Learn about the most accurate commercial round ever made, and how it influenced the design of the most accurate family of cartridges, including the most popular military round in history.
First I thought “who in their right mind would spend 55 minutes on this video?”. 55 minutes later I am so glad I did! Thank you sir for a great session 🙂 Waiting for my 4th 222 ever in the form of a Sako A1 with thin barrel. It’ll be a blast! 👍🏻
lol, i did the exact same. started listening and couldn't stop.i enjoy listening to people who know their subject matter and also have a few human stories to throw in as well. bloody marvellous !
I listen to all his videos after all this man was secret service sniper at one point. He knows his craft. 223 is my fav cartridge. I wish he would share some of his duties or tasks in protecting the President with a sniper rifle. How and where did he have to set up what caliber and for how long. Did he need permission to take out a potential threat?
Ahh, the vastly underrated 788! I have one also, easily could outshoot the much more expensive model 700, much to the chagrin of the 700 owners. I've seen it happen!
Gary park I just came across this post. I was listening to at as I was reloading for my 222 rem. My 222 rem mowhawk 600 is also and old and trusted friend. Here in northeast Pa. I've used it for many things. During the Rim fire ammo shortage . I loaded 55 grain cast bullets with reduced loads and it became my squirrel rifle for 5 years. I didn't stand in line for a ration of 22mag or 22lr ammo. I have a reduced load I use for fall turkey. As a wildlife conservation officer it took care of truck loads of road injured deer , with one and done effectiveness. It's a constant companion on my little farm. Chucks in the beans, coyote around the chicken pasture, the little triple duce is just right, cheap to load for and versatile. My mowhawk 600 sports a new black walnut stock, after market metal trigergaurd , and a fixed 4x scope. I'll never part with my 222re
This guy and many like him have forgotten more about guns and shooting than most of us will ever know. Great videos. I got my Lee hand Loader in 1974 I believe?, and I am still learning about reloading.
In Missouri in Earl days you had to have a bullet that was 60 gr plus so my little Lee pocket loader made it legal my first bullet in my gun during deer season was a 50 gr and all the other rounds were 63 gr to make it legal so if I say the man I would Jack the fist round out and then I was legal but I have never been checked and now any center fired round is legal to hunt deer .
I am 75 years old and just love to hear this gentleman speak. I do still have a .222 in my safe and just love it. I am fascinated that this gentleman has the amount of knowledge he has and can still remember all those facts. Good luck my friend and may God bless you and keep you.
Thanks for your video and your knowledge. I love my Sako Vixen in .222 that was purchased new in 1963. I hand loaded with a Lee Loader and it took many chucks. My best shot , admittedly using Kentucky windage, was a measured 309yds. , taking the top off the head of a crow. The rest of the birds near it just stood around pecking it as they had no idea what had just happened ! Also worked on a dairy farm in Ohio and fondly remember drinking ice cold fresh milk from the refrigerated tank as I swung by the milk house while driving tractor from the silage fields. I’m now retired in Florida and there are no woodchucks down here. I miss the fields of the Midwest and New England where I hunted for many years. God Bless.
Watching this video and reading the comments is like a trip back to my childhood. I see the TC Contender on the desk, the 4198, the topic is .222 Remington, comments mention .222, 22-250 etc. Its like someone was taking my childhood and putting it into a video. I cleared many hayfields with a .222 in a Remington 700 BDL and a Weatherby mark 22. I miss that old gun. The .222 and 38 special are the first rounds I loaded as a kid. Good times.
I love the .222 Rem. My very first centerfire rifle was a 700 BDL in .222 . My favorite uncle who taught me hunting went in with my Grandfather and got it for me for Christmas in '78 when I was 11. He had a Weaver ×10 with an A.O. that he gave me . Used to go Groundhog shooting in neighboring hayfields. He also had a .222 magnum that I shot some . He also had a 22/250 and a 25-06 , both in Remington 700 bull barrels. Here in Virginia , the groundhogs have also fell to the invading coyotes . We also were allowed ( still are ) allowed to hunt wild turkeys with a rifle , and the .222 was the king of turkey rifles around here . Had to make careful shots not to ruin too much meat. I love your channel ! It's like having the great Jack O'Connor on film ! I just subscribed to your channel . It's great listening to someone who talks about the guns I like and not just all AR' s and AK' s all the time ! Thank you Sir . P.S. My Granddad owned an Anshutz 153 which was the most accurate rifle that I ever shot . 3 shot groups would just be a ragged hole .
Tracy Stubblèfield man, those old anschultz were such beautiful machines, weren’t they? I shot on a nra light rifle team with one in .22 and it was like driving a Porsche!
Thanks for this one. I have a Sako 222 that I bought 40 years ago. Mine has a Leupold 10x in the old Sako mounts. It is and has always been a true tackdriver. The 222 was also the first cartridge I ever handloaded and it was certainly a good one to start with as most loads seemed to work well. My favorite was any of the 52/53 grain hollow points in front of 22.5 grains of H322 which produced 5 shot groups that averaged under 1/2 inch. A great cartridge and a great rifle.
Hi, first of thanks for sharing all this great information. I live in old Mexico and have an old .222 Remington 660. I've had this rifle for a long time now and it still shoots incredibly accurate, I use it on everything from wild hogs, coyotes, deer and even had to shoot some wild donkeys. It's a great, accurate cartridge that you can shoot all day. And it makes for a great first center-fire rifle for young people. Sometimes bigger is not always better. Thanks. And I hope it makes a come back.
They will make you a better shot that’s for sure for larger game you have to put that in the perfect spot and pass on some shots if the animal is not turned just right. I have
I inherited my grandfathers Remington 722 .222. I agree with everything you said about it. It's accurate and very pleasant to shoot. I just started to hand load for it and it's been a very fun project.
In 1967 after we graduated high school my buddy got a used Savage in 222 with a 3x Weaver scope. We lived in Southern Illinois and for a while he and I went ground hog hunting like other people went to work. Shots were usually 100 to 150.. That thing was just an old clunker but it was deadly.
I have a Remington model 700 in .222. it was made in December 1994 and i bought it new. it was a special edition. It is the most incredibly accurate rifle. I put a timney trigger with a very low pull weight. i scoped it with a leopold 4x12 varix11 ao. I know it is considered to be a varmint caliber but I use it for all my hunting including big whitetail deer and big boar hogs. i also have a Remington mohawk that i shortened the stock and dressed up for my grandchildren to hunt with. so far they have taken 2 whitetail and a nice bobcat. it is a shame that hunters now put more emphasis on large calibers and less on shot placement. please do encourage Remington to put out another special edition.
I recently acquired a Remington 788 in .222. It is one of the early versions with a walnut stock. I topped it off with a Redfield scope and Burris mounts and rings. It is probably the most accurate rifle I own, including a Remington 700 in .243. At my 80 yard range I have shot 3/8 inch 5 shot groups, with some bullets going into the same hole! It really likes H4189 and H322 powders, especially when I use the Sierra 52 grain BTMK bullet. I suspect it will shoot even better at my local range where I could use a bench with sandbag rests. Let me just say thank you very much for covering this great little cartridge so well. What a classic round, with a rich history, as you expressed in your presentation. I wish more young folks could rediscover this fine cartridge, and I suspect it would be more popular if gun makers would just release some new rifles that were chambered in it. It's high accuracy level, mild manner, and super mild recoil would make it an ideal gun for beginners, women, and smaller framed shooters. What a fun caliber to shoot. Long Live the .222!!!
Those two powders are right on the money. Try also IMR4198 (old goodie) and Accurate 2015. The Tripple Deuce works well with relatively quicker burning powders. Remington made a gem with the 788, which was often more accurate than the 700 due to superior lock time.
My dad bought a Remington 788 in .222, probably back in the early 70s. I inherited it when my mom moved to the retirement home. I've only shot it at my friend's house in the hills. but I thought it was the most accurate rifle I had ever shot. I still own the thing. When I first got the rifle home and unpacked it, I thought it was going to be an unacceptably cheap rifle, but was pleasantly surprised at the action, which did not feel overly cheap, and then the accuracy sold me on this rifle.
David A Lawton Initially I wanted to buy .223, came across a person who had near new TIKKA T3 Lite in .222 so bought it. Eventually I ventured into hand loading, and then as we do read everything available, opens up a new challenge. Made a few upgrades to my reloading gear, seaters etc and am amazed at the repeated accuracy of this .222. At the range where I was shooting there were a few Kiwis, for them the .222 was the gun choice during the venison years in NZ. Since then I have TIKKA CTR in .243; also SAKO L579 Forester .308 which I find a real learning curve. So at the end of the day as GUNBLUE points out it is a "nice peaceful rifle that stands on its merits. NOTE: I started out with different projectiles, 50, 52, 53, 55, 52 Bergers seems to do the trick. Love the video's, very informative, easy to listen and you know that the presenter 'KNOWS HIS STUFF' Thankyou
I really enjoy this video. I watch it very often. It parallels my own feelings and and experiences with this great round. I just had to comment again on your great information here sir.
I have the sako vixen. It was my first centrefire rifle. Bought it when I was 20 , I am now 53.Will never get rid of it. Shot lots of foxes with it. I’m in Australia so don’t have woodchucks but used to do exactly the same with rabbits, the tripple 2 is a pleasure to use amazingly accurate and I love the way you can watch the bullet hit through the scope due to the light recoil. Try to headshoot so can still get a feed.
This Video was spectacular. I also wish the trend of the .222 would come back. Everybody is hung up on the .223 because of the AR. Great video thank you!
I do a lot of research for my profession. I really appreciate when you find a video of this caliber and it’s obvious that due diligence and painstaking research were done. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. While I’ve spent some time behind a .222, I truly never understood the role this cartridge played prior to this presentation.
Thank you. Yes, the Triple Deuce left a huge wake behind it that's far greater than the sum of its own success, which is surpassed only by the influence of the 7x57 Mauser on world cartridges.
GunBlue490 that’s a very interesting point. One that I think could be made for several of the wildcat cartridges that spawned commercially successful lines later on. Do you have a favorite parent round that would change ballistic evolution? I guess my mind leaps to some of those classic 6mm European full powered calibers when I think about it.
I absolutely love the little .222 Rem, and the fact that you can sit there for almost an hour and talk about it has made me an instant fan of your channel. I've subscribed and anxiously await future releases while I catch up on your previous videos. Job well done sir.
In the late 70s my stepfather came home with a funny looking pistol like the 1 in this video, Chambered in 222 and scoped. He had purchased it from the local sporting goods store used For $129, including an extra barrel. After he had loaded some cartridges for it, He asked me if I'd like to go to the range And shoot it with him. I was blown away To see a pistol that could shoot sub 1" groups at 100 yards. Literally Mind blowing! I was Around 10 To 12 years old at the time. Today I own 20 frames And 20 plus barrels for the contender platform. And of course, I have 1 in the old triple deuce!
I felt a certain sadness when the 222 got pushed aside by the 223. In the mid 60's it was the first center fire cartridge my father allowed me to shoot. Shot allot of starlings and if you missed it was your fault not the guns fault. Reloaded allot of shells for it, didn't understand at the time allot of the nuances of reloading but got the job done without anyone getting hurt. Missed the 222 kinda like the passing of some of the gun writers of the time, Bob Milek and my favorite Jack O'Conner. Appreciate the comments and the historical back ground on this cartridge that for me holds allot of sentimental value.
With so many fond memories of that rifle i'm surprised you haven't found another one unless they are so rare that acquiring one would be cost prohibitive! Seems like we spend the first half of our lives buying things and then letting them go for the next "great thing" and spend our later years trying to get them back! Great memories through and thank you for sharing! God Bless!
Just hearing you talk about the olds days, i just smile in my mind as i laid out in the field squeezing that shot. What is happening in your country makes me so sad that our future which claim so many memories , will be lost . GOD BLESS
Wonderful presentation covering a great round. I own an early version Remington 788 (June 1967) chambered in .222 Rem. It prints tiny 100 yard groups with 52 gr. Sierra BTHP Match Kings pushed along by 20 grains of H-4198. Recently I have noticed somewhat of a resurgence of interest in this wonderful cartridge. Even my local Wal-Mart carries 50 gr. soft point Remington shells for around $24 a box. The rifle I own always draws attention from other shooters at our county gun range, especially when they see the targets perforated by 5 shot groups the size of a thumbnail, sometimes smaller than a dime on good days! Thanks for sharing your experience and stories, I was quite entertained by the groundhog story.
Sir, this video encouraged me to make an offer on a Rem 722 in triple deuce on Gunbroker. Lo and behold, my offer was accepted. it was slated to ship today but the snow in PA today has prevented the gun from shipping. Listened to your video about adjustable objectives and will now think about something like what you used many years ago. Thanks. GBU and GBA!
Thanks for another great video. I bought a Remington 700 BDL .222 in the 70's. It has a fixed power Leupold 8X scope and is my favorite rifle. Everything you said about the .222 is true. It is just inherently accurate. That rifle never misses although occasionally I do. Hopefully more people will appreciate how great a caliber it is.
I agree with you. Like you I have a Rem700 in 222 as well as a Savage340D in 222. Gun companies need to put some rifles in 222 in their line up again. The 222 absolutely covers each and every selling point out there. Low Recoil. Low Noise. Great Accuracy. Those selling points are what we're constantly hearing today when they talk about the hot new rounds they're promoting. I wish you good shooting.
Thank you for sharing. I really enjoy the trip back in time. I have never fired the 222 but that will have to change. I usually varmint hunt with my 22k hornet. I was looking for my next rifle build project and I just found it. Thanks again
Hi! I"m watching your video from France and by the way i've been learning more about the 222 Rem listening to you than by any other ways. So i'd like to thank you for that! Well it's done, thanks again. Philippe. Oh, i use a Browning A-Bolt2 222 Remington with a Nikon 4x16/50 Side Focus optic and a Harris bipod, completed by a SAI Suppressor. It works perfectly. Bullseye at 250m...
I have a Tikka 12 gauge / 222 over under with a M8 x 3 Leupold scope What a wonderful rifle. The 222 zeroed at 2oo yards normally shoots 3 shoot groups under 1 inch, To add to the quality that same setting shoots rem. slugs 1 inch high at 50 yards and dead on windage. For Ohio hunting in the 70's, 80 & 90's it was everything you needed. The only problem was the trigger is really light for pheasant hunting.
I inherited my father's Remington 788 in 222 along with loading dies and other components and consider myself fortunate. I did install a Timney trigger which enhanced my accuracy with the rifle. Like you I think it's just about perfect for medium range 'chucks and along with it's low report and recoil it's fun to shoot.
Thank you for placing out another great video. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, and your stories are very enjoyable. I hope we can one day return to a time when fire arms are not considered evil.
your videos are like hanging out at the range or the local gunsmith shop and listening to an old pro wax loquacious about his favorite cartridges or firearms; don't get much better than this!
What a great story about the acquisition of your first .222 Rem! Back about "67 or '68, I felt I had outgrown my single shot H&R .22 youth model (wish I could remember the model #). I was bugging my dad about getting a center fire rifle. My dad didn't care anything about hunting or guns. Guess he had seen all the guns he wanted to see in the Pacific Theater during WWll (I now have his 8mm Nambu pistol which he liberated from a Japanese prisoner on Saipan). Well, my dad contacted my uncle, Frank R. Martin, who was a wildlife biologist in Northern Michigan and consummate hunter and outdoorsman, to ask what rifle might be suitable for me. My "Uncle Dick" recommended the .222 Rem. My dad took me to Wilcox second hand store in downtown Lansing, Michigan, where we spotted a brand new Savage Model 340 D in .222 Rem. I think it was $69.00 and I didn't know how in the world I would ever be able to afford it. Anyway, we put it on lay-a-way, and I picked it up about 6-8 weeks later . I believe my dad must have helped me out, because I can't believe I could have come up with that much money back then, even though I remember scraping away every penny I could towards buying this gun. Back in those days, I mowed lawns in my little home town for a dollar or two. Gas was 25-29 cents per gallon, which fueled my JC Penny 18'' mower that another uncle had given me! Anyway, when I first took that rifle out in the field, I thought I was the king of the woods. I never saw a fox while hunting, or any other target, but I was becoming an accurate shooter. I think my first box of cartridges (which I bought at my local hardware store from Mr. Hunter, with no questions asked) cost a little less than $3.00. The memories you evoke with your videos, are priceless to me. Oh, by the way, My Uncle Dick was more than happy to take my empty cases for reloading, which I was honored to give him. It was requisite payment for his excellent advice to my dad. Back then, My uncle had a Model 70 Winchester in .22 Hornet, which he had re-chambered to the then-new .222 Rem. Oh, to be able to turn back the hands of time!
Really enjoyed your story. Reminds me of my own life! I too have a Savage 340D in 222 that was handed down through my family. I agree-would be nice to turn back the calendar to better days.
I must congratulate you GunBlue 490 on your brilliant, informative no nonsense videos, having just watched this one for me its confirmed my next purchase as a 222 over the 223, I have been very fortunate to have recently been shooting a Sako Viken 222 mounted with the latest Pulsar Thermal, this set up has been regularly dispatching foxes out to 190m , it is fantastically accurate. Every word you said has rang true out in the field, so I am now on the look out for a 222 combined with my Rem 700 in 22/250 I will have a rifle for all scenarios when dealing with the red fox.
He's like an encyclopedia. Great video! I have a SAKO Rihiimaki 222, took a deer between eyes at 80 yds and a boar in the temple at 87 yds... they are a great caliber.
Ahh. My first rifle was a CZ Brno Fox .222 Rem. Great little rifle and a great cartridge. I sold that rifle 25 years ago. Going full circle here and have ordered a new Howa Mini in .222 Rem.
Hi Sir i hope life is treating you well love your talk and view on the lifeof the 222 rem ! i got a sako l46 from my uncle when i was 18 yr shot thousands and thousands of rounds through it 2 barrel on still love it . thank you for allowing me to listening to your wizdom .
Now waiting for the permit for my Sako Vixen rifle, custom made at my local gunsmith, 222 Rem. This is a rifle i have always wanted . Thank you for a great video. Best regards, Michael, Denmark, Scandinavia
@@GunBlue490 Thank you, and i noticed that you mentioned the Vixen a little later in the video, after i made my comment 🙂 Take care, and greetings from Denmark
The permit has arrived and i have picked up my 1979 Sako Vixen .222 Rem., custom built with adjusted trigger, orange recoilpad and Nightforce scope. The rifle i always wanted. Taking it to the range this weekend. Again , thank you for this video 😊
You won't be disappointed mate I use my 222 for tight scrub hunting in Australia I use Hornady v max 55gn and it is a great bullet for head shots on deer and low recoil so quick off hand shots are quite pleasant and with high accuracy too. Stay well and happy hunting with your 222.
Hi & thanks for the great videos :-) I'm in the UK so gun legislation is a bit tight to say the least ! I bought my first .222 Tika about 25 years ago & never regretted it once I now have a T3 light stainless with synthetic stock & a sound moderator because we do a lot of early morning fox control. I've never been happy with factory ammo & for some reason it hates ballistic tips but if you put the right amount of benchmark behind a 50g TNT or 50g spitzer soft point it will shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards all day long. Weather permitting we have regularly head shot rabbits at 175+ yards & it will stop a fox dead in it's tracks at 250+ yards & I don't consider myself a particularly good shot ! It's a beautiful cartridge, small, sweet, accurate with plenty of hitting power & an absolute joy to use !!! I've only ever used a center fire rifle in .222 & I won't part with it for love nor money. thanks again regards mark
I loved groundhog hunting growing up. I used a 243. I used my step-dads 22-250 several times. My junior year of high school I built a rifle just for groundhog hunting.
My favorite cartridge is also the "Triple Duce". My grandmother left me a Springfield Model 84 chamber for .222 Remington. It's the most accurate gun I own.
Thanks for the video. Pretty interesting. One of my favorite rifle is my old winchester mod.70 bull barrel chambered in .222 rem. topped with a bushnell 4200 4-16x40. This thing is juste fun and smooth to shoot .
a mates old man had a Winchester model 70 circa early 60's in 222 and I regularly saw him shoot rings around hotter 22 calibre rifles. Never owned one but was all ways impressed by it's performance. By the way this was the plains of northern N.S.W in OZ
Speaking of keeping the .222 alive, I ordered a .222 barrel from Shaw December 1 2022. After about 12 weeks it finally arrived. Blue polished, 24 inch with a magnum contour, 1:8 twist for some heavier bullets, recessed crown. I used a used Model 10 FP action and ordered a new bolt for the build. Already had the brass and LEE (rgb) dies ordered. All that's left is to break it in while sighting. Then back to Walmart to get those other two boxes of Remington "High Performance Rifle" .222 that the MIRACULOUSLY had 3 of on the shelf before I bought one box. I already had a .223 set up for Varmint/Target. This one will be a little easier to pack around.
After doing a bit of looking, I was pleased to see that the .222 is just starting to make a return. Amongst commercially available rifles are Tikka, CZ, Anschutz, and just very recently I see that Howa is introducing a special short action bolt gun chambered in the sweet little .222! I also noticed that T/C still makes .222 barrels for their single shot models. Ammo is still readily available, and I found several websites from ammo dealers that have several different makes of this caliber currently in stock. The major ammo makers are Remington, Winchester, Hornady (which is offering their "superformance" ammo which boosts velocity by 200-300 FPS without increasing chamber pressures), Fiocci, Sellier & Bellot, and Federal, just to name a few. This caliber is quite popular in Europe where it never really suffered the same downfall as it did in the country of it's origin,(USA) which I think is rather ironic. Now that coyote hunting is becoming more and more popular, and suburban sprawl is encroaching at an alarming rate, the .222 is starting to make more sense to varmint hunters, especially in the Eastern US.
I've been glad to see a comeback in recent years, too. Europeans often are prohibited by law from owning military calibers, hence the prohibition on the 223, which keeps the 222 popular. Despite lagging rifle sales here, the ammo has never lagged, as you noted, any more than so many other obsolete chamberings. Too many of the guns are actively used, and ammo sales continue unabated. Thanks for the response. Maybe this will generate some genuine interest to give it a boost.
I bought a CZ 527 American in 222 Rem not long ago. The first first 5 shots at 100 yards I put through it would have been in a ragged hole if I hadn't let the cross hairs stray a bit high on the last shot.
Loved the video gunblue. My ears perked up when I heard sako vixen as I have recently acquired an old one in 6 PPC. Mine is a single shot heavy barrel version. As you say what a lovely gun all around it is hard to find that kind of workmanship in modern rifles today. I have shot a number of groundhogs (that's what we call them in Ontario) with it this year and would love to track down another one in 22 PPC or a 222 remington to have in the collection. Keep up the good work!
The 222 rem held shooting records for many yrs , I am one of those people who does not put down calibers that I do not own ,they all have they place my 22 CF of choice is my ruger no 1 in 220 swift ,and you are right about the Remington 700 triggers never had any problems with any of mine
I have a BSA Benchrest in 222 with a .8 taper 24" barrel. I love it. I bought it used from a gent that went to 6PPC for competition. This BSA rifle has won many competitions in his hands. I have AR-15 and other 223 military rifles, but when I go to the gopher towns I take the 222.
Although I have already commented on this video, I would like to mention that I am finding more and more availability of this great little round. Just yesterday I picked up a box of PPU .222. It is made in Serbia, and I have to say for $12.00 a box of 20 it shoots very well. I shot one group of five at 60 yards into one cluster, and at 100 yards I got a nickel sized group. Not too bad for factory ammo. I think I'll buy some more at that price. It is loaded with 25 grains of some kind of ball powder, (probably BLC-2 or something very close to it), and a 50 grain soft point bullet. It comes in a blue box with white lettering. Good stuff!
I'm responding very late here but I couldn't agree more on how great the .222 is. I've always told others how good it is and they should find a rifle chambered in 222. Thanks so much for the information on this great round. And I agree-let's do all we can to keep this cartridge going. Take care GunBlue490.
I hope you’re doing well. Very informative videos. I appreciate your teachings. I’m a .222 Remington shooter as well. I have a Revelation model 225 (same as a Savage 340) in .222 that my Pop got at the local Western Auto store in 1962. It’s always been a tack driver.
I've seen this video a few years ago but never quite got around to watching it. It seems that I'm seriously considering a 222Rem now so I decided to come back and catch up with Mr GB's review and history. His presentations are so complete and without any hidden agendas. We'll see how my purchase goes. Thanks for sharing this great video!
well I'm about to go the same route and soon pulling the trigger on a schmeisser straight pull ar-15 chambered in 222 that is beyond gorgeous, i'm in france and we can't have semi autos and only the civilian 222 not the 223 for some stupid reason but seems like it could be for the best in terms of caliber... I didn't know that much about 222 specificities but looks like even better that 223 in some aspects...
I inherited my grandfather's Savage 222 back in 1991. It only had iron sights and wasn't drilled for a scope. It's just a keepsake that I have never shot.
Two of my favorite varmint calibers are the .222 Remington and 6mm Remington. I have dispatched many ground hogs (woodchucks) with both. Exit wounds with that 6mm are softball sized, just devastating!
I'm 31 years old and just starting getting into the 222. I bought a savage 24 and it was chambered in 222 over 20ga. I always wanted a centerfire savage combo gun, came across it and know they are hard to come by. I went out on a limb and bought it in this odd to me caliber. I starting researching and shooting the 222 because I didn't have a choice and was genuinely curious. I'm now in love, I'm looking into buying a CZ 527 in 222. I'm also starting to reload the 222 to bring out its full potential. I can say if it wasn't for the 222 with a little help from the savage 24 I would never have educated myself not only on the 222 but wildcats and other calibers like the 220 swift, 22 hornet, etc. I never realized how interesting rifle calibers are and they way the have evolved and we're tweak to fill a need. Also, the way rifles evolve around calibers as well. I appreciate the info and I'm honored to help carry the torch to keep these calibers alive and well into the next generation.
Between this man paul Harrell they could start a firearms science UNIVERSITY..Ballistic science,fundamental and advanced shooting ..pistol and rifle..firearms matainence,design history...and the list goes on and on...LOVE BOTH CHANNELS and RESPECT both men immensly
When I was stationed in Va. a few years ago I walked into a small gun shop and stumbled across a Sako Vixen 222 the production date on it was around 1957. It is in mint condition and it had a Leupold 3-9 scope on it. I don't think the store knew what they had. It was for sale for 900.00. I could not get my wallet out fast enough. I always wanted a Triple Deuce. I love it and is in perfect shape. I don't think it had even been shot before me, because the scope was still set at zero and was way off. It shoots awesome. It is my favorite gun. Thanks for sharing.
+GunBlue490 yes, I am. I will be doing a video in the near future of it. I like the little vixen so much I have recently purchased a vixen in 17rem. I paid a lot more for 17rem. I'm constantly on the search for them now. I think they are the nicest rifles ever made. I enjoy your videos and I appreciate you sharing all your knowledge.
Enjoyed your video on the .222 Rem, particularly the story about the distant groundhog. I own a Rem 788 in .222 from 1979, and I have reconfigured it over 40+ years to bench-rester to varminter and back to hunter configurations presently in a Boyd’s classic laminate stock. Years ago I replaced the trigger assembly with a Canjar set unit (wonderful aftermarket addition!). And I have likewise shot many groundhogs in VA and prairie poodles in WY/NM. I also have had your T/C Contender in the vaunted .221 Fireball. What a ‘hoot’! Can’t begin to tell how much fun I’ve had with that gun, like night hunting rabbits and badgers from a Jeep! Also would like to point out a couple inconsistencies in your video - not intending any disrespect. First, everyone on this side of ‘the pond’ wants to pronounce Sako with a long A, as in the early, electric watch company. In Europe, and in Finland where those rifles were originally made, the pronunciation is Soko, the first ‘o’ being ‘short’ and the second being ‘long’. (“Seiko is a clock company; Sako is a gun company!”) Much like the pronunciation of Kahles, the optics company - “If you have trouble with our product, Call us.” Second, the Leupold M8 scope in 7.5x was made only briefly in the mid-1970s. I have one of the few on, are you ready, a Sako Forester in .243 Win. I traded an acoustic guitar for the only 7.5x I ever saw to a gun dealer in Orange, VA, in 1976. Keep the reviews and stories coming. Bert
As you said, we say Sako with a long A in America. I am an American, and would sound a bit like an affected snob to my American viewers if I said otherwise. The British say it just as we do, which is otherwise rare for our common language. If I may correct you, Sako rifles not only were originally made in Finland, they still are. My Scandinavian friend and Sako owner of many years does not say soko. He says sack-o, and he takes no umbrage that my pronunciation differs slightly. Nobody is confused about a Japanese wristwatch brand.
Secondly, my Leupold 7.5 power M8 was mounted new on my Sako Vixen in 1967, and I used it long before my military service. I certainly know what I owned and when I used my first bolt action gun.
I have a .222 Rem given to me by an old friend when he passed away, hoping my two daughters would enjoy shooting it. They do though shooting has taken a back seat to other interests. It is a Remington 700, which shoots easily 0.5 MOA with 50 or 52 gr bullets and 21.50gr of RL22. A joy to shoot and legal for fox and muntjac deer here in the UK.
Great commentary! I just shot two hogs this weekend with my father’s savage 222 with a vintage weaver 4X. It is the gun that I killed my first deer with. Shot placement is what counts and it is more than capable for whitetail.
Back in the mid 80's I bought a Remington Model 700 in .222 Rem. I got it from a fellow Rod and Gun Club member who said that it was a tack driver. He was right. It's been a pleasure to shoot ever since. All of my kids graduated from the .22LR to the .222 as an introduction to centrefire. As for the alleged trigger problems with the Model 700, I also have them in .22-250 and .375 H&H. Not once have I ever had an issue. Perhaps that's because I leave triggers strictly alone. The .22-250 had a trigger pull I thought a bit heavy for a varmint rifle with a 26 in. bull barrel so I took it to a local gunsmith for adjustment. He cleaned it thoroughly, did a slight buffing of the trigger-sear contact, applied a touch of lubricant (I forget what it was but it was a dry lube) and then did some adjusting to give a beautiful, crisp two pound pull. I've never seen the need to go for an aftermarket trigger. Reloading the .222 is easy. I've found it very accepting of a variety of powders, powder loads and bullet combinations. It truly is an awesome cartridge.
Dec. 8th 2021, a local Walmart had one box of .222 on their shelves, having never seen this caliber I RU-vidd your channel, thanks you for its history. Take care and God Bless. Michael in Iowa
I inherited my Grandmother's Remington 722 in..222, with 5R rifling, and even though it was built in the mid 1950's, it's one of my favorite rifle cartridges. Superbly accurate to 400 yards, around .5 MOA, but the 50-60gr bullet is susceptible to wind drift past that range. I don't know why the military didn't use the .222, with its longer neck, making it more stable than the .223/5.56. Thanks for reminding everyone about this great little round
I well recall how available the .222 Remington was back in the 1960s and early to mid 1970s. Several people I knew and hunted with also ran trap lines and considered the .222 the best all around "outdoors man's" cartridge of the day. Savage-Stevens produced their over and under rifle-shotgun for a number of years and the .222 over 12 gauge was very popular down home. At some point, if memory serves, Savage-Stevens dropped the .222 chambering and replaced it with the .223 before the combo was dropped from production. I wish I had purchased one of those over and unders back then but I didn't and now I'm left to poke around the used gun racks looking for one in shooting condition. Thanks again for an informative video.
FD Mackey Actually, the Triple Deuce is forging a comeback in this country that has been evidenced by the number of rifles made available in the last few months. Due to restrictions on owning military calibers in much of Europe, the 222 never lost popularity, where it has always been chambered. So, it is not a large leap for those gun makers to simply make them available here as well, and I hope to see more. I hope to do a video on my new Tikka T3 that you can see featured in my glass bedding series. It's an incredibly fine shooter with Sako performance that commonly shoots less than 1/4 inch 3 shot groups with my handloads. As an accuracy cartridge, it remains in a class by itself, which should be more widely appreciated in this generation.
Thanks for the kind response. Also I would be very interested to see more on the .222 cartridge as utilized in a current production firearm. I should have thought about the European connection as I do recall seeing a number of custom .222 rifles at one particular shooting range/gun store/gun club that was located near the town I was stationed at back in the mid 1980s in (West) Germany. Ironically it was the "No Military Calibers or Firearms Allowed" policy of many nations including many, if not all, located in Central and South America that, thanks to a single gun magazine article I read in the late 1960s or very early 1970s that got me to looking at the good old .38-55 as chambered in the Winchester Model 94. It's not that I ever figure on hunting South of the border but the article referred to featured a stock M94 (.30-30) that was converted to .38-55 specifically for the author of the article. I recently purchased an early 1970s M94 in like new condition and I'm seriously considering purchasing a .38-55 barrel and having it professionally installed....All because of a magazine article I read way back when that has stuck with me over the years.
