Ruger 77mkII, 22PPC Desirable?

Crow99

I've gone the route with finicky and anal loading techniques, turned, weighed, and indicated brass, and all that. I've swaged bullets (now that did improve performance.. even if it was too time consuming..) and even "designed" a couple of cartridges (that you'll never see on the market or in the gun mags....) and have come to the conclusion that the "kiss" principle works best for me. A good barrel, some proper action work, and a really good job of putting everything together in a standard caliber beats neck turning, case forming, and all that stuff that keeps "gun nuts" happily posting on forums like this just about every time.. Of course I don't shoot .1" groups either, but groups in the high .2's and .3's from time to time seem to keep me happy enough. And i don't turn my nose up at a gun that will do .5" either.

Well stated :D

Sounds like your 22-204 project is a good one. I have been looking for a 700 BDL varminter in 222, or 17 rem for quite awhile. While I have run across a couple, they have been well shot, or should I say shot out :mad:. Your KISS theory is correct, I have yet to find a reason to go through what the PPC family needs. Add in the high cost of brass, either already PPC or the 220 russian. Basically I would rather spend more time afield or at the range than turning necks and such.

Let us know how the 22-204 turns out

Good Shooting

DR
 
Crow99: Your experiences VERY closely mirror mine both in term and scope!
I also am a GREAT admirer of the 222 Remington Magnum.
I have a wonderful custom Rifle in 222 Remington Magnum that Jim Cloward built for me on a Sako action. It has a heavy stainless 24" Hart barrel and just an exquisite piece of full length fiddle back wood on it.
This Rifle only goes out ONLY on special ocassion Rock Chuck Hunts!
And I have a 1960's vintage Browning factory Rifle in 222 Remington Magnum built on a Sako action that has the three step barrel - this is one of my favorite Rifles by the way.
Yep love the 222 mag!
And with that in mind I have to inquire WHY would you not use the 222 Remington Magnum reamer for your project Rifle - as opposed to the 22/204 Ruger?
You would certainly save a hundred dollar bill on the dies alone going with the standard die set!
Best of luck on this winter project by the way.
I also draw the line, Varmint caliber wise, at the 6mm Remington Ackley Improved caliber. My Darrell Holland built Rifle in this caliber is another of my Rifles that only comes out on special occassions! The last time it was used was on some high country Marmots in a remote range of the Rocky Mountains for instance.
This quote from your posting I heartily agree is GOSPEL in many respects - "the "kiss" principle works best for me. A good barrel, some proper action work, and a really good job of putting everything together in a standard caliber beats neck turning, case forming, and all that stuff".
AMEN - and you can have my witness to those observations!
BUT I still get the "call" for new things (22 PPC etc) and at rare times exotic things (17 MachIV's etc).
I feel blessed that I can pursue these type things, for I don't know how much longer (O'bama worries)!
Anyway I want to enclose this link for your perusal in case you have not read the article titled "Secrets of the Houston Warehouse" by Tom Scott- heavy on references to the 22 and 6mm PPC's:

http://gateway.andohs.net/player/?sid=826&nid=2920

Like you mention and DR4NRA echoes, I do not turn up my nose at a Rifle that shoots .500" groups - personally if I get a factory/hybrid Rifle to shoot groups in the 4's - it's load development, is done, as far as I am concerned.
Again good luck with the 22/204 Ruger project.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
Varmintguy and DR4NRA... certainly sounds like I've found a couple of like minds here :) And I wish you both well with your projects. Just because we like to keep things simple doesn't mean we have to do it ALL the time, does it?

My thinking on the .22-204 versus the .222 Mag is this: While I love the .222 Mag (ahd the whole .222 series for that matter,) it has always bugged me that while the Mag is able to equal .223 velocities at lower pressures, when I start to "pump it up" and use the actual powder capacity, I tend to lose primer pockets after a few loadings. Undoubtedly this is because Remington designed it to be a 45,000 cup cartridge, and manufactures the brass with this in mind. So if one loads to .223 pressures, the primer pockets open up. .204 Ruger brass, on the other hand, is made from the get- go to handle modern loads at higher pressures. And although initial reports said it's "made from .222 Magnum brass," actually it has a blown forward 30 degree shoulder and a shorter neck.... That's why I said that Remington would probably have made the .222 Mag that way if they had designed it today as opposed to 50 years ago.

Yeah, I know there'll be die problems and all that... But I can make a set of Wilson type dies easily enough which will last until I need to full length size.

I've actually got two PTG reamers... one is made up to a minimum body diameter with a .250" neck, while the other is made so it (theoretically) will just clean up a .223 chamber and has a .254" neck... for rechamber jobs. And I've specified the old timey .222 throat 3-10-36 as opposed to a 1-30 throat.. The round is just about at the length limit of a .223 Remington magazine. Also, I've found over time that the gradual throat tends to wear forward faster than the older steeper angle type. So I hope it will stand up to more shooting that way... And I DO shoot some.

Anyway, it should be an interesting experiment in all. I've got a new Remington action and a Hart barrel ready to go when I can get to them, and it should get done sometime this winter.

Thanks for the nice replies, guys.....
 
Ruger MK II

I purchased used MkII 22ppc in 99% condition with a 10x Leupold on it for $600 about 8 months ago. It shoots in the 3's and 4' with factory sako rounds. I've gotten it in the 2's a couple of times with Lapua brass, H322 205m's, and berger bullets.
 
22ppc Ruger

Hey Amigos,
You guys have been writing up a storm in the last few days. Made for some good reading. :)
Now for the bad news. The owner of the 22ppc I found decided to keep it at the last minute. I almost had the $$ in the mail to him. Guess he fell in love w. it again. He went to fire off the last few loaded ammo before packaging it up; I think that did it. :( Oh well, that's the way it goes. It wouldn't be the first one I lost.
Just after that, I found another one in 6ppc. It has more mileage on it. Trying to get more details on it from the dealer selling it. Supposed to be VG to maybe Exc. rating, and w. decent Bushnell 3200 scope. Now we'll have to change the title to Ruger 77 MkII, 6ppc , desireable? ;) LOL
Been good feedback on this thread, guys.

S
 
I bought .22PPC VT way back in 94, early fall I think it was. With my birthday coming up and Xmas I left hints that I needed brass, got a bunch of Sako and Norma brass. I was excited, but still had to wait for spring, don't like freezing my fingers. Anyway, this rifle had a real long throat and it never grouped that good, I was disappointed. Tried selling it, even left it sit by the local dealer for months, no luck. I ended up getting a Shilen barrel put on it, then it shot like a .22PPC should and I still have it today.

Tom
 
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