222 Rem

sharp shooter

sharp shooter

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Essex county (Ontario)
Who has been shooting their 222 during this drought??? I'm so impressed with myself that I don't shoot a 6.5 something, that would be depressing if you couldn't find a bullet or a piece of brass anywhere. Theres lots of IMR4198 still available though and quite a decent bullet selection in .224 still if you look hard. There's even a ton of BR4 primers out there too. I had an old 222 and it shot lasers with 40gr V Max. I foolishly sold it to buy another gun. It was a mint Sako L461 Vixen Varmint HB. Maybe one day the gentleman I sold it to will sell it back but likely not. I did replace it with another heavyweight. An L461 Browning HB. It too shoots lights out too, just with 40gr bullets and 50gr and 52gr and 53gr. I got the trigger pull weight down a lot but after trying out a Timney on another rifle, I'm thinking about getting one for this rifle. Any other 222 die hards out there? Oh, forgot to mention, these 222's are capable of shooting to 300 yards very nicely, especially if its calm.

Happy 222 shooting.

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Working with mine in a Remington 700 but our Manitoba winter has been less than cooperative. Wanted to use 52gr hp match but just doesn’t seem to like them. Have a bunch of 40gr V-max ready to go and this week’s forecast looks promising.
 
I’ve been enjoying the 222 lately as well. Like you said, easy to find components and it’s not hard to get them to shoot. I’ve got a few sakos and a handful of Model 700’s. Would like to find another HB Model 70.
 
I've got a CZ 527 Varmint and I haven't played with it much beyond some factory ammo. I've got dies, brass, bullets and powder ready to go once I get 100 rounds or so out of it and bed it.
 
Sako A1 Varmint .222 Rem. bought new in 1982, at the top of my "never sell list". Leupold 6.5-20x40 & Harris BR-S bi-pod have accounted for many thousands of gophers over the years.
Did change to a timney trigger. IMR 4198 with plain jane Hornady 50 SPSX is a 1/4" load & launches gophers like you wouldn`t believe. Switched to H322 a few years back just because I load 1000 at a time and H322 meters much better than IMR4198 and shoots just as good. Never have shot any 40s, never felt I could improve on the 50 SPSX load, but getting low on the 50s and do have a good supply of the Hornady 40 V-Max so will see what H322 & 40 V-Max can do.
 
I never thought I could improve the SPSX load either until tried the 40’s for the heck of it. 21gr of IMR 4198 sent the 40 VMAX consistently over the chrono at 3605 fps and into a ragged hole with the old Sako. Really upset I sold. Maybe the new owner will chime in here and tell us how it’s shooting. I’m not sure I could take it back though, my Browning HB would likely get jealous and I don’t want to do that to her. She always hits the target where I ask her.

We better get some pictures going boys, I’ll take some tonight.
 
PGW Steve said:
I've got a CZ 527 Varmint and I haven't played with it much beyond some factory ammo. I've got dies, brass, bullets and powder ready to go once I get 100 rounds or so out of it and bed it.
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I bet that thing will shoot if it’s like any of my other CZ’s. I have a 204 Varmint it shoots so good it makes me want to get one in 222
 
I have a Remington 700 "Classic" chambered in 222 Rem. It is a real winner in the accuracy department.
Pet loads include the 50 V-Max and 2x grains of (obsolete) Reloder 12
52 Speer HP and 2x grains of W748; 45 grain HP and 2x grains of IMR 4198.
It shoots practically everything I throw at it well. Got to like a rifle like that. Dave.
 
Yes, it is almost harder to find a load that will not shoot well than one that will. Read somewhere that some of the old time bench rest competitors used to shoot H4895 so I tried it just for fun, gives up some velocity but real nice to shoot and super nice groups, very accurate. I have found it to be one of the easiest cartridges, if not the easiest, to reload, would never be without one.
 
Just starting down the 222 path now. Picked up a heavy barrel L461, and 75 and am in the process of bringing in a 527. The L461 I managed to get the trigger pull to about 3 lbs but am inquiring about a Timney. The 75 is at 1.5 lbs right now. Will wait and see what the CZ is like.
 
I just love my Sako Vixen in .222Rem. I bought it as a barreled action back in the early 80's and put it in a custom stock. Fortunately, I never sold it and I never will. It's a dream to handload for. Some of my favourite bullets are 50gr and 55gr Hornady VMAX. Great powders are IMR4198, D8208 and H4895. It's almost impossible not to get sub-MOA accuracy in this caliber. It was my #1 groundhog rifle back in the day. I still take out 4 or 5 times a year to my local range and have fun with it.

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That’s a beauty Sako Rifle Dude.

I bought a Model 700 barrelled action before Christmas off the EE. I found a nice classic stock to put it in and not surprisingly it’s a great shooter too.

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Actually got out my newer to me BLR in the fine 222 before the deep snow arrived. I put a 1-8x24 scope on it.
Just enuf time to sight it in.
I have owned for a long time a Remington 788 topped with Leupold 6x42.
Handload of 46 grain Winchester hollow points meant for the 22 Hornet.
When I run out of those I have a derge of 46 grain Calhoun double hollow points patiently waiting.
 
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