Best Accuracy of the Small Calibers

[trentcwwilson]

I'm looking into a few different rifles from other threads, and I was brought into the small caliber option from a buddy of mine. Specifically, 17 Hornet, 22 Hornet, and 204 Ruger. I could add 22-250, but that broadens the discussion to 22 caliber options which 223 seems to reign supreme. I've done the math for reloading vs factory ammo and the only one that really makes a difference is the 204, only taking 260 rounds to pay for dies where 22 Hornet takes 1200. 17 Hornet didn't give me a return in the black. Rifles aside, which of these calibers is the best choice for sub 200yd target/small game hunting?

 

[fireman 9731]

Check out the .19 caliber options: http://www.jamescalhoon.com/

 

[trentcwwilson]

I hate you for showing me that, but thank you. There's yet another rifle to get customized...back to pertaining to the three I've mentioned that doesn't involve changing a factory rifle.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

.20 Vartag would be my only consideration. But me being who I am I'd just keep using my .223

 

[trentcwwilson]

Another one I've never heard of.

 

[Geno]

I have experience only with the .223 Rem and .22-250 Rem. I like both equally. Both are capable of impressive accuracy. The .223 will give better barrel life, but if you compare the trajectories side-by-side, we all know which has the edge for varminting. I would not suggest using a .22-250 for "target" shooting.

Now, one of my serious interests: 6mm Norma BR. If you want a cartridge that is difficult to shoot poorly inside of 300 yards, one that virtually any reload will produce 0.25" groups, and offers incredible barrel life...it's worth a look. Once my kid graduates Pre-Med and Med School, I finally will once again be able to afford to buy me a new rifle. It almost certainly will be a Savage M12, in "6 Norma BR".

And that is just my opinion.

Geno

 

[trentcwwilson]

I'll keep the 6mm Norma BR in mind. And you pretty much just ruined 22-250 for me unless it's in a savage.

 

[theleo]

I'd probably go with either a 17 Fireball, 20 vartarg, or a 20 practical myself.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Rifles aside, which of these calibers is the best choice for sub 200yd target/small game hunting?

.22 Hornet. The others will be too destructive for small game. Even the .22 Hornet will depend on proper bullet choice, though; for small game, you'll want to load 55 gr. FMJ if your rifle will allow it. Any of the varmint bullets still turn small critters pretty much inside-out at 200 yards. The round is a pipsqueak compared to .22-250, .223 WSSM or .220 Swift, but make no mistake, a 35-45 gr. expanding bullet at 2,700-3,100 FPS is still very destructive.

The Hornet is a fun little round. Cheap to load for, quiet enough to use in more settled areas, but still gives a lot more range and much flatter trajectory than the .22 Mag. I'm not parting with mine. But, when I'm after prairie rats or other pests where I don't care about meat damage, unless noise is a concern, I'm using my .17 rem, my .220 Swift or my bull barrel 5.56 AR.

 

[redneck2]

If you decide on a Hornet, be aware that some brands tend to be far more accurate than others. Get the right one and they are excellent. 80-90% of the velocity of a .223 with less than 1/2 the powder. There are tricks to making brass last longer.

The .204 is excellent but as noted a 4,000 fps bullet is destructive. Depends on the intended target.

 

[Skyshot]

.222 Remington

 

[MachIVshooter]

.222 Remington

A good cartridge, but obsolete. Unless one finds a screamin' deal on a rifle so chambered, it makes absolutely no sense to opt for .222 over .223. The .223 can be downloaded to .222 performance very easily; the opposite is not possible.

 

[olafhardtB]

I picked up an old Savage Sporter in 32 20 in a trade. You can make a very decent powder sipping, cast boolit shooting small game rifle out of a 32 20. This bolt action rifle can handle the hi power rifle loads and pointed bullets. It can be loaded at levels between the 357 down to the 22lr. They are often pretty affordable because nobody is looking for a 32 20 bolt gun. They are interesting in that the barrel and receiver are bored in one piece which often made them very accurate. Parts especially magazines can be difficult to find. They also came in 25-20 and Hornet. Mounting a scope may be a problem. Mine came with an old Lyman peep.

 

[murf]

i think it's about time for a resurgence of the triple deuce. sako still makes them. the 22ppc will beat it for accuracy, but no other 22 caliber will.

murf

 

[MachIVshooter]

i think it's about time for a resurgence of the triple deuce

Why?

It's reputation for accuracy is not really an attribute of the cartridge, but the fact that is was pretty much only ever chambered in respectable bolt guns. There is nothing it does that the .223 can't do as well or better, and with much cheaper and more available brass.

 

[Bart B.]

The .222 Rem was noted for its great accuracy at short range because it's case body was shorter than that of the .223 Rem. It's reputation for accuracy is actually an attribute of the cartridge.

That's been a well known fact amongst the benchrest crowd for decades. Same reason the .308 Win's more accurate than the .30-06 and the .30 BR is more accurate (at short range) than the .308. Same for these belted ones in order of case body length from longest to shortest; .300 Wby Mag, .300 Win Mag, .308 Norma Mag. Short, fat powder charges burn more uniform and make pressure curves more repeatable in shape. That ends up making the barrel whip and wiggle more consistently while the bullet goes through it so it departs more repeatably in angle and direction. Best examples are the BR, 6.5mm PPC, 6mm PPC and .22 PPC cartridges; all with almost identical case body and shoulder dimensions.

The less powder that burns for a given bore diameter means more barrel life.

 

[murf]

machivshooter,

the op wants a 200 yard varmint/target gun. you don't need the 223 rem to kill a 12 pound groundhog at 200 yards. the 222 rem will do just fine in this situation. plus, i grew up on this cartridge and am a bit biased!

murf

 

[MachIVshooter]

the op wants a 200 yard varmint/target gun. you don't need the 223 rem to kill a 12 pound groundhog at 200 yards

Don't need the .222 for that, either. Hence my recommendation for the Hornet

 

[acechanley]

I have a an older Winchester (mdl43?) in 22 hornet. Case life is poor (3-4reloads and the cases will split). If you get a 22k Hornet I hear they will last much longer. Easy round to reload small pistol primer fill it with lil'gun (13gr), stick a 35-40 gr built get about 3100 fs 3 rounds covered by a quarter at 100 yds.
No recoil great round! 200 yard round for sure.
Gotta get the "k" to extend case life.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I have a an older Winchester (mdl43?) in 22 hornet. Case life is poor (3-4reloads and the cases will split).

Sounds like you have a sloppy chamber, and you're FL resizing. Hornet brass is thin, but case life is decent if you don't overwork it. I get 3 times the life you're seeing.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

For small game, I like the .22 Hornet. It takes technique to get it to shoot with gilt-edge accuracy, but once you've mastered that, it's a real honey.

It's also a nice cast-bullet cartridge, and you can load to anything from .22 LR to .22 WMR ballistics.

 

[murf]

aw come on machivshooter,

we all know the hornet is only good out to 150 yards. and, besides, it takes those funny bullets with the different diameter.

murf

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The Hornet, loaded properly, is a fine 200 yard cartridge. My load is a case full of Hodgdon's Li'l Gun (a compressed load) behind a 35-grain Hornady V-Max.

No modern Hornet is made with the .223 barrel. They're all .224 and have been for generations.

 

[cosh]

221 Fireball, potentially better case life than standard Hornet. Same to 200 yards but with Lil'Gun it is on the heels of 222 Rem for velocity using 40gr varmint bullets.

 

[Offfhand]

Mr. BART B is certainly correct about the .222 Rem. being long noted for superior accuracy. It is certainly a princess of the Royal Family of Accuracy. It's hard to find a .222 of any model of any age that is not nicely accurate. Easy to load for, with abundant components available, and really good rifles easy to find on used rifle market. (Notwithstanding a recent surge in prices of good Remington M-722 rifles, topping similar condition M-700, so think investment.) Plus pleasure of shooting something a bit different from other currently popular calibers. At one time the .222 ruled benchrest competition and accounted for many records and championships. Attached is a photo of an early Sako in .222 with Mannlicher style stock, which gets lots of attention on any firing line, and shoots as good as it looks. Again, a smart investment for someone looking for something different and a pleasure to own. And not all that hard to find at fair prices.