Rifle · Experimental
.222 Special
Developmental Remington small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge that became the .223 Remington after naming and standardization changes..
- Caliber
- 0.2244″ · 5.7 mm
- Introduced
- 1957
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .222 Remington
- Primary use
- Experimental, Military development
- Status
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1957
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Remington / U.S. SCHV development team
- Manufacturer
- Remington Arms
- Standard
- Experimental
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Collector
- Primer
- Small Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
Introduced by Remington Arms
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .222 Special, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .222 Remington
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.70 | 0.224 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.43 | 0.253 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 9.00 | 0.354 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 23° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 9.58 | 0.377 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.14 | 0.045 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 5.15 | 0.203 | ≈ |
| Case length | 44.70 | 1.760 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 57.40 | 2.260 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .222 Special is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Created during late-1950s SCHV rifle development; an essential bridge between the .222 Remington lineage and the commercial .223 Remington.
FAQs
- What bullet diameter is .222 Special?
- .222 Special uses a 0.2244″ (5.7 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .222 Special still in production?
- .222 Special is obsolete; typical availability is collector.
- What is .222 Special used for?
- .222 Special is primarily used for experimental, military development.
- What is .222 Special based on?
- .222 Special is derived from the .222 Remington case.
Sources & provenance
- Standard SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute) — ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 – 2015 (Centerfire Rifle) — Velocity & Pressure / Cartridge & Chamber Drawings · bullet ⌀, velocity archived
- Secondary Wikipedia — .223 Remington · year archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →