The 22 creedmoor thread

[Split toe]

What is everyone using for .22 Creed prefits? Would be for an Impact 737. The Preferred Barrel Blanks seem intriguing for the price and they have 4 reamer options. Seems like a no brainer?

Get a prefit CRB steel barrel. They are out of Oklahoma as well.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Is there any general consensus on expected barrel life on a 22CM? Assuming this is not handloading for the hottest rounds. Thinking through trying to get sufficient same lot ammo/components for the life of a barrel.

Would 3k be reasonable or to much to expect?

I’m on my 11th 22 Creed barrel on two different tikka actions. I’ve mainly shot factory 8 twist tikka barrels but have shot two Mcgowens and two preferreds.

Average is 1,500ish rounds with the Tikkas averaging longer barrel life than the aftermarkets. Shortest life was 1,200ish rounds and longest was I think just under 3,000.

I don’t shoot incredibly hot loads and never clean the barrels.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Would a saami spec chamber work well with 77tmk and 80 eldm? Or even 88 eldm’s? Or is .120 free bore a better option? Looking at getting a 22cm barrel. Thank you

Yes. Saami spec chamber works fine for all of those bullets listed.

 

[Grizzle]

I’m on my 11th 22 Creed barrel on two different tikka actions. I’ve mainly shot factory 8 twist tikka barrels but have shot two Mcgowens and two preferreds.

Average is 1,500ish rounds with the Tikkas averaging longer barrel life than the aftermarkets. Shortest life was 1,200ish rounds and longest was I think just under 3,000.

I don’t shoot incredibly hot loads and never clean the barrels.

Not to many places you'll find this level of experience anywhere in life, nevermind someone with it that continually takes the time to help us guys waaaay in the back. This is why I love RS and the handful of priceless mentors that exist on here. The amount of knowledge that is shared by you, @Formidilosus and others has truly been a gift to my shooting education and is very appreciated. Thank you from all us on our way through our first barrels haha

 

[KyleR1985]

I’m on my 11th 22 Creed barrel on two different tikka actions. I’ve mainly shot factory 8 twist tikka barrels but have shot two Mcgowens and two preferreds.

Average is 1,500ish rounds with the Tikkas averaging longer barrel life than the aftermarkets. Shortest life was 1,200ish rounds and longest was I think just under 3,000.

I don’t shoot incredibly hot loads and never clean the barrels.

Sort of related, have you ever had a factory tikka barrel not shoot well enough that you pulled and trashed it? Of any caliber/chambering

 

[Speaks]

I’m on my 11th 22 Creed barrel on two different tikka actions. I’ve mainly shot factory 8 twist tikka barrels but have shot two Mcgowens and two preferreds.

Average is 1,500ish rounds with the Tikkas averaging longer barrel life than the aftermarkets. Shortest life was 1,200ish rounds and longest was I think just under 3,000.

I don’t shoot incredibly hot loads and never clean the barrels.

Awesome, thank you.

 

[Tbone26]

Has anyone been using the 69-grain eld-vt factory ammo yet? Curious how it’s shooting and speeds your getting. I’m planning to try some in a 20” 8 twist.

 

[TimberHunter]

Yes. Saami spec chamber works fine for all of those bullets listed.

What’s the benefit of the .120 freebore if the Sami works for the 77,80,88?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BBob]

What’s the benefit of the .120 freebore if the Sami works for the 77,80,88?

The key word being “works”. SAAMI works but may not be optimal especially with the 88.

 

[43.6N]

What’s the benefit of the .120 freebore if the Sami works for the 77,80,88?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Look at it in terms of how much case capacity is being taken up by the bullet sitting so deep in the case.

Take up enough volume by seating a long bullet deeply, and 22cm capacity gets closer and closer to 22gt/22-250 capacity.

Which then begs the question, if not using all the capacity of the case design, but I’m happy with performance, why not go to a more efficient case that maximizes the powder charge I’m actually using (22GT)?

At least that’s how I’ve been thinking lately. 16” barrel with saami throat.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Sort of related, have you ever had a factory tikka barrel not shoot well enough that you pulled and trashed it? Of any caliber/chambering

Tikka and Sako it’s nearly unheard of and is usually due to some other inherent issue.

I have had a 260 Rem barrel that wouldn’t shoot better than 2.5 MOA and a 300 Win mag barrel that wouldn’t shoot better than 3 MOA. They were both replaced with factory Sako barrels in Finland and they shot good after that. These are the only two I can recall in hundreds of their barrels spanning back a very long time with Sako specifically.

Something to keep in mind is most folks “accuracy expectation” is unrealistic nonsense but that’s probably for a different place to discuss.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Has anyone been using the 69-grain eld-vt factory ammo yet? Curious how it’s shooting and speeds your getting. I’m planning to try some in a 20” 8 twist.

Yes. I’ll post up some numbers when I’m back from vacation.

 

[amassi]

What’s the benefit of the .120 freebore if the Sami works for the 77,80,88?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Saami works ok for 75-80gr bullets, I think Hornady kept them short for short actions but they aren’t “optimized” like the 6 and 6.5 cm are. The factory ammo is also pretty lackluster so Hornady/horizon may have screwed up with the saami spec

Lots of people that are saying saami works with 88s will also turn around and say the 88s are finicky and they ended up shooting another bullet, with a saami throat you are stuffing a ton of that bullet into the case

If you want to shoot long heavy 22 cals throat and twist it to do so. Saami throat and 1:8 aren’t ideal for 88s. (I know lots of people who shot 88s through 1:8 with Saami throats but most of them have moved to a different bullet)

.120 is still a bit short for “ideal” bullet placement
.150 is near ideal for the 88 eld-m and will likely be a solid choice for the 88 TMK

1:7.5 twist

Twist is important for stability and how the bullet performs on target. That second part gets overlooked quite a bit

Note for the rpm crowd: factory 22CM 80 eld-m is over their stated rpm threshold, there’s obviously some leeway there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BBob]

.150 is near ideal for the 88 eld-m and will likely be a solid choice for the 88 TMK

1:7.5 twist

That and I’ll add if you want an 88 ELDM specific freebore it’d be approximately .170”. That puts the shank ~.050” above the neck shoulder junction at touch and the OAL still has plenty of room to fit most all common magazines and boxes.

 

[TradLife406]

What is everyone using for .22 Creed prefits? Would be for an Impact 737. The Preferred Barrel Blanks seem intriguing for the price and they have 4 reamer options. Seems like a no brainer?

PVA now. It's pretty powder and bullet picky.
Sample size of one.
About 350 through it and already have a preferred ordered up to replace it when the time comes.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

What’s the benefit of the .120 freebore if the Sami works for the 77,80,88?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seating further if desired and for guys who like to jam the heavies. Whether or not those are “benefits” is a whole different discussion

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Look at it in terms of how much case capacity is being taken up by the bullet sitting so deep in the case.

Take up enough volume by seating a long bullet deeply, and 22cm capacity gets closer and closer to 22gt/22-250 capacity.

Which then begs the question, if not using all the capacity of the case design, but I’m happy with performance, why not go to a more efficient case that maximizes the powder charge I’m actually using (22GT)?

At least that’s how I’ve been thinking lately. 16” barrel with saami throat.

I’m already hitting non hunting safe loads with 80 Xs and Ms with a Saami chamber. Food for thought.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

The key word being “works”. SAAMI works but may not be optimal especially with the 88.

If a guy just wanted to only just shoot 88s for target and hunting an increased freebore would work great.

 

[Pwb199]

PVA now. It's pretty powder and bullet picky.
Sample size of one.
About 350 through it and already have a preferred ordered up to replace it when the time comes.

My PVA is pretty picky too. Hoping the PBB I bought is less so

 

[The Guide]

Seating further if desired and for guys who like to jam the heavies. Whether or not those are “benefits” is a whole different discussion

Funny observations...

In the 22 ARC when using the 3 factory Hornady ELDM and ELDX loads (75m, 80x, and 88m) with my chronographed data, all 3 loads hit 1800 fps within 10 yards of each other. With a 10 mph wind @ 90⁰ their respective drift is 34.8", 34.2", and 30.9". Total spread of 3.9" at 660 to 670 yards. Is it really worth the mental gymnastics to try and get a specific bullet to work if another bullet that will give similar results on flesh can give you the same external ballistics? Not that I've seen...

Jay