The Fast Twist 22 Creedmoor
BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 10 months ago
Continuing with the conversation we were having a few days ago on new cartridges that answer questions nobody has asked, this new cartridge may be the next in line to fail.
Nosler was the first company to launch a new super .22 with the release of the 22 Nosler. It boasted “close to .22-250 velocities” in a short case that could fit into a standard AR magazine. This cartridge was soon followed by Federal’s release of the .224 Valkyrie, which took on a bit of a different appeal. You see, the 22 Nosler was designed as a super-fast varmint caliber with 1-in-8-inch twist or 1-in-10-inch twist barrels offered to stabilize bullets closer to those of the .22-250. This provides a distinct advantage over the 5.56 with similar weight bullets. The Valkyrie addressed more of the long-range interest with its attempt to push 70-90 grain bullets past 2,800 fps.
These velocities are respectable, especially considering that neither has an overall length of more than the standard .223 Remington. There will be many who point out that the .220 Swift was the original king of small-bore magnums, but it really needed a fast twist barrel and long action to make it shine. We have finally seen the shooting sports embrace long, heavy-for-caliber bullets. It has been long awaited, but as I am writing this, Hornady Manufacturing is pushing to get yet another super-cartridge through the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute process, just as the sport has been chasing smaller, lighter calibers to perform further down range.
The 22 Creedmoor is the newest of the overbore magnums to hit the market. With the capacity of the now famous 6.5 Creedmoor, the 22 Creedmoor is just a necked down variation on the same cartridge. So, what can it do that the others can’t? To be honest, it is not that much different than, say, the .22-243 or the .22-250 AI, but what all but a few custom builds have lacked, the 22 Creedmoor has embraced. It was never designed to shoot lightweight bullets at 4,000 fps. Though it will do that easily, the 22 Creedmoor was built with long, heavy .224 bullets in mind. The 22 Creedmoor will come standard with a 1-in-7-inch fast-twist barrel, and combined with the increased volume inside its case, you can push those long pills over at 3,450 feet per second! This is a distinct step up in performance.
Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the ticket if you want the rifling blown out of your barrel. I don’t see this as stiff competition for the 224 Valkyrie, but who knows?
On February 13, 2019 at 10:29 pm, MTHead said:
Putting a bunch more powder behind a 22, how original! if one strolls over to Ramshot powders to the load data section. a quick perusal will show that the difference between 22 nosler/ Valkyrie, and 556 nato as not enough to waste ones money on.
A creedmoor in 22 is just what you said, a boon for barrel makers! and not much else.
On February 14, 2019 at 6:36 am, Nosmo said:
Yeah, well, OK then.
I’m patiently waiting for some ballistic genius to neck down 50 BMG to .224 so 55 grain bullets can be driven at near light speed. No idea what twist rate would be best, but I bet a 1:3 would work for 200 grain bullets (odd thought: at what point will we begin segregating barrels into “fine thread” and “coarse thread” categories?)
In a parallel development, Crazy Joe, Inc. has announced a new varmint cartridge – 20MM necked down to .308 – for multiple values of “varmint.”
On February 14, 2019 at 8:57 am, Mark Matis said:
Yeah, Nosmo, but at least with either of those cartridges, you won’t need a scope to see where the bullet hit…
On February 14, 2019 at 9:08 am, Bram said:
Nosmo – It’s been done, as a joke. The bullet and the rifling should come out of the barrel as a jet of atomized lead and steel plasma.
https://photobucket.com/gallery/user/reloader1959/media/bWVkaWFJZDoyNzcyNzc1MQ==/?ref=
On February 14, 2019 at 4:42 pm, Pat Hines said:
I’m thinking the .22 Creedmoor is getting into 220 Swift territory. Rifles in 220 Swift are known to eat their own rifling. Montana Bob, an old air force buddy that remained in Montana since he arrived 40+ years ago, has a Ruger M77 in 220 Swift, don’t know the condition of the rifling, but he doesn’t shoot it anymore.
According to this web page, it’s “more” than the 220 Swift which may mean it will burn the rifling out faster. Of course, there are stainless steel barrels which are supposed to resist that. I think Winchester began to use stainless steel barrels for their Model 70s chambered in .264 Win Magnum.
https://customrifles.com/22-creedmoor-not-grandads-22/
On February 15, 2019 at 2:13 pm, Mike said:
The 22 Creedmoor, as proposed in the article, is a solution in search of a question, IMO. The .17 Remington is a .223 necked down to .172 and the shoulder pushed back at a different angle, and factory Remington ammo is ~4,000 fps as a NON-magnum cartridge with a 25-gr bullet. Do I need a heavier bullet at similar velocities to kill a coyote? Emphatically, NO, if that is the intended use for the cartridge. Paper punching can be accomplished with many other .22 cartridges with a whole lot less expense.
On February 15, 2019 at 4:03 pm, Pat Hines said:
@Bram, Cosmo,
One additional limiting factor is how thin the jacket is on the bullet. If spun too fact, the jacket will separate from the core in short order.
Solids won’t have that issue, but usually don’t have good sectional density.