To all interested,

I had several customers show interest in building a large capacity 22 caliber varmint rifles for hunting medium long range(400-700 yard) for heavier varmints(chucks/coyotes).

I had also been thinking of rechambering or rebarreling one of my personal varmint rifles, a Ruger M77VT in 220 Swift. The main reason was because I personally like the performance of the Swift but do not care for the case design at all. Also the Ruger action was in severe need of accurizing as one bolt lug was fully suspended. Low pressure loads grouped into the 1/2 moa range but anything close to 22-250 performance and up showed severe stringing.

I called up JGS who makes all of my reamers and gave them the dimensions of the reamer I wanted to have made. I decided on a 22-244 Ack Imp with my usual accuracy minded neck and throat design.

Well the reamer showed up last weak so in between other jobs, I tore the Ruger Swift apart and started workin gon the action.

After that was cleaned up and true, I started on the barrel, set the barrel back 1/2" to clean up all traces of the old neck, leade and throat as well as removing any rifling origins from the old barrel. Picked up the thread and then chambered to the 22-244 AI.

Well over the last two lunch breaks I headed out to my range to test the new hot rod out. My fireforming load was 45.0 gr of IMR-4350 under the 53 gr Hornady HP match bullet.

Groups ran in the 1 to 1 1/4 moa range, nothing impressive and I was a bit surprised as most of my AI chambers shoot near the 1/2 moa level with fireforming loads.

Anyway, I got 50 rounds of brass fireformed and today I started some serious testing. As the Ruger Swift as a 1-14" twist, I wanted teh heaviest bullet the barrel would stabilize for such a large case capacity.

I selected two 55 gr tipped bullets, the Sierra Blitzking and the Horandy V-Max. Today I tested the Sierra bullet using Reloader 22 over a CCI-200 primer and seated to an over all length of 2.820"

I had no printed load data for RL-22 but it is the powder I use in my 6mm-284 with great results so I figured the slightly smaller case with the slightly smaller bore would result in good performance with RL-22.

I started at 48.0 gr and worked up in 1 gr levels to 53.0 gr. I figured the starting load would be pretty mild but that I would top out somewhere before 53.0 gr.

Here are the velocity/E.S./ctc group size average for each load at 100 yards. These are for 9 shots each/three 3 shot groups averages.

48.0 gr
3487 fps
96 fps
1.653" ctc

49.0 gr
3574 fps
103 fps
1.599" ctc

50.0 gr
3702 fps Very high velocity jump
70 fps Improving spread
0.858" ctc Dramatically improved group size

51.0 gr
3821 fps Another big velocity jump
31 fps Very good spread
0.835" Good but not great

52.0 gr
3923 fps Another +100 fps jump in velocity
22 fps Spreads shrinking, pressures must be getting right
0.626" Getting very respectible groups

53.0 gr
3962 fps Velocity jump dropped off dramatically
17 fps Extremely low spread
0.347" ctc getting a little scary now.

This is where I stopped increasing the powder charge. Funny thing is that at 53.0 gr, the fired cases chamber like a virgin round and primer pockets are tight as well.

I will increase up to 55.0 gr or 56.0 gr and see what happens. If the velocity increases drop more I will be very happy with the 53.0 or 54.0 as long as accuracy stays good with the 54.0 gr load. I would suspect this will be well over 4000 fps with the 55 gr pill. As an experimenter I am sure I will go up until the bolt lift just starts getting a little sticky, no idea where that may be.

Obviously this cat will run very fast and with very tight groups once working chamber pressures reach a good level.

Will let you know what the higher loads will do.

Good Shooting!!!

50

I've gotta 8 twist 27" barrel on a sleeved Rem 600 in 22-250. I'm shooting Starke 68 RPVB's it would be great to see what the 22-244 AI would do with those. Wait till you hit something with that 55grn. pill 3950.hehehe REDMIST!!! I'm getting 3500 fps outta my gun, I wonder how much of an increase I would gain? Thanks, (Whistle pig popper)Sam in Va.