Anyone load 60grain projectiles for L469 222magnum HB

[NPhillips]

If so, what are you using?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stonecreek]

I've loaded 60 grain Nosler Partitions and 60 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips for a Sako .223, but not for a Sako .222. But why do you ask and what is your underlying question?

 

[NPhillips]

Thanks Stonecreek. I'd like to try loading 60 grain projectiles in my 222 magnum HB, but cannot find a load for them anywhere. SO, hoping someone here has...

 

[paulsonconstruction]

The Hodgdon Reloading Center on-line site has data for up to 63 grain bullets. My Hornady, Nosler, & Lyman manuals also list load data for 60 grain bullets. I've never loaded for it, so can't offer any advice.

 

[NPhillips]

The Hodgdon Reloading Center on-line site has data for up to 63 grain bullets. My Hornady, Nosler, & Lyman manuals also list load data for 60 grain bullets. I've never loaded for it, so can't offer any advice.

Thanks Paul, I use the Hodgdon site too, and recognized the 63 grain option, but theres nothing on 60 grain. I was thinking about loading up from the 223 recommendations...what do you think about that? Pretty much identical except for 5-10% in favour of our beloved magnum.

Is there a way you could share your pages with me on the 60 grainers? Maybe text? My speer book only goes up to 55...

 

[paulsonconstruction]

The data for the 63 grainers will be a perfectly safe place to start with your 60's & probably not much different. The max for the 63's should be less than the max for the 60's so no safety worries there. Better than extrapolating from 223 data. Nosler load data is available on line for free. Just google Nosler reloading. Hornady makes you buy their book. Don't use "Dumb" phones, so can't text pages. Your max load may vary from the "book" anyway. Just start 10% below max from any database for any 60 or 63 grain bullet & start the experiment using sound, excepted & safe reloading techniques. Between the Hodgdon & Nosler sites you should have more than enough data to find a good load.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Just saw where Nosler doesn't give data for their 60 grain bullet on their website. They must have discontinued it. Here's some maximum powder charges from the Hornady book for their 60 grain 22 cal bullets. 3031-23.6gr, Viht N-135-24.2gr, H4895-25.4gr, 4064-25.4gr, 4320-25.7gr, BL-C2-26.2gr, AA2460- 24.1gr, 748-25.7gr.

 

[stonecreek]

The SAAMI pressure standards are slightly lower for the .222 Magnum than for the .223, even though they are identical in case and strength. This goes all the way back to when Armalite was attempting to meet some arbitrary military standards and couldn't get the velocity out of the .223 they needed without raising the pressure a little, so that's what they did. Both the .222 and .222 Magnum (in a modern bolt like the Sako) will operate just fine at .223 pressures.

Powder companies and loading manuals rarely update their data on the .222 Magnum since it is no longer in production in any factory rifles. As a result, there is no specific data for many newer powders (much less bullets) in the .222 Magnum. However, since the .223 has only about 5% less capacity than the .222M, loading data for it can be used in the .222M with the expectation that pressures and velocities will be only marginally lower. Put another way, you can probably work up from .223 data safely to a very slightly heavier charge in the .222M. I wouldn't hesitate to start about a grain from the top of .223 charges when working up loads for a .222 Magnum.

By the way, I own two Sako .222M's and a Krico .222M, as well as having owned and sold (sadly) an L469 HB similar to the one NPhillips wants to load for. I've been loading for the .222M for something like 30 years and have had great success with it. However, I might mention that if you choose a long 60 grainer like the Nosler Ballistic Tip it will have to seat so deep in order to fit in the magazine of your Sako that its ogive will recess slightly below the case mouth. This is not a good situation in that the edge of the case mouth can catch on the feed ramp, or can get bent, or can collect dirt in the gap between the case mouth and bullet. The 60 grain Hornady and other non-tipped bullets will work better.

Also, someone who has been reading the currently popular drivel about "inadequate twist" is sure to question whether your L469's 1-14" (appx) twist will stabilize a 60 grain bullet. I can't predict how accurate a given load may be, but any inaccuracy won't be on account of twist. The 1-14" twist is fully adequate to stabilize any lead core 60 grain bullet.

 

[NPhillips]

Thanks for the help Paul. I think I'll try starting at 10% less than the max load for the 63 grain and then see where I end up. I'm using H322, H335 for loads at the moment so the Hornady loads you suggested won't work. I know h4895 is an excellent powder so should pick some up...

 

[NPhillips]

Thank you to you as well Stonecreek!

I remember reading your other post about the 222R having lower pressure standards than the 223 but more than capable of holding the same pressure. Not sure if I understood that correctly...? With this in mind, is it safe to push beyond the suggested max loads? I'm relatively new to reloading so haven't pushed the envelop with my powder charges yet. I've found that I haven't really needed to even hit the max recommendation, but do like the idea of speeding things up a bit, particularly with a heavier bullet.

My plan is to use a Sierra 60 HP that is shorter than most other 60s, so I'm not concerned about my twist being too slow.

I'll post some pics of my L469 soon, and hopefully a nice tight target...

 

[NPhillips]

 

[NPhillips]

Not a very good pic, but top one is the 222mag, middle one is the 222 and 204 85...

I actually got my first best group with the 222mag using some random load with 40grainers until I recently just shot my best with a 6ppc bench

 

[tripledeuce]

I have three 222 mags, 469 HB, 461 HB, and deluxe 461. Let your rifle talk to you and approach max loads carefully. Look for flattened primers, cratering around firing pin indent, hard extraction, hard bolt lift and shinny face of case. All are signs of excess pressures. Even with no signs of excess pressure at lower temperatures, higher ambient will cause excess pressure to rear its ugly head and even enlarge the primer pocket if loads are near max. Play it safe. Do you homework.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Thanks for the help Paul. I think I'll try starting at 10% less than the max load for the 63 grain and then see where I end up. I'm using H322, H335 for loads at the moment so the Hornady loads you suggested won't work. I know h4895 is an excellent powder so should pick some up...

Two other powders that work well in the small case 22 centerfires are IMR8208XBR & H4198. Both are less temperature sensitive, fill the case well & give good accuracy. If you can get some load data for them they are worth trying.

 

[stonecreek]

I remember reading your other post about the 222R having lower pressure standards than the 223 but more than capable of holding the same pressure. . . . With this in mind, is it safe to push beyond the suggested max loads? I'm relatively new to reloading

"Maximum" published loads for both the .222 and .222 Magnum tend to be on the conservative side (they stay within SAAMI pressure standards). However, every rifle is an individual and even an otherwise "conservative" load may generate unexpected pressures in some rifles. It is important, before venturing outside the parameters of published data, to have ample experience in reading pressure signs and is also helpful to have a chronograph available. If you're not confident that your experience is sufficient to vary from established standards then always play it safe.

However, in my opinion, using .223 data in the slightly more capacious .222 Magnum does not present a hazard.

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

Not to be critical, but I just wonder why anyone wants to shoot a 60 grain bullet in a 223 sized case. It seems the internet is over-run with people wanting to hunt big game with a varmint caliber. The desire to put a 1/8 twist in these rifles, shoot a heavy bullet at low velocity, just leaves me scratching my head.

I shoot 40 grain bullets in all my Hornet, 222, 223 and 222 mags and my brother shoots an AR 223 with 1/7 and uses a 69 grain bullet. When we shoot prairie dogs at 300+ yards, his fall over like they were hit with a 22 LR, mine will still explode. I hit more than he does due to flatter trajectory. Both my brother and myself take bigger guns when we hunt deer or Antelope.

Fast twist and 6.5 Creedmoor seem to rule the shooting world today and I don't get how there is really any use for either over what has been around for decades. By the way, I do shoot quite a bit...

 

[stonecreek]

I shoot 40 grain bullets in all my Hornet, 222, 223 and 222 mags

The little 40's seem to be fully as effective (both in range and accuracy) as the heavier bullets, and on small targets like prairie dogs carry ample energy to make instant mush of them. The last prairie dog shoot I went on I loaded 40 grain Nosler Varmageddons in a .222 Magnum and had a great shoot with it. But my favorite prairie dog rifle is a .221 Fireball with the same bullet.

On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes there is a need for a good deer load in a .22 Centerfire. There are several 60 to 64 grain bullets handle this job quite well. The old 60 grain Nosler Solid Base was a great bullet for deer, as is the current 60 Nosler Partition. I'm told by those in the know that the 60 grain Hornady Spire Point also holds together on deer-sized game. I used to load the 64 grain WW soft point for a friend in his .223 and he swore by it for deer.

 

[NPhillips]

On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes there is a need for a good deer load in a .22 Centerfire.

Not sure I'd want to use a .22 centre fire for deer, but the intention behind 60s in my 222mag is for coyotes and maybe a wolf. I shoot 40grainers that run about 4k out of it now and it shoots great, but looking forward to a little more punch.

 

[stonecreek]

the intention behind 60s in my 222mag is for coyotes and maybe a wolf

That seems a pretty good reason. Down here in the American Southwest our coyotes are pretty scrawny and even an frangible 40 grainer is adequate. But Northern coyotes might be twice as big and have a thick winter coat, so a heavier bullet is probably a wise choice. And certainly for a hundred-plus pound wolf you need a fairly stout bullet.