New to 222, some initial questions, suggestions

[TheCZKid]

I just purchased a Sako L46 in 222 on this site the other day. It hasn't even gotten to my FFL yet, but I'm all excited, and wanting to prepare to load for it. Some questions come to mind, and I'm hoping for some input. I'll give some info that I know, so you have a basis for application.
The rifle has a Hart 24" barrel with 1:14 twist. I assume the gunsmith that installed this barrel would have the information on which reamer was used (as I assume he did the chamber reaming, not Hart?), so that would tell me the neck diameter and freebore.

In the notes with the gun I see a few things: He used Lapua brass, and a .247 bushing for the necks, and the final outside diameter of loaded rounds was .248. So, my guess is the neck is a .250" diameter, otherwise there would be no clearance.



Question: is there a 'standard' reamer drawing someone might share which shows chamber dimensions with a .250" neck?

A load he liked was H322, 22.2 grains with 50 V-max bullets, with .020" jump to lands, either CCI-400 or Rem 7 1.2 primers.

My main use will be varmint hunting, but I like making little groups of holes on paper too! I'd love to finalize a load or two, probably with the 50 V-max as I have a lot on hand. And maybe a 52 grain bullet, which I'd like suggestions on which would be a good coyote or rock chuck bullet.

Is a 40 grain a good idea for this rifle? I'm curious as to why yes, or no. I have some Nosler 40 Ballistic Tip
I also have Nosler 55 FB-HP Varmageddon on hand, and Nosler 52 gr HP-BT CC bullets.
And a fair amount of Sierra 55 Blitzking and Gameking bullets.

I just have part of a pound of H322, so I searched for best potential powders for the 222 with 40, 50 and 52 grain bullets.
Some of the powders, which I actually have enough to do load development are: Win 748, LT-32, 8208-XBR, H335, RL-7, Varget, and N-133.
Ones that came up a lot, which I have, but not very much of are: H322, IMR 4198, BL-C(2), Benchmark, H4895.

Question: Suggestions on accurate loads with the Win 748, LT-32, 8208-XBR, H335, RL-7, Varget, and N-133 powders, 50 V-max, and either CCI-400 or Rem 7.5, or Fed AR Match primers?

Question: what are your best loads, powder, bullet, primer?

Question: with a 1:14 twist, what would be the best bullet weight(s) for target accuracy and shooting varmints? Suggestions on bullets to try, bullets to avoid?
I've got a lot of Hornady 53 Vmax, which seems people don't like for this gun.

Any suggestions in the 52 grain, accurate & good for varmints too?

 

[Homerange]

We have a L46 Mk5, born the same year as I and it almost shoots bugholes with 50gr flat base Hornady #2240's and couldn't make it shoot anywhere near as good with my much preferred 50gr BT's.
Used ADI 2207 that is near 4198 and prepped Norma brass just neck sized.
Didn't like 35's, 45's or 52's like it does the plain Jane 50gr Hornady pills.
Feed them what they like and not difficult to make sing as they are reasonably forgiving.

 

[LHSmith]

52 gr. BARTS pushed by N-133, Fed.205's for target work ( HV bench gun in a 700 Rem). 50 gr. Hornady SX w/ IMR 4198 18.2 gr. worked well in a Varmint Special for me many years ago. Having conversed with the previous owner many times on this site, I would take confidence that his load development methods were sound plus the fact he shot some competition and did that well. Alway's found .224 cal. did better by jumping- typically 0.020" off.

 

[Andy Work]

My 700 Rem likes Berger 52s with a .015" - .020" jump. It has shot well with H335 & IMR4198. I'm just starting to test N133.

 

[boltfluter]

The powder to beat in my old Remington 722 was H4895, hands down! And I tried most every other powder before it all came together with H4895, 50 gr Blitz, and Rem 7.5 primers. Good luck with a great caliber!
Paul

 

[lb-ft]

H322
50 TNT
Any primer

For a close second, substitute H 4198 or VV133.

I’d be stunned if yours will like any 55 Vmax or Btip, and you can forget about 53 Vmax working.

A great load published years back for those 40gr bullets is 2400 powder.

Best of luck.

 

[pintopete]

Doug, IMO all suggestions above are very good. H322 is an excellent powder for the .222. I reserve that for accuracy work. H4895 was used by Remington as a powder for accuracy testing, which supports its reputation as having fine accuracy potential. For varmints I leaned towards H4198 because it has a bit of a velocity edge over others, and is still very accurate for that purpose. But now you can’t get H4198. You can use IMR4198, it just doesn’t meter as easily.
I favor flat base bullets. For hobby target shooting, Sierra 53gr with H322 did really well in my rifles with 7-1/2 primers and Win blue bag brass. If you can’t find Lapua, try to find the Win blue bag. You can always use the Winchester in the field, and you won’t have to be as concerned with losing the fired brass as you would be with Lapua. Prep the brass well, and it will work.
40 grain bullets…depends on breeze or wind where you are. They can work. My preference for woodchucks are 50gr SPSX with H4198. They are quite accurate, go in, the critter drops, and there is no exit. They just work every time. 21.0, .010 off. Check the Hodgdon reloading data online.
N133 is excellent as well. As I shared when we spoke, the 222 shoots very well with many combinations.
If you want to achieve best accuracy, I would try one of Barts bullets, Lapua brass, the best match primers you can find, and H322. Some swear H335 works well. I have not tried it yet. I don’t have experience with some powders that others have had success with, so you might try them as well. Unfortunately availability drives our choices lately.
I predict you’re really gonna like that rifle. Keep us posted on your testing and success.

I definitely agree with lb-ft above. I have not had luck with longer, heavier bullets in the .222. No 55’s or the 53 V-Max. 14 twist and ~ 2,800 to 3,000 fps, I consider 53gr flat base as the heaviest that work well.

Peter.

 

[K22]

First, you have one of the greatest cartridges ever designed.

I shot and hunted varmints (eastern ground hogs) with this cartridge for years. Mine was a standard Rem 700, sporter weight rifle, 14" twist, 24" barrel. I removed the pressure point at forearm tip and bedded the action which significantly improved the accuracy.

My favorite load was the 50 grain Sierra Blitz bullet with IMR 4198 and Remington 7 1/2 primers. This rifle would shoot 1/2 to sub 1/2 moa 5 shot groups all day long. With a 14" twist, in my experience, 50 grain bullets grouped the best. The Blitz bullet was designed for 222 level velocity and explosive terminal performance on varmints. It's a flat base bullet which in my experience, yielded the best accuracy versus the boat tail design bullets. H322 was another powder that worked for me very well.

My experience with the Speer TNT bullet was not positive. While I obtain good groups with this bullet, I also experienced ricochets in the field.

Another interesting note, as you may be aware, Remington's at least the older vintages, had a lot of freebore. I shot these 1/2 to sub 1/2 moa groups with bullets seated well off the lands out of necessity.

 

[TheCZKid]

Got some good info here, thanks guys! It's my birthday today, I'm only 64, still not "old" yet, right? The rifle was my B-day present to myself.

Any way you suggest to find the actual freebore on this barrel? I'll try getting that info from the gunsmith, but not sure what that will yield, as I think this work was done before 2005. For finding the lands I normally have used the Hornady gizmo, pushing bullets in the lands, with very mixed results. I don't have a 222 prepared case for that right yet regardless.

Looks like the 52 grain in Berger and Bart's mentioned above. Can you state which Berger and which Bart's? I'm not that familiar with either, I see the Bart's website shows 3 versions of the 52 grain: original flatbase, ultra flatbase and Watson flat base, suggestions?

 

[TheCZKid]

Those are some nice groups! I have N133, so that's encouraging.

 

[kiwijohn]

Have had two triple dueces ) thats a lot of 2's
A Sako A1 which was the next invention from the L461. Original barrel usually has a ton of free bore and I could seat 55 grainers way out long ...good for fallow deer, goats and even Red deer with neck shots.
Yours with the Hart barrel will probably need a gauge to check what you have available.
I tried a heap of projectiles from 45 on up to 70. The heavier stuff was no good
After a lot of developemnet I stayed with the 55 grain as a hunting round. Rifle performed equally with ADI AR 2206 ( not H) 22.5 grains or ADI Benchmark 8208 ( IMR 8208XBR to you)22.5 grains again
W748 which you asked about, 23.2 grains.
Sako's go for stupid money here, so I sold it and made a$1000. I used to cry evreytime it got wet and the barrel internals would start to rust. It had a pit across the lands where a whole chunk was missing, but still shot sub MOA. I warned the buyer what was up but he wanted to rebarrel to .223 or Black out and wanted a light carry rifle.

I then got a 788, entirely different rifle! Very short throat. Still had the long 14 twist
Once I had the OAL sorted it shot OK but not the legendary 788 accuracy I expected.
It liked pretty much the same powder charges just not as sharp as the Sako accuracy wise.
This led me to believe that the .222 likes a full case of powder, and that any of the powders that give you 22.5 to 24 grains for good book velocity ( work up etc etc load safe practices etc etc be sensible) will give best results.
The 788 is a heavy wee gun I lopped off 7 inches of barrel and added a suppressor. But it was still a heavy gun. Injury has seen me stop hunting and the trebley didnt have the legs for longer distance target shooting and as it had a short barrel it lacked velocity as well. So it went away, I much preffered the long neck of the .222 compared to the .223 long may it survive.

 

[TheCZKid]

The one I have coming I will assume is going to be heavy, as it's got a stout 24" barrel, but I'll most likely shoot from benches at sage rats or hopefully a rock chuck or two in my lifetime. I just thought it sounded like a great cartridge, and I love working on accurate loads, keeps me out of trouble.
This is my new Bench-Rest Pivot, going to use it first time in the field this year, hopefully SOON!

This is my first Sako below, in 20 Vartarg, very similar to the new one, but I have not seen the new 222 in person yet...

222

 

[TheCZKid]

I’m partial to Bart’s bullets, N133 and Lapua brass in my 222s

Dang... 5 shot groups.!! Which bullet is that, and what twist is your barrel?

Well, if you were to get one Bart's bullet for the 222, in a 1:14 twist, probably 52 grain, that would be good for shooting varmints, which would it be? There's 3 kinds listed, original flatbase, ultra flatbase and Watson flat base, which one would be best for varmints?

 

[TheCZKid]

Another Question: Who makes a single feed adapter for a L46 to go where the magazine is? I'd like to single feed and wonder if anyone knows of a source?

 

[LHSmith]

My boxes of Barts are labeled Match Grade Flat Base 52 gr. HP.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Back in the day, the go to load for the 222 was 19.5 grains of IMR 4198 with a 52 grain Sisk bullet.

 

[TheCZKid]

Thank you. Last night I finally found some drawings for a 222 Remington and a 222 Remington Match, interesting differences to the two. I added some notes on bottom left of each, regarding neck diameter, freebore and throat dimensions.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Back in the day, the go to load for the 222 was 19.5 grains of IMR 4198 with a 52 grain Sisk bullet.

19.5 of IMR4198 is all I have used in mine since 1965

 

[TheCZKid]

I have not seen available either H4198 or IMR 4198 for at least a year, as I was going to try some for my 17 Hornet. And no H322, which is also very common to use. So, alternatives are my only real option, but I've got some to try.

 

[nakneker]

Congratulations on a fine rifle and one of the funnest standard cartridges ever made. I guess I have an irrational love for the 222. My favorite rifles are the older rifles made by Sako, Anshutz, older Remingtons, Kricos, Steyrs and on and on. I currently have 7 222s including a Tikka master sporter that is shooting itty bitty with H4198 and 50 grain ballistic tips. One of the great things about 222 is how easy it is to tune and find a load, probably not hard at all with the rifle you now own. There so many powder/bullet combos that work well.

In slow twist 222s I’ve always had good luck with any of the tipped bullets, ballistic tips, Vmax, Blitzking all typically shoot really well. The Berger 52 grain match, custom 52 grain match work well too. I bought a pile of 52 grain bullets with Bruno’s label on them that shoot really well… I tend not go heavier than 52 grains in the slow twists. 40 grains work just fine but I like the 50s better, they buck wind a bit better and hit harder.

Of the powders you have a good supply of I’d try N133, H335 too if you’re trying to keep the heat down. My favorites are H322, H4198, IMR 4198, 8208 - most of my 222 loads either have H4198 or H322 in the case, 50 grain Nosler Ballistic tips get used a lot too. I’ve been able to use a variety of primers, I haven’t really noticed a strong preference with my rifles for one certain primer.

You were wise to snag that rifle as quick as you did, the seller cut a Remington 700 in 222 loose too. Both rifles look like they were cared for and they both went fast.

Powder Valley has IMR4198 in stock, quite a few places do actually.