Rainy day and a good time to look under rocks for answers to puzzles on this topic. Heretic that I am, four long rifle cartridges were disassembled today for inspection and measurement. I learned a few things along the way.

Hey, last time I pulled a rimfire bullet I might have been 18 or so...

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The victims and specs, such as they are, follow in LR order of the photo. I will post the mic'd diameter of the bullet heel but see no use in the information due to distortion from pulling same from crimped cases.


Old school Winchester EZXS in the 50 round yellow box: Heel - .180-.190"; case wall .008", charge weight 2.5 gr/~60% load density

CCI Quiet: Heel .198-.202", case wall .008", charge weight .55 gr

Federal Auto Match: Heel .204-.206", case wall .008", charge weight 1.4 gr.

CCI SV: Heel .197-.201:, case wall .008", charge weight 1.0 gr, Load Density ~40%

The bullet/case diameter for all but the CCI SV was .224". The CCI SV case was .224" and the bullet .2235"

Logic suggests the heel diameter prior to mutilation should be .208". Having no frame of reference I was somewhat amazed to see common aspects of some components. All bullets had a cupped base that was close to a full hemisphere in form. All cases were primed with what appeared to be the same light green priming mix despite the age of the Winchester sample. Sticker on the box said $1.29 and the bullets had converted their copper wash to a white powder fungus looking mess.

The exercise raises a question for which I have no answer. How did Col. Askins pull and reuse the bullets successfully for his .221 Askins? I define "successfully" as winning the championship at the match referenced previously. Did he sneak in a swage die we don't know about? laugh

The array of powders found in the cartridges just amazes me. The dark powders at each end of the array are quite similar in appearance and ridiculously fine, almost a true powder, or dust like. The CCI Quiet powder looks a lot like a flake version of Trail Boss. Number 3 looks a bit like WW231 in form but the color is quite a bit darker than 231. Lots of graphite on #2 & #, otherwise not a hint of that in the other two.

I'll be back in a day or three with a sketch of what might serve the cause and we can have us a "design a new cartridge" contest. First prize is a plastic hula girl for the dash of your truck.

DD

I am..........disturbed.

Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain