Thread: .222 Reloading

I have an old BSA CF2 in .222. Heavy old girl beautifully made, bit too heavy for the bush and the hills but I take it out after goats and rabbits and plinking. It is a total tack driver with good quality 55 gn pills, including cheaper Hdy flat Base Soft Points. Less accurate but still tight and definitely minute of goat are Frontier FMJ 55gn flat points, flat base, available from Rusa for around $150/1000. The jacket on these I think is more of a copper wash. They penetrate well and the flat point gives an very good wound channel. I've had not difficulty dropping goats at 200m with shots behind the shoulder. Bullet passes through. I find published load data from ADI and Hogdon works best at the mid to 2/3 max load. At max load the 4 shot pattern tends to widen. Around the 2650 to 2750 fps gets me good results. At Rusa prices I can shoot all day. Fun calibre. Hit a rabbit in the hind quartes at a measured 125 m - not much left of the rear third. Yes I was trying for a head shot. No I wasn't good enough.