I know that until the 22 PPC came along the 222 was the caliber to beat on the benchrest circuit. How much better is the 22 PPC in the accuracy department? What was the typical change in group size between the two calibers? Would you be able to noitce the difference in accuracy in a factory varmint type riflw, or is the difference so small that you need a bench rest rig to see and change?

How does the 223 compare to the 222 in accuracy?

I haven't heard of any comparison in modern BR guns. The reason I say that is that 22 PPC has been out for about 20 years, and the quality and technology in guns has improved in that time frame. My SWAG is that only the top BR shooters are good enough to see the differences, if they exist at all. I'd expect either to be capable of 1/5th moa accuracy, ie about .22" ctc groups for five shots at 100 yds.

I'd expect over the counter factory guns to have much wider differencies in accuracy gun to gun then between chamberings. If I was buying a factory varmint gun, my choise would be the 223. If I had a custom made, I'd probably go with the 22 br.

elkhunter,
The 22 ppc does not have an edge over the .222. In equally prepared rifles there is no difference and in fact the .222 still holds the record for the smallest group ever shot. Even the 6ppc has not beaten the deuce. When it comes to aggregates the 6ppc is king. The 6's just buck the wind better than the 22's do and thats why the 6ppc rules. Jim

Elkhunter: I hope you will take the few minutes needed to read the article from Precision Shooting Magazine that I am linking to!

http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/max357/houston.html
(Secrets Of The Houston Warehouse)

Every time I get to thinking how cool I am by shooting a 5 shot group at 100 yards near .250" in size, I just re-read this amazing article!
If you do read the article please take note of the section on the "most consistently accurate Rifle ever to shoot at the Houston Warehouse"! It was a 10 1/2 pound Rifle in caliber 22 PPC! This Rifle CONSISTENTLY shot groups measuring .035" (thats a dispersal of only 3 1/2 hundredths of an inch for 5 shots at 100 yards!) and on occassion shot some groups better than this!
Unbelievable! To my mind this degree of accuracy is about the end! Its near absolute accuracy and the "quest" is over!
Anyway I just re-read the article and could find no mention of a 222 Remington having been shot there!
This indoor, huge warehouse was owned by a BR shooter and many shooters were invited there to blaze away in the absolutely perfect shooting condition at night under artificial light (capapbility of 100, 200 and 300 yard shooting by the way!)!
Another amazing performing cartridge there, was the 6mm Remington Bench Rest!
By the way it was apparently the consensus of many who shot there in the Warehouse that the 22 calibered Rifles were MORE accurate there than the 24 calibers! Obviously once outside in the various conditions all BR Matches are shot in, the 6mm PPC and a few other 6mm's take over in the quest to "out-guess the conditions" and win the BR Matches.
By the way the 6X47 (a 222 Remington Magnum necked up to .243) came along there kind of in between the 222's heyday and the 6mm PPC's intro as I recall. I have a semi-BR Rifle in 6X47 and it IS splendidly accurate!
All the recent BR Matches (outdoors of course) I have attended have showed that the most often seen and used cartridge is the 6mm PPC and that may have been the cartridge you meant to refer to in your original posting as "taking over from the 222 Remington"? The 22 PPC is not seen much (compared to the 6mm PPC) out west anyway at BR competitions!
I have some extremely accurate 222's and very much admire the cartridge in many ways! I have never owned a 22 PPC but do have two Varmint/BR style Rifles in caliber 22 Remington Bench Rest. This cartridge in my experience is also an amazingly accurate and consistent performer.
Now, for my WAG, regarding your direct question pertaining to the 22 PPC vs. the 222 Remington in similar factory Rifles (Sako's & Coopers?) - I would dare to take this firm stand as to which would be more accurate - drum roll please...... I think they would most often be indistinguishable accuracy wise in this match up/comparison!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I don't know how well you can compare the two calibers. The 22PPC is more akin to the .22-250Rem. in performance. Top end with most bullets would be about 3500fps. With the smaller deuce most rounds won't exceed 3000fps. These are just generalizations, but they're pretty close. The 22PPC was also used for a while in Benchrest and doesn't give away much to the .222Rem. in accuracy. Personally I don't feel most .223s can touch either in accuracy. The odd .223 is accurate, but so are virtually all .222s and 22PPCs. This is just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal