Light bullets
Many varmint-oriented loads use light bullets designed for rapid expansion. Their high muzzle velocity should not be confused with the behavior of a heavier match or hunting bullet.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SMALL-BORE CENTERFIRE
.222 Remington
A small-case .22-caliber centerfire with a strong historical connection to benchrest and varmint rifles. It is often called the Triple Deuce.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.040–2.130 in
51.816–54.102 mm - Case length · max
- 1.700 in
43.180 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2245 in
5.702 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.378 in
9.601 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Small-bore centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.2245 in / 5.702 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 3 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 35–50 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.222 Remington is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 222 Rem. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.222 Remington, .222 Remington Magnum, and .223 Remington are separate cartridges.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Remington introduced the .222 in 1950 in the Model 722 bolt-action rifle. It was designed by Mike Walker, whose interests included benchrest shooting, and used a new case rather than simply adopting a familiar earlier case unchanged. Accuracy was central to the cartridge’s identity from the beginning.
The .222 became a dominant early benchrest cartridge and retained that position for roughly two decades before the PPC family changed the competition. It also served varmint hunters and provided the starting point for a remarkably influential cartridge family. Sierra lists descendants including the .17 Remington, .221 Fireball, .223 Remington and .222 Remington Magnum. The later success of the .223 in military and civilian markets can overshadow that ancestry. The .222’s historical importance lies both in its own competitive record and in the smaller-case centerfire family that developed around it.
Historical sources: Sierra: .222 Remington cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Longer bullets
Streamlined match bullets can retain velocity differently downrange. Bullet length, construction, rifling twist, and magazine constraints are product-specific; grain weight alone does not describe them.
Specialty construction
Monolithic, bonded, tipped, and subsonic products are distinct load types when offered. A match label describes a target role and does not automatically establish a hunting application.
In the cited .222 Remington examples, bullet weights are 35, 50 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
35 grains
3,760 fps
NTX®
50 grains
3,140 fps
SP
Compare all 3 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady8309 | 35 gr 2.27 g | NTX® | 3,760 fps 1,146 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
| Federal222A | 50 gr 3.24 g | SP | 3,140 fps 957 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady8316 | 50 gr 3.24 g | V-MAX® | 3,345 fps 1,020 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.222 Remington: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 35 gr Hornady NTX® | Hornady | 0: 3760; 100: 3148; 200: 2615; 300: 2140; 400: 1719; 500: 1369 |
| 50 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3140; 100: 2626; 200: 2166; 300: 1755; 400: 1408; 500: 1152 |
| 50 gr Hornady V-MAX® | Hornady | 0: 3345; 100: 2930; 200: 2553; 300: 2205; 400: 1886; 500: 1599 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .222 Remington?
A small-case .22-caliber centerfire with a strong historical connection to benchrest and varmint rifles. It is often called the Triple Deuce.
What diameter does .222 Remington use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2245 inches (5.702 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.222 Remington, .222 Remington Magnum, and .223 Remington are separate cartridges.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- Norma: .222 Remington background and Triple Deuce name ↗
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 82 ↗
- Sierra: .222 Remington cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 182 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.