222 vs 223

[Okie4570]

What kind of accuracy do you have? Factor, reloads or hand load?

I reload for both, ragged hole 5 shot groups at 100y with the .222 with more than load.

 

[Okie4570]

This is pretty much what i have been reading. How does the accuracy compare to a 223? Same,better or worse?

Too many factors imo for a realistic answer in real world situations. What are you wanting the .222 or the .223 to do? Same hole groups, good enough to hit a coyote at 200y?

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

My research is the .222 was here before the .223 and the .223 was built to function in an AR platform better.
.222 Magnum is a bit faster but in my mind not worth the hassle as the .223 is ridiculous accurate and cases are easy to find and in my testing with my pencil barrel savage axis rifles that .223 remington is accurate like no other.
Only gun i have that has shot under 1" at 300 yards.

I could imagine with a quality heavy custom barrel and the twist matched to the bullet you intend to use you could really get some accuracy from a rifle not only in .223 but any caliber really.

Would I custom build one?
No but only because the rifles i have are very accurate for putting food on the table for me.
I have often thought of a custom barrel but in reality I will probably never go down that road.

Same reason I have not got any after market heads for my V8 engines.
I can tweak the factory ones and beat many with aftermarket heads.
Until I get beat up on all the time with my tweaked junk I will continue to run tweaked junk.

Your right i that was what it was designed for. I guess it goes back to if its not broke don’t fix it. I have several ar platform rifles that i built that shoot amazing. I have a remy 700 223 that is extremely accurate with hand loads. im thinking of building a clone of my remy 700 in 222. it’ll have the same barrel 5R. is anyone sticking a 5R barrel in a 22?

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

Too many factors imo for a realistic answer in real world situations. What are you wanting the .222 or the .223 to do? Same hole groups, good enough to hit a coyote at 200yards

hunting and target shooting. If it can target shoot it can’t hunt, Let’s say real world situation-100 yards 5 shot groups. 222, 223 compared, can both achieve half inch groups same better or worse? I know the 223 can. Can the 222? Then move to 200 yards and so on. I do know that the 223 in the long run will stretch out further.

 

[turkeyrun]

This is pretty much what i have been reading. How does the accuracy compare to a 223? Same,better or worse?

.222 was THE caliber for Bullseye and benchrest shooters for the '60s and '70s.

 

[Firpo]

This was shot at 100 yards out of an 8” .222 Contender.

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

This was shot at 100 yards out of an 8” .222 Contender. View attachment 350732

Well

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

This was shot at 100 yards out of an 8” .222 Contender. View attachment 350732

I like I would like to close those up! You have any recent load development? This happened before I was born….

 

[DRC458]

I've shot a .222 for years. Back in the day, the thought was that the .222, .308, and .375 H&H were inherently accurate calibers. Both .222 and .308 won many bench rest competitions once upon a time. The AR platform was not "in vogue" when I bought my .222, and I shot bolt actions almost exclusively. Times have changed. There's a lot more .223's out there, and they do a damn fine job. If you have .223's that you are happy with, why change? If, however, you want a .222, I would never try to talk you out of it. They are very accurate, easy and fun to shoot, easy to load for, etc. The only .223 I ever owned was an AR. It has come and gone, but the .222 remains. Make yourself happy!!!

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

I've shot a .222 for years. Back in the day, the thought was that the .222, .308, and .375 H&H were inherently accurate calibers. Both .222 and .308 won many bench rest competitions once upon a time. The AR platform was not "in vogue" when I bought my .222, and I shot bolt actions almost exclusively. Times have changed. There's a lot more .223's out there, and they do a damn fine job. If you have .223's that you are happy with, why change? If, however, you want a .222, I would never try to talk you out of it. They are very accurate, easy and fun to shoot, easy to load for, etc. The only .223 I ever owned was an AR. It has come and gone, but the .222 remains. Make yourself happy!!!

Awesome! Change, no. New toy, yes. I love weapons in general And calibers. I tend to go down rabbit holes when i find another caliber. Now its a the 222. I like to explore. I love to know what makes a specific caliber exist Or go obsolete. For me its not about what it better or popular. i could careless. It’s about the love of calibers And to keep them alive And to have general insight for the next generation.