222 mag

Wyoming Drifter

Wyoming Drifter

New member
I have a pretty healthy reloading setup and try and help out some buddies and coworkers by reloading their brass so they dont have to pay these rediculas prices the stores have here.

Anyway, I guy brought his old Browning 222mag (mint condition) to me with 6 boxes of empties. I had the dies but dont load this caliber very often. I have several newer books which I referre to when needed.

I optided to start with 27.5 gr of H-335 (which I know is on the upper end)50gr Nosler HP and a 7 1/2 Rem primer. I like to seat the bullet out as far as possible. This rifle is based on a Sako action with a very short magazine well. So I seated the tips accordingly. Loaded up a few and went to the range. I always give a rifle the once over to makes sure the mounts are snug, the barrel is clean and the lug bolts arent loose.

1st 5 shot group 1/2" but 2" low.. Adjusted the scope and shot 5 more. 3/8" !

I gave the guy his rifle back with quality reloaded ammo, without really looking at it closley to see what it actually was. It had a medium heavy barrel and a short sako action. It was marked , made in Finland. He said his Dad gave it to him and his Dad bought it second hand several yrs ago.

I didnt take my chrony out but the books show this load should be around 3400. He had a very old style Weaver 2x8 scope with tappered crosshairs. All in all, a very Quality rig ..

Anyway, if anyone has one of these I'd like to hear more about it.
 
Here's a little history on it and why it disappeared.

.223 Remington Cartridge History
The .223 Rem traces its roots to the .222 Remington, a round popular with benchrest and varmint shooters in the 1950s. When the US military was looking for a new high-speed small-caliber round to replace the .308 Winchester (7.62x51), Remington started with the .222 Remington, and stretched it to increase powder capacity by about 20% in 1958 to make the .222 Remington Magnum. The cartridge was not accepted by the military, but it was introduced commercially. In 1964, the 5.56x45 mm, also based on a stretched .222 Rem case (and very similar to the .222 Rem Magnum), was adopted along with the new M-16 rifle. As with the .222 Rem Magnum, the new military case achieved enhanced velocity (over the .222 Rem) by increasing case capacity with a longer body section and shorter neck. This military modification of the .222 Rem was originally called the .222 Special but was later renamed the .223 Remington. In military metric nomenclature, the round is called the 5.56x45. For the full history of the 5.56x45 cartridge, read the 5.56x45 Timeline, by Daniel Watters.
 
I am Very familiar with the caliber, I have one myself. Just interested in learning more about the Rifle itself. Maybe I should have put this in the Fireams section.

I appreciate your info though.
 
Hey there Grizz, how are ya ?

Anyway, It's a Browning Rifle.

I have a couple Marlin 322's which are 222's and basically the same thing, they also based the gun off of a sako action. Just never heard of a Browning made in Finland. I thought they were Belgum , Maybe I should start Googling ? lol
 
Good Drifter thanks for asking. Willie and I are going to hit it again after he returns from his Colorado mule deer hunt. I guess he and Ron drew a hard to draw unit this year. Took like 8 points or something. Willie shoots one of those Weatherby Accumark 30-378 Mags, this rifle is bigger than he is, but he handles it well. Two more friends are heading up to Nor Cal for a black bear hunt with hounds. Good luck to all! Willie and I are going to stay in Cal on the next predator calling trip to try and fill a few bobcat tags. Grizz
 
wyo d...i too own a 461 vixen in 222mag...my favorite bolt gun...sako rihimaki (sp?) made 222 & 308 sized barreled actions for browning...(i think they also made a full size mauser briefly)...222,222mag,243,308,22-250 in a several grades from late 50's thru late 60's or early 70's...what i don't know is whether sako made the entire rifle in finland or just sent barreled action to belgium...i also own a 579 forester that was a 243 but it wud never group so it became a 250AI-still hav box,barrel,stock & 1966 $129.97 price tag...both my sako wear mcmillan sako stocks...actions are so smooth.
 
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Drifter,

Good posting!
I collect old Rem 722's, and have two of those rifles chambered for the 222 Mag. I spend a lot of time doing the load testing thing for them and have found a number of very accurate loads. If you're looking for any specific loads that shoot, give me a yell.
I've been shooting 50 and 52 grain bullets in these rifles, and several different powders work well. Three different primers, with specific powders and bullets also work.
For me, a personal thing, I like the 222 Mag better than the 223, or the 223AI. I have two 223's, and one 223AI.
YMMV however, as that's what makes the world go around.

Martyn
 
I converted my Sako Vixen from 222 mag to 223AI a few years ago but I still have the 222 mag barrel. I also like the 222 mag over the 223 and was sorry to see it discontinued. I used the 50 grain Sierra Spitzer Blitz bullets in it and it killed coyotes very efficiently.
 
Hi Martyn.
As you can see, this particular rifle is a shooter. I picked up several 8# jugs of H-335 & H-322 yrs ago, so luckily most of my 222/223 class cartriges work with these powders and a 50 grainer. For some reason the 55's dont preform quite as well.
I picked up several flats of Rem 7 1/2 primers a few yrs ago so thats my small primer for everything. Up till a few yrs ago I had an FFL and a few dollars in my pocket so i stock piled a bunch of stuff.
Anyway, I appreciate the offer on your load data, but I'm setting pretty good.
 
I also have 2 722's in 222 mag and about 4 other's in 222 The mags like imr4198 and h335 rem 7 1/2 primers. sako did make rifle for browning and it would be something to hang on to
 
The accuracy those old Rem 722's deliver is unbelievable.
I spent most of the summer testing the 222's and the 222 Magnums. If I can get off my dead can, I'll take some pix of targets these rifles shot and post them.
I never dreamed these two chamberings in 50-60 year old rifles would shoot three shots at 100 yards in the .3's, .2's, and a few in the .1's. And they shoot those groups with many different bullets; Berger 50's, Berger 52's, Speer TNT's, both of Speer's 52 grainers, Sierra's 50 grain Blitz and Nosler's 50 BT. I just camped out on 722's for the whole summer..
grin.gif

 
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