22 ARC

3595wilk

3595wilk

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Anyone reloading this calibre?

I'm mulling over switching my .222 over to .22 ARC. Been running some numbers through ApexLoad Pro and would like to do similar with GRT - but cant find a calibre on Discourse to upload to my version of GRT.

Will be for fox and small deer - looking at 60 gr Vmax and 70 grain CX. in a 20 inch barrel. Will need to get the bolt head opened up I suspect - but nothing to taxing for a good gun plumber..

Interested in any experience with this calibre - if any - or if anyone knows of a link to a file to upload the calibre to GRT.
 
Is 22 Grendel in the drop down on GRT ?

Case volumes are near identical and a quick search revealed the 22 ARCs freebore to be SAAMI standardised at 0.130" .

If I remember correctly , Hornady merely changed the headspace to avoid legal problems on the 6ARC . Robert Whitley was credited with the 6 mm AR/Grendel to which the 6 ARC is near identical . Both being based on the 6.5 Grendel case , Whitley was a lawyer.

The bolt face will need opening up 👍

P.S . Never used one , be an interesting build .
 
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The Burpster said:
Would it not just make more sense going to .22-250?
Is such an easy round to get to work and everything it hits drops instantly…. 🤷🏻‍♂️
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No fun in that. 🙂

Plus less powder, similar speeds from shorter barrel......better twist at 1:7 so can handle heavier and more ballistcally efficient projectiles...80-88 grains are achievable....but without the barrel-burner reputation that the 22-250 has.
 
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Found the ARC file on Discord. I'll load it up and have a play.

Interesting comparison here @Fox Tales . Would be interested in your view as you run a 22 Creedmoor......

www.outdoorlife.com

22 ARC vs. 22 Creedmoor: A 3,000-Round Range Test

Both 22 ARC and 22 CM are cutting-edge .22-cal rounds that employ Modern Cartridge Design. Which is better? That might surprise you.
www.outdoorlife.com www.outdoorlife.com

I do love my .222 so that's the main stumbling block for me really.
 
499089_hornady22arc6_hero_1200x800.webp

Thats a lovely little thing!
 
3595wilk said:
Found the ARC file on Discord. I'll load it up and have a play.

Interesting comparison here @Fox Tales . Would be interested in your view as you run a 22 Creedmoor......

www.outdoorlife.com

22 ARC vs. 22 Creedmoor: A 3,000-Round Range Test

Both 22 ARC and 22 CM are cutting-edge .22-cal rounds that employ Modern Cartridge Design. Which is better? That might surprise you.
www.outdoorlife.com www.outdoorlife.com

I do love my .222 so that's the main stumbling block for me really.
Click to expand...
Just had a read of that and it was quite interesting

I can see the appeal with less powder and longer barrel life, traded for 150- 200fps depending on the load.

Would certainly make for a great build! Get it done🤣

I was going to re barrel my 1-14 twist. 22-250 for a 1-7 when the time comes but I might have to throw the .22 ARC in the mix now
 
This is a similar thing to what I have been mulling over recently

6mm XC or 6mm Creedmoor

Im Going for a 6XC for better barrel life and less powder, but 200fps less than the 6 creed
 
You wouldn't have to run a 22cr at max, and the extra ability to run 90gr bullets might be handy one day.
Especially if you've already got a donor .473" bolt head and 308/243 etc mags.

But if you really want the xc then do it, I'm only going by the 6mm's but my barrel is far from toast and it's done a fair few rounds.

I swear all this barrel burning stuff is from the US where they stoke up new rounds because velocity is all that matters.
 
Agree. I actually don't know anyone who has burnt a barrel out.

Even silly fast stuff like the 22-250. I know it is possible - but the average UK shooter needs to drop an awful lot of foxes to do that......

A guy I know with a commercial range runs Blasers. Granted it's a . 308, but he has had over 12000 rounds through one of his range guns on the original barrel.
 
3595wilk said:
A guy I know with a commercial range runs Blasers. Granted it's a . 308, but he has had over 12000 rounds through one of his range guns on the original barrel.
Click to expand...

Cooler burning powders, and correct cleaning technique will all help to prolong the life of a barrel, even on the faster centrefire cartridges.
 
So (especially for DOCTRAMP if he's reading this and probably spluttering into his copy of the Times/Telegraph or other broadsheet ;))....had a bit of a play with GRT and the relevant files.

Looks promising

30.5 grains 20 inch barrel and a 69 grain projectile doing 3100 plus......has potential.....

69 grain ELD-VT.webp
 
3595wilk said:
Found the ARC file on Discord. I'll load it up and have a play.

Interesting comparison here @Fox Tales . Would be interested in your view as you run a 22 Creedmoor......

www.outdoorlife.com

22 ARC vs. 22 Creedmoor: A 3,000-Round Range Test

Both 22 ARC and 22 CM are cutting-edge .22-cal rounds that employ Modern Cartridge Design. Which is better? That might surprise you.
www.outdoorlife.com www.outdoorlife.com

I do love my .222 so that's the main stumbling block for me really.
Click to expand...

If I were to choose again , I'd still choose the 22 Creedmoor . Mine was built specifically to shoot 80 grain ELD-Ms and I'm bang on my velocity target . I could have easily exceeded that and did so using RS62, the ES were terrible .
The N165 is more temperature sensitive than I realised and became apparent very quickly .
If , instead of being a varminter of sorts , I was into paper punching , I'd favour the ARC . It would just make more sense . A long shot string isn't going to heat the barrel like the Creed and a longer barrel would close the gap on the velocity front .Though the 22 GT or XC would be worth considering, if funds allowed .
Hornady are brilliant at marketing, comparing the ARC to the 22-250 with incredible bias , had they shot the same bullet from a fast twist 22-250 and the ARC would have been dead in the water . It would have missed the point though as the ARC was originally targeted at the AR15 shooters .
I can't dis' the ARC , it makes a lot of sense . Time will tell about barrel life of the Creedmoor.
As I said," the heart wants what the heart wants!"
 
Thanks @Fox Tales , an interesting take. I agree about Hornady - a company that are experts in marketing - the 6.5 creed and 17HMR testify to that - and I'll be honest, a lot of their newer calibres don't really make sense to me.......but the ARC does ring some bells and definitely heart over head at the moment.

My thoughts are predominantly for field over target; and as a small deer in England and Roe in Dumfriesshire rifle with copper.

Barnes or Hornady CX around 3000 for that use would be ideal and looks like the ARC will do it - maybe even in a compact form .....which I do prefer....and may work in 18 inch format.

I actually shoot very few foxes each year so is the secondary choice really for this calibre.

It may get an occasional work out for Natural England on another substantially sized quarry too.......and I know that something capable of around 2900-3000 will work in Vmax style projectiles out to 150 on such quarry.

I suspect many of the newer modern projectile designs in . 224 are capable of that.

Just wish it wasn't at the sacrifice of the . 222.
 
Lone wolf said:
Not sure if you have seen this but its a interesting listen, especially when pitted against the 6mm Arc
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Thanks for this Gareth👍. Hadn't seen it. Interesting to hear about the experience of it through a gas gun and what it can achieve with handloads. Good to get a different perspective other than the Hornady infomercials too.

Found this too. Bit long but a good visual representation of the article I posted earlier. Some practical considerations around mag compatibility Id need to think about for the ARC too. I would in all likelihood need to source a magazine from MDT direct and all the fun that will entail with UPS.....



Interestingly SAMMI have only listed it with a max psi of 52000 - which is what the AR15 versions can handle. Hornady acknowledges 62000 as the maximum for bolt versions......so all commercial ammunition is sold with that in mind. As per the video, easily handles the pressure.

If (when) I go ahead, I will be working on the higher figure. Wonder what the proof rounds will be based on......suspect the lower figure.
 
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