Introduced this year, the .22 Nosler is making a big impact with hunters. Photo Courtesy: Nosler
There is a very specialized realm inside the firearms industry that those on the outside rarely know about. The realm of ballistics can appear mythical and those that are passionate about it are seen as ballistic Yodas that are constantly calculating ballistic coefficient and velocity in search of the golden round. They find immense pleasure in pushing the limits of cartridges, and the performance they can provide. These men and women are the ballistic technicians and occasionally they produce a game changer. This is exactly the case with the folks over at Nosler and their new .22 Nosler round.
Faster and Faster!
The .22 Nosler is a flat-shooting cartridge. With a simple magazine and upper change, shooters can outfit their AR-15 to shoot .22 Nosler. Photo Courtesy: Nosler
There has always been a desire to improve the .223 Rem./5.56 NATO round that is so commonly fired from the AR platform. With that in mind, the .22 Nosler was created with the goal of making the most powerful .22 caliber centerfire cartridge that would reliably function in the AR platform. And function it does! The new .22 Nosler is roughly 300 feet per second (fps) faster than .223/5.56 with over 30 percent more energy. With 25 percent more capacity, the 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet launches out at 3,350 fps through an 18-inch barreled AR-15 and a 77-grain custom competition bullet flies at a screaming 2,950 fps. The product of this is a very flat shooting round that delivers a serious punch downrange. This is approaching velocities found in the .22-250 Remington in a much smaller package.
When asked about the new cartridge, John Nosler, executive vice president of Nosler said, “The AR-15 is indisputably one of the most popular firearms among shooting enthusiasts across the globe. 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.”
While applications of this round are many, it is the hunting and specifically the varmint and predator hunting crowd that is excited. The round is very flat shooting, which means that there will be a decreased point of aim/point of impact change. While a 55-grain .223 round will begin its nose dive around 400 yards, the .22 Nosler is just beginning to make any noticeable drop. This means that the strike zone for the Nosler remains small for longer ranges. In a nutshell, it allows you to shoot farther without having to dial or hold for elevation. On top of that, when the round arrives on target the Nosler still carries a punch.
Veritas
Specialized Dynamics’ Veritas rifle is a custom AR that can be ordered in .22 Nosler. Photo Courtesy: Specialized Dynamics
This will intrigue many, but there may be a hesitation to buy yet another rifle. Worry not! The .22 Nosler is designed to be run on a standard AR lower. All you will need is a .22 Nolser-chambered upper and a 6.8 Remington SPC magazine. Or you can swap the barrel of your .223-chambere AR for a .22 Nosler and utilize a 6.8 SPC magazine. You can use your existing .223 bolt carrier group. The .223 Rem. and .22 Nosler use the same bolt face. The change out is simple and fast. There are some serious shooters out there however that will indeed want a dedicated rifle chambered in .22 Nosler. There will be several shops in the industry working to fill this niche, but only one is directly supported by Nosler. Specialized Dynamics in Chandler, Arizona, is one of the best kept secrets in the business.
SPECS
- Cartridge: .22 Nosler
- Upper: Billet non-reciprocating side charge
- Lower: Billet with integrated trigger guard
- Barrel: Proof Research 22 in. 22 Nosler
- Twist: 1:8 in.
- Handguard: 16.5 in. M-LOK
- Stock: Magpul PRS
- Trigger: 1 lb., 8 oz. Timney AR-15 Calvin Elite
- Grip: Ergo Deluxe
- Safety: Ambi. 45 degree
- Muzzlebrake: POF Triple port
- Finish: Vulcan Red Gun Candy
- MSRP: $2,000
- Manufacturer: Specialized Dynamics
The Magpul PRS stock made properly fitting the Veritas easy. Photo Courtesy: Specialized Dynamics
A master gun builder and cornerstone of the predator hunting world, Scott Milkovich is the brains and brawn behind Specialized Dynamics (SD). Milkovich is one of the founding members of the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and sponsored shooter for both Nosler and U.S. Optics. In short, the man knows what he is doing. At the 2017 SHOT (shooting, hunting outdoor trade) show in Las Vegas, Milkovich was featured in Nosler’s booth as they announced the release of the new round. SD built a new rifle based around the .22 Nosler round. The Veritas is striking with its red upper/lower receiver and handguard, and bold logo design. The upper on the rifle is billet and designed with a non-reciprocating side charging handle. This is a great design feature that will be appreciated by anyone who understands the importance of remaining on the rifle when you have to run the action.
Proof Research is known for their high-quality barrels. The Veritas features a 22-inch Proof barrel chambered in .22 Nosler with a Patriot Ordnance Factory Triple Port muzzlebrake. Photo Courtesy: Specialized Dynamics
Moving forward, you can’t help but notice the Proof Research barrel. It has a carbon fiber wrap design and is as good looking as it is accurate. It is 22 inches long with a 1:8-inch twist rate. The handguard is a 16½-inch with M-LOK attachments and the barrel is capped off with a Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF) Triple Port muzzlebrake. The lower is a billet design that also and includes an integrated trigger guard. It is built out with an Ergo deluxe pistol grip and a Magpul PRS stock to allow the gun to fit a wide variety of shooters. With speed in mind, the safety is a 45-degree ambidextrous style. The trigger in the rifle was carefully chosen, and it is a Timney AR-15 Calvin Elite. This is a brand new trigger from Timney and is like nothing seen before in the AR market. It maintains a traditional 5-pound hammer spring but is coupled with a crisp and zero creep 1½-pound pull. The reset is short and notably one of the quickest in the AR platform — allowing for rapid and precise follow-up shots. It is a great trigger for this rifle. The rifle is finished by Specialized Dynamics in a Vulcan Red Gun Candy coating. It is one of the best looking rifles that I have come across in some time. Alas, no rifle coming from Specialized Dynamics is designed to be a safe dweller so we took it to the range.
Making Holes
The author found the .22 Nosler to be extremely accurate at 100 yards.
I have worked with Milkovich at Specialized Dynamic previously, so when I asked about getting some time on his new rifle he was kind enough to accommodate. We packed up and headed out to ventilate our targets. The gun we would be testing is the exact gun I was shown and handled previously. The only addition would be some U.S. Optics glass and a Harris bipod. One variable that we would face in this range session is ammunition. While I would normally bring along at least three flavors of ammunition from different companies for testing, the relatively new nature of the round would limit us to production ammo from Nosler and handloads from Specialized Dynamics. While not as wide a variety to compare, it would serve us well in this setting.
Testing would be from the prone position, and the weather was completely cooperative. There was barely a breeze on a clear sunny Arizona morning. One zero was confirmed, we began shooting groups. The trigger helped dramatically as the gun can’t be any more than 8 pounds before glass. Having a light trigger with a standard hammer spring made for some smooth shooting. The Magpul PRS stock was a solid choice and was easily adjusted for the testing. It quickly became clear that the rifle is a shooter. No wiggle, slop or rattle that is so common in off-the-shelf rifles. It was like driving a fine sport scar and shortly thereafter wanting one.
The 70-grain Specialized Dynamics handloads shot second best with an average of .65 inch and a best of .6 inch.
We ran three sets of rounds through the gun. First up was the Nosler Match Grade .22 Nosler 77-grain load. This round has hunting written all over it, and I predict many deer and antelope falling to it in the upcoming seasons. We then moved into Milkovich’s secret stash of handloads. Being a long-time precision shooter he quickly found a recipe that the rifle loved. We ran both a 70-grain reduced drag factor (RDF) bullet as well as a 55-grain version. While all the ammunition performed well, it was Milkovich’s 55-grain handloads that ruled the day with a ½-inch group. His 70-grain was right behind it with a group barley a grease ring larger and then the factory Nosler 77-grain at ¾ inch. While I was never a naysayer about the .22 Nosler round, I did not truly appreciate just how flat shooting it was. The other benefit of the round is added power. The round has 30 percent more energy than its .223/5.56 cousin, and it was obvious when we moved to steel. While I am accustomed to a serious snap on my steel popper target when I shoot ARs, the action on the steel from the .22 Nosler was dramatically more. Suffice it to say that coyotes or any other target will fold quickly with the increased striking power of the round.
Round Up
Shooting never gets old, but occasionally certain days on the range I simply enjoy more. Getting to run the Veritas in .22 Nosler allowed me time on both a new gun and a new round. Specialized Dynamics has hit a home run with this rifle. It is the perfect mix of custom rifle at an affordable price. The gun is listed out with the parts I have mentioned, but Specialized Dynamics is a custom shop that can make alterations a client desires. As for the .22 Nosler round, I believe it is a winner and one that will soon make its way into the lines of many manufacturers.
To learn more about the .22 Nosler, click https://www.nosler.com/22-nosler/ .
To learn more about Specialized Dynamics, click https://www.sdrifles.com/home.html .
To learn more about PRS, click https://www.precisionrifleseries.com .
To purchase an AR-15 on GunsAmerica.com, click https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search/Family/2/1/AR15-Rifles.html.
After reading the comments I can tell not a single individual is a die hard predator Hunter. AR’s are the go to gun in the predator hunters arsenal. A gun that will let you shoot a bullet 15/20 fps heavier at the same speed as a standard .223 is a huge deal to me. I shoot long range with all my guns and can tell you a standard 55 gr projectile is done at 300 yards due to wind and terminal velocity. This cartridge adds roughly 200 yards to my effective range and that’s not a big deal? Sure A 220, 243, 22-250 all are lethal cartridges but are they readily available in a AR platform? I’ve shot 243 in AR platform and own 243, 22-250 in bolt guns. The recoil is a factor for follow up shots hence the reason for a AR platform in the first place.
This cartridge delivers performance to your AR! You only need to buy pretty much a new AR. Well, just the part that cost’s 80-90% of the total cost of the gun.
It’s going to be much cheaper and just as effective to buy a Rem 700 in 22-250 to hunt with and if you’re looking for a more effective defensive round against perps you need to step out of the realm of the .22 caliber bullet altogether.
I hate say it on here, but there are a lot of us speed freeks, weather it is get extra speed from our cars or trucks to the guns we shoot. I think you all may be missing the point. Not one person has said anything bad about the tried and true calibers, they are just saying that they like their speed. (higher velocities, not drugs)
WHen you I think of a cartridge that has come and on its way out that saddens me a little, it is the Remington’s 30AR. That is a cartride that would fill a lot of voids that are not provided by standard AR calibers.
Get yourself a 30HRT barrel from ARP and your 30AR lust will be quenched.
Lets get real. The idea is to always come out with something new ? and better? This keeps sales up for those who are always looking for something that will solve their inability to shoot what they have with any success. The old good ones seem to never die. 45-70,30-06,30-30,223,243, the list goes on and on. All in all these companies need to stay in business,so for those still looking have fun,enjoy, it’s a great game and for many years I played it. No complaints. If you can budget new toys. Buy them try them and move on. In many cases back to the ones that have stood the test of time.
Has anyone tried making an AR that runs on 22-250? Seems a lot easier than developing an entirely new round to shake the dust off of coyotes. I can’t find fault with the .243 either. I must be old fashioned.
The problem is cartridge length. 22-250 is basically .308 sized, so an AR10 size AR is required, not the AR15 size AR.
BUT, the valkyre blows this one (a .223 Ackley improved, basically) away.
August 24 1967 I just about lost my hand to an CDM (same as todays IAD) the surgon tolde me if the round was fired from an “16” it would have blown off my hand. now why do we need a more powerful round as a Inf. Paratrooper with my Colt “little black rifle we caused havoc with the “Elephant Gun” (M-14) for fighting in the jungle the weapon was ideal. Not to be morbid, I seen the results of our firefights against the enemy, it wasn’t pretty. I keep hearing coyote hunters criticize the AR for not having enough stopping power, well all I can say either they’re lousy shots of coyotes are a lot tougher than enemy soldiers!
the biggest complaint I have heard from “legs” (non-airborne Army & Marines) was it was too hard to keep clean. and some jammed if you put 20 rds. instead of less in the magazine. The 173 and 1ST bde 101Abn. went to Vietnam with the little black rifle. They kicked ass time and time again. STRIKE FORCE 0 Duce Batailion.
The AR they are referring to is the .223/5.56, whereas your M14 shot 7.62 x 51 (.308), right? Granted, .223 should be plenty for coyote, but I imagine it depends on the distance. What I got out of the article is that the new cartridge flew straighter and was good at longer distances.
Thank you for your service, I was a leg my wife was one of the 1st 200 female paratroopers. She was at Bragg 18th Corp 82md. Abn Div. 15 jumps in 16 months on jump status. I was unable to go airborne due to a knee injury while in MP AIT. I also hold MOS as a mechanic pretty much anything the Army had that has a motor I could work on….and did. Also hold the MOS of petroleum pipeline specialist, and as MI non radio intercept and analysis. Gulf War I vet total of 16 yrs active and Reserves kinda got messed up and couldn’t get my 20 in which is what i wanted but….
An answer in search of a question. I’ll bet that the firearms industry in this country spends the least on marketing as compared to any other industry. When it comes to things that go bang, most ‘Muricans will buy anything.
Beautiful rifle, but a new upper and mags to switch to a designer cartridge that may or may not be around in a few years sounds risky to me!
Ho hum! Yet another cartridge from Nosler that does not fit any niche not already filled by other just as capable cartridges. Not sure why Nosler feels this new stable of even numbered calibers was even necessary in the first place. We all get hung up on ballistics and hype when the real issue is (and has always been) being able to hit what you’re aiming at. I’m just as effective with my .222 Remington as I would be with a 22 Nosler, and I do not have to shell out big bucks for proprietary ammunition and brass. Sorry, Nosler; you can’t fool me, and I know you won’t be fooling anyone else except those armchair “experts” who can’t tell a primer from press. Which reminds me of another cartridge that’s overly hyped, unnecessary, and duplicative of existing great cartridges: the 6.5 Creedmor. Where is all this crap coming from?
HO Hum I started my Gunsmithing in 1962 and was never happy, I built a lot of 25-06 and 22-250 s. as taht was the wild cat at that time.I had built so many through the years that I decided I wanted something different. A 6.5-06. WOW I thought I had stumbled on to somthing great. Then I found out a guy had built the same in 1909. Nothing new in this world. I still liked the 25 cal. So I built me a 257 improved. Then I built me a 6.5 Norma off of a 404 Jeffery case or the 284 Win. case. Look at all the new short mags win has and they are good. I never did like the mags as they ook so much powder and I always to my customers, if you ask the deer, he would not know if he got shot with a bullt going 3000 fps or going 2500fps. He is still dead.
I guess that is my rant. I always tell my two boys to read the books. I still learn.I hope you enjoy.
I did not mean I was not happy gunsmithing, just in the calibers i was building, and keeping the customer happy is what it is all about. You and I both are right and so is everyone else. We have our own opinions and there we are. Have a great fourth of July.
Reinventing the wheel. If you really want a souped-up .22, get a .22-250 or .220 Swift. Like the M1 .30 cal. carbine, the AR-16 was never intended to be a front-line battle rifle. It is too anemic for real work, and why you saw a rush to resurrect the M-14 in the Middle East sand. Try as they might, the ammo gurus cannot rewrite the laws of physics. Smaller may be lighter, but it is not always better. Sometimes you have to man-up to a heavier rifle and caliber that defy compromise. Given a choice, most experienced American soldiers in World War II reached for the “heavy” Garand when their lives were on the line. Considering the M-14, is there really a more researched and proven battle-rifle round than the 7.62x51mm NATO? Perhaps this is also why real warriors like the Marines still pack 1911 .45s into the desert. When you have to pull a handgun, they know bigger is better. After all, the Yankee Fist is the original single-tap. It was in the trenches of World War I, in the close-quarters combat of World War II, on the frozen hills of Korea and in the tunnels of Vietnam. Kind of like the M2 .50 cal. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. Politics should never dictate military ordnance.
The .223/5.56 is an absolutely wicked round as first deployed. All the monkey business over the lack of lethality began after the switch to the NATO M855 62 grain loading with 1/7 twist. Some idiot decided to saw a half foot off the barrel and over stabilize the round so it just makes nice clean little .224 holes. The jihadis etc. who kept on running after hits from M855 rounds would have folded up like a cheap suit if hit by a 55 grain fmjbt M193 round launched from the 20 inch barrel with 1/12 twist. AJMHO of course.
Is it a barrel burner just like the Bowler . 26?
Nosler, stupid autocorrect.
I always wanted to drive “a fine sport scar.” :)))
Definitely an interesting round!
Being a dyed in the wool steel and wood guy(hey I’m old) This doesn’t get the juices flowing. Neat Idea…but kind of falls flat. My 222 mag does much better than this at well under half the cost…scoped. With the 60 gr Partition it takes deer and antelope just fine and weighs under 8 pounds scoped. It is a supreme coyote rifle too. No proprietary ammo or anything. Still this is a nice looking rifle if you like the AR “platform”. Not knocking the AR as I do have 2 or 3…so does my wife. Have a Bushmaster Varminter that can do this well at under half the cost too. Glad to see innovation in the gun industry…but now days it seems to boil down to making something new to boost sales rather than new cals/rifles that are truly different.
I think a necked up 6mm would be ideal for this cartridge.
I think a necked up 6mm would be ideal for this cartridge.
Yeah it is called the 6mm Hagar but with out the rebated rim. You would just need to run a 6.8 spc bolt.
This is all well & good & I’m happy for those of you who live to make the AR-15 bigger, better, faster & stronger. I have never cared for the AR-15 platform, but find no quarrel with those who do. My .22 line up is (in ascending power), .22 lr, .22 mag, .218 Bee, .223, & .22/250. I have horsed with other .22s, mainly the Hornet & the Swift, but have closed out those chapters in my shooting experience. I would rather shoot .22 Mag, paying straight retail than to have to load Hornet, & the .22/250 is just too close to the Swift to bother with the minuscule difference the Swift generates. This new ,22 Nosler seems to me as being awfully close to the old .222 Magnum ballistically to bother with all the extra trouble to get set up & running with it. I understand that there are those who will lay awake at night obsessed with the thought of acquiring one, but I’ll pass, having my .22 bases already pretty well covered.
Let’s see, a $2000 boutique AR in a saturated market, firing a specialty round which, like most specialty rounds, will be unobtainium when next the winds of government shift, all for an additional 300fps, which can readily be achieved on any 5.56 platform by going from an 18 inch to a 20 inch barrel…what could possibly go wrong?
Sorry guys, you have missed the mark with this one.
As much as I DISLIKE 5.56 (24 years Army, most of infantry) I see this as a solution in search of a problem. The real problem with the 5.56, is a combination of overstabilization against soft targets, and too MUCH velocity for close in work, creating .223 caliber straight through, and a “sweet spot” for instability further out. None of this is going to be solved by going faster.
The fact that you’re still holding onto the “overstabilization” issue after the emergence of the SS109 (M855) means you’re behind the times. Bullet weight and twist rate changed all that.
That was the M193 load.
Having USED the M855 in actual combat, not just against paper men, I can tell you that you are very much mistaken. While I wouldn’t want to take fire from even a pellet gun, I do know that a round and weapon system that, after fifty years, people are still saying “But….it’s fixed…NOW!” is an exercise in self delusion. How much fixing had to be done with the 7.62×51, or if you like, the 5.45×39 ? Oh yea…NONE.
Having used and extensively tested the M855 projectile on coyotes, I’m very correct.
It was developed to address the issue of long range ‘upset’ and deformation when hitting light barriers, the common complaint of the m193 load
So I use it because it DOESN’T upset and ruin the pelt at ranges out to 400 meters.
I only punch paper to sight in, I have far more real world experience on live tissue targets than paper.
And I’m pushing it faster than the Mil spec load.
BTW, Did you actually examine your kills???
The M855 is NOT “over stabilized” (a bullshit term, btw) in the newer twist rate barrels, period.
There are dozens of articles on the why of the M855 round, and the fact that the original M193 was simply too light and poorly made compared to modern bullet manufacturing.
The 1/7 twist was adopted primarily to stabilize the 64 grain M856 tracer round. Fine for the M249 SAW but worthless in an M4/16.
The M855 1/7 is the over stabilized round, not the M193 1/12. The 1/12 destabilizes when it hits out to about two hundred yards causing a catastrophic break at the cannelure sending two 25 grain ragged fragments whizzing through the enemy. Beyond 200 it tumbles after striking the enemy. Beats the hell out of the M855 setup’s clean .224 hole. Again, AJMHO.
That was the M193 round. That’s exactly the point. Before they overstablized it it would tumble in flight and do more damage. Once they stopped that it just made .223 holes in people.
What about barrel life? The old 220 Swift was this fast, but scorched the tube a lot faster than the .223.
Great! Now why don’t fit the same case with a bullet able to take medium game at moderate range?.25 up to .30 caliber, say 115-125 grain maybe?
22-250 is still better.
There are a lot of broad brush statements in the article and a lack of specifics on comparisions. You group the .223 and 5.56 together when they are ballisticly different, obvious the Nosler 22 is being peddled. Let me be specific:
I can buy a box of Winchester .223 Ballistic Silvertip 50gn, 3,4101Fps, 2910 ME. No need to buy a barrel or new upper and a mag. I think the 5gn difference in bullet weight is a fair trade off to beat the Nozler22 by 140 Fps and not need to invest in a new caliber: gun parts, reloading dies and material. You also broad brush the balistic top end saying it “approaches the 22-250” well so does a 22LR to a point, lol, the 22-250 car run 4000 Fps, 700 Fps faster then the Nozler22.
I’m not saying anything bad about the Nozler22, just clearing the smoke and mirrors being used a props to advance it. Readers deserve clear and correct information.
Here.. here. Well stated.
Congrats to Nosler who seems to be doing well with their new calibers. OK, so a newer, faster AR15 round is here, just when we thought the market was saturated. Roy Weatherby and Parker Ackley did it pretty well with bolt weapons but it’s difficult to find the caliber sweet spot that last more than a couple years. The AR15 market is hot because there is so much production that you can find it in all price ranges for all people, but the real next genuine winner may be whatever caliber the military chooses to replace the 5.56.
I have a 220 swift and nothing is as fast. as I said earlier a dead deer is dead. no matter how fast it is going. I am still shooting the same barrel as when I bough the gun in 1969. JUST DO NOT WANT to look down the bore. I still shoot dogs at 300 and 400 yards.