I have an opportunity to acquire a Remington 700 heavy barrel in .222 remington. What do you think of this round as a coyote cartridge out to 250 yards?

I use the 222 on prairie dog and love the round but I consider the range to be out to 200 yards for this round. I plan on using it for coyote this year as well as the 204.

They are known for accuracy....

I'd certainly jump on it!

When loaded to similar pressures, there is so little difference in the velocity of a .222 and .223 as to make them practically indistinguishable. I own three virtually identical Sako's in .222, .223, and .222 Magnum and regard the .222 as capable as either of the others. The .222 is also the most accurate by a hair. I'd grab that rifle if I were you, because it won't be long until it's virtually impossible to find a .222 chambering.

I have a CZ 527 in 222. Shoots half an inch out fo the box. Should be accurate enough.

WoolyESS: I have killed many Coyotes with my 222's and 223's out to 400 yards!
A good bullet from a 222 in the heart/lung area means a dead Coyote even way past 250 yards!
Two winters ago I stalked up a ridge line that overlooked a wide valley here in SW Montana. My objective was to intercept two Coyotes I had seen working the valley toward my eventual set up location. They soon came to be 360 yards from my prone hiding spot on the ridge (I was in full camo) and that was as close as their travelling direction would bring them.
I ranegd them and shot the larger of the two with my 24" barrelled, mildly loaded, Remington 700 PSS in 223 Remington. The Sierra 50 gr. Blitz killed the first Coyote IN ITS TRACKS with a heart/lung shot. The other Coyote I decided not to shoot at when it ran off because of the range and the speeds they are capable of. But that Coyote only ran 20 yards and then began to circle and look back at the fallen Coyote. It was obviously unsure of where the shot (danger) came from. When it stopped, it also was killed with one shot but not in its tracks it circled and spun a couple times and fell dead!
I highly recommend the heavy barrel 222 Remington for Coyoting! I have one myself and they were only made back before Remington offered synthetic stocks. Those vintage Remington 700 V 222's are renowned for their accuracy. If the barrel has not been abused I urge you to go for it!
Good luck
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Wooly ESS I have the very gun your talking about. The trigger has been adjusted down and it's bedded. It hasn't much less power than a .223 your never going to notice the differance. Have another one with a lighter barrel it's a BDL. Both of them shoot great with V-Max, Blitzking and hornady SXSP bullets and RL-7 has been the most accurate powder I have used in all my .222's. It's rare but you might run across one in a Winchester Heavy Varminter it would have a synthetic stock. Very accurate guns used to be a lot of the BR shooters used them years ago.

Wooley ESS,
The .222 is an outstanding cartridge, i'd go for it. I have two of them in my safe and can highly recommend them. Cases last indefinately as does a pound of powder.

Jay, RL 7 is the most accurate in mine as well, 20grs. to be exact, 50gr Sierra Blitz and Remington 7 1/2's make an outstanding varmint load.

Stepchild

.222 is by far my favourite small round. Very, very accurate and good on the "ears" as well.

Wooly ESS: Its been two+ months since you posted your question - don't keep us in suspense!
Did you buy the 222?
I hope you did and that its performing well for you!
I know if it was within a days driving distance (600 miles) of me and here in the U.S.A. I would love to take a look at it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Unfortunately, I have only second right of refusal on it. The guy with first right of refusal won't give it back to the owner. I think that tells you something about the gun right there! The fellow with first right is a friend, and he gave me one of those cute little cartridges just to torment me.

I am patiently awaiting my turn.

Wooly ESS: Well good luck in your wait for the decision on that Rifle!
By "having it" do you mean your friend has it in his possession and is he "testing it" so to speak?
If so, prepeare yourself for the distinct possibility that your friend will fall in love with it!
Again good luck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
By "having it" do you mean your friend has it in his possession and is he "testing it" so to speak?
If so, prepeare yourself for the distinct possibility that your friend will fall in love with it!

I'm afraid you got it pegged right!

I own and old Rem 700 ADL wood and blued steel sporter. It has had the action bedded and the barrel free floated. Next to a friends 22 Waldog and 6ppc bench guns, it is the most accurate rifle I have ever fired. When I first got it, I did some serious accuracy testing just to see what it was capable of. It will shoot in the .2's and .3's consistently, and .1's are not uncommon (at the bench shooting BR technique, 36 x BR scope mounted, on calm day). I’ve heard that this is not unusual with properly set up factory Remington 700 222's, so I don’t think that my rifle is anything special. My bench rest shooter buddy has been shooting bench rest since the early 60's and he used the 222 until the early 80's when the PPC's really took over. He claims that in calm wind conditions, the 222 can still be very competitive, though almost no one competes with it anymore. Even mild wind kills 22 cals in aggregate scores. The heavier bullets of the 6ppc buck the wind better.
In my experience, H-4198 will get you the fastest velocities with 50gr bullets (This is loaded to 223 pressures). The most common BR loads in the old days were made with hot loads of IMR-4198 and 52 to 53gr match hollow point bullets. For coyotes, I use 50gr ballistic tips with a hot load of Benchmark (Higher than listed, but about 223 pressure). This is not quite as fast as a hot 4198 load, but more accurate in my particular rifle. I don't see why anyone should feel handicapped by the 222. I really don't even need the accuracy as most shots are within 100 yards anyway. A good 12 gauge would work for half my shots. It seems I have diarrhea of the mouth. Like most 222 shooters I have met, I am head-over-heals in love. Go find a 222!!!

Wooly ESS: ColoradoMatt has maybe a good idea or direction for you to investigate in case the heavy barrel 222 does not come through.
Sporter weight Rifles in 222 Remington are often VERY accurate also!
Let me relay some info on two sporter weight Rifles I bought a few years back. The first Rifle is a Remington 700 Classic in 222 Remington. I came across it in 1994. It was like new and barely broke in according to the seller. It came with a Lyman 10 power scope already mounted and was in mint condition! No bedding and no obvious wear or modifications. I took it home and made some handloads for it using Sierra 50 gr. Blitz bullets. Its first two 5 shot groups at 100 yards (with new brass!) measured .426" and .451"! I do cartwheels when my Varminters with 20 power scopes shoot even near this well!
The BEST 5 shot group I have made at 100 yards with this wonderful Rifle measured .373"! That, IS AMAZING!
For full disclosure I must add the last two 5 shot groups it made at 100 yards - these were in different years and were pre-Safari sight checks - measured .614" and .542"! Excellent accuracy this still, in my opinion.
I loved this Rifle from day one!
I liked it so much that in 2,004 I came across another Remington Classic in 222 Remington for sale! It was in pristine as new condition and the elderly gentelman selling it said he bought it new and never geared it up! He lost interest in it before even shooting it.
I stole it from him (I paid what he was asking but that was far from what it was worth).
I put a Weaver V16 (4 by 16 power variable) on it and geared up some Nosler 40 grain Ballistic Tips in new brass for my first handloads to test.
After barrel break in I shot two groups of 5 shots at 100 yards that measured .524" and .571"! I made an asterisk by the latter groups notation in my loading log, reffering to four of those five shots measuring .260"!
I quit load testing right then.
Since then I have made just two more 5 shot groups with this sporter and they measured .613" and .558".
Again cartwheels are in order here.
The 222 Remington caliber was offered in the Remington 700 Classic only in the year 1993.
If I were to see another one on the shelves or at a Gunshow - I would be a player for it!
Just a thought for you to ponder!
Long live the 222 Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by Wooly ESS:
I have an opportunity to acquire a Remington 700 heavy barrel in .222 remington. What do you think of this round as a coyote cartridge out to 250 yards?

The 222 is my favorite 22 centerfire, I'd jump on it. Check the twist if you're thinking coyotes, as some of the 700s (depending on when they were made) are slow enough twist so they won't stability the 55+gr bullets.

Other than that, it sounds like a nice rifle...

Go for it I have a 722 in 222 I've put close to 10000 rds thru in 22 years and it still shoots under 3/4 inch it started out under 1/2 inch. Its getting ready for its 3 trip to South Dakota.

I have a Sako L46 and a Remington 722 chambered in .222. They both are consistent 1/2" shooters with handloads and often do better.