22-6mm....224Vais.....22-284

[Naymola]

Hoping some folks could give me some powders they have used with the big 22's here,I'll be using the Vais,With 75-80 grain A Max's and/or 80 SMK's.
And then I'm starting to doubt myself for going this direction for a 500 yard Varmint rifle.I know I'm probably ignoring the practical choice,something in the 6mm class, like a 6x47,or even a 6mm Vais.I have the Vais with a 14 twist bore,been shooting 50 grain bullets,and it's a bit worn out,thought I'd give the heavier bullets a try,so I already have the custom dies.I've got plenty of guns that shoot the light fast bullets,but nothing set up for the heavy's.

 

[reed mosser]

In my 22-243 ackleys 4 different rifles all eight and nine twist my best load hands down is 7828 ssc and the 80 a-amx. Speed ranges in 25 to 30 inch barrels 3450 to 3650fps. Your gun is way over kill for 500 yard shots. Have shot ground hogs to 700 yards /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif with .223's and 75 a-max. At a 1000 and beyond you will have a real hammer. that little gun will keep up the big mags. shoot and enjoy your gun you won;t regret a fast twist 22 cal. I use the smaller 22 dasher at 1000 yards with good results.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've gotta agree with everything that Reed said, especially his view on overkill @ 500yds. Out to 500yds, or so, I would prefer a 22-250 fast twist. It would provide great terminal performance and save you a lot of powder and throat wear. Out to 1,000 yds, the large case, fast twist, .224's rule for shooting varmints.

I've had my best luck with RE22 and the 75gr A-Max but that was before the 80gr A-Max became available. I think I'll give Reed's 7828 & 80 A-Max a try.

 

[Naymola]

Thanks Fella's,
That's good encouragement.I'm commited with the .224 caliber,ordered a Lilja barrel yesterday.
500 yards is a long ways for me.It's been my experience with the light .22's,for leaving allot to be desired in the consistancy department at that range.Hoping I won't be disappointed with the performance of the heavier 80 grain,.22 bullets,really looking forward to it.
We have 7828,any other suggestions?
Thanks,Gary

 

[reed mosser]

7828 and rl 22 rate powders will work very well. BC is around .475 on the 80 a-max. ITs no sloutch

 

[Waltech Jim]

Reed,

In your experience, what might I get for barrel life from a 22-6mm?

Thanks.

Jim

 

[goodgrouper]

How about a 6xc necked down to 22? Or 22-250AI? Or 22 br fast twist? I had a 22-284 and it lasted about 700 rounds before it started blowing up Sierra MK's. TOO MUCH FOR 22! Sure was flat to 1000 yards though when it was working.
It liked RL25 and N170. About 53 grains if I remember correctly.

Any way you want to run them, a 6mm is superior in every way to a 22 cal unfortunately except recoil and that ain't much.

Oh, by the way, still have my 22-250 AI 8" twist and it shoots 80 grain Nosler J4's at 3350 from a 25" barrel and is actually a mild loaded gun. It prefers H4831sc and I have already had to run Tubb's TMS system down it to smooth out the firecracking at about 1200 rounds or so.

 

[BountyHunter]

Why don't you go to the 22 Dasher. 6 BR necked down and blown forward. 80 grains at 3400 and is a top 600 comp cartridge. Dies are available, great brass and easy to do. Go to www.6mmbr.com and look at James Phillips gun under "Guns of the Week".

BH

 

[reed mosser]

The dasher is great , it will get 22-250 ackley speed with less powder. The question about barrel life in a 22-6mm would be anything past 400 round consider rechambering. My 22-243 ackley opened up from the.2's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif to 3/4 moa at 400 rounds so she got rechambered and is shooting great again. I rechamber when heavy fire cracking starts way before the rifleing is gone. Good grouper i love many cals but compare the b.c of 22-243 ackley with 80 a-max at 3600fps and 243 ackley with 105 a-max at 3300 fps and the 22 cal is kicking *** at a 1000 yards. Yes the 6mm has better barrel life but what is free in this sport. I believe every caliber has its place. Its just matching the right b.c bullet weight with how much powder to meet the speed ,wind bucking, and energy requirement you need. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[goodgrouper]

Reed,

You picked a high bc bullet for the 22 and a mid range bullet for the 6mm. Run a 95 grain berger VLD at 3400 from that 243 AI and see what you get. Or better yet, look at a 115 dtac at 3100. It drops more but will edge the 22 in the areas that count. And then there is all that RPM against design specs cancelling out inherent accuracies and on and on.

I can still hit smaller target easier and farther away with my 6br fast twist than I can with my 22-250 AI fast twist and a lot of that has to do with bullet spin/accuracy and better wind drift with the six. Tain't lyin. Go look at some 1k br equipment lists in the back of the NBRSA news or PS magazine. More 6's in there than 22's by a looooong shot! But I agree with you that the 22's are just dang fun. One of my favorite things to do is show up at a long range fun shoot and whip out the 22 and hang with or beat some of the boys using 300 whizbang mags. The look on their faces when you tell them it's a 22 is priceless. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Naymola]

Replacing barrel's after 400 rounds does'nt allow a guy to do much load development,after trying 2-3 powders and bullets for the best load combination?
Hoping to get a bit longer barrel life with frequent cleaning,ridding of carbon deposits,and more importantly,not allowing the barrel to get hot from too many sucsessive shots.
How much difference in barrel life could a guy expect to see between a .22 and 6mm?
Not worried so much about throat life,more so in the pursuit of consistant accuracy at 4-5-600 yards hunting varmints.

I have a.224 Vais with a 14 twist barrel,built on a Rem 700 action,so I've got the die's, had the bolt face opened up for it,that's why I'm leaning towards that choice,do a re-barrel with a 8 twist and go with the 80 grain bullets.

I would'nt hesitate to go with a 6mm if I was comvinced it was clearly the better choice.I'd give the 6mm-Vais a go.

Planning on making my next build a 6-284 using 105-107 bullets.

Thanks again Fella's for your input.

 

[reed mosser]

The 6-284 isn't going to be any easier on barrels than the 22-6mm or 22-243 ackley. If you want barrel life go with the 22 dasher 22 br or 6 dasher 6br 6x47 laupa or maybe 243 ackley. My 22-243 ackley was not shot out at 400 rounds just had coppering and fire cracking. I could of let it go another few hundred rounds but accuracy is everything in this game. Anything to fast flat and bucks the wind well is hard on barrels. Look most 1000 yard benchrest shooters rebarrel 6.5-284s at around 1000 rounds. Are they shot out, no. they just won't shoot the 4-6 inch groups they once could have done. I now one 1000 yard shooter that rebarrels his 300 wsm's every 500 rounds. After that he says they loose there winning edge. Still his barrels at 500 rounds are better that most barrels that people will ever have. Than on the flip side I say one guy shoot a heavy gun 300 win mag with 2000 plus rounds and compete and win. Just some food for thought

 

[malcarjeb]

I know a bunch of you will /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif on this but a .223 wssm works great for me with 90 SMKs. I use 46.5 grs of Ramshot Mag. with a velocity of 3050 fps. Its very accurate. The barrel is 26" 1 in 8 twist and has no problem stabilizing the 90 SMK. A lot of people do not like the wssm brass but I have 2 .223 wssm and a 243 wssm and have not had any problems what so ever /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

 

[Naymola]

Thanks Guys.
I got it....Staying with the .224, as per plan.
Reed,I figure I'd save allot of time and barrel,by going with your suggestion of 7828ssc,and call it good....Would it be better to try a 1 pound bottle or go ahead and purchase an 8 pound keg and just stick with it?
Would very much appreciate some load data for your 22-243AI using 7828 with 80 grain A-Max's.
Thanks,Gary