Which midsize 22?

[urbanrifleman]

Honestly a 62 ELDVT at 3400ish is going to be impossible to beat. I know a lot of people don't like to hear me say that, but that new bullet just obsoleted all of the old school varmint bullets. The BC is nearly double and the explosion is equal or superior to anything that we tested.

The 22br will easily reach the numbers that I said. As will a 223 Ackley. There really isn't any need for any more than that unless you just want to get crazy. And that's the long and the short of it.

You could use a 22GT or a 22XC or a 22 250 and do the same thing of course. But the 22Br or the 223 ackley will do exactly the same thing cheaper and I doubt any of them will outshoot a 22 BR.

 

[Lefty2506]

Okay, so now I'm confused. The only centerfire rifles I own in 22 cal are chambered in either 223 Wylde (several uppers) or 223 Rem (one Sav model 12 with a 26" 1:9 tube). My understanding is that a 223/5.56 holds a little under 29gr of H20, and a 223 AI holds a hair over 30, and will normally give you an extra 100 fps or so at the muzzle. I'm pretty sure that I'm running a 53gr Vmax at 3500 fps out of my Savage using a max charge of N133. I mean ABSOLUTELY NO disrespect to anyone here, but I find it hard to believe that blowing the case out to an AI would allow me to push a 62gr ELD-VT at almost the same speed. I can believe that the ARC and BR cases will hit that speed, but a 223 AI would have to come with a written guarantee before I'd be willing to try it.

 

[alf]

Another option is the 22-204, equal to, or a hair bigger than the 223 Ackley, with no fireforming needed, just a straight neckup.

I just got done working up a load with the 62 ELD-VT in mine in a 26" 8" twist. I touched 3500, but went with a different powder that I want to use up, at an easy 3300.

 

[alf]

And before someone starts flapping their gums about the 22-204 just being a 222 RM.....


221 Fireball - 222 Rem - 223 Rem - 223 AI - 222 Rem Mag - 22-204 - 22-204 w/80 VLD - 22 Dasher - 22x47 Lapua

 

[Lefty2506]

When it's time to go with something a little bigger, I should keep it simple and do the XC, but that 22x47 looks pretty sexy...

 

[Evan]

What I mean to say is that I don't plan on shooting the 62 gr any faster than 3500 fps. I'm really not interested in the overbore discussion at this point. I was just thinking that 22 ARC can hit that velocity with a 26" tube, using a cartridge that had significantly more case capacity was either going to cause issues with accuracy, or the barrel would heat up a lot faster. In my brain, it uses more powder so it heats the barrel up faster so I have to shoot more slowly. It makes sense to me that if I'm using a larger case at the same velocity, I'll have less throat erosion because of the lower pressures, but does that also translate to cooler barrel temps even though I'm probably still burning more powder?

From what I can tell, the ARC and BR hold around 35gr of H20, the Dasher holds a little over 37gr, the GT and 22-250 hold around 40gr (didn't realize the GT was that big or the 250 was that small), the 22-250 AI holds 46gr, 22x47 should be around 47gr, the 22XC should be around 50gr of H20 , 22CM holds almost 53gr.

I was originally thinking that the 22-250 held closer to 45gr. I didn't realize that blowing it out to an AI increased its capacity so much. I was also under the impression that the 22-250 AI, 22XC, and 22 CM had very similar case capacities since they all have very similar performance.

Seems like a person could break the cartridges into categories based on case capacity. On the bottom would be cases that hold less than 30gr, then those that hold around 35gr, then those that hold around 40 gr, then those that hold 45gr or more. If I'm wanting to push a 62gr bullet at 3500 fps, it seems like the 35gr cartridges can do it, but I'd have to be running at near max pressure. The 40gr stuff could do it more easily (lower pressure), but would that result in more, less, or essentially the same amount of barrel heat?

If you’re concerned about heat, run lower pressure loads on the 22BR. Find a low node a couple grains under max and it will stay significantly cooler. The 90 SMK shoots fantastic at a lower 2780fps node, giving up only a tiny bit to the magical 2950ish node. A rapid 5-shot string for record in benchrest heats the barrel noticeably less at the lower node. For PDs, I would take the low node and enjoy more shooting before it’s hot. Also, do you have a barrel cooler setup? I use a cheap MTM bore guide with a rechargeable air mattress pump to cool my barrels when they’re hot. I can see if I can get a picture for you if you’re interested.

 

[alf]

Another option is the 6.8 SPC case necked to 22. Mine's actually a 22 DTI, which changes the original shoulder to 30 degrees, with no other changes. Starline SPC brass is pretty good, & is generally available. I run 52 Bergers at 3550 in a 20" AR.

6.8 case in the middle, flanked by the 22 DTI cases, and 223 on the ends

 

[ELR LVR]

Any barrel will get hot with sustained fire
Just ask your AR15
--------------------------------------------------
A 22BR will make you want more than 1 though, it really is a fun and impressive cartridge
Even though many others can basically do the same thing I guess

 

[ELR LVR]

This is almost embarrassing to post since these are not typical 22BR groups
These are crappy 22 BR groups. (2nd photo is its normal load but using 5 grns more)
but keep this in mind
This is a First time out for this rifle testing a whole "new to me" powder I had never tried in a 22BR
LT-32 (I had 2 lbs I hadn't tried it in anything yet)
It's a little faster burn rate (Taking 5 less grains than what I normally use)
But if you take a closer look you'll at least notice one thing.
The groups in the ladder test are at least grouping right near my point of aim
Meaning:
a 22BR shoots pretty much any powder and any bullet accurately
I have noticed just about every single 22BR owner here
All Shoot a different bullet
and they all rave about it's accuracy
Just food for thought my friend.
(I'm going to have to go back and fool with the 27.5 and 28.5 gr load)
But this may just be the wrong powder altogether for this bullet)