Shot out Barrel in 222 remington

[dataforce1@gmail.com]

Hi,

I collect remington Model 788s. I glass bed and work up loads. Fun.

I have a 788 222 remington. I am sending off to re-barrel. I like Bartlein but barrel manufacturers suggestions are welcome.

Question is this: should I rebarrel to .223 or 223 AI. I intend to shoot 100yd BR. I sure have 222 reloading equipment, but not over invested.

Thank you, JR

 

[Bradley Walker]

223 AI IS AWESOME...

 

[ab_bentley]

223 AI IS AWESOME...

Not for BR. Stick with the 222R if you don't want to madify the bolt face. Adam

 

[dataforce1@gmail.com]

Mr. Bentley,

I thought bolt face, existing 222 bolt, works OK w/ 223. Mistaken, I am?

JR

 

[ab_bentley]

Mr. Bentley,

I thought bolt face, existing 222 bolt, works OK w/ 223. Mistaken, I am?

JR

I was implying 6PPC, yes the 221/222/223 all use the same BF. Adam

 

[K22]

If your game is target shooting at or under 200 yards, it's hard to imagine a better caliber than the 222 except perhaps the 6mmBR.

The only reasons I'd rebarrel to a 223 if you plan on hunting varmints, the extra velocity will help for shots beyond 200 yards. The other reason would be that the 222 is becoming an obsolete cartridge. In my experince, the 223 is capable of matching the 222 in accuracy with tuned reloads and of course an accurate rifle. The point is that the 223 is much like the 222, it tends to be an inherently accurate cartridge and very easy to reload.

Two years ago I had my old model 700 222 rebarrel to a 223 with a Douglas Match supreme barrel. The rifle is now a sub 1/4 moa gun. My purpose however was for varmint hunting.

 

[Ackman]

My old 788 is rebarrelled to 223. Magazines are identical but of course stamped differently. The .223AI shoulder is too far forward, it won't fit into a 788 magazine.

 

[LHSmith]

.

I intend to shoot 100yd BR.
Thank you, JR

If you mean "BR" to be Competitive Benchrest, where the "agg" rules, the .222 has BTDT, many times over. It was for several years "THE" cartridge to beat. Granted there were variants like the 222-1/2 and the .222 Mag. (which really performed @200 yds), but the 222-1/2 does not necessarily equate to a .223. In a BR match, we are talking 5 sets of 5-shot groups for record...in a set time frame. I do have a .222 in a HV and on a day with steady conditions, it will agg with my 6 PPC LV (I shoot 2-guns at most matches). I don't know of .223's performing along with PPC's, but other shooters using .222's built to BR standards have the similar score results.
BTW, I believe Bartlein still has a lead time of 1 year. Based on your platform, I would go with a Shilen 14 twist.
As far as being "obsolete", I doubt that will happen in our lifetime.....too many rifles made in this chambering....and the Europeans love the .222 (the .223 and other military rounds are not legal in most of Europe).

 

[dataforce1@gmail.com]

Thank you, Shilen is local, I am in Southlake TX and I will go with 14 twist. Not to be a bother, but can you please recommend a bullet to work on and a BR stock.

I shoot my bartlein 308 bull sporter at 3/8 now at 100 and i am interested in BR matches, 100 yds w/ 222.I have to tighten up my reloading, and shooting technique.

I will build the 222 on a new stock, glass bed myself and go, go, go.

JR

 

[LHSmith]

.224 Bullets for BR .....52 gr. Barts, 52 gr. Euber, 52 gr. Berger.
On the barrel ...go with as heavy a contour as you can......can go up to 13.5 # total rifle weight in HV.
Not sure of a BR stock for a 788, but most anything can be modified to fit...given enough time and having proper tooling on hand. It should have a 3" fore-end.
It may be an uphill battle getting it to be competitive against custom actioned PPC's.... but if you succeed you will have awesome bragging rights.

What twist is your .308? Have you considered using your .308 in Hunter Class BR(Score competition ...6x scope only)?

 

[dataforce1@gmail.com]

I will call Bartlein to find out twist. Beautiful bull sporter. I find all barrel makers are very helpful. Brian at Bartlein is exceptional.

I have not looked into hunter class but will. thank you.

On stocks, I routed out barrel channel on original 788 stock. Was not hard with dremel tool. Glass bedded myself, shoots good now. At this point rifle is better than shooter.

 

[LHSmith]

Back in the early '70's I had a 788 in 22/250. I don't have one now to compare to a 700, but on one website for aftermarket stocks, it was mentioned that a McMillan stock with a 700 inlet could be modified for the 788. McMillan may be your best bet, my .222 HV wears a McMillan Edge stock which rides the bags very well.
Next hurdle may be the trigger, which should be less than 1#.
I see your passionate about the 788, but you have to realize that resale value is such that you most likely won't get your investment back upgrading the 788 for BR like you would building a custom actioned BR gun...........unless you actually win matches ....in which case you'll get all kinds of offers.
BTW if you decide on the .222, I would go with a .250 neck (won't require neck turning), and I would NOT go with a match chamber...stay with standard SAAMI.

 

[mshelton]

Stick with the .222, no sense going 'yo joe' on a .223

 

[areaone]

I have owned a 222 on and off since 1966. I love the little cartridge. Have it now on M70 push feed, shilen 14 twist ratchet barrel-Varmint contour. Just got back from PD shooting in Wyoming, consistent 300-350 kills with 50 gr Speer TNT and Ramshot exterminator. Custom barrel with a .250 neck and .025 FB bedded in a HS stock, three shot groups less than .25 at 100 yds all day long, what is not to love about this "old timer". Read the wind, watch the drop and it works way past 200 yds. Never had much luck with the 55 gr, but the 50 gr was great.

 

[robbor]

im with the others 222

 

[k80skeet]

It is sure hard to beat the 222 out to 200 yards. I have really great luck with Brux barrels the last (5) I have bought have been just great. I would go with 1 in 14 twist as that seems to be the perfect twist for the .222 Remington. The .223's will never shot as good as the .222's GREAT CALIBER STICK WITH IT !!!

 

[manitou210]

Jr I am building a 223 for BR shooting I use a 223 in F class to 1000y works great
but do not use a 1/14 or 1/9 twist or anything between min would be a 1/8 or in my case I will use a I /7 shoot 80gr & 90gr JLK, Bergers, Sierras pass on the A maxs there is to many flyers.
these 80 & 90gr 224 bullets really buck the win much much better than any 52 to 69gr bullets do
good luck

 

[bheadboy]

222r std chamber, add the hart bbl as a choice, 14 twist and if only shooting out to 200 staywith 52-53br match bullets. SIerra is not to be discounted as they are very good and your rifle may like them.

Back in the mid 70's Jerry Hart, of Hart bbls, shot a 788 222r in br just for fun, every one laughed until he cleaned them at Fassett.
if you choose to occasionally varmit hunt the 50 gr sierra blitzking is a great choice.

Bob

 

[Scot]

First, how do you shoot the barrel out of a 222? I own several 222's including a custom stocked Remington 722 with a ProX trigger with over 10,000 rounds down the original barrel and it still shoots as good as day one. Both of my 222's favor 50 grain bullets.

 

[snert]

Save $ and try a simple re-crown on the factory barrel. You should be able to do that for $50 See how it shoots then if you need to, rebarrel. Hart in Apulia NY does 788's. If you want to shoot competitively, you are wasting money on building a 788. However, if you want to shoot "off a bench, having fun" it is a fine, inexpensive rifle. I bet a good, proper cleaning and a re-crown will refresh the barrel. 222 is not a barrel burner. More likely it quit due to cleaning activities or a nick in the crown. I have had several 222, and they are a piece of cake to load, make shoot. Easier and more intrinsically accurate (on average) than the 223, simple to play with, and just plain fun. Dare to be different!