Pet loads for .222 Remington?

E

eclubine

New member
I understand that all rifles are different, but I was just wondering if anybody had some loads using IMR 4198 that give fairly decent groups from your guns? thanks
 
i have three. a sako and two remingtons. they love I4198, and 50 grain balistic tips and 40 brain balistic tips and 40 vmax. that is all i have tried so far. lapua or norma brass
 
I have two 222's. One in a Remington Model 600 and one in a Browning A Bolt. I'll be watching this thread as well. I am shooting 40 gr Blitzkings, very accurately.

I am currently shooting H4198 and they do very well. But I want more speed. Saw in the Hornady Loading Manual where H335 will push a 40 grainer to 3600fps from 222. I bought a pound, we'll see.

BrowningTripleDuece.jpg


VX315x5-600.jpg
 
H335 is a whale of a powder for a 222 for the 50 and 55g bullets, you will not be dissatisfied if you try it when you run out of 4198.

I shot p. dogs in my 700's and 40X's with loads from 19.5-20.5g with a 50g Sierra Blitz...groups in the 2's.

H335 will give you longer barrel life compared to 4198.
 
Now, I like hearing things like that. Appreciate your input ackleyman.....I have no experience with the H335, but I am gonna get some experience now for sure..
 
Thanks everybody who has helped and who will hopefully help sooner or later. Why will H335 give me better barrel life? Just curious.
 
Originally Posted By: eclubineThanks everybody who has helped and who will hopefully help sooner or later. Why will H335 give me better barrel life? Just curious.
It is generally thought that the ball powders are easier on barrels. The thinking is that the deterrent coatings on ball powders may shield the barrel from some of the high temp flame.
I have seen no evidence of this in my experience and I have used up a lot of barrels with both ball and extruded powders.

Jack
 
21.0 of 4198 and a 40 V-MAX right at book COL, 2.130 - with a CCI 400 primer. Accurate as heck out of my 700 BDL, doing 3,300fps on average, and with the boat tail design I find I can hit with these going distance about as well as anything.

Also like Rem 7 1/2 BR primers with the 50gr Speer TNT. And if just target shooting, or interested in bigger stuff, you might check out Sierra's 52 HPBT. But the 50 Blitz, the 50 V-MAX and BlitzKing, they are all good out of the 'ol 222 rem. Wonderful caliber!

I have tried BL-C(2), and H335 (which Walt Berger used to make it into the shooting hall of fame I believe), and while good I really haven't found any to be easier to work with than 4198. H335 in fact can be down right dirty.

I may get around to trying some benchmark in my 222 at some point. Really love this powder in 204 ruger which is a necked down 222 mag. Cleanest burning powder I have seen yet.

Good luck to you.
 
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Other good powders besides 4198 and not yet mentioned for the .222 are Accurate Arms 2230 and Ramshot XTerminator.

Non-premium bullets that are excellent performers for hunting at the .222 velocities include the Sierra 40 gr. HP, Sierra 50 gr. Blitz, and Hornady 50 gr. SX, and Speer 52 gr. HP.
 
Personally I don't use 4198 in my triple duece. My rifle didn't like it. my pet load involves Reloader 7, WW brass and Nosler 40 BT's and Rem 7-1/2 primer. . If you want to use 4198 in your gun you will have to work a load up for yourself.. I doubt you'll find the right load using someone else's data..
 
i use 23.1 RL10,40gr nosler BT's and rem 7 1/2 primers. I'm getting consistent 3500 fps and great accuracy
 
Thanks again everybody, again I get that what one rife might like another may hate. I'm just trying to get an idea of what other people are using. My gun is a Remington 700 ADL, never owned a newer Remington but they don't even look as good as the old ones, you know?
 
If you want a good book for good loads try: Ken Waters PET LOADS volume's 1 and 2. You can get them at brownells or midway I believe.He did alot of testing for the .222 rem.
 
21.5g IMR4198, 40g vmax, win case, cci 400, 2.150"

3500fps from the 24" rem 700 ADL and shoots under .5" at 100, usually around 1/4"-3/8"

My favorite load for this rifle by far. Zero at 225, and it makes a nice 300 yard varmint rifle. Killed quite a few coyotes wiht it over the years and had very good results with the 40g vmax at 222 speeds.

I've had no need or desire to try any other powder.

I have found my rifle does not like IMR4198 and 50-52g bullets at the higher charges. Shoots ok at the minimum loads but not great.

It also shoots most any 55g bullet under .75" with 19.5g IMR4198 at 3100fps.
 
ackleyman

You were right. I loaded some up to Hornady's Manual Max of 26.6 of H335 using the little Sierra Blitzking 40 grain bullets and chrony'd them while shooting for groups. I was impressed to say the least. Below is a 100yds five shot group that all five chrony'd over 3600fps muzzle velocity from the camo'd Browning A Bolt shown above. Thanks for the encouragment. I was stomping on it, no pressure signs, they all looked good and barrel cleaned right on up easily.

H335TripleDuece.jpg
 
I did not post it, but I know Walt Berger personally. He sat a whole bunch of world records with a 222 suing H335.

You will get the best accuracy with a thick cup primer such as a Rem 7 1/2, CCI BR-4, or the CCI magnum 450, keep going up in powder charge, you will see the vertical in your group disappear.

I buy my H335 in 8 lb kegs, there can be a very slight variation in lot to lot variations that can vary powder charge .3g.

Don't be surprised if your accuracy load is in the 3700+f ps area.

Fed brass is very soft and will not take pressures.

Lapua brass is some really tough brass and you can really get some good velocity with extreme accuracy. If you live in a hot area, it never pays to shoot the ragged extreme on hot loads or to let a round sit in a HOT barrel.

I shot the 40g Speer Sp on yotes at velocities that I won't mention in a 222...you will find out for yourself.

I like to determine what is a max load for my rifle and that particular lot# of powder with a particular primer.

I load one round and one round only, increasing powder charge .5g at a time, I want to know what my max load is. When I start seeing pressure signs, I call it max, back off 2.0g and start shooting 3 shot groups, .3g apart till I am within .5g of the max load, watching carefully at the minus .5g load. I stop any time that I see pressure.

On another note, I am selling off a good friends estate for the family. There is 483 count of the 40g blitz king Moly that I am selling for them for $70 +$5 postage, please don't feel obligated to purchase because they will sell, I'm not even worried. If you don't like the moly, just run the bullets through the tumbler.

I would love to hear of your further experiments with the H335.

The military uses a slower version of H335 in the 5.56 rounds, really unreal barrel life compared to H322 which gummed up the M16's in the Viet Nam War.

I got 10,000 rounds out of a 6 PPC shooting 60g Bullets with H335. At 10,000 rounds, the barrel would still group in the High .200's and low 300's.

Those thick cup primers will allow you to reach the top end accuracy node with the 40's, you are not going to believe it when you find it!

Good luck and stay in touch!

Keith
 
Thanks again Keith. I shoot and reload with a friend of mine who is just cracking into his 80's. He's been shooting the 222 for many years, he is where I got the little Remington 600 from. He has showed me somethings that have really prompted my interest in the triple duece.

Todays groups were shot with Winchester primers, so it appears I have plenty of room for improvement.

Thanks again
 
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