222 remington

[elkaholic]

Hi guys. I just picked up a 700 rem in .222 Rem. I have owned about everything BUT 22 cal. so wanted some input from you 222 guys. It is an ADL manufactured in '75 as near as I can tell. I know the triple deuce was very popular before all the new stuff came out and they usually shot very well. I haven't shot this one yet so I haven't made up my mind whether or not I want to rechamber, rebarrel or what? If it seems to be a good shooter but if I decide to rechamber, what would you recommend? If I decide to rebarrel, what would you recommend? Any pros, cons etc. would be appreciated. Thanks/Rich

 

[Hairtrigger]

222 rem is still very desireable.
I think you should either shoot it as is, or sell it and buy what you really want

 

[roninflag]

222 rem is still very desireable.
I think you should either shoot it as is, or sell it and buy what you really want

i agree. i have three. they all like I-4198 and 50 grain bullets. actually everything i have tried shot good to great 40's , 52's , 53's. LAPUA brass

 

[cowboy]

222 rem is still very desireable.
I think you should either shoot it as is, or sell it and buy what you really want

Good advice - Been there done that. I have had a number of 222's in the past 40 years and still have and always will have one. Nothing wrong with them other than brass is getting a little more difficult to find if you do not plan ahead.

 

[elkaholic]

I may just have to keep this rifle! I went out yesterday in a 10-15 mph wind and fired 3 shots with remington factory ammo at 100 yds. The scope dot covers about 3 moa and the barrel probably hasn't been cleaned in twenty years. The 3 shots went under 1/2". I cleaned the barrel out really well with bore tech eliminator and it looks really good. I think I'll find some dies, buy some 4198 and maybe some H322 and see what this 'ol gal is capable of. Thanks for the input guys. I'll keep you posted on how it performs......Rich

 

[Trickymissfit]

i agree. i have three. they all like I-4198 and 50 grain bullets. actually everything i have tried shot good to great 40's , 52's , 53's.

might be worth your while to try AA2015BR, or H322 & BL-C2 with the 50 grain bullet. I have not tried it yet, but they say that N133 and N140 work very well in the .222 as well
gary

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Brass is never a problem here, since we (Lapua) still load ammunition and offer cases for the venerable 222 Rem. Even aside from this, you can always make the brass out of 223 Rem cases. Had an couple army buddies who bought T/C Contenders in 222 back in '78 or thereabouts. Army pay being what it is, I don't recall that either of those guns ever fired a factory 222 case. Virtually everything they shot was refromed from 5.56 brass. I don't think there was even a forming die involved; push the shoulder back, trim to length, and you've got yourself a 222 case.

A truly grerat and classic cartridge. Be a real shame to rechamber it to something more pedestrian.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I may just have to keep this rifle! I went out yesterday in a 10-15 mph wind and fired 3 shots with remington factory ammo at 100 yds. The scope dot covers about 3 moa and the barrel probably hasn't been cleaned in twenty years. The 3 shots went under 1/2". I cleaned the barrel out really well with bore tech eliminator and it looks really good. I think I'll find some dies, buy some 4198 and maybe some H322 and see what this 'ol gal is capable of. Thanks for the input guys. I'll keep you posted on how it performs......Rich

look to see if you have any IMR 3031 or H335. I've used the H335 in that case and the 3031 is fairly close to 2015, but usually a hundred feet or so slower. I use the 2015 to shoot .65" groups with my T/C with a 15" .222 barrel. In a rifle it should group in the high fours or low fives at about 3300 fps. Also the neck on the .222 seems to like a little tension in the bullet grip.

Hunt up a set of Forster dies in .222 Remington.
gary

 

[elkaholic]

Brass is never a problem here, since we (Lapua) still load ammunition and offer cases for the venerable 222 Rem. Even aside from this, you can always make the brass out of 223 Rem cases. Had an couple army buddies who bought T/C Contenders in 222 back in '78 or thereabouts. Army pay being what it is, I don't recall that either of those guns ever fired a factory 222 case. Virtually everything they shot was refromed from 5.56 brass. I don't think there was even a forming die involved; push the shoulder back, trim to length, and you've got yourself a 222 case.

A truly grerat and classic cartridge. Be a real shame to rechamber it to something more pedestrian.

Great advice Kevin! Everything I shoot is custom made anyway, so this wouldn't be a problem at all. I guess I must enjoy the whole process.

 

[elkaholic]

look to see if you have any IMR 3031 or H335. I've used the H335 in that case and the 3031 is fairly close to 2015, but usually a hundred feet or so slower. I use the 2015 to shoot .65" groups with my T/C with a 15" .222 barrel. In a rifle it should group in the high fours or low fives at about 3300 fps. Also the neck on the .222 seems to like a little tension in the bullet grip.

Hunt up a set of Forster dies in .222 Remington.
gary

Thanks Gary! Do you use the forsters with the bushings?

 

[Hairtrigger]

Most of my shooting is with 22 centerfires. The wind does not affect much the first 100 yards but it sure does further out!
I currently have 222's in a Rem 760, Ruger Mini-14 and M77, Rem 700, SakoL461 and a XP-100
There is very little difference from a 222rem and a 223 in the real world

 

[Trickymissfit]

Great advice Kevin! Everything I shoot is custom made anyway, so this wouldn't be a problem at all. I guess I must enjoy the whole process.

When I got my second T/C barrel there was a shortage of .222 brass, and you couldn't buy 50 pieces for a hundred dollars! I managed to find about 25 cases here and there in Winchester and Remington (all was used). I then noticed remington and Winchester .223 cases laying all over the ground at the range, and just ficked up about fifty cases, and brought it home. Took about six or eight cases and ran them thru an RCBS die till the datum line was about .0075" longer than the cases fired in that barrel. Then cut them off about .01" long. Deburred them and ran them thru my Forster sizing die. Everything was very tight in the Forster die as I remember. When I measured the necks they were big in diameter, and I shaved them to .244" (the chamber is .246"). Checked the head space, and it was very close. So I fireformed them, and they came out near perfect (the first two didn't due to too light of a load). Later I adjusted the RCBS die to where it left about .004" in the shoulders and then adjusted the Forster to where it was about .0015" longer. After that the cases came out near perfect (I shaved the necks after sizing them in the RCBS die to where they were about .248"/.250"). I made about 150 cases, and shot on them for about three or four years. Then my brother gave me 250 Norma cases (I have to look as they might even be Lapua) for Christmass!. I'm still actually shooting on that same lot of 150 cases made from .223 brass. I like the idea of the necks being on the fat side from the start, and then shaving them to fit the chamber. If it'd been a rifle I'd have cut them to about .245". Somewhere in my ever growing pile of reloading stuff is a shoulder bump die I made out of A-2, but have never used it as the .222 is really easy on case life.

gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks Gary! Do you use the forsters with the bushings?

I don't want you to think I completely nuts (my ex wives will already confirm this!), but the only bushing dies I use are Wilsons but with one exception. I have an RCBS set, and Forster Ultra set, and a custom built inline die set from
Mr. Pendel reamed off his benchrest reamer for .222 Remington. That last die set is actually made from aluminum (I have not looked much at the seater, but it may have a steel bushing in the neck). That neck die uses Wilson bushings, and must have 3,000 rounds thru it (it wasn't new when I got it in a trade). If you are serious about a bushing neck die, then go with the Wilson and a small arbor press (I use a K&M). With that setup, all you really need is a full length sizing die to bump the shoulder every ten firings or so (I actually rarely bump the shoulders on my .222 barrels). A T/C is very finicky about head space and has a weak extractor, so you have to stay ontop of it, but in a rifle it's a different story
gary

 

[elkaholic]

Thanks Gary! Lots of good info there. I made 6.5-06 A.I. cases for years from .270 cases which involves about the same process so I understand what you are saying. Thanks again/Rich