Narrow Down Powders for 222 Mag

[gzig5]

What powders (and loads) are you using in the 222 Mag with 50/55gr bullets? I need to get my Sako L461 up and running for spring ground squirrels. I won't have too much range time before the weather turns bad so I want to narrow down to a couple powders to try that will give best accuracy with decent velocity. I have on hand H322, H335, 8208, Benchmark, H4895, BLC-2, TAC, H380, RL15, Varget and a few other slower powders. Of these, pick your favorite two. I'll be trying 50gr TNT and 50/55gr Vmax. My reloading manuals are all 15+ years old and I don't have any data for the newer powders. I'd love to run heavier bullets but it is a 14 twist so I'll stick with the lighter ones for this year and play with heavier ones next year.

 

[acloco]

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

I like H4895 in 223, 222 Magnum, 223 AI, and 222 Magnum AI.

Hodgdon

H4895

.224"

2.325"



25.5

3,121

39,000 CUP



28.0

3,257

48,900 CUP

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Reloader 7 works well in mine..

 

[bheadboy]

I have tried tac, h4198, 8208, 4895,blc,h335, 2015 lt32 -700rem 26"12 twist chambered by Hart

all with 7 1/2 jumping .020 with the Sierra 50bk rem brass

when the velocities got in the range of 3474-3500 all shot 1/2 moa or better -with the h4198 and 2015 in the .300's -- a few .250's with h4198 at 24gr the 2015 liked 26.0 in my chamber, yours will tell you what you should work up to.

I found the 3500fp to be the sweet spot for this bbl. I have settled on 2015 (have to most of it) and h4198.

I tried Fed match primers, they are hotter, did not group as well with same loads, may reduce load slow down and see if the tighten up as I have a goodly number of them and would like to be able to use the up.

Bob

 

[SBS]

H335 gave me great groups (.250-.375" 5 shot) with 50 V-Max and 7 1/2 primers @3400 FPS in 2 different 14 twist barrels and since I have a lot of it, I didn't experiment further. Had planned to load 40 gr. in these, but neither would group with either V-Max or Bal. Tip bullets. Don't recall the exact powder charge (different for the 2 barrels), but was below max. -- both for accuracy and to keep the pressures down in the middle of the summer in a dog town.

 

[cooperve]

I purchased a used .222 Magnum Remington 40 XBR. I am not a bench rest shooter. I tried several powers with 3 shot groups and all were pretty consistent 3/8" groups. I purchased and tried 8208 BRX and shot three, 3 shot groups and all three groups were +/- at .200 inch. I haven't shot that rifle since but, I going to fine tune the 8208 some day.

 

[gzig5]

I purchased a used .222 Magnum Remington 40 XBR. I am not a bench rest shooter. I tried several powers with 3 shot groups and all were pretty consistent 3/8" groups. I purchased and tried 8208 BRX and shot three, 3 shot groups and all three groups were +/- at .200 inch. I haven't shot that rifle since but, I going to fine tune the 8208 some day.

Do you have min/max data for 8208?

 

[cooperve]

I do not have min/max load data. I used Hodgdon data 8208 for .223 below maximum and 53 grain bullet = 25.0 grain. I shot loads of 25.0 (.206 & .176 inch) and 25.5 (.202 & .188 inch) grain and both shot at .200 inch without any sign of pressure at 100 yards. I see I actually shot four, three shot 8208 groups. I purchased the rifle used in 2008 and only shot 69 rounds thru it to date. It still needs to be played with but, I'm not sure I can shoot better than .200 inch with any rifle.

 

[Catfish]

I used to shoot an old bench gun in 222 mag. with a 14 twist. 50 gr. Sierra Blitz and BLc-2 powder shot best. H-322 and H-335 were still under .500 moa. most of the time.

 

[k22hornet]

I also have the L461 in 222mag. Very nice rifle. Mine was minted in 1963.

I have a load with Varget and a 55gr Sierra Gameking that will shoot about 1/2" @100yds, but with very high velocities of 3,500fps. Scared the heck out of me when I saw the reading, but no pressure signs at all.

 

[LitLBoy]

Try 50-55 Blitz Kings 20-25 off the lands -- Fed 205 Match primer -- 25- 26 of 8208
LitLBoy

 

[gzig5]

Thanks guys, if I can get the reloading room cleaned up this weekend, I'm going to give a couple of these loads a try. This Sako rifle seems to have quite a long throat and when loaded to the lands there isn't much bullet left in the neck. I'm going to try at factory OAL and out need the lands to see how the neck tension affects it too.