22 Nosler | Fastest .22 Cartridge For The AR-15 Platform

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dennishoddy

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Introduced at SHOT. Interesting hunting round, or long range shooting.

Bend, Ore—January 17, 2017— Nosler Inc. announced today the release of the 22 Nosler®, a new cartridge designed to transform any standard AR-15 into the fastest, most powerful .22 caliber available for the platform, with the least amount of modification. The new addition to Nosler’s cartridge family, which also features optimized 6.5mm, 7mm, 30 caliber and .338 magnum class rounds, delivers 30% more energy and is nearly 300 fps faster than a 223 Remington/ 5.56 NATO .

Born from the idea of creating the most powerful .22 caliber centerfire cartridge that would readily function in the AR platform, the 22 Nosler’s case design takes advantage of the AR-15’s unparalleled modularity, making the conversion from a standard 223 Remington/ 5.56 NATO to the 22 Nosler® simple, requiring only a swap of the upper to the new chambering and switching out to a 6.8 Rem SPC magazine. This effortless two-step retrofit will allow shooters to experience the 22 Nosler’s lightning fast, hard-hitting performance, while still being able to use their existing 223 bolt carrier group.

Approaching 22-250 velocities in a significantly smaller package, the 22 Nosler® yields nearly 25% more capacity than the 223 Rem/ 5.56 NATO making the round capable of pushing a 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet at 2,950 fps out of an AR-15 fitted with an 18” barrel and a 77gr. Custom Competition® bullet at 2,950 fps.

“The AR-15 is indisputably one of the most popular firearms among shooting enthusiasts across the globe” said John Nosler, Executive Vice President for the company. “While there are other hard-hitting cartridges that exist for the platform, as far as .22 caliber is concerned, nothing compares to the performance of our newly engineered 22 Nosler case. It was important to us that every AR-15 owner could instantly customize their existing rifle to 22 Nosler without any fancy gunsmithing. In keeping with that goal, a simple switch of the magazine and upper will do the trick. With a cartridge innovation this significant, any shooter running other .22 cals in their AR-15, will at the very least, have to reconsider their efficiency.”

The 22 Nosler® is a SAAMI standardized cartridge making for consistent brass and chamber dimensions industry wide. The company will be supporting the new cartridge with Nosler® Brass and ammunition, with plans to chamber their full line of M48 bolt action rifles in 24” barrel configurations in the future. Complete uppers and magazines for 22 Nosler® conversions will be available at major sporting goods retailers nationwide.

22 Nosler® ammunition will initially be loaded in the company’s popular Match Gradeand Trophy GradeAmmunition lines in the following offerings:

  • Nosler® Trophy Grade™ Ammunition— 55gr. Ballistic Tip
  • 3,500 fps (24” SAAMI test bbl) | 3,350 fps (18” gas-op semi auto)
  • Nosler® Match Grade™ Ammunition— 77gr. Custom Competition
  • 3,100 fps (24” SAAMI test bbl) | 3,350 fps (18” gas-op semi auto)

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...ent=2017-01-17&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter
 

7stw

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I got an "insider email" from nosler last week debuting this gem. 6.8spc parent case. I'll either buy a factory upper or a barrel and build one of these. I love fast calibers. I've been wanting a .220 swift in an ar platform but feeding issues and bolt face diameter have ki bashed that dream. This one gets close to .22-250 velocity in an ar15 platform. I'm a fan of Nosler's other proprietary cartridges with the 28 becoming one of my favorites. Funny midway had dies listed when I looked before they had even "announced" the 22nosler. If you had a fast twist barrel made I bet you could launch some 40 grainers at close to swift velocities. This one will be excellent coyote medicine especially with 77gn bullets or the 55 gn Barnes ttsx.

Hopefully the uppers are built to the same tolerances as their "varmageddon" ar series rifles. (Made in partnership with noveseke). Hopefully I can get one before we go shoot prarie dogs.

Update* listed this morning on midway.

https://www.midwayusa.com/s?userSearchQuery=22+nosler&userItemsPerPage=24

Sent from NSA wire tapped device.
 

Larry Morgan

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That's a pretty significant ballistic advantage to launch the .224 heavies at around 3000FPS.

The .224 AR mag is the 6.5 Grendel necked down, but it's currently just a wildcat. But it likely allows for larger projectiles since the case is shorter and wider.
 

TonyRumore

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The 6.8spc is not the parent case. The 6.8 case is only 1.667" long whereas the 22 Nosler is 1.740"
The case body is shorter than a .223, but has a longer neck than a .223, so you can't chamber .223 in a 22 Nosler gun and you can't rechamber a .223 to 22 Nosler.

Tony
 

Jcann

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Sounds very interesting indeed. My main concern after jumping on the WSM chambering band wagon is after a few years will there still be support for the reloading community? Winchester dropped the ball on 7WSM brass. With all these Nosler semi wildcats coming out, is there going to be support for all of them years from now? If not, which ones will be difficult to reload due to insufficient quantities of brass?
 

7stw

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The 6.8spc is not the parent case. The 6.8 case is only 1.667" long whereas the 22 Nosler is 1.740"
The case body is shorter than a .223, but has a longer neck than a .223, so you can't chamber .223 in a 22 Nosler gun and you can't rechamber a .223 to 22 Nosler.

Tony

I stand corrected. It's a proprietary case design.
169ff8d399cf8158df37483237d62352.png
f36e3ef3bf0582c46c29fb611ecd64a6.png


Jcann the 26,28,30 and 33 nosler can be made from ultra mag brass. Trim to length and size similar to .300 blackout from 223.

Nosler I feel will support their chamberings with brass. They already make available some hard to find brass like 6.5-06 a square and 280 ackley. They however never did support the wsm family. I'm placing an order for an upper some dies and brass this week I'll post agin once I get it in and have a chance for a range day.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.
 

Jcann

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I stand corrected. It's a proprietary case design.
169ff8d399cf8158df37483237d62352.png
f36e3ef3bf0582c46c29fb611ecd64a6.png


Jcann the 26,28,30 and 33 nosler can be made from ultra mag brass. Trim to length and size similar to .300 blackout from 223.

Nosler I feel will support their chamberings with brass. They already make available some hard to find brass like 6.5-06 a square and 280 ackley. They however never did support the wsm family. I'm placing an order for an upper some dies and brass this week I'll post agin once I get it in and have a chance for a range day.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.

Yes you are correct with regards to the 26-33 Nosler but this new round isn't based on 404 Jeffery/RUM. If Nosler doesn't make additional chamberings off this case and once the newness wanes finding a ready supply of brass may be difficult not to mention very expensive, and then, maybe not. It's just something to consider before one jumps off into the deep end.

I can use 270/300wsm brass to reload my 7mm but I don't want to go through the additional steps to do so. I guess I could always rebarrel with 7mm x 300wsm since finding 300 brass is easier.

A 223ai would be something to consider if one is looking for speed above the 223. Forming the brass is easy, finding the brass to form is even easier, and case longevity will probably be greater. And yes, it will work in an AR platform after you have a barrel spun up.
 

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