.222 Rem. update

  • 2.4K Views
  • Last Post 20 May 2011
PETE posted this 13 May 2011

  Lot of shooting but until yesterday not much to mention. To bring you up to speed......

  Started out using the NEI 45-225-GC bullet weighing 43 grs. along with SR 4759 powder and CCI BR-4 primers. That didn't work out so tried Rem. 7 1/2 primers. That also didn't work. So figuring maybe those primers were the problem I switched over to Win. SR primers. That didn't work either. Groups in the 6” range don't cut it. Might put two or three together but then the inevitable flyers would creep in.

  Decided to start all over with another bullet and powder....... I know that's not the way to do it, but time is running out till the June 1st target is due.

  I went with a Lyman 225438 bullet that weighs 48 grs. ready to load. That along with the Win. SR primers and Red Dot powder. Things are looking up a little bit as 5 shot groups are down to 1 3/4” at a 100 yds. MV 1464.2, SD 4, and ES 10.7

  So the next course of action is to take the powder charge down a little more and go with 10 shot groups. That'll be next week. Then if I have time I'll probably try SP primers and straight Lino for the bullet alloy. If not for the next due target then next month. Then of course there are quite a few powders that need to be tried out. I can see a whole Summer of playing around looking for “THE” load.

Pete

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
nimrod posted this 13 May 2011

Well thats better glad to see that you are starting to get some good results. If you have any Blue Dot around might give that a try. I have had some Blue Dot loads that shot very well for me with the 225415 bullet

Attached Files

PETE posted this 13 May 2011

nimrod,

Yeah. Got Blue Dot and Green Dot to. In fact probably got a dozen powders I could try. A friend says Unique is also good. Probably 2400 to. Got them all. Just started with the Red Dot as I've found it to be very clean burning with light wgt. bullets. The SR 4759 was on the dirty side until I got up into the 2000 fps range which wasn't where I was looking for MV. Probably many other powder that will be a good as Red Dot.

Pete

Attached Files

JeffinNZ posted this 15 May 2011

6-7gr of Green Dot works for me in the .223 Rem with the 225415.

Have you tried small PISTOL primers? I find they make a big difference.

Cheers from New Zealand

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 15 May 2011

While I have worked with cast bullets in a 218 Bee lever action Marlin I've not messed with any cast bullets in a 22 centerfire bolt action .

But if I were messing with a 222 REM I think I'd be trying IMR4198 , H322 and RL-7 with whatever primer I preferred . And my preference would be a REM 7 1/2 for that application .

Also this IMR8208 has been shooting well for me with cast bullets in the 444 , but before that it did nicely in a 204 RUger and a 223 with jacketed stuff .

 

Maybe I don't do this the same as other folks , but in the past my cast loads are usually right at the same levels as a weight equivalent jacketed bullet . SO I usually use the manuals and go from there . Just my opinion !

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 15 May 2011

Pete , when you shoot at the bench with your 222 and cast , how many shots do you take before cleaning the bore ?

 

In the past with jacketed bullet rifles in 222 I could get by with a fouler and four 3 shot groups then you better clean it or they'd really start flying !

 

I was curiouse as to whether you could get by with less cleaning or if you needed more ?

Attached Files

PETE posted this 16 May 2011

Jeff,

Small Pistol primers are on the list after I try out straight Lino bullets. Will also keep your Green Dot load in mind.

6pt,

SO far I haven't shot enuf rounds at a time to feel it necessary to clean the gun while shooting. Depending on where I'm at with the load development the best group.... if you can call it that..... is near the end of the days shooting. But, it is one thing I want to play with in the near future. The main reason I gave up on 4759 is that the lower charges I was getting into shot very dirty, so was figuring that wasn't helping any, and was the reason I switched over to Red Dot. Red Dot shoots very clean as far down in the charge wgt. that I've gone.

Today's shooting wasn't all that great. Shot 10 shot groups in three different loads which ended up in the 3” plus size. SD's are fantastic so something isn't quite right. I plan on trying straight Lino bullets the next time out, and then try out Jeff's idea of SP primers.

I'm beginning to wonder if temp. has anything to do with things. We just haven't had many days above 60° this Spring. It's either that or the wind blows in the 20 mph range which isn't helping either.

Pete

Attached Files

nimrod posted this 16 May 2011

I would bet that the temperature doesn't have much effect not in that range of degrees anyway. But the wind sure does especially with them itty-bitty bullets. I shot in a fun postal match this past winter .22 only I never shot below 32* but there was a person that lives in Alaska and he shot a few times at something like -40* maybe colder and turned in pretty good groups.

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 16 May 2011

PETE wrote: 6pt,

SO far I haven't shot enuf rounds at a time to feel it necessary to clean the gun while shooting.  

 

Whats the largest amount of rounds you've shot in a session with your 222 ?

Attached Files

PETE posted this 17 May 2011

nimrod,

Lubes are something else to play with. Right now I'm using Javelina the old NRA 50/50 lube. Several of us around here have found that when the temp.'s get below 60° F. you start to notice that accuracy suffers a bit. With other lubes that we use in Schuetzen shooting I have shot as low as 30° F. with no loss of accuracy.

If the weather keeps up like it has been I might have to try another lube. The lubes we use in Schuetzen will not take the MV's most seem to like in CBA competition, and the main reason why I'm working at MV's more suitable for that game.

Wind of course is a big factor when shooting .22's, either RF or CF. I hope tho that I've had enuf experience shooting .22 RF's last year to at least negate that factor to some extent.

Here's another factor I noticed yesterday that might indicate the temp. might be a factor. Yesterday the temp. was in the low 50's, with just about every bullet showing signs of tipping. Friday, the temp. was in the mid 70's and none of the bullets showed tipping. The odd thing is that the MV's were very similar. 1464.2 Friday & 1469.3 yesterday. SD Friday was 4 and yesterday it was 11.7. What I'd like to know is the “why” should the MV's be practically the same yet the SD's. are not. Lube? Temp.?

6pt-sika

The most rounds I've shot at one time with the .222 was 48. The outing that I shot that 1 3/4” group was the last 5 shot group out of 35 rounds. Yesterday the best group was the first group of 10 shots. Altho I see your point and will look at it in the future, I'm not sure it has much of a bearing on my problems

Pete

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 17 May 2011

PETE wrote: The most rounds I've shot at one time with the .222 was 48. The outing that I shot that 1 3/4” group was the last 5 shot group out of 35 rounds. Yesterday the best group was the first group of 10 shots. Altho I see your point and will look at it in the future, I'm not sure it has much of a bearing on my problems

Pete

I dunno with a cast bullet in a 22 cal .

But for jacketed after 13 shots I wouldn't expect anything great !

But I'm speaking of groups down in the .4's and below .

Attached Files

PETE posted this 18 May 2011

6pt-sika,

Shooting groups in the .4's would be quite an achievement with cast bullets in a production gun. I haven't kept track of what the unlimited guys are getting for groups in CBA competition but if it's possible they'll be the ones to do it.

With a good day and the right load I can get cast bullets out of a production gun down slightly below an 1".

Pete

  Without spending a lot of time looking up how to do it how do you upload a picture on here?

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 18 May 2011

PETE wrote:   Without spending a lot of time looking up how to do it how do you upload a picture on here?

I put all my pics in http://www.photbucket.com>www.photbucket.com and then transfer them here !

Photobucket is free and failry easy , atleast for me !

Once you get accepted on that sight you download your pics there . It's best (I think) to downsize before you send them to photbucket . And then after they go in your account there it's simple matter to click on the pic you want and paste it in a post here as you write it !

Attached Files

PETE posted this 19 May 2011

6pt-sitka,

Looks like your idea  worked. Thanks! I was thinking there was a way to directly load a picture up into the message. This will work I guess.

http://s1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff459/pete328401/?action=view&current=Hornet.gif>http://s1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff459/pete328401/?action=view¤t=Hornet.gif

  This picture is to show you that multiple groups can be shot with cast bullets without loss of accuracy. None of the groups shown exceed an inch and the lower right one was the last shot and measures a shade over 1/2". EVEn the four fouleras which are covered by the ruler are 15?16".

  Onward and upward...... Shot the .222 yesterday and even tho it was about as perfect a day as we've had this year, both temp., and wind-wise there's nothing to write about.

  Looks like two things, maybe more, are possible. The crown has some slight burrs or even tho the SD's are fantastic the bullets are exiting the barrel at different points in the vibration cycle. Another I hate to think about is that it just won't shoot cast bullets.

  So...... Left the gun at the gunsmith on the way home and he'll check the crown and touch that up if necessary. Then I'll load up “known” .222 accuracy loads with jacketed bullets and see what that shows. If it won't shoot those then the guns a lost cause and I'd better move onto something else.

Pete

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 19 May 2011

PETE wrote: 6pt-sitka,

Looks like your idea  worked. Thanks! I was thinking there was a way to directly load a picture up into the message. This will work I guess.

http://s1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff459/pete328401/?action=view&current=Hornet.gif>http://s1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff459/pete328401/?action=view¤t=Hornet.gif

   

That isn't exactly what I was trying to explain but as you said it works !

 

Attached Files

PETE posted this 19 May 2011

6pt-sitka

Ok. So how should I do it. I notice there are three options you can use. I just took the top one so I gather if I want to upload just the picture I have to use another option. Right?!

Pete

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 19 May 2011

PETE wrote: 6pt-sitka

Ok. So how should I do it. I notice there are three options you can use. I just took the top one so I gather if I want to upload just the picture I have to use another option. Right?!

Pete Try it again and click on the bottom one that should let the picture appear once you've finished the post .

Attached Files

PETE posted this 20 May 2011

Ok. Lets see if this works.

  Now that's strange! I tried testing it out by sending myself an email and it did exactly like my post above. But doing it here and it works. Thanks!

  As per my other post above this just goes to show that fouling doesn't always make a whole lot of difference in accuracy as far as cast bullets go. The bottom right group was the last group shot and none of the groups exceed an inch altho  the upper right was pretty close at 15/16". Even the 4 shots taken as foulers before shooting for group are under an inch.

  Considering the temp. at the top of the target I wonder what I would have gotten if the temp. would have been warmer. What you see here tho is the best results of 2 Summers shooting just about every week day.

Pete

Attached Files

6pt-sika posted this 20 May 2011

PETE wrote: Ok. Lets see if this works.

  Now that's strange! I tried testing it out by sending myself an email and it did exactly like my post above. But doing it here and it works. Thanks!

You are quite welcome , glad to be of help !

Attached Files

PETE posted this 20 May 2011

Here's the latest shot this morning. Sorry for the looks of the target but finished in the rain.

Probably not appropriate in a cast bullet forum but just to show that the rifle does shoot with jacketed bullets. I wasn't expecting much as everything (loads, bullets & primers) was just taken from what I remember and bullets I had on hand.

To explain a bit..... The “A” groups were shot and from lowest powder charge to highest and then the “B” groups were shot in the same order. The fouler bull were just left overs.

So either dressing up the crown did some good or else I''ve still got a lot more work to do to get the cast bullets to work. Will see Monday if the weather allows. Supposed to rain off & on till next Thursday.

Pete

Attached Files

Categories
Search
Popular Tags
This Weeks High Earners
Hot Topics
Close