.244 question

[Chris L Oliver]

I have a .244 question that I was hoping that someone could help me with. I am the proud owner off 2 .244s in 722s. I am hoping to shoot them and I really am not ready to handload right now. I went on line and found some custom loads that look good ( Two places I found were Conley Precision Cartridge Company and Kings Ammo). I can buy ammo loaded with bullets all the way down to 55 grains.

So here is my question. Kings Ammo lists 6mm ammo and in a seperate category 6mm/.244 ammo. They are loaded with the same bullets but the .244 ammo is loaded significantly lighter than the 6mm ammo (Maybe 300 fts slower). I would like to try a variety of loads but this concerns me. Could the cartridge length be the issue? That's a lot slower for a deeper seeting of the bullet. Do these guns just shoot better with a lighter load?

I have emailed Kings Ammo and Remington and nobody has answered my question. I am hoping that someone out there has an answer.

The other good news is that they also carry .222 Mag ammo so I can shoot that 722.

Thanks.

[Rem725]

They might be addressing the different twist rates in the 244-6mm barrels. Most 244's being a slower twist and not as suited for heavier bullets. The 6mm faster twist (rifling spins the bullet) will stabilize the heavier bullets.

Sometimes they load down a calibre if it is also likely to be used in a self loader or pump action rifle.

Don't go over about 85gr bullets in slow twist 244

[gunnut69]

The 722 and the short action M700 where the 6mmRem is usually found are the same basic action. The 6mm and 244 were both chambered in pump rifles and likely the autos also..but I'm not sure. In any case their loading the 244/6mm light for an auto would be interesting as the 30-06, a staple in the 740/742/etc series is not losded to differing pressures for the automatics. The twist rate differences between the slow and fast twist rifles was produced for a short time before Remington realized it's mistake.. and sped up the twist rate. I've heard different estimates but all wer under a year and most agreed 6 months was a likely max.. If the 244 has a fast slow twist barrel(test with a free rotating cleaning rod and a tight patch)it may well not handle the longer bullets well. Not a dangerous thing but poor accuracy can indeed result. If its the fast twist barrel(most likely) then it can be handled exactly as if it were a 6mmRem.. Just an aside..I looked an awfully long time before finsing a slow twist 244 for my collection,.,. I load it with a fairly still charge of 4320 and a 75 grain Sierra HP bullet for coyotes.. They never move!

[Chris L Oliver]

Thanks for the info. I also emailed Remington and they say that even though my .244s were built in late 55 and early 56, they are the faster twist (1 in 10"). Everything that I have read says that the fast twist wasn't manufactured till much later. It is surprising that all of those writers got that wrong. I also checked it with tight cleaning rod and it seems to be a 1 in 10 twist. I guess that I will have to see how they shoot.