222 Remington Magnum
(22 Varminter)
(22 Wotkyns Original Swift)
Any difference in performance between the
.222 Remington Magnum and the
.223 Remington
will fit neatly beneath one's fingernail without the slightest discomfort.
This includes both velocity and accuracy capability. Both cartridges were
developed as candidates for military duty and therin lies the reason one
made it while the other didn't. Uncle Sam adopted one but not the other.
Had the .222 Remington Magnum made it as a military cartridge there never
would of been a .223
Remington.
Not many rifles have been available in .222 Remington Magnum. Three that
come to mind are the Remington Model 700, Sako L469, and Kimber Model 84.
Even so, the .222 Remington Magnum will tote the load when asked to preform
on prairie dogs and chucks. It is also an excellent gobbler cartridge, when
loaded to about 2500 fps with a 55 grain soft point.
The .222 Remington Magnum probably gained more attention as the parent case
of the 6 x 47mm, a once popular wildcat among benchrest shooters than it
ever did in it's original form. Today, it is a dying cartridge and shooters
who own rifles in this caliber would be wise to stock up on cases and factory
ammunition. If Remington should someday decide to discontinue this cartridge,
the only case that can be reformed to .222 Remington Magnum configuration
is the terribly expensive 5.6 x 50mm case of European origin.
Like all members of the .222 Remington family, the triple deuce Magnum is
seen at its best for varmint shooting when loaded with the Speer TNT,
Nosler Expander,
Hornady SX, and
Sierra Blitz bullets.
H335,
BL-C(2), H4895,
and IMR-3031
are outstanding performers in this cartridge.
Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition
Historical Notes:
The 222 Remington Magnum was originally developed as an experimental military
cartridge in a cooperative effort between Remington and Springfield Arsenal.
Since it was never adopted by the military, Remington introduced it as a
sporting round in 1958 as one of the calibers for their Model 722 bolt action
rifle, and also for a time in the later 700 series bolt action rifles. At
present, no Remington rifles are available in this caliber. None of the other
major American sporting arms manufacturing companies offer the 222 Remington
Magnum among their choice of calibers. The 222 Remington Magnum is fast heading
for obsolescence.
General Comments:
In comparison to the standard 222 Remington, the magnum version has about
20% greater case capacity, and consequently delivers 100 or so fps higher
muzzle velocity and an effective range between 50 and 75 yards greater than
the 222. Though
its case is 4 to 5 % greater than the 223 Remington, the performance of these
two is indistinguishable because the 222 Remington Magnum is factory loaded
to a lower maximum pressure. The 222 Magnum is nearly 1/10th of an inch longer
than the 223
in overall case length and is also slightly longer it body length. As a result,
the two are not interchangeable, and although the
223 can be chambered
and fired in a 222 Magnum rifle, a dangerous headspace condition exists and
case rupture is certain to occur when the round is fired. The 222 Remington
Magnum is every bit as accurate as the standard
222 or the
223 and is certainly
adequate for anything up to but not including deer. It never achieved the
popularity of the standard
222 and has
been largely superseded by the
223 Remington.
It is, nevertheless, a very fine long range varmint cartridge. Remington
still manufactures ammunition in this caliber.
Source: Cartridges of the World
| 222 Remington Magnum Reloading Components & Accessories | |
Hornady Shell Holder #16
 |
RCBS
Trim Pro 3-Way Cutter .22 Caliber
 |
| 22 Caliber (.223, .224) Bullets | RCBS
Case Trimmer Pilot .22 Caliber
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