My Sako 222 Rem has a micro groove barrel. It has a twist rate of 1 in 14". It groups excellent 55gr Oryx bullets, but I struggle to get any good enough grouping from Sierra Blitzking 50gr bullets which is generally a very accurate bullet. Maybe there is someone who has experience the same. You advise is appreciated.

55gr bullets I have tested W760 IMR4198 IMR3031
best groups were from IMR4198.I shoot mostly sierra or Hornady 52gr.
I also had pretty good groups with H414 and H380

Micro groove has little to do with it, barrel vibes are the secret, and thats a long drawn out subject, again a barrel is an entity unto itself

"Microgroove" is a trademarked rifling system of Marlin which uses around 16-20 very shallow lands/grooves. The Sako "multi-groove" barrels have about 12 lands and grooves which are much deeper than the Marlin "Microgroove". The two should not be confused (despite the fact that Marlin built and sold about 5,000 of their Model 322 .222's with Microgroove barrels on Sako actions.)

I own Sako .222's with both 6-land conventional rifling and the 12-land "multi groove" rifling. Both types seem equally accurate. The problem with a particular bullet, even one which is normally very accurate in most rifles, is that sometimes an individual rifle simply doesn't "like" a particular bullet. My multi groove Sako does fine with a number of bullets. For many years I used almost exclusively the Speer 50 grain TNT, but more recently have been using the Nosler 55 grain SHOTS bullet. Both do well, but with the edge going to the more precisely made TNT. Long favored powders with either are H-335 and H4895.

Many thanks for your advise and the interesting information on the micro grooving. My Marlin .357Mag is also a micro groove rifle. I got excellent results with Lill'Gun powder.

I bought some Flat Base Hornady Varmit 50gr and Sierra Flat Base Varmit 50gr bullets today, which I will test soon with IMR4198 and Fed205M primers.

I will report back once tested.

Try the Hornady 45 gr. BEE HP in your Sako, mine loves that bullet and it sure will splatter a rock chuck...Don't know why they named it the BEE, maybe is was originally designed for the 218 or something, its even deadly in my 220 swift and ultra explosive...My L-46 shoots about any weight bullet, and with the Hornady 60 gr. HP or SP its a super coyote and deer load..Ive culled a lot of small whitetail in Texas with it..

I got hold of Hornaday Varmit 50gr SP and SP SX bullets which is a flat base. Will give them a try and let you know.

In those old slow twist Sakos I always get good results with the Hornady 50 gr SX.

John

quote:

Originally posted by gasgunner:
In those old slow twist Sakos I always get good results with the Hornady 50 gr SX.

John

hornady 50 grain sx + winchester brass and speer 45 grain + remington brass work fantastic in my old L46 with imr 4198. You`d be surprised speer 70 grainer softpoints shoot good too even with that twist.

You just have to try them in your gun, what any of us like in our guns is of no use to you, your gun will answer that question..MY 222 likes 45 gr. HOrnady BEE and 52 gr. Hornadys, and for deer it shoots the 60 gr. Hornday less accurate at 1.2" but who cares, its a deer load..Accuracy within reason isn't always the answer, bullet performance on game has to count..

My 220 Swift likes the same two bullets, and about any other bullets, its just accurate and not particular, thats a blessing.

In my Marlin 322, I have had the best success with two loads. One is the 50 grain Nosler solid base (long gone now) over a stiff charge of W748. The other is a 55 grain FNGC, 0.225" diameter, over a modest charge of H4895.

I have read that for best accuracy, get a close fit between bullet and barrel as the micro-groove barrels tend to be a bit oversized, compared to other 22 caliber barrels.