.22 CHeetah

ligonierbill · April 29, 2011, 06:39 PM

I'm pretty proud of my new .22-250 and fixin' to start working up loads. But I read an article by a hardcore varmint shooter with a picture of my "hot" .22 beside this wildcat. In case size at least, it makes mine look anemic. What can you tell me about this cartridge? And, yes I'm looking for some good .22-250 loads. I am thinking about sending 55 grain bullets after Wiley Coyote.

Brian Pfleuger · April 29, 2011, 09:50 PM

CAUTION!: The following post contains load data predicted by QuickLoad software. Neither the writer of the post, QuickLoad, or the owners and staff of The Firing Line hold any responsibility for it's use.

Can't help you with the CHeetah, but my .22-250 load is 41.7gr Win748 under 35gr Nosler BTVar, at 2.392 OAL. Relatively barrel friendly pressures around 59k psi with real world, chronographed velocities of 4,435 fps.

It is, without a question, the flattest shooting round I've ever seen. No holdover on woodchucks at 330 yards. It flies like a laser and kills like a lightning bolt. I'm sure it would be very effective on coyotes.

oneoldsap · April 30, 2011, 10:54 AM

The .22 CHetah was the brainchild of former Outdoor Life shooting Editor Jim Charmichel ! It's basically a necked down .308 Win. , some people call it a .22-243 . I dont have any experience with it but I'm sure you can load it right up to where the bullets vaporize when they hit the air , 4,000 FPS certainly wouldn't be a problem ! after you exceed 4,000 FPS bullet construction becomes a concern . Many Varmint bullets will go to pieces when they hit the air at those speeds . Now I do have experience with the 22-250 and the 220 Swift , and they are all a fellow ever needs in a .224 Cal. Rifle . My favorite Varmint round is the good old .243 Win. with 65Gr Hornady V-Max bullets , the 75s work better in a windy Situation !

Robert Palermo · April 30, 2011, 12:35 PM

It uses the .308 bench rest case which is with the small rifle primer and it it comes in two versions one witha 40 degree shoulder (No.1) OR with a 28degree shoulder (no.2) and it will vaporize badly constructed bullets.

Kiwi Hunter · April 30, 2011, 05:59 PM

There are a few .22-243's over here and people have posted some spectacular velocities from them, but the reality seems to be that most down load them to pretty close to 22.250 speeds anyway with a view to barrel life.

One of our local tyros posted chrony figures of 5100 or 5300 (I forget which) primers nowhere to be found... he also had a picture of his barrel which he had sectioned after his final "cook up" it looked like someone had been up there with the TIG welder for the first 12 inches of the barrel

Basically there is only so much powder you can burn in a barrel and going beyond a 22.250 or the AI vesion is getting to the point of no further real returns. Things will go splat - but probably no more than with your current rifle.

I havent tried them yet but the new 53g Vmax has a seriously improved BC for maintaining energy way out there.

zplinker · May 2, 2011, 09:25 AM

I have the original article published in 1984, on the 22 CHeetah, as well as a rifle in that chambering. With a 27" barrel, it will run 40 gr. Nosler ballistic tips well over 4700 fps, but groups best at just over 4600 fps. Barrel life? What the heck, you don't buy a race car to see how long you can make an engine last! And there are lots of good folks busy making more barrels, right now.

t45 · May 2, 2011, 07:50 PM

I thought about the 22 Cheetah at one point but chose the 243AI instead.

April 29, 2011, 06:39 PM	#1
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,458	.22 CHeetah I'm pretty proud of my new .22-250 and fixin' to start working up loads. But I read an article by a hardcore varmint shooter with a picture of my "hot" .22 beside this wildcat. In case size at least, it makes mine look anemic. What can you tell me about this cartridge? And, yes I'm looking for some good .22-250 loads. I am thinking about sending 55 grain bullets after Wiley Coyote.

April 29, 2011, 09:50 PM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	CAUTION!: The following post contains load data predicted by QuickLoad software. Neither the writer of the post, QuickLoad, or the owners and staff of The Firing Line hold any responsibility for it's use. Can't help you with the CHeetah, but my .22-250 load is 41.7gr Win748 under 35gr Nosler BTVar, at 2.392 OAL. Relatively barrel friendly pressures around 59k psi with real world, chronographed velocities of 4,435 fps. It is, without a question, the flattest shooting round I've ever seen. No holdover on woodchucks at 330 yards. It flies like a laser and kills like a lightning bolt. I'm sure it would be very effective on coyotes. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

April 30, 2011, 12:35 PM	#4
Robert Palermo Member Join Date: June 30, 2010 Location: Home of the Steelers Posts: 56	It uses the .308 bench rest case which is with the small rifle primer and it it comes in two versions one witha 40 degree shoulder (No.1) OR with a 28degree shoulder (no.2) and it will vaporize badly constructed bullets. __________________ www.pennbullets.com

April 30, 2011, 10:54 AM	#3
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	The .22 CHetah was the brainchild of former Outdoor Life shooting Editor Jim Charmichel ! It's basically a necked down .308 Win. , some people call it a .22-243 . I dont have any experience with it but I'm sure you can load it right up to where the bullets vaporize when they hit the air , 4,000 FPS certainly wouldn't be a problem ! after you exceed 4,000 FPS bullet construction becomes a concern . Many Varmint bullets will go to pieces when they hit the air at those speeds . Now I do have experience with the 22-250 and the 220 Swift , and they are all a fellow ever needs in a .224 Cal. Rifle . My favorite Varmint round is the good old .243 Win. with 65Gr Hornady V-Max bullets , the 75s work better in a windy Situation !

April 30, 2011, 05:59 PM	#5
Kiwi Hunter Member Join Date: August 13, 2009 Posts: 76	There are a few .22-243's over here and people have posted some spectacular velocities from them, but the reality seems to be that most down load them to pretty close to 22.250 speeds anyway with a view to barrel life. One of our local tyros posted chrony figures of 5100 or 5300 (I forget which) primers nowhere to be found... he also had a picture of his barrel which he had sectioned after his final "cook up" it looked like someone had been up there with the TIG welder for the first 12 inches of the barrel Basically there is only so much powder you can burn in a barrel and going beyond a 22.250 or the AI vesion is getting to the point of no further real returns. Things will go splat - but probably no more than with your current rifle. I havent tried them yet but the new 53g Vmax has a seriously improved BC for maintaining energy way out there.

May 2, 2011, 09:25 AM	#6
zplinker Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2011 Location: way out here Posts: 262	I have the original article published in 1984, on the 22 CHeetah, as well as a rifle in that chambering. With a 27" barrel, it will run 40 gr. Nosler ballistic tips well over 4700 fps, but groups best at just over 4600 fps. Barrel life? What the heck, you don't buy a race car to see how long you can make an engine last! And there are lots of good folks busy making more barrels, right now.

May 2, 2011, 07:50 PM	#7
t45 Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2010 Location: Foothills, NC Posts: 782	I thought about the 22 Cheetah at one point but chose the 243AI instead.