222 or 223?

[GabbyM]

Here is how I ended up re forming 5.56mm to 222. First found this batch of about 350 All same lot Fed LC brass a couple nice young fellows gave me after they’d swept it up at the range In Effingham.

Tumble clean in corn cob media.
Anneal cases.
Lube with Dillon spray case lube. Wipe shoulder off with rag to prevent lube dents. That’s the big trick.
Turn FL 222 die out 1 ½ turns. Stroke press then turn die in 3/4 turn and repeat until fully sized. This done with de caper removed.
Use a WFT drill powered trimmer to cut off 1/16th inch excess neck. $70 at Sinclair. Little Crow Gun Works Worlds Finest Trimmer.
Anneal cases again.
Expand necks with Lyman M die.
Decap with Lee universal decap die.
Uniform flash holes.
Uniform primer pockets.
Chamfer pocket crimp out with Hornady reamer.
Tumble clean.
Finally a week later of all my spare time I’ve about 350 cases ready.

Most of that work you have to do to any mil surplus brass to get 223 out of.
The other 100 cases I have were real hard. Went onto Powder Valley online catalog. Clicked on Lapua 222 brass. Couple mouse clicks later and $50 they were at my door in three days. When brass is available you can buy 500 Remington’s for $155.

Neck wall thickness is a little thicker at the bottom where neck was formed from shoulder brass. But not so much there still isn’t plenty of room in my CZ even with a .225” boolet seated. About a fat .001” diameter.

[Teddy (punchie)]

So long as I can find 223 brass I can make 222 brass and the jaxeted loads are within 100 fps.

As a cast boolit gun I was not sure which would tend to be better, both twists are good for cast, it really comes down to cartridge design. Since I have zero experience shooting cast 22's I figured I would ask the experts.

We have some brass we can share with you. Let me know when and I'll dig it out. 100 any way. Think we have 500-1000 pieces maybe more. May need one of those molds in future, LOL. By way they look great.

[338RemUltraMag]

Thanks Teddy! Where are you at in PA? I am over next to Bedford.

[DLCTEX]

I have bought brass through our Swapping&Selling section and through lgs to the point that I am well fixed for the forseeable future. Maybe someday I will retire and shoot more.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Beaver County

Thanks Teddy! Where are you at in PA? I am over next to Bedford.

[Bad Water Bill]

Several years ago I picked up a new Savage 223 bbl.

Took it over to my trusty gunsmith (Harry Mc Gowen) and asked what cartridge.

Well I have over 10Kthru my 222 with plenty of life in her.

Now the bbl is a 222 but in a 1/9 twist.

Put PB in there and watch them turn into a cloud of dust about 50' from the bbl.

Put a raincoat on them and they shoot great. Just cost a lot more to shoot.

[williamwaco]

What kind of barrel life will the 222 see with 55 gr cast and a velocity of 2300-2400 fps? I assume about 10,000 rounds?

I don't think that is even close. Unless you mix sand in your bullet lube, I would expect the locking lugs to fall off before the barrel wears out.

[GabbyM]

Here that bill. My Rem 700 VLS in 223. Favorite all time prairie dog shooter.
Only has between three and four thousand rounds down the tube. Hard work in fast fire mode though. After the last PD shooting trip several years ago. Bullet seat depth bumped out .030” after under 500 rounds of rapid fire shooting.
Barrel has slowed down too. Which usually telegraphs a total wash soon to come. I’ll be using this new cast bullet shooter 222 Rem with 24 inch barrel for some velocity test with 50 and 53 grain bullets. Just for giggles because it is in the books. Within a year or two I’ll make a decision to re barrel the M700 VLS in 223 or 222. It will be a 14 twist either way. I have a ten pound AR with 9 twist barrel for the heavies. Then a pair of 243 AI varmint rifles for when a 50 grain 22 isn’t enough gun. But those are usually like rolling out a Beach King Air to make a flight the Cessna 152 would do.

Another option for my 700 VLS is to bump up to a 222 Rem Magnum.

[338RemUltraMag]

Looks like I am buying a CZ from a member here, I cant wait to burn up some cast through her! The 454 is probably sold but I do have a 336 jm 30-30 up too.

[GabbyM]

I don't think that is even close. Unless you mix sand in your bullet lube, I would expect the locking lugs to fall off before the barrel wears out.

Hope you're correct there as that's what I was hoping for.
Even with a 60 grain bullet 12 grains of 2400 is all it takes to run 2400 fps. Plan is to let the SO's grand kids have at this thing. I can set up the Dillon and kick out 300 rounds an hour. Using a Lee collet neck sizer and no case lube. I've done it with 223.
Another thing is the CZ or Zastava are not some Ruger, Savage or Remington soft steel barrel. They are more like the after market barrels. Or the FN Winchester barrels. I'll say this right now. This new CZ 222 barrel is better made than my FN 30-06. That's a single comparison of course. Overall the rifle isn't near as nice as my FN Winchester. But the bore is very nice. This thing has years of shooting in it before it's degraded enough to be on par with most new cut rate rifles.

I'll just add. This CZ-527-LUX in 222 Rem is freakishly absent of any felt recoil. I've worn out a couple 223's in gas guns and bolt guns. This is a 6 1/4 pound rifle. Even with the J bullets at 3,000 fps I can't feel it set back at me. Of course I've been pushing rounds out my M70 in 30-06 for a year. Any way you figure it the triple deuce is very sweet.

These Lyman #225646 I'm casting with 2:6 cut then bumped with Rotto Metals #3 Babbitt with Cu are tough and I expect them to mushroom and hold most weight. Here in Illinois we can't hunt deer with rifle. So there is nothing that can legally be shot with a CF rifle this triple deuce can't handle. It's plenty gun in a 6 1/4 pound package.

[338RemUltraMag]

I legally can shoot deer with any centerfire, but that is why I have cast shooters in bores 30 cal and up along with a lonely 25-06 for jacketed stuff.

I cant wait to dust a yote or groundhog with this beast!

[GabbyM]

Yotes don't stand a chance. Question is will you blast out a big back side hole and ruin the fur value.
From my experience back in the 1970's. 50 grain blitz will not exit. Cast bullet is anybody's guess. Mine are tough with Cu enhanced Babbitt. Texas heart shot coyote from a Colt SP-1 with M193 Ball gives you a two piece coyote. Somewhat like a prairie dog blowing up. Of course you need to actually hit them not nick a quarter inch off.

Only down side I've seen in my 222 is I can't see bullets strike mud out in the corn field. With my Win 94 in 30-30 I know where the bullets strike.

[338RemUltraMag]

I will be shooting for a 25 dollar bounty, dont have time to mess with fur. I now will order in some known alloy from rotometals and get ready to shoot shoot shoot!

[Bullshop Junior]

Where are they paying a $25 bounty on coyotes?

[GabbyM]

I will be shooting for a 25 dollar bounty, dont have time to mess with fur. I now will order in some known alloy from rotometals and get ready to shoot shoot shoot!

Yes one of the niceties of a 22 is you can use a very rich alloy and still shoot economically. Since they are so small.

My Lyman 225646 has those thin grease groves in the nose. 2/6 doesn't get that done. I add tin and whatever for fill out. Cu for tough. They are beautiful and shoot great. Couple years back I did the math. 60 grain bullet with 7,000 grains to a pound. Conclusion was I can afford nice metal.

[Sweetpea]

Where are they paying a $25 bounty on coyotes?

Daniel, we have a $50 bounty in Utah...

[338RemUltraMag]

PA, they are so thick here guys can hammer 5 a day on state game lands

I am getting a 50 lb chunk of pure and an ingot of grade 1 babbit, possibly some "super hard" if the numbers show I need more antimony.

[Bullshop Junior]

Daniel, we have a $50 bounty in Utah...

Guy could make a living doing that....