Reoading the 22 ARC in a Bolt Action

[Nimrodmar10]

I just picked up a Ruger American Predator Gen2 in 22 ARC. I bought factory Hornady shells loaded with the 75 gr. ELD-M and 88 gr. ELD-M Bullets. The 75 gr. shot about 1" groups but the 88 gr. shot 1/2" groups.
I couldn't find any of the 62 gr. ELD-VT in loaded rounds, but I found loading dies and the 62 gr. ELD-VT bullets. I have the Hornady reloading app and most suitable powders due to the fact that I also have a Gen2 in 6mm ARC. I'm just wondering if any of you are loading the 62 gr. ELD-VT bullets in the 22 ARC and what your results and impressions are.

 

[Dmagna]

The bullet kills stuff, I use it varmint hunting. Nothing has ran away yet from it.

 

[quigley257]

So what's the deal with the Gen2s? I haven't handled one yet. What can you load to for mag length? If they use AR mags, I'll probably avoid them and build an AR in 22 ARC. If they can accommodate a longer OAL, then I may take a look at one and custom cut the throat. I built a 224 Valkyrie on a Savage 12FV action when the cartridge was first released. It is a great shooting rig. I cut the throat so I could load 88 ELDMs out to where the boat tail met the case neck which allowed me to run a bit more powder than the 2.25" standard round as well as higher pressures that somewhat limit the gas gun loadings. If I end up building a 22 ARC bolt gun, I will likely do the same. No sense giving up the case capacity when you can run a longer OAL.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

So what's the deal with the Gen2s? I haven't handled one yet. What can you load to for mag length? If they use AR mags, I'll probably avoid them and build an AR in 22 ARC. If they can accommodate a longer OAL, then I may take a look at one and custom cut the throat. I built a 224 Valkyrie on a Savage 12FV action when the cartridge was first released. It is a great shooting rig. I cut the throat so I could load 88 ELDMs out to where the boat tail met the case neck which allowed me to run a bit more powder than the 2.25" standard round as well as higher pressures that somewhat limit the gas gun loadings. If I end up building a 22 ARC bolt gun, I will likely do the same. No sense giving up the case capacity when you can run a longer OAL.

The Gen2 does use an AR mag, probably because the round was developed to run in an AR-15. From what I understand, with the design of the 22 ARC, you don't give up case capacity due to the case being short and fat and the chamber freebore designed to seat the long bullets at AR mag length. The bolt gun does allow you to load rounds hotter than is possible with the AR, 60,000-62,000 psi, as opposed to 50,000-52,000 psi for the AR-15. According to Hornady's reloading app, this should give the bolt action a velocity of 3,550 fps compared to 3,300 fps for the AR load. A 250 fps gain for the bolt action looks promising.

 

[A1C]

I've got a shilen or criterion barrel (can't remember which from Northland SS) on order a month or so ago and am trying to find load data. 22 ARC is a 22" bolt gun barrel 7T. Does anybody have experience w/the following bullets:

62 gr ELD-VT
70 gr berger VLD target
73/75 eld-m
80 gr berger VLD target
80 gr eld-m/eld-x
88 gr eld-m

I've tried the 62 gr ELD-VT in my 22 CM @ .015" jump (from the lands) but it didn't really like anything… barely MOA at best in a gun that shoots almost everything else much smaller.
In fairness, I didn't do any seating depth test but haven't found many success stories online with them yet. I shoot thousands of V-max's a year and haven't found them jump sensitive in anything but am excited for varminting w the the new VT line… just need something to show promise and I'll dive in.
I've been side tracked w a few hunting rifle's loads the last couple weeks but want to be ready when my barrel gets here.