Striker Calibers

[Appleseed]

This striker as a .243 was a shooter but more recoil than I like. Switched it to a .221fb and it works just right for target and varmint.

Need a caliber for deer without changing the bolt head. Is there much difference in a 8 twist .223, a 6 x 45, or one of the TCU calibers? Have plenty of .223 brass that can be resized. The .221fb is legal here for deer and does just fine with 55gr but is a little light. Need to shoot 100-200yrds and would be good to have 75+gr loads.

[bootsmcguire]

A 6x45 would be my first thought since you are limiting yourself to the .373" bolt-face. Another thought would be to do a 223 or 223AI and run the 75, 80, or even 90 grain bullets. You will need a fast twist barrel for it, but it should be do-able. I would go with the Ackley version, just for the added brass life. The extra room for powder couldn't hurt either.

[snowgetter1]

As boots said or the 300 black out.

[Appleseed]

I can get an 8 twist in .223, they shoot up to the 81 gr Bergers. I was planning a 300blkout, but talked to someone today that has one on a savage and he says it's a 75-100yrd caliber because the drop is 8" at 100 yrds with 225gr. Wonder if it's better with a 120-150gr? That's plenty for our whitetail. This .221fb does everything a .223 will with 55gr at 100yrd, and it is tamer.

[Blue Avenger]

that kind of rainbow do you get if you zero at 75 or 100 yards?

[snowgetter1]

Maybe 7mm tcu?

[Appleseed]

The person I talked with is a sponsor here. He sighted in at 35yrds for hog hunting, the drop with those heavy bullets was 8" @ 100yrds. I don't have a 300blkout, don't know what the performance is. A .223 is so close to the FB, would like to have something different.

[bootsmcguire]

I decided to run some stuff through my basic ballistic calculator program just to see what would present itself.

A 7mm TCU loaded with a 120gr Sierra Spitzer at 2000FPS (1,066 ft/lb at muzzle) has a trajectory like this:

50yd = +.44--- 947 ft/lb
75yd = +.54
100yd = 0.0--- 841 ft/lb
125yd = -1.24
150yd = -3.17--- 745 ft/lb
175yd = -5.90
200yd = -9.38--- 660 ft/lb

A 6x45 shooting a 100gr Sierra Spitzer at 2400FPS (1279 ft/lb at muzzle) has a trajectory like this:

50yd = +.080--- 1160 ft/lb
75yd = +.250
100yd = 0.0--- 1050 ft/lb
125yd = -.700
150yd = -1.880--- 949 ft/lb
175yd = -3.540
200yd = -5.720--- 857 ft/lb

I chose those two bullets as I have used both for deer at near and far ranges with good success. I pulled the velocities from my loading manual and stayed a tad conservative due to your pistol length barrels. I even ran a 150 gr 7mm bullet at 1800fps and the 6x45 data above beat it in trajectory and energy.

Based off of this data, the case restrictions you seek, and the ranges you wish to kill at, I would lean towards the 6x45.
Hope some of that helps in your decisions.

[Apache]

I would recommend the 300 Blackout shooting supers instead of subsonics. It'll get real close to 30-30 performance except better ballistics because of the better BC bullets. I've killed several deer with the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip.

If that's too much then I would do the 6x45......

[Appleseed]

Thanks ya'll, this is what I was looking for. Gun shack has both the 300blk and the 6 x 45. Have a load of brass coming that can be formed to either. 100-125 gr will work fine on these deer. Found a brass holding jig to cut down .223 to length on the 300blkout site. Bolts to a small cutoff saw, neat work holder, well made.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Brass holding jig?? Got one. Well made and works slick. Going from .223 to 20 VT or even the 20 VT "short". (my own built Wildcat)

[Appleseed]

Was curious if you got the VTS up and running.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

The 20 VT "short" up and running?? You bet! Not spending as much time working with it so far but it's shooting bug holes.
Making brass was/is a PITA but that's part of playing with wildcats. Got about 250 cases made so far. Not a "one step process for sure.
Shooting it in a Green Mountain CM blank chambered short with a .234 neck 20 VT reamer. Even considering going a little shorter. Might call it a 20 VT "short" shorty? I was after a center fire round so it could be reloaded. Rim fire ammo can get a little expensive after a while.
Got two barrels. One 16" Benchmark straight pipe with a brake and a Green Mountain 24" heavy contour. Recoil is next to nothing and I can see my target hits through the scope. "That" was my ultimate goal.
VERY stingy on powder. Havn't run any of the rounds across the Chrony yet. They're all going in the same hole so why bother?
32 grain bullets and about 14 to15 grains of powder will get me a 5 shot group out to 100 yards that can be covered with a dime. Works GREAT on a Striker rear grip platform. Set up om my Model 12 "Lefty" action as a switch barrel rig. Switch from Striker to BR rifle in about 5 minutes. Just need to spend more time shooting and load work.
The Remington XP 100 got me hooked on the long range SP and the Striker platform makes it so much more easy to change calibers.
A couple of different caliber barrels and bolt heads and you're set. Switch to your hearts content.

[Apache]

Very interesting round.........cheap to shoot by today's standards. What powder are you using if I may ask? What kind of velocity est. do you think it's doing?

[Nor Cal Mikie]

As far as FPS, I'am not really sure. Maybe in the 3100 or 3200 range? If it was/is faster, I wouldn't be surprised. IMHO, speed doesn't mean squat if you can'y hit what you're aiming at. It produces little groups so that is what I was after and with almost no recoil.
I wanted to be able to see my hits through the scope so a heavy barrel and small round (short of going rimfire) is what I worked with.
Got it working and I can see hits at 100 yards with a 16" striker. Longer/heaverier rifle barrel, no problem.
The .221 Fireball is a neat round but I got hooked on the 20 VT. I figured a "20" caliber would be better? Not so. Just about the same amount of powder, just a smaller caliber bullet.
I figured a shortened version of the 20 VT might do the trick. Push the case shoulder back till I got close to what I wanted. Pushed it back from 1.400 to 1.200 and loaded it up. Short chamber a barrel till it fit the case. Spin it on, set the head space and go shooting.
Making brass can be a chore but practice makes perfect?? Not a "one step" operation for sure.
Same powders as the .221 Fireball or the 20 VT. In my case, AA2230 and AA2460. Burns clean and no pressure problems. Got Lil Gun but havn't got there yet. I'am not one for jumping from one powder to another just because someone else got killer FPS or groups. I'll work a powder till I can't get anymore out of it.
Lots of rounds that are "close" (why reinvent the wheel??) but when you get something stuck in your head, you have to follow through or you'll never know if it would have worked or not. Might even try going to a 17 caliber and see how that would work.
Easy way to go is take a .204 Ruger chamber, shorten it to fit the 20 VT case, add a few more threads so you can set the headspace and you're good to go. Less expensive that way.

[Appleseed]

I put away reloading stuff this summer to build a new shed...when the farming is over this fall, I'd like to try some reduced loads for the 221fb. Have some blue dot to try, using data from James Calhoon, he suggests using 2 grains less for .221fb than for .223. The Blue dot loads for .223 I can't remember the source; loads from 35-55 gr bullets range 4-14 grains powder.

[Apache]

Since 22 rimfire stuff is all gone or too expensive to shoot.......I'm kinda looking for an alternative. What 22 rimfire I have left is being saved to hunt squirrels with this fall.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

IMHO, there is only a few different 22 rimfire rounds that you can swap to so getting different FPS or accuracy could get expensive and you still might not get what you were after. That was my main reason for wanting a center fire. Reload till you get the results you're after.
(besides the satisfaction of building it yourself) Now, if you could reload rimfire brass??.....

[Appleseed]

I went back and checked my notes. The blue dot needs replacing with trail boss. There may be other powders, if you get lucky to find reloading stuff now, even with 4 shops in the area.

Agreed, was looking for a cartridge like a .22wmr but one that could be reloaded. I think eventually the
.221fb will do it, and have a CZ 525 switch barrel cut with the same reamer. With today's price of rimfire ammo, I know these will shoot cheaper, farther, and more accurately.

Found once fired brass for .221fb and 300BO made by a machinist/vendor on the 300blkout site. Great guy to deal with, very reasonably priced! A curiosity, his shop near Prescott is solar powered.

[Appleseed]

How about the 110gr 300aac compared to either tcu or 6 X 45, looks close? http://www.right2bearammo.com/shop/catalog/pdf/104.pdf