The 22 creedmoor thread

[Toomuchon]

Hey guys, looking for some advice, or perhaps confirmation of my thinking….
I currently shoot 2 Tikkas a .223 and a 6.5cm, and have been thinking about re-barrelling the 6.5 to 22cm. From what I’ve picked up from @Formidilosus and others comments, the 22cm has a number of advantages:
1. Longer terminal range than 6.5
2. Lower recoil than 6.5 which = easier to spot shots.
3. Wind bracket # at least as high as 6.5
4. Can probably use standard stock, as I can ‘get away with’ the lesser ergonomics.

The only disadvantage I can see is:
1. Shorter barrel life for 22cm

I get that 6.5 ammo is usually easy to get. True. But here in NZ factory ammo is getting expensive ($60-80 USD a box) so I’m moving to hand loading for the 6.5 anyway. Not much disadvantage to the 22 there.

Intended use is red deer sized animals out to 600yds, and on paper it looks like 22cm will do it.

Is there anything I’m missing?

 

[Castle Rock]

Yep, the 6.5 just kills quicker
Over the last 10 years I have mostly hunted with a fast twist 22/250 and heavy bullets and 6.5 CM and 260 AI
Despite all the photos, gel tests etc there is no doubt that the larger caliber puts down animals quicker and with more authority
I am going to retire my tikka 1 in 8 22/250 because there are just too many instances where a good shot didn’t anchor like a larger gun does

 

[Robinhood21]

Give the barrel 100-150 rounds to speed up. H4831sc will get you where you want with the 80s. They do 3200fps in my 20".

I agree.. not only that but my barrel went from a pretty good shooter sub 150 rounds to almost unbelievable after 150 rounds

 

[Toomuchon]

Yep, the 6.5 just kills quicker
Over the last 10 years I have mostly hunted with a fast twist 22/250 and heavy bullets and 6.5 CM and 260 AI
Despite all the photos, gel tests etc there is no doubt that the larger caliber puts down animals quicker and with more authority
I am going to retire my tikka 1 in 8 22/250 because there are just too many instances where a good shot didn’t anchor like a larger gun does

Thanks for your straight up opinion @Castle Rock Sounds like it’s backed up with a fair bit of experience too.

 

[Duh]

I agree.. not only that but my barrel went from a pretty good shooter sub 150 rounds to almost unbelievable after 150 rounds

View attachment 712137


View attachment 712138

Was that 88 eldm rough on the coyote fur?

 

[Miflatlander91]

Was that 88 eldm rough on the coyote fur?

The 2 I’ve shot were not rough at all almost like they didn’t start to fragment yet


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[Duh]

The 2 I’ve shot were not rough at all almost like they didn’t start to fragment yet


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Good to hear

 

[Robinhood21]

Was that 88 eldm rough on the coyote fur?

That was the first time I shot 88s in my rifle. I’ve only shot 75ELDMs prior to that. Close shots were rough on fur. 150ish and out was pretty darn good on fur.

 

[Formidilosus]

Yep, the 6.5 just kills quicker
Over the last 10 years I have mostly hunted with a fast twist 22/250 and heavy bullets and 6.5 CM and 260 AI
Despite all the photos, gel tests etc there is no doubt that the larger caliber puts down animals quicker and with more authority
I am going to retire my tikka 1 in 8 22/250 because there are just too many instances where a good shot didn’t anchor like a larger gun does

Not discounting what you are seeing, though it does make me wonder what the difference or perceived different is, as we are shooting a relatively large number of animals side and by side and not seeing any functional difference between good .224 bullets and 6.5mm.

 

[Castle Rock]

I really wanted this to work because it is with out doubt the most usable gun I have ever owned and I biased my effort to make it work
Possibly it is because I mainly hunt pigs (probably 40), results on deer (7) have been consistently good
Just to be clear the 77 TMK at 3150 out of the 22/250 is what I am using with a dozen or so 80 ELDM

 

[Duh]

I really wanted this to work because it is with out doubt the most usable gun I have ever owned and I biased my effort to make it work
Possibly it is because I mainly hunt pigs (probably 40), results on deer (7) have been consistently good
Just to be clear the 77 TMK at 3150 out of the 22/250 is what I am using with a dozen or so 80 ELDMView attachment 712473

What powder are you using for the 77grain?

 

[Toomuchon]

I really wanted this to work because it is with out doubt the most usable gun I have ever owned and I biased my effort to make it work
Possibly it is because I mainly hunt pigs (probably 40), results on deer (7) have been consistently good
Just to be clear the 77 TMK at 3150 out of the 22/250 is what I am using with a dozen or so 80 ELDMView attachment 712473

Are those gum trees in the background? Might just be me, but that looks like an Aussie backdrop…..

 

[Castle Rock]

What powder are you using for the 77grain?

2208 =Varget

Are those gum trees in the background? Might just be me, but that looks like an Aussie backdrop…..

Yep

 

[Castle Rock]

Certainly the most accurate factory rifle I have ever owned

 

[Lawnboi]

77tmk shot well for me with h4831sc

 

[huntnful]

Just got my first 22 creedmoor set up. Went out today to test bullets.

10 shots groups.

Left side is 80 ELDM & Right is 85.5 LRHT’s.



I shot 43gr. H1000 for the ELDM and 42gr. H1000 for the LRHT. Both had 80-100 ES, and not great speeds. Low 3000’s out of a 25” barrel.

But clearly the 80 ELDM’s want to shoot. So switching over to to H4350 and testing a 41gr. charge. I have a long freebore (2.673” COAL on the 80 ELDM) and a 4 groove barrel, which normally equates to low pressures. So I’m guessing 41gr. H4350 should be a moderate charge?

 

[huntnful]

Switched over to H4350. 41gr. provided no pressure, and excellent groups. A 10 shot .51 MOA group at 100 yards and then a .25 MOA 5 shot group at 600 yards.

Load is

80 ELDM
41gr. H4350
CCI 200
2.673” COAL
3240fps

 

[prcwv]

5 shots below the reflective tape was just shooting to Chrono I was shooting 39.4 of Varget but barrel seemed to speed up so I backed down to 39.2 an didn't expect this speed. More than I was getting before lol.

 

[chamois]

I would have never expected 0.2gr to make the difference.

 

[prcwv]

I would have never expected 0.2gr to make the difference.

It was 3510 last time I chronographed but shot a box or more since then noticed bolt lift was snug. So I wasn't gonna back it off a whole lot.