I've just bitten the bullet (!) and dropped my 221 Fireball LVSF off to be rechambered. I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it since it was delivered. Basically, it shot well, but the small rounds were very fiddly in the Remington action, and the magazine just didn't feed and load all that well. A wonderful round in a small Sako, but I just don't think it is suited to the Rem action.
Anyway, by rechambering to the 222 RM, I'll get plenty more use out of the barrel, with the plus that the magazine/follower and spring can be replaced with the larger items used on the 204. It will also be simultaneously be converted to BDL style lower metalwork.
There will be quite a significant increase in performance, with the the 222 RM pushing the 40 gr bullets at about 3800 fps, and the 50s at about 3450 fps. The 1:14 will probably mean I can't shoot above that weight, but as a walk around varminter, and spotlighter it should work well.
Why the 222 RM and not the 223? Well, I like things that are different for a start. We're also shooting the 204 Ruger and the 6*47, both to great effect, so this will give us the third member of the family. I already have plenty of brass, and it's readily available anyway. And we already have a number of 223s, so it's good to have something 'different'. But not so different that I can't use the 223 based dies that I already have.
Some time a little further down the road, this rifle may end up as a Tac 20, or some other form of 20 cal, but this will do nicely for the next couple of years.
222 Rem Mag
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Col. Pogy
Good move there going to the 222 mag. I think with careful reloading you can get above the 40/3800 line. I was able to reach 40/3650 in a A-bolt .223, 20"barrel safely. Think strong primer cups first like the Remington 7 1/2 to start development of such loads. For me that is 4 good reloads before discarding cases. I'm not looking to reload cases 10 times! The good news is that you will probably be able to shoot the 64 grain Winchester power point bullet, the Sierra 63 smp, and even the 70 grain Speer out of a 14" twist with good accuracy if you want to shoot the heavies. My Annie .222 had that twist and they shot well in it. And I shoot them all well in a 12" twist .223 Why not in Yours? Cheers, pogy
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jb747
No closer to being done. I'm quite happy to wait a while, as I know the work will be good when it does turn up. The gunsmith doing the job is winding things down, and my big jobs are going to Shane in future.
I got hold of another 200 Sako 222 RM cases today, giving me around 350 in total. I'd expect to get at least 10 reloads out of them....I do with everything else. My planning has the 40 making it to around 3800 fps....I don't think it will prove difficult at all. The 50 at about 3400 might be more useful though.
At this stage I don't intend trying anything at the heavy end of the scale. I've got a fast twist 223 that can do that, but mostly if I need heavier, I'll just reach for the 6*47. That's a round that can be relied on to punch above its class.
I got hold of another 200 Sako 222 RM cases today, giving me around 350 in total. I'd expect to get at least 10 reloads out of them....I do with everything else. My planning has the 40 making it to around 3800 fps....I don't think it will prove difficult at all. The 50 at about 3400 might be more useful though.
At this stage I don't intend trying anything at the heavy end of the scale. I've got a fast twist 223 that can do that, but mostly if I need heavier, I'll just reach for the 6*47. That's a round that can be relied on to punch above its class.