Sako Vixen in 222 Rem Mag review; did I ruin this rifle by using the wrong ammo?

In this video I review one of my late father's varmint rifles; a beautiful and accurate Sako Vixen in 222 Remington Magnum. However, I grabbed two boxes of his reloads labeled "222" and didn't realize there was a 222 Remington, and a 222 Remington Magnum. Did I ruin this beautiful rifle by using the wrong ammo?

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Beautiful rifle. Those old Sako's are works of art! Your dad had good taste in guns. Both the .222 Rem and .222 Rem mag. are great cartridges. In regards to the primer blow-out, I don't think you damaged your dad's gun. The bolts and receivers are built to handle high pressures and escaping gases. What happened in your incident was the firing pin struck the primer and forced the entire cartridge forward (because a .222 case is shorter than the magnum version), there was enough space to blow out the primer. When I saw the 4198 powder loading, I immediately thought that it was a .222 Remington load. I would get a good reloading manual and find a reliable, accurate .222 Remington magnum load for that particular rifle, and stick with it. Save your brass, but you can still get new brass for it, just be prepared to do some searching. The .204 Ruger cartridge was derived from the .222 Rem. mag. case. Now that we know you have both .222 Remington and .222 magnum ammo, I have to wonder where the .222 Remington rifle is? Perhaps another Sako Vixen ??? Sorry to hear you are selling the property, it would be nice to be able to keep it.

[@bertlawrence6316]

I think that shooting a .222 in the Mag chamber you created a bore obstruction when the bullet lept out of the case and engaged the rifling. Thus, over pressure in the chamber, blowing out the neck and splitting the shoulder of the .222 case.

[@markcarew6724]

No, you didn't damage the rifle. Your rifle is beautiful, by the way. A good lesson about inspecting ammunition for one's rifle. Especially since you weren't injured. My condolences regarding the tragic loss of your father and his home.

[@jazzflounder67]

The fired case looks nothing like a 222 mag. I would think its a different chambering, maybe 223? At the very least run a borescope through the chamber and make sure theres no obstructions.

[@hungryyeti2548]

Not a stockfactory

[@gersh2215]

should have checked bore for obstruction after rupture

[@jeffely1828]

Thanks for showing Mayby you can help somone not make that same mistake This is how you learn you not dumb Just didn’t know and now you do Seems to us avid jandloaders that everyone should know this but how would you You just unfortunately got the stuff dropped on your lap.

[@withoutprejudice8301]

$500K for 10 acres?!

[@ChronicalsofAl]

So what is the rifle, 222 rem mag?

[@treyveston7965]

@@ChronicalsofAl yep. .222 Rem Magnum.

[@ChronicalsofAl]

@@treyveston7965 I have to think it was better this way than the other way around! Probably couldn't have closed the bolt though. Lucky you weren't shooting something like a 7 mag versus a 7x57

[@mattluszczak8095]

did you use 222mag load data in a 222 case?

[@victoraguilera5805]

Can you shoot 223 in a 222 rem mag?

[@markcarew6724]

There would be excessive headspace with the 223 ammunition.