Reloaders of .222 a ? for you

D

Dinkum

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Mar 24, 2007
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Guys, I have a couple of questions regarding reloading.

First one. I am loading with the minimum of 18 grains with 50 grain projectiles and my POI is about an inch and a half higher at 50m with factory ammo (Rem) the load data says 18-22 grains, how many grains more would you suggest for a similar POI

2: I haven't been reloading very long at all, and I am having some issues with feeding the round into the receiver, the odd thing is that the cases are fire formed in the same rifle, all are at the reccomended case length, and OAL with projectile seated is the same as a factory round. Could it be that I have forgot to champher some of the cases after trimming? I just can't seem to find rhyme or reason for it otherwise. :confused:
 
I don't reload .222, but I do reload .308 Win, .45 acp, .45 Colt, .41 magnum, and I'm set up for probably 10 other calibers.

Okay, here are my answers:

1) If you're reloading, I'd forget about your zero using commercial rounds. With reloading, you can achieve higher consistancy and more uniform rounds, especially when you're using precision equipment. Anyway, you're using the minimum powder charges, so just keep increasing until you find a powder charge that has the same zero as the Rem ammo. Also, your Rem ammo should have ballistics on the box, if you find out how fast it's coming out of the muzzle, then you're reloading manual should give ballistics and try to match them.

Oh, depending where you look, minimum and maximum powder charges will vary.

2) I know that some people only resize the neck if they only have 1 rifle in the caliber and it's a bolt gun. But, try full case resizing and see where that goes. Or, clean the brass pretty well.

Out of curiosity, what rifle are you using?
 
Thanks mate, the brass is pretty clean as I tumble properly before reloading. I will try a full re-size on some of the cases and see if it makes a difference.

The rifle is a 60's vintage (but hardly shot) Sako Vixen.

Sako_Vixen.JPG


Image nicked from 'Hartleys Hunting and Fishing'
 
just a comment.... bottle neck cases lengthen with repeated firings, straight wall cases shorten...if you load a long case, and crimp in the cannelure of the bullet, you risk pushing the shoulder of the cartridge back if the cannelure catches the case neck before the bullet is completely seated, causing an increase in diameter... and that could be part of your chambering problem... additionally, if the cases have been reloaded several times already, the neck brass should be annealed (softened), to prevent case neck cracks.....for handloads with a 7TCU in a Contender, I preferred not to crimp...reduced the expander ball diameter by about 1/2 a thousandth of an inch, and trimmed the cases short... when the case lengthened after about 5 reloadings, I discarded them....

if the case length is excessive for the chamber, you may be catching the case neck in the leade area, wedged between the bullet and the barrel wall, causing hard chambering and excessive pressure to be developed...you might ink a case with a MajicMarker and see if you have a short chamber

usually a heavier projectile (traveling slower) will impact higher than a lighter one as the barrel is under recoil (and rising slightly) while the bullet is still in the barrel....I don't think you would notice that at 50m with the velocity of a .222
 
Ohhhhhhh......an L461 Vixen. Sweet! I have an early 70's Vixen in .223 Rem.

POI can be all over the place with different loads. How's your bedding?. You also don't mention what powder you're using.

Check your neck wall thickness. Mic the outside diameter of the neck with bullet seated. Make sure it's within specs. Also, compare the bullet ogive of the rounds giving you trouble chambering with some that don't give trouble at the same overall length. Different ogive might be contacting the rifling.
 
What is your complete recipe? 18gr. seems a little on the low side for .222 with 50gr bullets. I would start at about 19.5 gr and see what that gets you.

As for the issues chambering, are you seating your bullet to touch the lands? Try lightly seating one without crimping and chamber it softly to measure what COL your chamber likes.

Here's what mine shoots well

Hornady 55gr. FMJ-BT
Rem brass full length resized 2x fired
Win SRM primer
22.6gr. IMR 4064
COL 2.155"
~2750fps


-xander
 
i am guessing that you are using imr 4198 as that is a classic powder for the cartridge.eighteen grains of imr 4198 is the suggested starting load for the .222(and most accurate per the nosler manual at hand.) the maximum charge listed is 20.0 grains for velocity of 3172 fps. the usual solution for your problem is to set back the shoulder very slightly a little bit at a time until you can just feel a slight resistance when you chamber a round.anyway,i suspect that is your problem.
 
manassas dragon said:
i am guessing that you are using imr 4198 as that is a classic powder for the cartridge.eighteen grains of imr 4198 is the suggested starting load for the .222(and most accurate per the nosler manual at hand.) the maximum charge listed is 20.0 grains for velocity of 3172 fps. the usual solution for your problem is to set back the shoulder very slightly a little bit at a time until you can just feel a slight resistance when you chamber a round.anyway,i suspect that is your problem.
Click to expand...

My Hornady manual states 19.0 to start with 4198 up to 21.0 max, thats why I thought it was a little low.


-Xander
 
Thanks all, sorry for the delay (stupid lousy work)

I tried another x 20 with just neck sizing and made sure I chamfered well and added another grain to make (19) I started on 18 as I only had the Speer manual for reloading.

I tried 6 rounds today and they all chambered fine.

Its shooting MOA at 100m from a rest, so I can't complain.

Thanks to all that chipped in.

:thumbup:

forgot to add, the powder is AR2207
 
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