What do people currently think about .222 Remington?

[HandB]

Hi Everyone,

As a bit of fun I am tempted to do some running boar type target shooting competitions and my .308 T4 is far too heavy so I was thinking of getting a smaller, more nimble centrefire rifle. I have shot .223 a lot and so that would be an obvious choice but I have heard people say the .222 Remington was historically an even nicer little cartridge. However a lot of people view it as on its way out. I have browsed around and although the factory .222 ammo is more pricey, the second hand .222 rifles are a bit cheaper so cost wise there doesn't seem to be that much in it. So I was wondering what is the current opinion here about the little old .222 Remington?

Thank you!

 

[User00035]

Lovely, lovely, lovely. Wish I still had mine.

 

[Toddy222]

Stop thinking about it and buy one definitely won't regret it

 

[sikasako]

Not much between .222 and .223
Both sweet rounds, which are ideal for roe (Scotland) and foxes.

 

[kennyc]

Hi Everyone,

As a bit of fun I am tempted to do some running boar type target shooting competitions and my .308 T4 is far too heavy so I was thinking of getting a smaller, more nimble centrefire rifle. I have shot .223 a lot and so that would be an obvious choice but I have heard people say the .222 Remington was historically an even nicer little cartridge. However a lot of people view it as on its way out. I have browsed around and although the factory .222 ammo is more pricey, the second hand .222 rifles are a bit cheaper so cost wise there doesn't seem to be that much in it. So I was wondering what is the current opinion here about the little old .222 Remington?

Thank you!

How much is nostalgia worth to you ? .223 will do everything the .222 will do, and can handle heavier bullets if required (any minor accuracy advantage from the .222 will be irrelevent in this use )

 

[Milligan]

How much is nostalgia worth to you ? .223 will do everything the .222 will do, and can handle heavier bullets if required (any minor accuracy advantage from the .222 will be irrelevent in this use )

Agree.
.223 is more versatile but I don’t think the 222 is going anywhere in a hurry

 

[antsa]

Just go for it! I have two .223s but bought a second-hand Sako AI in .222. Wonderful rifle, scaled down in size to match the cartridge. No one size fits all here. Just love walking the hills looking for foxes with this rifle.

Cheers

 

[captdavid]

This might not pertain to your laws and availability. The 222 is dying. Not that it's not good it's been surpassed in sales. Go with the 223, because it's a NATO cartridge, is extremely popular here. Ammo, both surplus and commercial, is overwhelmingly available, and, in many cases, cheap. The same can be said for components. It's also very accurate and wins at competition. If it were me, I'd buy a Remington 700, in the configuration that fits what you want, and expect to get sub MOA with ammo it likes. FWIW, if you decide to reload, have it re chambered to 223AI, if legal. It will reload easier, and brass will last forever. capt david

 

[Muir]

If the 222 were any good someone,at some point, would have won a bench rest match with it.
Just sayin...... ~Muir

 

[Whitebeard]

If the 222 were any good someone,at some point, would have won a bench rest match with it.
Just sayin...... ~Muir

A 45 year old record held by the little cartridge only recently toppled!!

Ian

 

[Muir]

Yup! ~Muir

 

[John Gryphon]

In the hands of a good bloke they will take rabbit heads off all day long @ 200 yards.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

“222 is dying”!!!
Blasphemy!!!!


Still very much alive and kicking
Ammo is not more expensive
Accuracy advantage is negated by operator more often than not...
Yes the 223 is more common

But ask yourself....what would you rather drive?

The car everyone else has....or the one they all look at as you fly by...?


Unless you particularly want to shoot past 400yds competitively and use 60+gr bullets then the .222 will do you proud

 

[Kalahari]

Buy either in CZ 527 with the lovely scaled action size. Then be happy.

David.

 

[Steff]

I‘ve always had a .222 and I still do.
.223 is kind of ... ‚not stylish‘ ... to me.
From an objective point of view one would have to recommend the .223 though. More versatile re. bullet weight and more readily availabe ammo.

 

[Sash]

it is utterly lovely: I have a smile on my face whenever I get my .222 out, and another when I shoot it.
Seriously, its a great, and enduring, round with some top quality factor ammo available in a wide price range: I really dont think you would regreat getting one.
just don't use it on a real boar....

 

[HandB]

Haha - yes such a rifle would be strictly for use on paper wild boar, the only time I will encounter a real one would be if it is on a plate in a restaurant. Thanks for the tips everyone, I will see what is out there regarding rifles - I think the main thing is that it needs to be light, well-balanced and pointable.

 

[User00033]

Buy either in CZ 527 with the lovely scaled action size. Then be happy.

^^^ This. Far and away the best option. Only problem is that I believe the .222 was discontinued a couple of years ago, but they are still around, in new unused condition, and of course second hand.

The CZ 527 micro actions are fantastic and make for very satisfying rifles. My main shooting buddy has them in .222, 6.5 Grendel and has built a .22 TCM with a CZ micro action as well.

I absolutely love them, and the .222 micro 527 in particular, and wouldn't hesitate to go down that route. Bugger getting a Rem 700 or a Tikka or whatever, get a properly scaled alternative for the little cartridge as Kalahari suggested. The one I've been using is deadly accurate and a real pleasure to shoot, it cycles so fast.

The .22 TCM is the Begbie of the .224 calibre cartridges. Small and disproportionately violent!

 

[jimbo1984]

Absolutely love my .222 sako vixen makes me smile every time I shoot it , just go for it you won’t regret it !

 

[Cottis]

I have a 1 in 10 Twist Legacy made by Schulz and Larsen in .222rem. It is 6lbs in weight, it is silky smooth, it has an outstanding trigger, it is beautifully finished and can shoot a variety of bullets. You can also get barrels in .223 and .300AAC for it. It is beyond pointable. A joy to shoot at close range muntjac off hand. It matches the classic history of the .222 cartridge perfectly. If budget is not too much of a consideration, it should be an option.