.222 Rem bullet choice

B

Borden811

New member
For you guys hunting fox, yote, and cats with the .222 Rem, what do you find better for minimal fur damage? Light bullets driven fast hoping for a small entrance and no exit, or heavier bullets going slow and having a small entrance and exit? I encounter mostly fox where I hunt, an occasional coyote, and if I'm lucky, one cat a year.
 
i use a 50 balistic tip and a LOT of I-4198 for everything. tried a 40 balistic tip and 40 vmax they were ok.
 
Last edited:
Fella here from KY and I had a conversation and he's having good luck on fox and yotes there with a 40 gr Vmax at around 3000 fps or so, and stay off the bones. I've heard 2800 fps or so mentioned here before to keep the explosion of fur down. FWIW.
 
I like the 40 V-MAX. I shoot 21.0 grains of IMR-4198 in my 222 at book COL using CCI 400 small rifle primers. The 22 hornet does even better on fur though with these bullets driving them at just 2,875 fps with a pretty hot charge of 13.2 grains of Lil'Gun powder with Rem 6 1/2 primers in Rem brass.
 
I like the old school too. 52 grn Hornady HPBT match #2249.. They were cheep and the only thing I get at the time and noticed that they were accurate and easy on fur, unless you hit bone.. I still use them..
 
I like 40 grain bullets in the .222. The first 40 grain I used was the Sierra hollow point, a good accurate bullet but a little hard for 222 velocities, then I used the Hornady V-Max, now I use the Nosler ballistic tip and think they are the best for my use. I would not go back to the heavier bullets.
 
The best bullet I have found for minimal pelt damage is the 35 grain V Max around 3000 fps out of my 22 hornet. IF you can get the accuracy you want out of your 222, with this bullet, I think you will be amazed.

If you cannot get the accuracy you want with the 35 gr. V Max, I would reccomend the 40 gr. V Max or the Varmageddon 40 gr hp.

For me, I want a light bullet that blows up and stays inside the animal, rather than a fmj that passes thru with a small entrance and exit hole. I HATE TRACKING ANYTHING! Much prefer the BANG-FLOP.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSOld school here, 52gr Speer HP Flat base.

We have done very well with these over the years in our 223s in the factory reloads from Ultramax. They state 3ooo fps, but I have never shot them over the chrony. Good fur bullet for fox and coyote.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSOld school here, 52gr Speer HP Flat base.

Same here although I don't shoot fur (only Chucks and paper) with mine.

My Fur hunting's done with 17cals.

I had ALLOT of Benchmark on hand when I first started working up loads so I tried it.
Haven't looked any further.
001qii.jpg


Oops,,, somehow I misread that to say "Sierra".

I'd still recommend trying some BM though. LOL




 
Last edited:
Thanks for the info guys, I'll report back when I get a load worked up, depending on what bullets I can find. I'm thinking I'm going to go the 40 gr route for now.
 
RePete, you have any links to data with benchmark? I have a decent amount of it already. If I can get it to work with 40gr bullets, I'd be a happy camper.
 
Back
Top