Varmint Guy, I am on my second rifle chambered for the .17/222 mag imp. with both being based on a Rem 700 Action, with Shilen SS barrels. I recently had the barrel on my current rifle set back and rechambered for the same case.

I achieved 4,500 fps using the 25 grain Hornady, 4,150 fps using the 30 grain Hammett HPBT, and 3,790 fps (sideways) with the 37 grain Berger VLD in a 25.25 inch Shilen 1 in 10 twist barrel.

In the .172 calibre, I have also owned rifles chambered for .17 Remington, and .17 Ackley Hornet.

To try and reduce the exorbitant cost of brass here, I intend to import direct from the USA instead of fattening the wallets of the local gunshops. I also agree that the introduction of the .204 Ruger, takes some of the pressure of the threat of unavailability of .222 mag brass.
Good luck, Brian.

I have been using 222 magnum brass for about 32 years in a .17/222 mag imp.

About 2 years ago I tried getting Remington 222 mag cases in Adelaide gunshops, with no success, but then in desperation rang the Australian Remington agent, who had them in stock and sent 200 cases to a gunshop of my choice. Eventually cost me about $60.00 per 100.

I also noticed that Frank O'Reillys Sports are advertising Sako .222 mag brass for $75.00 per 100 in the August edition of Australian Shooter. Good luck, Brian.

Varmint guy hit this one right on the nose. My .222Rem. Mag. is also built on a Sako, a 461 single shot action with a Hart SS varmint barrel. I love it dearly. I started a few years ago with .5" groups. By last year it was down to .4", and this year is reliably printing .3". It just seems to keep geting better. We should get a boost in cases due to the introduction of the .204Ruger which is built on the .222Rem. Mag. case. Just to be on the safe side I'd lay in about 500 Remington cases. They're not great, but they're the only ones we have. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

For afew of us it's still a great round. I've got my rem 722 and 700 both in 222remmag and 40x in 6x47. I think a 222remmagAI would make a pretty good varmit rifle.

Cal Sibley: Do you want to sell that single shot Sako? I mean one never knows when a pack of rabid Canadian Coyotes may fall upon you! I will trade you for a Ruger Mini-14 that I have here at my house! My new friend wants to sell this Mini-14 off and get a bolt action 223. And by the way this Mini-14 is the Ranch Rifle model and has a 30 round Ruger clip and a variable scope of some kind (I forget which brand) he wants $400.00 for the whole sheebang and its in virtual 100% condition having been fired less than 50 times!
Anyway I am just kidding you - your single shot Sako is a special and classy Rifle and I would not trade my Sako 222 Magnum for a dozen Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifles!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, My question about the Ruger Ranch rifles is, "How the h.. can you sell this many POS????" If Bill Ruger was here I'd ask him that question!! We need t know! He gt rich off that marketing scheme!!! GHD

Probably one of the biggest reasons why the .204 intrigued me was that it was based on a tried and true case design!!...222MAG! How many .223's you ever seen on a BR relay? The 222MAG has been there, done that!! Then somebody got the big idea and necked it up to 6mm.....6x47!!! Would have still been "King of the Hill" if Pendall and Palmisano(PPC for the uninformed) had not brought out thier brainchild in 1975!!!(The IBS ought to change their name to the "PPC" fraternity) So I figured the .204 would fit right in! It does!! As far as the availability of 222MAG brass over here in the states.....it's still readily available! Maybe not to the extent it was 4 months ago but still here!! I just called a supplier and asked for a few...he said "how many thousand do you want? We've got 14,000 showing on inventory!!!" It's here but the postage might be a bugger!!!! GHD

Popular? That depends.



Those that have one (me included) tend to really like them. So in that way, yeah, they're popular.



But in terms of overall numbers, no, they're not very "popular".



A great round, but you really need to "want" or "like" it to justify one, as the 223 will do what it will do, with much more readily available ammo.



However, that never stopped me! I've had mine for about 30 years now. I've used it to kill a truckload of groundhogs, and as a matter of fact, I killed three deer with it last year. I reported on the results in a thread a few months ago. Let's just say I won't be using it again for deer...