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Which .222 ammunition?


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I haven't had a chance to try my CZ 527 .222 on live quarry yet but that will be happening soon with a bit of luck.

I tried it when I first got it a few weeks ago and was shooting a (largish) 1 inch group. Since then I have thoroughly scoured out the barrel and retried and rezeroed it. After a few "fouling rounds" I was manageing to get just under a 1" group at 100 yards, which I was quite happy with. This was using (Cheap, about £9.00 per box) Partizan 50g ammunition.

The gun will be used predominantly for Fox but also for occasional long range rabbits out to maybe 200 to 250 yards - I am not too fussy about the meat damage to rabbits.

The question that I would like to ask of other .222 users and is as follows:

Is ther another ammunition that you suggest that I try and what weight do you think might be best for fox out to about maybe 200 yards ? Bare in mind please that I don't want to go out and break the bank by buying maybe 5 or 6 different types and weights of ammunition just to experiment with?

I was wondering if maybe I ought to try something like a 40g ammunition if there is any readily available - Do any of you find much difference between the 50g and the 40g or 45g Factory rounds available?

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Hornady is my go-to factory load in any calibre i have on test but i personally handload for my own 222. Superformance Varmint is good for speed freaks but regilar varmint is excellent.

What weight of head are the Hornady please and are they just a "standard" soft point or what?

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1" at a 100 is not bad at all mate and at 9 quid a box,happy days.

 

My gun own gun (Tikka M595) never really got on with any 50gr I put through it.I could scrape 1" groups with them at a 100yrds but never tight and I expected a little more.A switch to 40gr made a hell of a difference and I can now clover leaf at hundred and put 1" at 200yrds.Wind does get hold of them a bit more but time on the range gets around this.

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1" at a 100 is not bad at all mate and at 9 quid a box,happy days.

 

My gun own gun (Tikka M595) never really got on with any 50gr I put through it.I could scrape 1" groups with them at a 100yrds but never tight and I expected a little more.A switch to 40gr made a hell of a difference and I can now clover leaf at hundred and put 1" at 200yrds.Wind does get hold of them a bit more but time on the range gets around this.

Can I ask which 40g ammunition you are using please and "roughly" what price they are?

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You can.

 

Hornady V-max and they came in at £22 a box.The best factory load I have used through my own gun so far.There are are one or two makes I have not tried but,I don't honestly think I will tighten my groups any more ?.I will be reloading my own very shortly and i'm looking forward to having a play.

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Foxes and long range rabbits is exactly what I use my triple for. I'm using Federal Vshok 40 grn. They're not the cheapest at £26 a box from Sportsman but they are extremely accurate. I zero at 200 yds because for 40 grns this gives point and shoot to 250 yds for rabbits. With a cold barrel I get 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch groups at 200 yds. I've shot foxes to 300 yds with these with no problems at all but I avoid shoulder shots because they're ballistic tips. Sternum or ribcage floors them every time.

I'm surprised how good they are for sideways wind deflection; it really has to be howling to cause problems, but they do yaw in a strong following wind. Consistency between batches has been excellent.

I'd try Hornady as well I could get them, but at Sportsman its Federal or Norma and Normas were spraying around at 4" at 100 yds. Any good triple will shoot a lot better than 1" at 100 yds if you can find the right round so it pays to experiment although its a pain and costs money.

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Foxes and long range rabbits is exactly what I use my triple for. I'm using Federal Vshok 40 grn. They're not the cheapest at £26 a box from Sportsman but they are extremely accurate. I zero at 200 yds because for 40 grns this gives point and shoot to 250 yds for rabbits. With a cold barrel I get 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch groups at 200 yds. I've shot foxes to 300 yds with these with no problems at all but I avoid shoulder shots because they're ballistic tips. Sternum or ribcage floors them every time.

I'm surprised how good they are for sideways wind deflection; it really has to be howling to cause problems, but they do yaw in a strong following wind. Consistency between batches has been excellent.

I'd try Hornady as well I could get them, but at Sportsman its Federal or Norma and Normas were spraying around at 4" at 100 yds. Any good triple will shoot a lot better than 1" at 100 yds if you can find the right round so it pays to experiment although its a pain and costs money.

i am glad it wasn't just me,

i tried the norma 40g and they were shocking at 100 yards have only shot 5 out of a box i am going to take them bunny bashing see if i can find a few close up so i can use them up and use cases for reloading,

shame as these are the dearest rounds i have tried

 

colin

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Long time since I bought some but Norma 50gn sp`s were my choice for a Tikka 595, I used them for fox and roe as I didn`t want to switch zeros and it worked for both. I now reload and it is much better, 40gn varmints, 50gn sp`s and vmax with little difference in zero.

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get a lee loader and knock some home loads together.

even my scoop and whack loads with 50gr VMax and N133 were better than Privi 50gr SP

.222 is idiot proof to reload and you will be able to reload for 35-40p if you shop around and use VV

 

I don't see the benefit of 40's over 50's in .222

the increase in speed is not significant enough to give trajectory advantage but the drop in weight IS enough to give worse energy and wind deflection

especially if foxes are your quarry of choice

 

I have 50gr Vmax and 60gr SP to feed mine now, slightly higher POI for 60's but neglible

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get a lee loader and knock some home loads together.

even my scoop and whack loads with 50gr VMax and N133 were better than Privi 50gr SP

.222 is idiot proof to reload and you will be able to reload for 35-40p if you shop around and use VV

 

I don't see the benefit of 40's over 50's in .222

the increase in speed is not significant enough to give trajectory advantage but the drop in weight IS enough to give worse energy and wind deflection

especially if foxes are your quarry of choice

 

I have 50gr Vmax and 60gr SP to feed mine now, slightly higher POI for 60's but neglible

Bewsher do you find the 60gr work ok in the triple i have not tried anything above 50gr as i was told they don't like anything over 55gr

i may have to get a few to try

 

colin

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get a lee loader and knock some home loads together.

even my scoop and whack loads with 50gr VMax and N133 were better than Privi 50gr SP

.222 is idiot proof to reload and you will be able to reload for 35-40p if you shop around and use VV

 

I don't see the benefit of 40's over 50's in .222

the increase in speed is not significant enough to give trajectory advantage but the drop in weight IS enough to give worse energy and wind deflection

especially if foxes are your quarry of choice

 

I have 50gr Vmax and 60gr SP to feed mine now, slightly higher POI for 60's but neglible

 

I quite agree if foxes are the main quarry with a few rabbits on the side. I set out specifically to shoot rabbits as often as I do foxes and having tried 50s and 40s I have found the 40s do offer a useful advantage. The trajectory difference is small, but so is a rabbit at 250/300 yds.

What can be awkward is regularly switching between a .22lr, an HMR and a .222 when shooting rabbits on the same ground. You've got to adjust your ranging brain to the rifle you're using that particular day. Bit like owning both a Japanese and a classic British bike: forget what you're doing and you're trying to change gear with the wrong foot.

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Bewsher do you find the 60gr work ok in the triple i have not tried anything above 50gr as i was told they don't like anything over 55gr

i may have to get a few to try

 

colin

I was told the same, but in true mad scientist form I wanted the proof.

"they" also told me 100gr wouldnt work in a 1:10 Parker Hale barrel...

 

The bullets were free so I wanted to see if they would fly. they work just fine at the right speed

I wacked some loads together with very scooped charges of around 21gr and shot 2 5shot groups of around an 1" at about 80yds or so (point proved)

 

IMG_0170_zpsefb48e34.jpg

 

I then worked up five loads between 20.4gr and 21.2gr and shot three shot groups at 100yds. They started about 1-1.5" and shrank to 3/4" at 20.8gr and then opened right up to 3-4" the faster they went.

 

I took the 20.8 and loaded three seating depths.

the first two were longer than I would normally shoot the last one was the shortest

 

3 shots at 110yds 20.8gr N133 60gr Hornady SP, Norma Brass CCI400 OAL-54.1mm

BRNO Md2 20" barrel, off a plastic garden table through a 6x scope......that'll do nicely!

They do hit about an inch higher than the 50-52gr though

 

 

IMG_01931_zps800cbc76.jpg

Edited by Bewsher500
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