40 grain in 222 ?

tomcat388th

tomcat388th

New member
I have an old rem 722 that will shoots 50,52 and 55 grain bullets just fine, dime size groups at a 100 yards. With 40 grain vmax 1.5 inch at best. I've been using imr 4198 and h322 with rem br primers. Going to try some reloader 7 and maybe some nosler bullets. Any other idea's or does my rifle just not like 40 grain bullets
 
TOM- MY SAKO and two remingtons Have shot everythign good i have tried. 40 vmax, 50 baltip and a few 52 match with i-4198. the remingtons seemed to like it a little better hot. 21.5 with the 40. the 40 was not that impressive on the one coyote i shot. if you want a 40 grainer, try balistictips. if i4198 and h-322 did not shoot i would not change powders. plus your regular loads are dime size. nice. you can always use those.
 
The first 40 grain bullet I shot in the 222 was the Sierra hollow point, it was very accurate with 21 grains of IMR 4198. I have used that same load with other 40 grain bullets with good accuracy, I use Nosler ballistic tips but the most accurate 40 grain bullet I have found is the Sierra blitz-king. I would check to see if your barrel is free-floated this nearly always helps Remingtons. I might add that I would never go back to the heavier bullets in the 222.
 
It's likely the twist of your barrel that's incompatible with the lighter bullets. You can try another 40 grain bullet design by another manufacturer, but there's a good chance you're not going to get the accuracy you're used to.
 
I've been using the Sierra 40 gr HP and Blitzkings with BL(C)-2 powder and Rem 7 1/2 primers and have been getting really good accuracy in my 722. Haven't tried the 40 gr V-Max's yet.
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I agree...the 40 grain seems to like to be pushed a little harder in the 222's I've had. 21.5 of h-4198 is what I shoot as well.
 
tomcat388th:

As noted, the Sierra HP is a good performer velocity-wise, in the 222 (so is the Speer 45 gr. SP and Sierra 45 SP.

Faster powders work well, as noted R- 7 and BLC-2 and 4198; not mentioned and yet a top performer (for speed and accuracy) is VV- N133 [kinda pricey, but...].

A lot of the [older] factory 222s leades were set up for 50 grain bullets, so seating further out w/ 40 grain bullets than the book max of 2.130 may get you closer to the start of the lands, even if violating (a little) the general rule of one caliber seating depth minimum [.224] in the neck.
 
I would play with the seating depth on the 40's[ longer OAL] and stay with the IMR-4198. If that doesn't work I would try IMR-4895, or IMR-8208XBR. All three powders have, and do work real well for me in the "Deuce".
 
Everyone thanks for your input. rifle itself is bedded and free floated topped with a redfield 3x9x40. I won't be heart broken if the 40's don't work out I can run them through my xp100 221 fireballs. I was just surprised with the larger groups everything else that I've shot in this gun has done really well nosler, speer, sierra and hornady. My 2 goto loads are 21.5 h322 with 50g vmax and 19.6 imr4198 with a sierra 52gn matchking
Justin
 
I use 21.0 of IMR-4198 with CCI 400 small rifle primers myself, so you may want to try these. I had used 7 1/2's with all the other bullets (50 V-MAX, BK's, Blitz's, TNT's, 52 HPBT's, etc.), but for the 40 V-MAX I think if you try CCI 400's in the 21-21.5 range with 4198, it may just come together for you. I would probably try Reloader 7 or even Benchmark after that. Nothing fancy with mine, just regular 'ol book COL at 2.130 or whatever it should be for the 222. The 40 V-MAX is a GREAT little bullet if you can get it to work in your gun, I promise you that!
 
40 Noslers and R7 is my 222 CZ's fav combo.. My CZ has a 1:14 twist.
I believe that your 722 has a 1:14 twist as well.
 
Just a update finally got the 722 to shoot 40 grain ended up trying out some reloader 7 and sierra varmiter 40's shoots just as well as my 50 and 52's.
Still had some vmax 40's left so i worked some them up with rel7 still won't shoot, 1.5 2.0 group. This gun just doesn't like 40 vmax's. For the sierra 40's 21.5 of rel 7 would put 3 out of 4 touching.
Justin
 
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