The .22 Creedmoor takes advantage of its large case capacity to drive heavy .22 caliber bullets to high speeds. Slow-burning powders are the ticket, and there are plenty of data and bullet choices to make for a fun reloading project. (Photo submitted by the author)
July 31, 2024
By Joseph von Benedikt
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Recently approved by SAAMI, the .22 Creedmoor is simply the 6.5 Creedmoor case necked down to accept .224-diameter bullets and spec’d with a fast 1:8 twist rate. Engineered to shoot long, aerodynamic projectiles, it maximizes long-range .22 centerfire cartridge potential. It’s a .22 centerfire magnum if ever there was one. Fellow writer Ron Spomer may have said it best: “The .22 Creedmoor is the .22-250 of the 21st century.” The .22 Creedmoor has a case capacity of 52.6 grains of water and a SAAMI pressure spec of 62,000 psi. Cartridge overall length is 2.70 inches.
Ammo is currently factory-loaded by Hornady and Texas Ammunition , and both companies initially chose 80-grain ELD Match bullets. Hornady added an 80-grain ELD-X bullet designed for hunting.
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Bucking the Wind The .22 Creedmoor was designed by coyote competition callers to optimize extended-range kills on predators. Compared to a classic 55-grain bullet out of the .22-250, the .22 Creedmoor with an 80-grain bullet has half the wind drift and more than double the impact energy at 500 yards. It leaves the muzzle with 400 fps less speed but arrives at 500 yards with nearly 500 fps more speed. This is all due to the heavier, sleeker bullet’s superior aerodynamics. Picking a bullet may be the most challenging—and of course the most fun—part of handloading for your .22 Creedmoor. Hornady and Texas Ammo both went with the 80-grain ELD Match for factory ammo because it’s particularly forgiving and will shoot well in a broad spectrum of rifles. The bullet’s G1 BC is .485; G7 BC is .244.
The .22 Creedmoor (r.) has about 15 percent more powder capacity than the .22-250 (l.) and shoots much heavier bullets. (Photo submitted by the author) There are .22 centerfire bullets in the 85- to 95-grain range that have considerably higher BCs than that 80-grain, and the .22 Creedmoor case has plenty of capacity to drive those very heavy .22 centerfire bullets to useful speeds. However, the SAAMI-spec 1:8 twist won’t always shoot the heaviest .22 caliber bullets well, which is why the factory loads use lighter ones. Handloaders can go heavier, though, thanks to our ability to fine-tune loads. Still, you may want to opt for a custom barrel in a 1:7.5 or 1:7 twist if your heart is set on super-heavy bullets.
I’m going to stick with a 1:8 twist barrel. It’s wonderfully versatile with .22 bullets from 40 to 80 grains. Plus, I like the ability to achieve around 3,300 fps with an 80-grain .22 bullet. In terms of minimum bullet drop and wind drift, such a load will outperform both the 6mm Creedmoor and the 6.5 Creedmoor to 800 yards thanks to the high muzzle velocity.
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Tinkering The safe bet is to work up a load with that 80-grain ELD Match. It’s a forgiving, proven bullet for the cartridge. Berger’s 80.5-grain LR Hybrid would be another good choice. If you’re working with a 1:7 twist barrel, by all means, try Hornady’s 88-grain ELD Match and Berger’s 85.5-grain LR Hybrid .
The .22 Creedmoor has about 15 percent more case capacity than the .22-250, and technically it is a bit overbore. Since it’s optimized for running heavier bullets, slow-burning powders are called for.Hodgdon provides load data, and Hornady will have data on its reloading app by the time you read this. Peterson Cartridge lists a great selection of load data for the .22 Creedmoor on its website as well.
Powders Alliant’s Reloder 26 is favored by Derrick Ratliff of Horizon Firearms , who was the primary driving force behind the development of the .22 Creedmoor and its submission to SAAMI. Reloder 26 achieves best-in-class velocity with the full spectrum of bullets from 75 to 95 grains, but unfortunately, RL-26 is as scarce as hen’s teeth these days. On the plus side, the .22 Creedmoor doesn’t devour nearly as much of it as, say, a .300 PRC.
Hodgdon’s H1000 is also a prime choice, and some shooters use Winchester’s StaBall 6.5 with good results. Peterson’s data show that 55-grain bullets can be pushed to nearly 3,900 fps with Hodgdon’s Superformance powder.
Reloading dies are available from Hornady, RCBS and Redding . Cartridge cases with correct headstamps are available from Hornady, Peterson and Alpha Munitions.
Sizing Of course, 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor cases can be sized down and used as well. One could choose to form cases out of 6.5 Creedmoor cases with Small Rifle primer pockets, but that would potentially risk erratic ignition because slow-burning stick powders are harder to ignite than the medium-fast propellants typically used in short-action cases. Peterson not only specifies using cases with Large Rifle primer pockets, it recommends using Large Rifle Magnum primers. This could be particularly important when hunting predators in very cold conditions.
If you’re obsessive about brass perfection, size Lapua 6mm Creedmoor cases down with a pass through your sizing die. Be sure to trim-to-length. The overall case length is 1.920 inches, and trim-to case length is 1.910 inches. Neck turning shouldn’t be necessary here.
Load meticulously, and the .22 Creedmoor will reward you with excellent accuracy and a mild temperament. You’ll find that its performance downrange is anything but mild.
