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Guide

222 Remington Ammo 2026: Varmint Loads From the Makers

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 5 current .222 Remington loads on Federal's, Remington's and Hornady's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal, 2 from Remington and 2 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 3 makers, not every .222 Remington load sold.

Federal and Remington loads show the usage label each maker prints on its own page, copied as written. Hornady is listed in its own table, because Hornady prints no usage label. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Federal and Remington loads

Figures are copied from each maker page. The usage label is the maker’s own wording.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker usage labelMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Power-Shok Rifle222 Rem222A50 gr Jacketed Soft Point3,140 fps1,095 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Small GameAvailable
Remington High Performance Rifle222 Rem2130350 gr Pointed Soft Point3,140 fps1,095 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Small GameAvailable
Remington Premier AccuTip-V222 Rem2917450 gr AccuTip-V3,140 fps1,095 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20VarmintAvailable

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, the Superformance line. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Superformance222 Rem830935 gr NTX® Superformance®3,760 fps1,099 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance222 Rem831650 gr V-MAX® Superformance®3,345 fps1,242 ft-lb24 in20Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 35 gr to 50 gr. The lightest is Hornady Superformance 35 gr (8309), and the heaviest are 4 loads, including Federal Power-Shok Rifle 50 gr (222A) and Remington High Performance Rifle 50 gr (21303). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 3,760 fps, Hornady Superformance 35 gr (8309), tested on a 24 in barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 1,242 ft-lb, Hornady Superformance 50 gr (8316), tested on a 24 in barrel. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 5 loads, 3 list no test barrel, 2 list 24 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal and Remington. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .222 Remington is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .222 Remington, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges, so do not read those numbers as .222 Remington data.

.222 Remington: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "222 REMINGTON [222 REM]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 05/29/1979 and revised 03/31/2022. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 50,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 500 in psi/100). SAAMI also lists a crusher maximum average pressure of 46,000 CUP (the table shows 460 in CUP/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 2.040 in minimum to 2.130 in maximum. Case length is 1.700 in (−.020). Bullet diameter is .2245 in (−.0030). Bore is .219 in and groove is .224 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 14.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .222 Remington MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 50,000 psi / 500 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .222 Remington, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .222 Remington

The .222 Remington is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 35 gr to 50 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .22-250 Remington ammo, .220 Swift ammo, .223 WSSM ammo, .204 Ruger ammo, 5.56 and .223 ammo, .22 Hornet ammo, .243 Win ammo, .22 Creedmoor ammo, the SAAMI maximum average pressure table, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .222 Remington?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 50,000 psi for .222 Remington, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 500 in psi/100).
What grain is .222 Remington ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 35 gr to 50 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .222 Remington ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 3,140 fps to 3,760 fps, and muzzle energies from 1,095 ft-lb to 1,242 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .222 Remington ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Power-Shok Rifle .222 Remington 50 gr Jacketed Soft Point, item 222A (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Remington: Remington High Performance Rifle .222 Remington 50 gr Pointed Soft Point, item 21303 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. Remington: Remington Premier AccuTip-V .222 Remington 50 gr AccuTip-V, item 29174 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  4. Hornady: Hornady Superformance .222 Remington 35 gr NTX® Superformance®, item 8309 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  5. Hornady: Hornady Superformance .222 Remington 50 gr V-MAX® Superformance®, item 8316 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  6. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .222 Remington drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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