Can anyone think of a centerfire rifle cartridge that compares in power to a 22 mag?

[dhenry132]

Why not just add a suppressor to something you already have?

 

[Gabe22BR]

I been kicking the ideal of this - 16gr of powder running 3600fps w/ 32gr bullets.. with a suppressor, should be no loader than my other 20VT suppressed..

 

[snert]

I shoot once fired then neck sized 222 loaded with 3-4 grains of Unique and Hornet bullet...40 or 45 grain.

Same componants and 5-6 grains in a swift will give one hole groups at 50 yards.

It runs about 22 mag performance but better accuracy.

I have considered a 3 grain test of a 34 grain bullet in the 20 VT.

 

[OLeveraction]

25-20 pretty much a 86g 22mag.

 

[Slowshot]

All I can think of that you do not already have is 218 Bee. I had a rifle in that and hand loaded for it with excellent results. I don't know what rifles still exist in that cartridge

 

[urbanrifleman]

I wonder if you could take a 223 and fill the case with a slow powder.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Blue Dot in the .223 Remington could be just the ticket for you. See the attached article.

This is the article that launched me down the Blue Dot path in the summer of 99. I already had the powder for my heavy 12ga loads so i had nothing to lose. Hard to believe 25 years has slipped by.

 

[4xforfun]

Again...I didn't read all of the posts, so it may have been mentioned...Years ago there was an article in PS mag. where someone necked down a 9mm pistol round to 22. Kinda cool!!

Tod

 

[Bronsin]

I wonder if you could take a 223 and fill the case with a slow powder.

I used SR4759 and it shot well. I believe the load was 13.8grs, but will have to check on that. Velocity should be around 2500fps, and a 50gr TnT went through a 4x4 at l00 yds. Using a bulky fast powder like 4759 or XMR5744 can work well.

 

[jds holler]

In 222, we used to use a 12 grain load of IMR 4227 for a less destructive fur load for calling coyotes. That happens to be about the load for that powder in a Hornet or Bee. It was very accurate with the 45 gr. bullets we were using, both jacketed and cast. Would probably be the same in 223. jd

 

[snert]

In 222, we used to use a 12 grain load of IMR 4227 for a less destructive fur load for calling coyotes. That happens to be about the load for that powder in a Hornet or Bee. It was very accurate with the 45 gr. bullets we were using, both jacketed and cast. Would probably be the same in 223. jd

with a q tip sized ball of dacron, 13 grains of 4227 and a 40 grain bullet in a swift is about the same, JD.

 

[jds holler]

I never did use any filler, but the 222 case is smaller than the swift. Did it make a difference for ya do you think? -- accuracy, ignition, pressure??

I got that load as I recall, from a magazine article about coyote calling. Seems like they called it the Buhrnam Brothers Special or some such. jd

 

[brokeasajoke]

I've used titegroup in .223 and 22k hornet both as I have an abundance. I want to try blue dot sometime. Hodgdon lists TG loads for .223.

 

[Lucky Shooter]

I went through this process some years ago with Blue Dot in 221 FB and 223.

This took a lot of charge testing with measured charges-----and made a judgment on what
should be the MAX powder charge----and then made an arbitrary reduction for a safety margin.

A lot of weighed charges were thrown to find a powder setting that would guarantee being
at or below the max.

I had some confidence that the "double margins" would keep me in a safe load. I don't remember
the MV but 40 gr VMAX but it did a good job on short range PDs.

I also followed the same process for the 223 and (think) got the MV up to around 3,000 FPS.

These loads sent a lot of PDs to their final reward----with very little barrel heat and not much
cleaning.

Speculation----if this worked so well with the FB and the 223----I'd expect the 222 should should
do well-----maybe the Hornet or Bee ?

No testing for tune was done----only the effort concerning safety.

A. Weldy

 

[OLeveraction]

What kind of 22 mag are we trying to match with a center fire?

 

[Webster]

I want the blast to be minimal and comparable to not much more than that of a 22 mag or 5mm rimfire I've owned. I want the rifle to be a bolt action repeater. It cannot be a single shot which to me would be a deal breaker. I already have a 221 Fireball and 22 Hornet and know that compared to a 22mag, they both have substantially more blast and are not as pleasant out in the field. The only cartridge that comes to mind is a 5.7x28 case. While I may be able to handload the powder capacity down some, I've not even seen this case offered in any kind of a bolt action rifle. I realize wanting this mystery cartridge in a repeater too, (instead of a single shot) will make this even more difficult if not impossible to accomplish.
Any ideas?

Would you concider one of the powerful accurate air rifles?

 

[Paul's Black Rifles]

Nobody has mentioned the 224Boz. It is a 9x25 case necked to accept a .224 bullet. Designed on the other side of the pond to defeat body armor from a pistol or subgun. For your purposes you might not want to push it to the max. Semi auto capable and shouldn't be bad to modify a bolt gun to fire it. Big enough case to be easy to handle for reloading.

I would say the 221 Fireball is your best choice, I have several. Or the 30 carbine necked to accept a .224 bullet called the 5.7 Johnson or 5.7 Spitfire, I believe.

 

[snert]

I never did use any filler, but the 222 case is smaller than the swift. Did it make a difference for ya do you think? -- accuracy, ignition, pressure??

I got that load as I recall, from a magazine article about coyote calling. Seems like they called it the Buhrnam Brothers Special or some such. jd

I never used dacron on the 222. But in the Swift it helped a lot.

 

[snert]

Calhoun wrote "to Bee or not to Bee" an article that can be found on his website for 19 calibers. It covers Bluedot 223 rounds all the way down to 22 mag velocity. Unique works too.

This is an area that is seldom advanced as a good proposition, mostly because of the natural desire in man to follow Moores law...if good enough is good enough, more is betterer!!! Well, that is More's law in hillbilly speak but you get the point I think.

I like shooting reduced loads and recently loaded 3 grains of Unique behind a 40 grain bullet in a K hornet pcontender pistol for tree squirrels. It shot great at 50 yards. But I never tried it out in the field. Got too busy with various 22 rimfires and air rifle.

I would take a light loaded 222 or 223 to a 17HMR any day. I think a 40 grain bullet (or even 35) would be great for 75 yard shooting. Like I said, 4227 and a 40 in a Swift was solid 200 yard medicine...like a hornet.

 

[VTplinker]

I want the blast to be minimal and comparable to not much more than that of a 22 mag or 5mm rimfire I've owned. I want the rifle to be a bolt action repeater. It cannot be a single shot which to me would be a deal breaker. I already have a 221 Fireball and 22 Hornet and know that compared to a 22mag, they both have substantially more blast and are not as pleasant out in the field. The only cartridge that comes to mind is a 5.7x28 case. While I may be able to handload the powder capacity down some, I've not even seen this case offered in any kind of a bolt action rifle. I realize wanting this mystery cartridge in a repeater too, (instead of a single shot) will make this even more difficult if not impossible to accomplish.
Any ideas?

Reviewing the post, I read elsewhere here that Savage has a 5.7x28 bolt action now. Other online spots have compared this and the 22 mag as neck 'n neck too.