I'm looking at building a long range 22 varmint rifle for heavy bullets (70+ grain). Can anyone give the case capacities (in grains of water) for the following cases:
22/250
220 Swift
223WSSM
22/243
And any other large capacity 22 that you can think of. :-)

Thanks

When you select a case pick one that's an easy neck down without forming and in particular shortening. I designed a QT .224 on a 2" long 6.5 Rem Mag case and the forming, neck reaming and fallout from that got old really quick. My case holds 57.1 grs of water and is too big in my estimation. Don't get slower than a 8 twist. When the barrel wears it needs a faster twist. My 1-9 will not cut it with the 75 gr Horn A-Max now. It's toast.

Here is a site with capacites. www.geocites.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/1221/case_cap.htm

There may be WSSM capacity data at www.shortmags.org

Just to let u know, Steve Hanson has a book out now entitled, "Varmint Hunters Odyssey", in which he details the use of a # of large capacity cases in the pursuit of long-range rockchucks in Idaho. It should prove very enlightening. Available from Precision Shooting publications. I've read most of that book and it is well written. May answer some qquestions.

22-250 68gr
22/284 83
22/243 73-78 depending on variation
220 Swift 70-72
220 Weatherby rocket (improved swift)
224 Clark 82 (improved 22/6mm)
22/06 84

Since I posted this, I found a couple of websites that list this information and they list these capacities at:

22-250.........45 grains
220 Swift......48 grains
22-243.........54 grains (most variants)
223 WSSM....58.3 grains (pre-production number)

So it looks like the 22-243 or the 223 WSSM should have a significant advantage over the 22-250 and the Swift with heavier bullets.

I am not so sure that the capacity of the .223 WSSM is 58.3 grains of water! That may be the estimated capacity of the .243 WSSM that is still in design.

I am going to wait this WSSM thing out. I was hot on getting one but the M 1999's have side tracked me. Now if the WSSM's catch on and Montana makes a super short action I might go that route.