.222 40XBBR Reloading recipe please?

A

Arcane Art

Guest
Hi all, I'm new to the forum so please be patient. I have had a good break from powderburners, having spent the last couple of years tinkering with pre-charge air rifles - great fun in their context. I have just purchased a 1978 Remington 40XB BR .222 in it's original condition.. Those of you interested in having a look at it, please visit this thread on the Rimfire forum: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366942

The load data that came with the rifle indicates that it was achieving low .2's with 50gr projectiles that were available in the early 1990's. The previous owner was using neck-turned nickel-plated Federal brass. I am not really able to work out what his loads were, and if the data applies to some loaded rounds that came with the rifle. I have decided to start fresh, and would appreciate some help with modern projectiles and powder choice.

I do not intend to use this rifle for ultra-serious BR comps, but I would like it to print groups to be proud of, with a round suitable for 250m rabbit shooting. I have acquired 100x Lapua .222 - unfired. I would rather use this than the nickel-plated stuff. I was thinking that 50gr V-max would be a good projectile.......???

So, starting with my Lapua brass, can anyone give me a good recipe to start my trials with? From primer right through, if possible.. I am not looking for a super hot load - I want to keep the Factory Remington barrel as long as possible! Thanks for your help..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Arcane, welcome! :)

You will find that posting "recipes" just isn't the style on this forum. Especially recipes for common cartridges. Two biggie reasons..... #1, the folks here gener'ly have fired enough rounds to absolutely KNOW that no such thing as "pet loads" exists. Every rifle (actually every BARREL) is different. Every barrel/rifle combination is a law unto itself. And #2, this being a racing forum, a Bench Rest forum, a large percentage of the loads used by folks here are 'WAYYY out of the reloading manual spec's...... in many cases entire rifles are spec'd and built around this racing concept.

To illustrate my point if you read around here very long you'll see references to "the PPC" as a chambering. Now, you go cruise 20 other shooting forums on the 'net and you'll find few if any reference ON ALL TWENTY, in tens of thousands of posts..... and you'll doubtfully find ANY reference to the PPC that's not in some way disparaging. Keep reading and you'll see casual reference to "XXX grains" or "XXX clicks" of such-and-such powder in a "PPC" or a "BR" of some sort.

These references ARE to loads..... generally loads that far exceed anything listed in any manual anywhere....

As you can see, this presents a problem. Several problems. One that's really hard to get around is that back in the 80's several rifle mfgrs stepped out and collaberated with a cartridge called the "PPC USA." These rifles would (will) accept many of the cases and loads listed here but NOT safely. Neither the rifles nor the PPC USA chamber are adequate to the task.

So, without going into the twenty reasons why NOT to list easily accessed reloading data may I suggest you get a loading manual? Or, there are many sites listing loads. 6MMBR.com probably has a whole section on your cartridge.

Hopefully this post isn't taken as unhelpful.... It isn't meant to be. I'm just trying to explain why you haven't and probably won't get that sort of info here.

If you can't find starting loads for your program elsewhere please post back here and I'll help you find some links.

al
 
Art,
New Zealand you say, Isn't that near Pittsburgh somewhere ?
Nice old deuce 40X, I have had a few. First thing ya gotta do is establish whether it is a factory chambering or something tight neck( any markings on the barrel ?). Take the brass that came with the gun and check it for chambering,if it chambers ok, mic the neck and measure the case 16 different ways to establish some kind of baseline.I would start reloading for it with the old brass so you can get a feel for the chamber and get your dies set up correctly.
As Al suggests,certainly, a reloading manual is in order,but generally 52gr Bergers would be the modern bullet of choice( any custom 52 gr BR bullets should be good as well)Factory stuff( like Sierras,Hornadys,etc) will work as well. A lot depends on what's available on your side of Pittsburgh :) Primers would include Fed 205,Winchester WSR, CCI small rifle. I would stay away from the Rem 7-1/2s ( too hard). Powder, 4198 would be the fastest, and you need to be careful with it. 4895 would be the slowest.Anything inbetween should produce acceptable results.Start low and work your way up( just as all reloading manuals recommend).
Don't get your hopes too high.Factory 40Xs are basically Rem 700's and are not on par with custom BR guns. They can be fun to shoot but groups around .250-.350 are the norm.Keep your powder charges moderate and move the bullet seating depth into and out of the rifling to see how your accuracy level changes. Be safe,have fun.
Joel
 
Art, please make certain of your 40x's neck diameter. Many of the older 40x's in .222 came from the factory with a .250 ND. My friend, the late George Rogan had one such 40X and it had this tight neck. He had to turn brass for it. There may be some brands of brass that will crush fit, but it is better to turn all the brass for such a chambering. By the way, the rifle came from the factory with this chambering. Good shooting, James
 
I had one of the 40xbr Light Varmint weight,mine shot very good .200 to .250 groups,it would not win a benchrest match but good for varmints.
Be sure to turn the necks as the 40x necks are .250
I use WW 748 and 52 grain br bullets and fed 205m primers.
 
You mentioned varmint shooting. Get some 40 gr. plastic tipped bullets, seat them about .006 longer than touch, and work up a load with one of the faster .222 powders, say 4198. For target work, I shot a lot of 52-53gr. FB bullets over 748, ignited with Federal primers. Others have liked 322. As James wrote, check that neck dimension. let us know what happens.
 
Hey thanks for all your replies.. Pretty sure this has the tight neck - most of the brass is neck-turned. I will certainly look into the 52 Bergers. FYI New Zealand is a country in the South Pacific.. Hehe.. Pittsburg... Love it.. Cheers guys
 
222

Arcane,
I have shot plenty of 52gn Sierra HPBT's at bunnies with very good success to 300m in NZ. I load Lapua cases with 23gn upwards of ADI Benchmark 2 but have also shot lots of 2206 and 2208, both which we can get locally from almost any decent shop. Primers are always Federal 205 Match.
It is much harder to get 4198 and H322 and you really have to pay for it - in the order of $80 per lb. The other powder which works well is Winchester 748 and you see that on special on TradeMe quite often. I have found it to burn quite dirty even with very hot loads.
A lot of shops have the new ADI reloading guide for $5 or $6. It is money very well spent and they give good advice for powders easily available in NZ.

Starting load: 23gn BM2 or 2206, 52gn Sierra, Lapua case, Fed 205M primer, seated on the lands. Normal precautions apply. Work up slowly.
Cheers
Peter
 
I don't know what powders are available to you. My 40xBr came with a factory test target. They were tested for accuracy in a test tunnel. One favorite load that Benchrest shooters used was 20.4 to 20 .5 gr of Imr 4198.
We use nk turned brass and jumped the bullets about .015 more or less. IE Oal with bullet touching
2.220 Loaded round 2.205 One i had needed abit more jump about .025 to an oal of 2.195
That one drilled tiny holes. The 40xbr is a bit different then a standard 40X though. They were hand fitted in the custom shop and the barrels were lapped. They were very competative with the rifles of the day.
If it will shoot ones. it would still give some people a hard time in moderate winds at 100 yds.
The velocity are a bit lower then a 22 ppc so they drift a tad more. Even so on a really good day they can shoot really well at 200yd with a quality 52 or 53 gr match bullets Most were not glass bedded so maybe a bedding job will improve your accuracy.
 
Hobbits everywhere! They make the perfect varmint! Gotta make sure you hit them in the ring though.....! Haha
 
I purchased a 40xbbr in 222 about 1978. Actually I was able to get a barreled action from
remington in a week. Purchased the stock from the parts dept in another week. This was
a Heavy with two once Rem trigger and test targets. Both test targets specified IMR-4895
, REm 7 1/2 primers and 52 grain Rem BR bullets. This did have a .250 neck. This gun shot very well. I shot this gun next to Pat McMillan at wapwalopen and he told me that was the
most accurate 222 he had ever seen. Naturally, I did not do this gun justice, but seems he could tell from the conditions, Strangely, in the life of that barrel, I was never able to
better the groups with other loads. This was not a hot load at all.
 
Hi bob.. That is high praise indeed - I am looking forward to experimenting.. I plan to develop an accurate target load that I can use as a 'benchmark' for testing consistency over the life of the barrel, but I will be concentrating on an accurate varmint load thereafter, which is predominantly what I will use it for. I am aware of the nature of the .222 and the 40X actions and don't plan to put this rifle into serious competition use.

Many thanks for the constructive and useful replies to this thread - I have learned a great deal.
 
Arcane, I have an older Rem sporter 700 in 222, 1/14" and it shoots Sierra 50 gr Blitz bullets best of all at .020 off the lands with 22 gr of 322, I was never able to tell any difference in primers. I have tried all the 52 and 53 gr match bullets but the Sierra 50 blitz works best, Sierra stock # 1340. Also if you are a pelt hunter this bullet works good because sometimes no exit hole to sew up. Last year on a hunt in West Texas we used my 222 with the 50 gr blitz bullets and made two clean kills on whitetail cull bucks, one was a neck shot and he was dead before he hit the ground the other was a heart lung shot that ran 30 yards and piled up. Not my first choice for whitetail but I forgot the ammo for my trusty 30-06.
Chuck Novice
 
Many of us in Australia started with a .222 Rem. A lot of people bought the Rem 40XB BR as it really was the only over the counter benchrest rifle available here.
I ordered a Shilen DGA LV in .222, and found that the best loads were 24 gns of IMR 4895 and a good 52 gn match bullet such as the Remington or the Sierra 52HPBT.
This was the common recipe for the 40X shooter back in 1976. The other load was 20.7 gns of IMR 4198.

With the modern powders you can try Benchmark 2 or 1, AR 2207 (H4198) or perhaps AR 2206H (H4895).

Have fun.


Brendan Atkinson
 
You guys tell me if I'm off base here, but I have a Rem 40X action, single-shot, with a Broughton barrel and it is chambered in .222 with a .250" neck. I've tried Norma, Lapua, RWS, Federal Nickel-Plated Match brass, Win and even some PMC brass and I don't turn the necks on any of them and the rifle shoots and groups just fine. I've shot a bunch of 50 Nosler and a few different kinds of custom match bullets. A loaded Norma rd is the largest at .2485, Lapua & RWS come in at .248, the rest are smaller yet. So, am I doing something wrong or not?

Tom
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top