.222 Magnum build

[GQshayne]

What you describe is not what I have on either of my rifles. I wonder if you have an aftermarket trigger.

[Am88]

Not that I can tell mate, looks like this one here just a screenshot from the net.

[RoginaJack]

Haven't read all, so this could be a stupid question. I assume you'r using Mag. primers and I also notice that ADI don't list 8208 powder for the .222Rem Mag.. Great cartridge by the way....

[GQshayne]

Not that I can tell mate, looks like this one here just a screenshot from the net.

Sorry!!!!! Got your rifles mixed up!!!!!! Forgot it was the Howa.

[Stix]

What brass are you using AM88...
I wonder if you are getting some kind of pressure symptoms...

Got pics of these targets...?

[Am88]

Roginajack, I didn't know they made small rifle magnum primers? Tests have been carried out with Rem 71/2 benchrest primers, and no ADI don't list it but I found data on the net.

Stix I will take photos of targets this afternoon, It's all new Sako brass, End of the day it could just not like the Sierra bullets, it shot great with the 55 vmax using a light load 23.2gr of 8208 as above photo on page 3. Wife is having the baby shower this Sunday so hopefully I can make it too the range of it's not flooded out.

[RoginaJack]

AM88 - Rem 7 1/2 primers should work a treat. These are considered as a "Magnum Primer" by several reloading manuals.
Regards.

[Stix]

Do you have different brass to try...?

Can you slide a bullet in the neck of a fired case with absolutely no resistance...?

[Am88]

AM88 - Rem 7 1/2 primers should work a treat. These are considered as a "Magnum Primer" by several reloading manuals.
Regards.

That's spooky mate as I just read that myself about 20 minutes ago, and the benchrest are apparently the better.

Yes sticks I have nosler brass aswell, all brand new, unsure on the slipping the bullet in aebI resized them all already mate sorry, I have discover ed that with a small DIY dodgy drop tube I can fit 28.9 grs in the case of 2206H (referring to a previous thread in reloading forum of me struggling to figure how ADI had 28grs as max). So am going to give 2206H a go,I thought 8208 might be a bit quick, trial and error as they say, more testing.

[Stix]

Well i cant fully follow your descriptions, so all i can say is if you think the recoil is different id be careful when it comes to shoving more powder in a case..

Measure the dia of a few bullets...
Measure the OD of neck of loaded cartridge
And measure OD of fired case necks.

You want the last measurement to equal or be bigger than +.002" of the sum of the first 2 measurements & have a bullet slide freely through a fired case neck...

It cant hurt to test this with the first few cases you fire...

[Am88]

Dually noted, I'll take my micrometers out with me, I've loaded some up with 2206H to try.

Sorry for the descriptions stix I probably come off as crazy

[Am88]

Couldn't remember where I left this,

Load development wise, I found an issue with the Sierra 1365's. I made a full rookie mistake, I did not check my chamber length. when I loaded my test round I loaded to max COL as per the manual for that bullet, I did the exact same thing wit the V Max. Well turns out I was jamming the bullets into the lands 30 Thousands.

Whoops, may have something to do with blowing primers and pressures . So I double checked everything and now going through elimination processes. first I tried the 1365's with 2206H again, all shot the same size grouping, appalling at about 1.5". That was 24.5, 25, 25.5, 26 and 26.6gr. But no excess pressure signs or popped primers or any primer deformation and nothing on the micrometers. However shot terribly.

Scope has been changed, Mounts have been changed, found a used Meopta 3.5-10x44 and I have DNZ one piece mounts in the shed already, lovely.

Trigger has been changed to a JARD 6-8oz. Amazing is all I can say.

Now to get the thing to shoot, my initial run in with V MAXS was promising with 8208. So I have some more loaded now however I really want to use these Sierra's as one of my intentions for this is to head and neck shoot deer off the ute and these little game kings are awesome for it, 23.5, 24, 24.5 ad 25gr of 8208 loaded with 50 though jump to start, much easier to work with then 2206H instead of mucking around with drop tube.

Will see how it goes this weekend. If it shoots the same, well ill go back to Vmax's and see if that will perform again for my own piece of mind.

[Am88]

Received Jard trigger yesterday, 6-8oz. Couldnt be more disappointed, cannot operate the safety as it contacts the underside of the action, the trigger has more creep then MJ at a wiggles concert. Going to try adjust tonight, the only way to even get it fitted to the rifle I had to remove safety, to be honest no safety on this rifle is not that bigger deal to me, I do not use it, have never used the safety on any of my roo shooting rifles.

[marksman]

that's pretty disappointing Am88
l've had to do some work on some rifles to get aftermarket triggers to fit eg.. filing trigger guards for the trigger to fit, taking out stock timber for the safety to be able to swing, even having to cut and tig parts ect..
the jards have a good reputation so l'm sure you will get it to work nicely but lMO you should try and get it fitted with the safety working
here is a utube vid that may help in getting it fitted properly, hope this helps out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgjdzkIp8uU

being the older 3 adjustment cmc howa original trigger if you decide to sell it let me know l dibs first

[Am88]

Was more so the fact that this thing is meant to come pre set ready to rock and roll, and here I am mucking about with it.

I have calmed down now however and once adjusted I got it nice a crisp and must say I am happy with the trigger, can't wait to try it, I got it on the heavier side at 8 oz's..... But my safety is totally different to that video. Will get a photo of it to show what I mean but my CMC has a slightly different action then that howa in the video. If it was the same the safety would work no worries but as is no good.

[Am88]

This is how the rifle sits now. Stock has darkened up nice enough. Will see how I can get the 55 grainers to shoot.

[JimTom]

Nice job. Watching with interest to see how she shoots.

[Am88]

Took it for another crack yesterday, very happy with trigger after using it and having to adjust a touch more creep out.

It just does not seem to like these Sierra's. I have tried 3 different powders, 2 different primers, bullet depths etc. cannot get it to shoot at all. Loading up some 55gr vmaxs, at least I know it shoots better then 1/2" MOA or better with them. Anyone want to buy a new unopened box of Super Roo's 1000pk

[duncan61]

I have had the complete opposite experience which I would like to share.We had roo problems on our hill block when I worked at the dairy farm so The farmer supported me on removing some.I sorted all the damage permits and went to the local gun shop and bought a light weight RUGER .222.I puchased 60 rounds of Remington AccuTip-V, Boat tail ammo that was ridiculously accurate.I started reloading and bought a box of Sierra matchkings in 52 gns.I found 2205 and 2207 to be very poor choices for this particular rifle as they both left this white grease like stuff in the barrel.If I held it upside down it actualy dripped out.The other mistake I had made was the accuracy was brilliant but twice I had hit the roo in the head heard the thump and halfway over to collect they got up and hopped off.The target bullets were fine if you brained them but if I shot a bit forward the bullet would go through the nasal cavity and exit.I started buying Remington 50gn PSP and using 2208 as I had bought a 4 kg tub.Again I got lucky as 22.2 of 2208 was accurate enough for doing head shots on roos and one time I bought 60 rounds of Highland 50gn PSP as I was getting low on brass and the POI at 100m was identical.I still have a heap of .222 loads however I do not do pro roo shooting anymore.What I wish to do which is similar to what you have done is to have a 223 barrel fitted with a 1;8 twist and a custom stock then I can use it at the range.I like not losing your sight picture when target shooting and the 7mm Rem Mag while excellent longe range rifle it goes bang with a heap of recoil and is not pleasant.I will start with bullets in the 70gn range.I have always found Sierra target bullets to be very good and half the price of others

[bigrich]

Took it for another crack yesterday, very happy with trigger after using it and having to adjust a touch more creep out.

It just does not seem to like these Sierra's. I have tried 3 different powders, 2 different primers, bullet depths etc. cannot get it to shoot at all. Loading up some 55gr vmaxs, at least I know it shoots better then 1/2" MOA or better with them. Anyone want to buy a new unopened box of Super Roo's 1000pk

i've never had much luck with sierra projectiles , except the 225 grainers in my 358 . it out shoots my 6.5

hornady and noslers seem to fly best for me , the 55vmax are a good accurate projectile in every 22 i've owned

[JimTom]

Yeah for some reason Hornady seem to work for me. I have 1000 55gn Speer and haven’t had a lot of success with them either.

[Am88]

I honestly thought I would not have issues, I started to think on the weekend a little, I was loading up some test rounds for my .308 with 150gr Scirocco II. They are they same length almost as the 165gr SST, and I thought to myself, the 55gr Gameking is very short for what it is, My .222 Sako A1 here puts the 50gr soft points into a 5 shot 3/8" group it also shoots the 55gr Gamekings to about 3/4" to 1" on a good day if I do my part, much slower FPS and a 1:14 twist.

The Vmax 55gr is much longer then the 55gr Sierra. I'm wondering if the length has anything to do with it.

[bigrich]

Bearing surface can come into the equation of accuracy and stability of projectiles
My 222 has a 1-12 twist barrel and only likes flat base projectiles as they have more bearing surface. If I pushed the boat tails I’ve tried much faster they would probably fly better. Eventually I’ll probably get a new barrel in 1-14 twist, I could just get it rechambered to 223, but I like the long neck on the 222
Unless I rechamber to 222 mag. Which is why I’m watching this topic

[Am88]

I just checked, and the 50gr sierra which is a flat base and the 55gr gameking which is boat tail has dam near the same bearing surface, also very short compared to others. I'll know soon enough, have loaded some VMAX up with same powder charges and primers to to tell me whats going on, same bullet jump too.

[Am88]

Well now I'm really stumped. More loads but with 55gr Vmax, medium loads with 2206H and 8208. Same results, 1 1/2" groups, hmmm ok so I went back to went I first shot the rifle it shot 6 under a 5 cent coin with powder thrown loads easily. I loaded 5 at 23gr 8208, 5 at 23.3gr 8208, 55gr v max, shot terrible still, 1 1/4" groups. I feel like I need to forget everything about this rifle and imagine I have just pulled it out of the box and start again.

[bigrich]

If your neck sizing check that your not going too low with the die and pushing out the shoulder which well effect neck tension and alignment on chambering.
In my 222 going too high with the neck sizing results in long projectiles like the 55 vmax ballooning out the unsized portion of the neck which again effects accuracy in my rifle
I now use flat base 40’s which stay above the resized part of the neck
Besides checking case length it’s about the only thing I can think of which may effect accuracy like your describing. Or inaccurate powder scales ? Unless the action is floating around in the stock something shocking?

Hope some of this helps

[Am88]

More results. 55gr vmax .020 jump. loads with 2206H, 23.5, 24 and 24.5. all grouped 1.5".

Loads with 2207, 21.5, 22 and 22.5. all 1.5" group same POI. Something funny going on here. All these powder and all these bullets are giving me same POI and same group sizes. Will putt barreled action out and see if anything stands out to me.

[bigrich]

Yeah something strange going on for sure

[Am88]

So I have stripped this thing, everything is clean, nothing loose, scopes tight, I have even changed the scope, going to start again, rifle is clean, lets see what happens.

[deanp100]

It is very consistent. All the indications of a good gun. It has to be said” can you shoot better than 1.5 ? Could you be letting the gun down?