Can this rifle be rechambered to another .22 caliber cartridge? Like: .22 Hornet/K Hornet, .221 Fireball, .222 Rem Mag, or even .220 Swift?

with a 14:1 twist? and that 222 is exceptionally accurate, not likely to produce good results .. rebarrel to 223 with wylde chamber and 8 twist

Bolt face is the real issue; as in, more work to make work going to all your cartridge choices other than a 222 mag.

So then, is it practical to rechamber to .222 Mag?

You could go 221 FB or 222 Rem Mag. Just don't expect to shoot much over 55 grain bullets.

You would have to set the barrel back for the FB, and going to 222 mag gains little. What is it that you want to accomplish, exactly?
The 222 works.

Indeed, the .222 works, but not nearly what I expect especially compared to my other .222. I've done load development ad nauseum with poor results. Therefore since I own a very accurate .222 already, why not try something I've never had a.222 Mag?

If the rifle is inaccurate in 222, I don't think a simple rechamber to 222 Mag will improve the accuracy any.

Ok, poor accuracy; might have lead with that.
Here are the three Rem 22s; 222, 223, and 222 mag. The 223 was developed from the 222 mag. I see no reason to own a 222 mag thee days.
Put a Douglas air gauged, 0ne in 9 twist on it, in 223, and it will shoot. And brass will be easy to get.

Thanks. Already have a really good .223 (700 Varmint with BRUX barrel) and probably should try to trade this Howa for something else. Thanks again guys. Mike

Before you give up, try the Hornady 50 GR SX. It has shot phenomenal in all the older slow twist 222's that I have tried it in. My all time favorite varmint rifle is a little Shelhamer stocked 222 Sako with a 1-14 twist. Was about to give up on it until I tried the SX.

John

Thank you John. I will try the 50 SX when the weather warms . I have tried 50 sp, 52 BTHP, 40 V-max, 53 V-max, 55 SP, 55 SPSX, with 8208 and H335.

You still can't beat a 50 gr. Spr. and 20.5 gr. Imr 4198 !!!

Hip

That's what I use in my Sako m46 rebarreled with a Douglas.

Hip

May as well run a nylon brush wrapped in 0000 steel wool all the way up & down the barrel a few times to rule out any intruders like a tiny steel flake. I had a Douglas barreled .270 Win that had poor groups that got sub MOA after this procedure. It had 2 or 3 (?) flakes embedded in the bore.
Keep us posted.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Michalski:
Thank you John. I will try the 50 SX when the weather warms . I have tried 50 sp, 52 BTHP, 40 V-max, 53 V-max, 55 SP, 55 SPSX, with 8208 and H335.

Here is how things can change in a hurry---I recently bought a used Win. M70 HeavyVarmint in .223. I cleaned the barrel and loaded up some TRY OUT ammo--25 gr. H335 55 gr. Horn FMJ. I went to the range and the groups were HUGH--up to 6". I change the scope----same thing! I was stumped as the rifle was pristine. I thought maybe the previous owner was a prairie dog shooter and the bbl. was shot out or the barrel hadn't broken it.

Well last Wed. I shot the rifle again (round count now about 200 rd.) The groups over time shrunk to about 2". I was about to pack up and head home and pack up the thing to have it rebarreled. I decided to shoot the last 18 rd. that I had-----guess what that group was 7/16"!
The remaining groups were around 1/2"!

WHO WOODA THUNK!

Hip