Before I waste bullets and powder, has anyone had success getting the 60 grain Partition or the new 64 grain hunting bullet to stabilize in the 222.

1:14 is on the ragged edge with bullets of that weight I would guess.

Never tried them. When I was shooting a .222, the 55 was tops. I'm gonna assume for a reason.

Many years ago I loaded several boxes of shells for a co-worker's 788 in .222. I loaded 50, 55, and 60-grain Hornadys for him, and I used BL(C)-2. I don't remember the powder charge for the 60s, but they shot to one hole just like the other weights did. I was pretty amazed.

I can't tell you how the Partitions will shoot, as there are some that claim they are not all that accurate because of the bulkhead and how the bullets are produced. All I can say is 60 grains is 60 grains, and I have to believe overall length between the two can't be all that much.

Good luck. Let us know!

You could call the manufacturer and ask them.
Length is the issue for stabilization.
All the stability calculators use lenght for the critical characteristic.

Guess I'll as the dumb question. What do you need with a partition in the triple deuce?

I found my 788 in 222 had a very short throat, so a 60-64 grn will have to be seated deeply.

I doubt it very much...the Part is 0.790" long and needs a 1-10 at least to stabilize at 222 velo's.

I've tried them in several 22 cal's with 1-12 and 1-14 twists but got patterns instead of groups. It's just barely OK in my 1-12 22-243 at 3800 and above.

If you want a heavy bullet for a 1-14 then go with the Sierra 63 gr Semi-pointed, 0.755" long. Been using that one in just about all my wildcat/large case 22's for over 50 years on varmints, deer/pronghorns, other small game. Put the bullet in the right place and the animal is on the table or dog meat.

Another good one is the Win 55 PSP, or just about ANY of the heavier constructed 55 gr, non varmint type bullets, like the Nosler BT and CT work better in the 1-14 twist if your thinking about going for eating game.

I agree with the why over 55 grains and why Partitions? 55 grain cup and core placed in the right spot does the job. Guess what--heavier ones and Partitions have to be placed in right spot too, they don't make the kill zone any larger.

It's become fashionable lately to blame accuracy issues on "too slow twist". This paradigm is most popular among the recent post-diapers demographic, a group that is long on theory and short on experience.

While it is true that insufficient rate of twist can fail to properly stabilize a bullet, that will quickly show up in keyholed targets. Most accuracy issues are caused by something else.

The only way to know if your 788 will shoot the bullets you mention accurately is to try them. Pushing them as close to full velocity will help, but if they are marginal they won't be much better at 3,000 fps than at 2850 fps.

Insofar as actual experience, I've had no problem getting 60 grain Noslers to shoot accurately in 1-14" .22 centerfire barrels. I have recently acquired some 64 grain bonded Noslers, but haven't tried them yet. However, having used some 64 grain Winchester PP's (a bit shorter than the Noslers, I would guess), I have found accuracy with them variable, but unrelated to barrel twist.

Bottom line: Load some and shoot them at a 100 yard target. If the holes are round, then twist is not your problem.

Second bottom line: Carpetman is right. If you intend to use your .222 for game like deer, then you're probably better off with a moderate expanding conventional bullet like the Hornady SP. The old Nosler Solid Base bullets were champions for shooting deer with .22 centerfires, but sadly they are long gone from the scene.

The 60 gr. HOrnady HP and SP work great in the 222 Rem..all my kids and grandkids shot there first 3 or 4 deer with them..I have retrieved a few of them and they are perfect mushrooms, but they violently and quickly to about 30 caliber and they are deadly, and have shown excellent penetration.

I love Nosler partition bullets, but only in calibers of .284 and larger...Noslers expand everytime but in small calibers the cross section of the expanded bullet is smaller than cup and core bullets and they don't leave good blood trails and they allow the deer to travel too much IMO..I have seen some bad results in the 6mm for the same reason.

Thank You Nagonagin

That is what I figured. The Nosler 64 grainer with really thick tapered jacket looks to be shorter and may be the ticket.

May try to push some of the 60 grain partitions upt to max and see if they stabilize, only have to be stable to a 100 yards around here so may make it. They are a bit pricey to play with it the experiment is doomed from the start.

I am not sure of the Remington 55 grainers I have staying together and penetrating. They shoot fine, but I guess I will shoot them into the "Infamous" wet paper bundle to see what they do.

As to the other answers I appreciate you experienced input.

First they have to shoot where I point them and then I will go to testing.

Lots of time til next November.

Luckily I have 55 grain Remingtons and Hornadys to test for accuracy and penetration.

I have other things to fall back on so I am just looking for experiences from those who have "Been there, Done that."

I have never killed a deer with a .223 but when I lived in WV, I knew several old wood hicks that used the .223 and .222 as their only rifle. Old 788's and 340's.
Their bullet of choice was the 55gr Rem core lokt. I reloaded for a couple of them. It wasn't much of a chore as you could load them up 10 or 15 and they wouldn't need any more for a couple of years.
Of interest, if someone in the general store was holding court about shooting a deer at xxx yards, they'd just look at one another and smile. I doubt any of them had ever shot a deer at much beyond 50 yards.

In my 1-14 twist 22-250 the 60 Gr NP would not hit 3 foot target at 100 yards. Walked closer and hit target at 25 yards perfect keyhole. Shot fine in my 223 1-12 twist.

What would be a good powder for the 60 Hornadys? H322?

Thank you!

RL-10 is one of the best...100% load just under max pressure 3025 fs...4198 the same, AA1680,322..all those powders in this burn rate.


Actually the "post-diaper" group has the sense to use modern software programs that show which twists work best with what bullet. Some of oldies have learned that experience only goes so far...especially if you are deaf to new techniques.

Velocity has a BIG input when it comes to bullet length. The higher the velo the slower the needed twist...

Example: 64 Nos Part 0.800" long.
3000 fs needs a 1-12
3500 fs and above a 1-13

If I wanted to shoot that particular 64 gr Nos bullet I would use a 1-12 right from the gitgo.

If I had a 1-14 twist I wouldn't use a bullet over 0.700" long which will stabilize at 222 velo's

These are "OPTIMUM" twists so you might get away with a 1-14 in some rifles but I won't take the chance of wasting a barrel by being...uninformed.

That's throwing away money. I've been down that road with several hi-vo large cased 22's...it only cost me a rechamber to figure out those programs had merit and I'm an old dog smart enough to learn new tricks.

The horse and water trough comes to mind.

There are lots of free twist programs online and for $75 bucks(well spent) you can buy Load from a Disk that has all the information anyone might need to figure out what's what.

Nonagonagin: You miss the point entirely. The poster already has a gun, a Rem 788, and he is inquiring if a particular bullet might be expected to shoot accurately in it. He is not seeking to "match" a barrel with a bullet, in which case he would certainly want to refer to various guidelines as to what twist is most likely to be successful.

kk Alaska posted that he was unsuccessful in stabilizing a 60 grain Nosler in a particular rifle, but was in a different rifle and I'm sure he has related his experience accurately. My experience is that the 60 grain Nosler did fine in a rifle similar to the one in which it did not do fine for him, which is not at all unusual.

I reiterate: While there are various methods of predicting whether a particular bullet will perform in a particular rifle with a barrel of a particular twist, unless the twist is significantly outside of the usual parameters then the only way to know how the bullet will perform is to actually shoot it.

When you are young it is not possible to have a great deal of experience, so the young must rely on other assets in making judgments. That is natural and understandable. But a young person who largely eschews experience in favor of technology is destined to gain a lot of . . . experience.

Always the BS...No I didn't miss the point...I just add a bit to the mix so He would have something more than a few "I know because I'm experienced" "stuff". I, nor any one else, can predetermine what bullet will do what in what rifle. If we could then there wouldn't be so many "Bad" rifles floating around.

I've been doing this game 60 years...I have several hivo 22 cals now and have burned up the barrels in a bunch more over the years.

I just built a 220 swift with a 1-8 just to shoot the 69-80 gr bullets...so far it's doing very well...I have several 222 and 223 all with 1-14 and a 22-243 Midd, a rechambered 22-250 Encore that happened to have a 1-12 and a bad original chamber.

And not to put too fine a point on it, I had one each of the early 788's in 222 and 22-250(plus a 243 and 308 and used my worn out barrel 22-250 to build my Dad a 250 Sav Imp) and NEITHER would shoot bullets over a certain length...even with the additional velo of the 22-250.

I also know a ton of "Older and experienced" shooters that are basically still living in the dark ages so "experience" counts for ZILCH because of your last paragraph...living in de-NYLE.

Todays young shooters are more experienced, more knowledgeable, and more technically expert than a whole lot of older folks living off the old days and not keeping up with todays techno-stuff.

I haven't been able to get the 60 gr Noslers to shoot in ANY if my 22's to MY level of accuracy and ACCURACY lives in the eye of the beholder...so it depend on whether you think 1 1/2 -2" groups are OK...I don't.

You are right about one thing...you HAVE to shoot the bullet in YOUR rifle to know for a fact.

I'm very lucky, I had good mentors right from the gitgo and NO INTERNET BS to cloud or confuse or argue annalistically, nit pick, misunderstand or tell others they "Missed the point".

Use the information I presented or NOT...I'M DONE.