222 Rem and no crimp

Fox

Fox

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I just started reloading again, lots of plans but a lack of time.

I loaded up 5 bullets of each weight from min to max in 2 different bullet styles, I have my testing setup.

The question is, neither of the bullets had a crimp groove and I do not plan on a factory style crimp die. Does anyone see the need for a crimp on this cartridge? The bullets are seated to Factory COAL numbers for now and lots of bullet into the neck, I am using 50gr bullets.

Thanks
 
Crimping is totally unnecessary in this case. I don't even crimp .223 for my AR-15.
 
Perfect, it felt like there was a lot of neck tension pressing in the bullets. I am actually amazed with the 50gr bullets side by side how much different the bearing surface and overall length is between them, the VMax is almost one full turn more to the seating die to run the same COAL as the flat base SP.

Tomorrow I will get to see how they run, hoping for an accurate upper velocity load.
 
mikeelliot said:
Don't crimp.
The hardest part about loading for the 222 is finding a load it won't shoot.
Click to expand...

When I bought the gun from my uncle he had some reloads for it that an uncle of his, my great uncle, had worked out, I was able to put 5 rounds off a bench that you could cover with a dime, but no load data was available. 50gr grey box winchester was good enough for groundhogs but I never really shot it for accuracy. Igman 55gr seemed to be all over the map. I know it shoots 50gr bullets well so I am sticking with that, it seems as though that is the sweet spot on this cartridge and shooting up to coyotes at 250 yards max I do not need to go any heavier.

Hopefully I have some nice 100 yard dots after my test session tomorrow.
 
My go to loads (theres lots) are as follows for accuracy:

max dose of IMR 4198 and 40gr Vmax
max dose of IMR 4198 and 50gr Sierra Blitz King.

Both loads make clover leafs at 100 yards and both loads are about 2.5" at 300 yards.
 
All this talk about neck tension and crimping and no talk of what you are shooting your loads out of???
 
A buddy has an older Remington in .222, and he gets very good accuracy at a couple of grains less than max loads. Accuracy doesn't drop off at the higher velocity loads, but his powder supply goes further with the slower loads.

And his gun REALLY like the heavier bullets. 55 and 60 grainers are much more accurate for him than the lighter 45 and 50 grain bullets. I think the .222 was designed at a time when the lighter bullets were all that was to be had, and the slower twist confirmed this. It's just that the harmonics really shine when he uses heavier bullets.

Good luck on your quest. I hope you find a load you and the gun like!
 
Well I must not have had the sizing die setup correctly, 50% of the cartridges did not chamber because the shoulders did not get bumped back enough. Looks like I will be starting over again.

Good news, the 2-3 rounds at every load value were touching. The best was 19.5 and 20.0gr with the Vmax, the 20.5gr load showed some flattening of the primers with the Vmad boat tail, I am going to try to load them out a little further to max the magazine length but 20.0gr works for me.

Hopefully next range day will have a lot less wind.
 
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