The 22 creedmoor thread

[Nine Banger]

I get tinkering, but with properly headstamped (and good brass) available for the 22 Creed, it’s hard to want to go through those steps to make 22/250 brass work.

I agree. It's a total waste of time and barrel life to fire form brass. I just had some ready to go when my barrel crapped out. This is officially "screwing around."

Yeah, primers backing out and early case head separation is indicative of headspace issues during fire forming.

Two ways to prevent. First is to create a false shoulder by necking the brass up to .243, and then run it into a backed out 22 creed die to neck size it back down with that false shoulder. How much to neck size is trial and error. I like to start such that the brass won’t chamber and then slowly turn the die in. Size and check until the bolt will close with some resistance.
The second, and easier, way is to jam the bullet into the lands about 25- thousandths. This will prevent the cartridge from moving forward before being blown out.

I don't have tools to do the neck adjusting but I was able to jam into the lands with some 80's. I was working with 62gr ELD-VT and they won't reach the end of the chamber and still be in the case. It worked, but the brass is crap. It stretched right where a case head failure will occur. I loaded one of the better ones just to check and it blew immediately.

 

[Duh]

found pressure for the 53gr vmax today. It showed up at 42 gr of Varget. Just a slightly heavy bolt lift. At 63 rounds down the barrel and the spreads are still pretty sporadic.

3 firings of alpha LRP brass so far and it really hasn’t stretched that much.

 

[Bluumoon]

So basically for a Montana (no minimum caliber) guy who reloads the 22 is probably better.
How's the wind drift between the two? Guess that would be the only difference maybe?
Just thinking a 22 would be perfect for my kids.

Meh. I have both. I’d lean 6mm for a little more splash for when you miss. Recoil difference is negligible esp w a suppressor. 6mm has better BC bullets and we are about to get a monster of a bullet by next year. Double the barrel life.

The 22CM is stupid fun and is here to stay. I just think 6mm is the sweet spot.

 

[Bluumoon]

Here’s some info from another thread I posted with real world factory ammo velocities from 22CM and 6CM. These can obviously differ and will be faster with hand loads…

Let’s say both guns are setup identical with 18” barrels. Input 3100 for the .224 and 2850 for the .243 for the calcs. 10 MPH full value wind. 5,000 ft DA.

At 800 yards the 103 ELDX is 1,750ish FPS. 700ish ft lbs of energy. 5.6 MIL Up. 1.4 MIL Wind.

At 800 yards the 108 ELDM is 1,800ish FPS. 780ish ft lbs of energy. 5.4 MIL Up. 1.3 MIL Wind.

At 800 yards the 80 ELDX is 1,900ish FPS. 650ish ft lbs of energy. 4.6 MIL Up. 1.3 MIL Wind.

At 800 yards the 88 ELDM is 2,000ish FPS. 800ish ft lbs of energy. 4.4 MIL Up. 1.1 MIL Wind.

Free recoil energy in an 8 lb gun shooting 88 ELDM out of 22CM is around 9.5-10 ft lbs.

Free recoil energy in an 8 lb gun shooting 108 ELDM out of 6CM is around 11.5-12 ft lbs.

Higher impact speed, less wind drift, nearly a full MIL less elevation dial, and less recoil for the 22CM shooting 88 Ms. You really can’t beat that combo in my opinion.

I’m hearing the 88 is mixed results in big game…
My 18” 6CM (112s) is outrunning my 20” 22CM (77s) at distance. My example is ideal bullet in one and less so in the other, but I think it’s mountains out of mole hills between the two. I have and will continue to shoot the 22CM (at least until I burn through the 2 barrels I have), but everyday guy that hunts multi state (or might) I’d lean to the 6.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’m hearing the 88 is mixed results in big game…
My 18” 6CM (112s) is outrunning my 20” 22CM (77s) at distance. My example is ideal bullet in one and less so in the other, but I think it’s mountains out of mole hills between the two. I have and will continue to shoot the 22CM (at least until I burn through the 2 barrels I have), but everyday guy that hunts multi state (or might) I’d lean to the 6.

Both are great! I’m going to experiment with 112s a bit this year myself.

88s in general have been fine but there have been instances of narrower than ideal wounds observed by a few folks who’s opinions I consider reliable, as well as the couple I’ve seen.

I haven’t seen that issue at all with 80 ELDX but for me it’s still only 13 big game kills with them so far. They do come with their own “issue” of maintaining consistent accuracy at high velocity in about 5 or 6 personal barrels now.

Combining consistent accuracy and killing reliability in 22 Creeds it seems that 77 TMKs are the winner.

Yet here I am still shooting 80 ELDXs every day

 

[SouthPaw]

I killed 6 big game animals with the 88gr from 2100 to 2950 fps impact and they were nasty on everything. Ballistic monsters. I have zero hesitation hunting with them, and I really need to build another 22cm...its just awesome.

That said, I went to 6cm due to 6mm requirements on some annual hunts I do. The 109gr eldm is shooting fantastic and I look forward to this new bullet rumored.

 

[khuber84]

I keep hearing rumors of this new bullet. I saw some "official" comms from a Sierra email stating a 6mm 107tmk is coming. They also said 95tmk were coming 1st quarter, now they say October so who the F knows......

Love me some 22cm, I'm on my 3rd barrel, but the 22gt is where it's at it you can live with a lil more barrel length. My 22in 22gts run right with the 22cm burning 15-20% less powder.

 

[WMDM]

3400 fps out of 20" with 62 gr Eld Vts - book max loads. Getting 3330 fps with 53 gr VMax out of 18" 223 with factory ammo...

Not feeling the 22 Creed warm and fuzzies!

 

[Nine Banger]

3400 fps out of 20" with 62 gr Eld Vts - book max loads. Getting 3330 fps with 53 gr VMax out of 18" 223 with factory ammo...

Not feeling the 22 Creed warm and fuzzies!

I am going thru a box of 62gr ELD VT that I ordered just to take a look at. My 18" barrel is getting 3390 w/ max load of H4350.

I'm struggling to find "the point" for this bullet too.

I think its just a way for the 22ARC factory ammo only shooters to have a "regular" and a "heavy". The 62gr is marketed as a match varmint bullet but the BC is the same as a 77gr SMK and lower than a 77gr TMK.

I don't think we have any use for it for handloading 22 Creedmoor?

 

[HandgunHTR]

3400 fps out of 20" with 62 gr Eld Vts - book max loads. Getting 3330 fps with 53 gr VMax out of 18" 223 with factory ammo...

Not feeling the 22 Creed warm and fuzzies!

The "book" on the 22 Creed is all over the place.

I would say that if you don't have any pressure signs on the Creed, start going up in .2-.3 grain increments until you find pressure.

 

[waspocrew]

3400 fps out of 20" with 62 gr Eld Vts - book max loads. Getting 3330 fps with 53 gr VMax out of 18" 223 with factory ammo...

Not feeling the 22 Creed warm and fuzzies!

I’m at 3650 fps in my 22” 22 Creed with 62 ELDVT. My 20” 22 Creed is doing 3406 fps with the 77 TMK.

Every barrel is different. What’s your 223 set up and which ammo? My 20” 223 CTR only shoots 62 gr AAC Sabre at 2970 FPS.

 

[ACHILLES]

My 18” pushes 62s at 3625 with varget and Hornady brass. H4350 got much slower speeds. 22arc should do around 3200 with the 62s in an 18” with hand loads.

 

[Duh]

3400 fps out of 20" with 62 gr Eld Vts - book max loads.

I am going thru a box of 62gr ELD VT that I ordered just to take a look at. My 18" barrel is getting 3390 w/ max load of H4350.

Try Varget for the 62VTs. I got a 20inch 7.5 twist PBB barrel shooting those at 3520fps on virgin brass. Currently using 39grains of Varget. I haven’t tried to find pressure with that combo yet but I’m well below it right now.

 

[waspocrew]

Try Varget for the 62VTs. I got a 20inch 7.5 twist PBB barrel shooting those at 3520fps on virgin brass. Currently using 39grains of Varget. I haven’t tried to find pressure with that combo yet but I’m well below it right now.

Agreed - Varget is the ticket. It’s what I use for the 62s as well.

 

[Kaleb]

Looking at Sierra it has 22-250 and 22creed being about the same yet 22-250AI being much slower. Not saying what is right and wrong but not following the given data? I agree just be careful and work up and within reason make your own decisions. Not recommending going beyond published data but something isn’t quite right listing 22-250 same as 22creed and faster than 22-250AI. It’s like they got the Remington and Ackley backwards

 

[WMDM]

I’m at 3650 fps in my 22” 22 Creed with 62 ELDVT. My 20” 22 Creed is doing 3406 fps with the 77 TMK.

Every barrel is different. What’s your 223 set up and which ammo? My 20” 223 CTR only shoots 62 gr AAC Sabre at 2970 FPS.

Bergara Ridge rifle and Hornady Superformance ammo.

 

[WMDM]

Try Varget for the 62VTs. I got a 20inch 7.5 twist PBB barrel shooting those at 3520fps on virgin brass. Currently using 39grains of Varget. I haven’t tried to find pressure with that combo yet but I’m well below it right now.

Crazy, I didn't choose it because Hornady showed it slow!

 

[wind gypsy]

I am going thru a box of 62gr ELD VT that I ordered just to take a look at. My 18" barrel is getting 3390 w/ max load of H4350.

I'm struggling to find "the point" for this bullet too.

I think its just a way for the 22ARC factory ammo only shooters to have a "regular" and a "heavy". The 62gr is marketed as a match varmint bullet but the BC is the same as a 77gr SMK and lower than a 77gr TMK.

I don't think we have any use for it for handloading 22 Creedmoor?

I thought the 62 ELD-VT was basically same BC as 77 TMK - both basically right around 0.20 G7 along with the 73 ELDm. That's according to AB which doesn't really deviate from Mfr BCs on these bullets.

 

[Nine Banger]

I thought the 62 ELD-VT was basically same BC as 77 TMK - both basically right around 0.20 G7 along with the 73 ELDm. That's according to AB which doesn't really deviate from Mfr BCs on these bullets.

Hornady says .3850 for the 62 eld vt.

I use .420 for 77gr TMK.

The extra velocity makes 62gr look interesting on paper.

77gr SMK is .3720 G1

 

[wind gypsy]

Hornady says .3850 for the 62 eld vt.

I use .420 for 77gr TMK.

The extra velocity makes 62gr look interesting on paper.

77gr SMK is .3720 G1

Below is from hornady's website. AB says .397 G1 .199 G7 for the 62 ELDvt. AB says .202 G7, .395 G1 for 77 TMK. same/same far as i'm concerned.

Sierra used to only list banded g1 BCs for the 77 tmk but looks like they changed it. Used to list as .420 G1 above mid 2000s FPS, around 0.40 in the middle band, and less below that (off memory). I've always treated it like a 0.2 G7, 0.4 G1 bullet but haven't shot em much beyond about 550 yards where it would be more critical.

Edit: found what they used to list:

Sierra's stated G1 BC for the 77gr TMK is .420 at 2400 fps and above, .415 between 2400 and 2000 fps, .395 between 2000 and 1750 fps, and .380 at 1750 fps and below.