Best load for 222 full bench gun

[LHSmith]

Back around 1971 I had a R700 Varmint special with 24x M8 Leupold. I tried Reloder 7, BLC-2, H-322 (probably Scottish then) before trying IMR-4198. I stopped testing loads when I charged RP cases with 18.2 gr. of duponts 4198 behind 50 gr. Hornady SX's. This combo shot so well it eventually got me into shooting BR competition.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Back in the day, IMR 4198 pushing a 53 gr Sisk bullet was the cat's meow!!

 

[jcm800]

Curious if the 223 ever matched / beat the 222 accuracy in BR with light bullets?

Couple top powders not mentioned previously (52gr bullets) 22 gr imr 3031 and 20 gr RL-7 from Waters pet loads

 

[Homerange]

Back around 1971 I had a R700 Varmint special with 24x M8 Leupold. I tried Reloder 7, BLC-2, H-322 (probably Scottish then) before trying IMR-4198. I stopped testing loads when I charged RP cases with 18.2 gr. of duponts 4198 behind 50 gr. Hornady SX's. This combo shot so well it eventually got me into shooting BR competition.

In the sons old Sako L56 Mk5 (1959) nothing competes with those Hornady 50gr SX.
Tried a few other popular pills but nothing else was as simple to tune but a bit of a shame I didn't stumble on a boat tail that shot that well....but TBH I gave up trying to find one after several disappointments. 50gr BT's shot lights out in my 223 Model 7 but wouldn't in this 222.
We were given several 100 once fired Norma cases that we did all our development on and still have 100+ to be used in this rifle. I guess this old gal will be still going strong when it hits 70 in 7 years time.

 

[freebird22/250]

I have a full bench gun for shooting groups 100 200 52 grain fouler bullets been using h335 with not much success any old timers out there that shot 222 in the day ????

I had an old Rem. 700 Varmint special, i shot some groups in the .250 to .300 with no bedding job just adjusted the trigger to a lighter pull with 24.0 H-335 rem. 7 1/2 primers 52 gr. sierras, neck sized brass.

 

[Doom]

I shoot a 1 in 12 223 with 52 Bergers and 53 SMK, with 8208XBR and VV n135. I suspect similar would do well in 222. H335 can be very accurate but you have to be careful of its temperature sensitive.

 

[CacheCropp]

Still shoot my 1975 222 bench rifle. Sleeved action, SHBF, Hart barrel.
Never was able to get better load than 20.2 of 4198
52 gr bullets. 100 yard. Groups. Still a fine shooter and that load isn’t worth changing and in the beginning I searched around. No more.

This ^^^^^

 

[sigraph]

I’ve been shooting a couple 222’s for groups the last several years. Barts 52g Original or Ultras over N133 in Lapua brass.

My Savage with Shilen barrel, 5 shot groups at 100 yds:

View attachment 1373960

My 40XBR likes the Ultras, 5 shot groups at 100 yds:

View attachment 1373961

It’s the bullets!

just looking at your impressie cards - what is the col 1.775?

 

[1911nut]

just looking at your impressie cards - what is the col 1.775?

It’s base to ogive using a Sinclair comparator.

 

[AWS]

I still like 748

 

[358WCF]

It's been years, but one of the 4198s, 3031, & 748, in that order, shot best in mine with 52/53s. That was back when VV was real expensive compared to the above. Thinking N133 or 135 these days.

The last H335 I used left nasty stuff in the barrel that was hard to get out. It says govt surplus on the label & was $11.99 a pound. Maybe it's improved since then?

 

[ELR LVR]

I have a full bench gun for shooting groups 100 200 52 grain fouler bullets been using h335 with not much success any old timers out there that shot 222 in the day ????

H322 - many others will concur
Try a faster powder for that smaller than 223 sized case
335 would be better suited for a .223
THEORETICALLY
---
But you know how it is, just gotta test it in your gun
Re- 7
LT-32
may be 2 other options to check out along with the 4198 option
But I would try H322 First