Best .222 case?

kfn

kfn

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
Location
Guelph, Ont
I've accumilated plenty of .222 brass to the point where I need to load in just one headstamp. I have brass from Winchester, Remington, and Sellier & Bellot and I'd like to keep just one. I need your help in finding out which brand of brass I should keep. BTW, I neck size by backing off from the FL die which is working out OK.
Which one should I keep?
 
Last edited:
I would certainly segregate the brass by manufacture. Secondly, I would cull any brass which was berdan primed. You should do some weighing and measuring to determine what brass was the most concentric and consistent in weight. Many precision shooters seem to prefer Winchester brass to all others, but any manufacture can produce quality brass. It is important to understand that all large ammo manufacturers have had runs of both good and poor brass. Just how good the brass turns out to be is greatly determined by the amount of effort the reloader wishes to put into his case preparation.
 
In a larger calibre such as 308 Winchester, the answer would be obvious. However being that 222 Remington is such a small case, I would call it a tie between win/remington cases.....

PS The only 222 casings i have ever had to throw out too early in reloaded cases were:

PMC, (split necks)
Norma, (same cause, AND loose primer pockets)

For "regular varminting" and such field hunting uses, you will probably see NO difference in accuracy.
Its at the benchrest, and/or long range target shooting(222??) that this practice of one single brand name case, and that are sorted by weighing each case as well.(!!!)

Which opens the door, to other detailed preparations, like neck turning, competition dies, etc, etc, etc........
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the input; looks like Winchester seems better yet the others are still quite good. Not sure when I'll "thin the herd" but I'll PM those interested.
 
My sweet little sako 222 heavy barrel just loves RP brass. The WW stuff just won't group as the rem does but each barrel is different. Must say though that segregation of brands with the tack driver calibres is most important.
 
Re 222 brass

If your using pick up brass I've not found much difference between rp and win. However I've had no good luck with pmc or imperial. I once purchased some gevelot brass from ammomart and found it to be very heavy. Had to reduce poweder charges by 5%.
That being said I stopped using pick up brass completely a few years ago and buy virgin brass in lots of 100. I them keep them seperate to ensure the same amount of firings on each case. Then as they get used more one will eventually develope a split neck, when this happens I discard the whole 100 lot and start anew.
 
I've found that with proper prep, once-fired 223 brass shoots just as accurately as virgin new. It takes a long time to match prep it all and sort it out by weight bBut then again, so does new brass) but once that's done it'll handily do 1/2 MOA and under. If you want to get REALLY anal, shoot a bunch of brass, and toss any piece that causes a 'flyer,' so that all the brass you have left has placed a bullet in the EXACT same spot as all the others
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom