Powders for Heavy Bullets in the .222 Rem.

[South Pender]

I have a 10-twist .222 Rem. (that I've posted about before) and am looking to try some heavier bullets for this cartridge--55-gr. and 60-gr. (I think anything heavier with the deuce will be counterproductive with respect to attainable velocities.) What powders would you guys recommend for this application? Should I be looking at slower powders than are typically recommended for the cartridge like H4895, Varget, or W748?

 

[Mark611]

Well, I have a 1&9 26'' HB 223rem, running the 69gn Nosler CC bullets, with H322, @2900fps, this is the most accurate combo from my barrel, I have also ran the 69gn SMK's 68gn Hornady BTHP's the main powders I have used is H4895, Varget, IMR4064, all of these combos will shoot sub-MOA @200m, I use a milk jug lid for a bullseye, and can keep all my shots well inside that size target and this is a factory rifle I'm shooting,

 

[Ray123]

I've shot the 222 for many years, wore out a few barrels. The 222 will shoot many combinations of bullets and powder accurately with in its twist rate.
I shot 14 twist, and a lot of moly coated bullets popular back in the day. With the lighter bullets the 222 can be close to the 223 Rem.
Remember the 222 has a SAMMI lower pressure spec, than the 223 Rem. But I don't adhear to that same rifle action and brass will handles same pressure...it's only logical.
I settled on H335 and varmint packs of 250 pcs of Nosler 40 gr BT, moly coated ran them 3 grains above current max and set them out as far as possible. The speed was 3750fps ...the 50 gr TNT were 3400 fps. I used mostly these for varmints, but ran the 50 & 55 gr SX ( super explosive) by the thousands too. Took a running coyote at 200 yds jumping through the air to clear the tall sagebrush, on his escape, just a few more yards to clear the crest of the hill. The bullet struck about 1/2" off the butthole as he reached the peak of his jump...collapsed dead, made the shot infront of my dad and son...a lucky shot, but its a 222 and they happen often with that caliber...along with the 308 Win 2 lucky calibers.The little 50 gr bullet never exited but blood was running out the nose in the snow ...so it made it to the lungs...222.
Took 55 grs up to 3500 fps but that was too much pressure...probably get them to 3300 fps, moly coated in a 24" barrel. You can take varmints out a lot farther than what's printed. I've had some nice groups at 500 yds...but the little bullets found in the dirt didn't expand.
The old man, who showed me his favorite elk area, in '72 had his 222 sighted in for 400 yds to shoot sage rats as he so often demonstrated. I ask him if a 25-06 was big enough for elk...he replied, "I shoot them with my 222." Well I did not take that advice and went to a 7 mm Mag, then to a 338 mag. But Eskimos used the 222 for walrus and polar bear, very successfully, along with the 220 Swift. But their methods would be described as subsistence killing, and not ethical sport hunting, as we are supposed to be doing these days, but they had to survive, killing evonomically, with the least expense to obtain the food, and hides ..don't shoot them and waste a cartridge, when you can economically pitchfork, stab, or beat the animal to death. And why black powder muzzle loaders and black powder cartridges like the, 50-70, 45-70, & 44-40 killed so much game...tools that get the job done.
I remember an old, well worn, Winchester lever action, with 26" octagon barrel in 30-30 sitting in the cabin corner, 19 notches , one for every bull elk it killed... It felt heavy, when I was given permission to picked it up. Talking and sipping a cup of coffee, the old man was having trouble with bear and I was telling him of a lion problem, at my cabin...and said, I could borrow the rifle if I needed it, and he'd also provide "the shells". That was called "neighborly." That was then, ideas & perceptions about guns & laws governing them has drastically changed...but the 222 is still a good caliber, and won many benchrest matches, back in the day.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

IMR8208 and Benchmark work well for 69g in my .222 1-8.

 

[jk80]

I use 335 powder up to 55 gr in my 222. Tried 60 gr vmax but I couldn't get the accuracy i was after with the twist rate.The 50 gr sx was the absolute best for accuracy and was my go to for years on coyotes. I know some say 335 is temperature sensitive but I worked my loads up in 90 degree weather and had no problems in winter. 335 worked great in my 204 ruger but benchmark edged it out. As hard as benchmark is to get I may fall back on 335.

 

[SKWERLZ]

IMR8208 and Benchmark work well for 69g in my .222 1-8.

Two well known performers in similar case capacity cartridges and bullets weights, N135 being another.

 

[markm87]

I'll throw H322 out there. We run it in .223 with the mild Wolf SRM primers, and it works great on a wide variety of bullet weights up to 77 gr.

 

[Scrumbag]

N130,N133 and N135 will work for you

 

[D-4297]

Taught my friend to load his AR ; 52gr & 55gr Hornady bullets , and we went with both Benchmark and H-335 Both worked very good for him , and He managed to get a Elk at close range , about thirty yards , with two rounds . Scared him to death , cause the Elk didn't know he was there . Walked right up to him .