I’ve been looking at getting a .22 bolt action hot rod rifle built. Im interested in using heavy bullets out to around 800 yards. I’ll use it for paper, varmints and I can reload for it.

I'm trying to figure out what the differences are between a .22-.243 and .22 Creedmoor and I’m not seeing much difference between the two. If anyone has any input these two options or other suggestions to look into I’d appreciate it.

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.22-243.html

Why not just a 243 cranking 55grain at 4000fps?

I have the 22-243 and like it. Really the 22 Creedmoor and 22-243 are like the 6.5 Creedmoor and 260 Remington, same cases with different diameter bullets. Due to shoulder shapes and case geometry expext basically the same velocities from each but perhaps a little better extreme spread and SD with the Creedmoor case.

If you want to run 88gr and above go with a 1:7 twist. If 80gr is fine 1:8 works great and will do well at the yardages you are looking at.

Because it won't reach 800 yards. A 55 gr .223 wont even reach 800 yards. You go that small on 6mm, and have almost no BC. It's coming out like a bat out of hell, but it sheds all that speed very quickly.

Did some talking to a couple of friends of mine today, as a matter of fact. When my .22-250 barrel is shot out, the new barrel will be chambered in 22X47 Lapua. Small rifle primer, anneal often, and 600 pieces of brass will probably make it through three barrels. A 1:8 will run 75's and 80's. My 1:7.7 in .223 A.I. is running 80 gr ELD-M like a champ. 800 yards is no problem for it. I shoot it that far several times a week.

interesting

OR


get a .22 Creedmoor built, no screwing around with brass prep, three factory brass are available. It will make 80-90 scoot ! Of course, I'm in love with it cuz mine will be finished VERY soon.

Fricker better be good

Jason, I had that built with a 1-8 twist, was a great shooter

Honest question, what benefits do you gain by going with a 22X47 Lapua over the 22-250 AI, 22 CM or 22-243?

Not to muddy the waters but just remembered about the .220 Redline as well which is based on a necked down SAUM, might be a little fun to play with.

.22-250 A.I. is two load development sessions, one for virgin, one for fired. Not a big deal for me, but is for others. Also, you get to get DOPE on virgin brass, then once formed, and the new load found, get DOPE for the formed brass. Again, not a big deal for me, but I am the rare bird that spends 52 weeks a year on a rifle range. How hard are .22-250 A.I. dies to come by? And you'd better run the highest quality brass available to ensure the primer pockets hold up. It would suck to have three firings total, and the pockets give it up. Now, you could be back to forming brass again, if you didn't buy enough pieces at the infancy of the barrel.

.22 Creedmoor on a large rifle primer, you're in the primer pocket discussion again. On a small rifle primer, they will hold longer. Barrel life will be quite short, but if you don't care about that, run it. It is a bada$$ for sure.

.22-243, you are giving up the superior shoulder angle of the .22X47, .22-250 A.I. and .22 Creedmoor. It's the same ole shoulder angle of the .308 Win, the .243, the .260, the 7mm-08, the .22-250. The mousetrap has been improved since then. Not to say the old shoulder angle doesn't work, we all know it does, but if you're building, you might as well check every box you can.

22X47 has the short brass, allowing the bullet to run out of it as needed. And the small rifle primer, which will make brass hold for more firings.

When we talk .22's all these mentioned will drive an 80 gr, or heavier FAST, real fast. I look at what other work is associated with other chamberings, and how long will the brass last I have put so much time into. And I am concerned with a low ES and low SD. All other loading techniques being given to all cases, case geometry comes into play to help you lower those numbers.

The last two years I have been running the same Lapua SR primer brass in my 22 Creedmoor. I only sized down 50 pieces and loaded them 7 times so far and primer pockets are still fine.
22 Creedmoor dies are available from both Hornady and Whidden and now that both Alpha and Peterson have 22 Creedmoor brass which is equal IMO to Lapua so it’s load-n-Shoot no worries about fire forming.

Which reminds me I am loading the same few pieces of Peterson 22 Creedmoor brass over and over during load workup on my new 22 CM barrel so I will have a idea on how long it lasts pretty quick.

Tomorrow it will be on its 3rd sizing.

All small rifle primer brass?

How often are you annealing?

,

The Lapua is small rifle 6.5 Creed brass necked down and I pretty much anneal it every firing.
When I size it today it will have 8 sizings on it.

The Peterson is large rifle. I plan to take 4 pieces to failure with no annealing just to see how well it holds up.

I personally have not seen in the 22 Creedmoor or for that matter the 6.5 Creedmoor (less experience) any better performance as far as ES and accuracy goes by switching to Small Rifle primers. They will hold up longer though no doubt.
With that being said I did get better results with the Palma 308 SR primer brass than standard FWIW.
But my consistently best ES has been with 28 Nosler with LR magnum primers so go figure.

Talked to Dave yesterday. He is a die hard 6.5X47 shooter. He anneals every firing, and told me he has some brass with 19 firings on it. I wouldn't think the 22 version will go that long, but annealing every firing will still make it last a long time.

I posted an article in reloading forum on research done by Alpha Brass On Large Versus Small Rifle primers in 260 Rem/6.5 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor.

That way the OP can get back to HOT Rod 22 stuff.

Thanks for all the information!