Remington 40XB, .222 Rem. caliber

D

Dante

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I have a friend who is trying his best to improve his results in competition with this rifle. He is an accomplished competition shooter and excels in .22 rimfire benchrest where he can purchase his ammunition and match it to his rifle for optimum results. He is meticulous. I believe he is on the right track using Lapua brass which is weighed and sorted, trimmed to length, fire formed and neck sized. I think he needs to experiment more with bullet weights and designs as well as powders and primers. Currently he uses Varget powder and a 53 grain bullet over a standard primer (not BR). My question to you, the experts in this area, is this....suggestions for load combinations to be tried? .....any posts or stickies on this forum which may help him? Thank-you, Dave
 
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I have had better results in 222 with faster powder, especially IMR4198. IIRC, 19.5 of 4198 with a 52/53 frain bullet was my go-to load in my 222 Rem.

Also, Sierra 50 grain BlitzKing's were my standard varmint bullets.
 
If you are speaking of current Benchrest practice, I would point out that neck sizing has become passe, having been replaced by FL sizing using bushing dies that are a close match to the chamber.

As to powder selection, I would say that Varget is too slow for the .222 with a 53 grain bullet. 322, 2015, Benchmark, 133, and 748 (It looks too slow on paper but I have used it with success and good velocity.) are all candidates.

Those new to fine tuning accurate rifles often fail to appreciate how important small changes in seating depth are.

Even though loading at the range, is the shortest route to finding and maintaining tune, I find huge resistance to this practice among non Benchrest shooters. This can also be said of the use of wind flags and on the barrel mirage shields.

I know many shooters who are meticulous reloaders. Getting them to do the right "stuff", so that their results will improve, is another matter. Generally, they want to get better results without changing their procedure.
 
i agree with the rest...varget is the wrong powder here.

2230, 4198, even 2520.

my issue with 748 has been incosistancy...maybe temp sensitive.

mike in co
 
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