14-222
Historical Notes:
In the decade following WWII, there was considerable interest and experimentation
with sub caliber cartridges of 14 caliber and even 12 caliber. Although interest
subsided, it never completely died out, and a small but persistent group
continued their work with the 14 caliber. The 14-222 is the latest of these
cartridges and was originated by Helmut W. Sakschek about 1985. It is based
on the 222
Remington case necked down to 14 caliber. Information covering this cartridge
was published in the 1988 issue (20th Edition) of Guns Illustrated,
DBI Books, Inc., edited by Harold A. Murtz. Mild report and practically zero
recoil are characteristics of these small caliber rifles. With initial velocities
of over 4000 fps, they are quite deadly on small and even large game
animals.
General Comments:
An 11 grain bullet starting out at 4465 fps develops 505 fpe, which doesn't
sound very impressive. However, anything moving at such hypervelocity imparts
a sizable portion of that velocity to the molecular structure of whatever
it impacts, with devastating results. On the other hand, once the remaining
velocity drops below about 3500 fps, the effectiveness of these small,
lightweight bullets diminishes rapidly, so they are not really all that good
for long range shooting. There are also many problems with working with such
small projectiles. For example, metal fouling can be a serious problem and
such cartridges generally exhibit extreme sensitivity to charge variations.
Wind drift with such light projectiles is also a frequent complaint. Some
older 14 caliber cartridges used bullets of 20 to 25 grains which are easier
to handle and load, but can not be pushed at quite the velocity as the lighter
projectiles. In any event, the sub calibers are extremely interesting
and represent an area that may see additional development. Barrels in 14
caliber are currently available from Matco Inc.. PO Box 349, North Manchester,
Indiana 46962. Bullet making equipment is available through Corbin Inc.,
PO Box 2659, White City, Oregon 97530.
Source: Cartridges of the World
| 14-222 Reloading Data | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet (grs.) | Powder / (grs.) | MV | ME | Source |
| 11.4 HP | IMR4198 / 20.0 | 4200 | 445 | n/a |
| 11.4 HP | IMR 3031 / 21.0 | 4465 | 505 | n/a |
© www.reloadbench.com 1999 - 2005 All Rights Reserved
|
|
 |
|