .222... shooting Jackrabbits as they run through the sagebrush and pick em out of the air as they leap, over the brush ...even downed a coyote on a full run as it leaped through the air at 200 yards, coming in to eat the dead jacks from the day before but saw us instead, and tried to get out of sight over the hill, but interrupted its escape with a .222. One shot It hit the ground dead. Lots of fond memories in the field with the .222
Walt Berger was fond of the 222 and won matches with it, H335 and a 52 gr bullet at 3225 fps his load.
sw282
Silver $$ Contributor
Took 2 ADLs to the range today. They shot ok @ around an inch. Load was lMR4198 and Speer 50gr jsp. PMC brass, Ginex primers. Am going to try another primer. Leave everything else the same. Am using a midrange load from Speer #14. Will keep the forum posted.
Thanks. 282
Thanks. 282
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littlebuddybr
Gold $$ Contributor
Right around 19.7 gr H4198 with a 52 gr sierra or berger shoots in most 222's
My thought is first compare factory ammo in all 5. Then your process is to reload to factory specs and you can fine tune slowly.from.there and watch for improvements. One load for 5 rifles doesn't sound like maximum accuracy in each; sounds like accurate enough in all and volume loading. Find components easy to get (HA!) and cost effective. 50gr TNT and H335?
-Mac
-Mac
Ackman
Gold $$ Contributor
Back kin the 80's my 788 sporter was a .222. Nicely accurate with the 50PSP factory ammo that came with it, and those bullets were explosive. Handload was a Sierra 40HP and 24.5 / T32, the same load as in .223 with 50's back then. Wore that barrel out on pd's and groundsquirrels, now it's a .223. But a .222 will zip 40's along pretty well. Doing it with 5 of them, I'd probably go with designated rifles for 40 and 50gr loads.
Infrequent Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
Hornady 50 vmax is super accurate in Remington Accutip factory round.
50 gr BlitzKing 21.0 gr H322. CCI 450 primer. Give it a try.
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