Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .22 RF alternatives

Boys, I'm grateful for the dialog on this topic. When this started I had no expectation it would wind up like this but...

Mentioned above is a potential brass source I've located and based on conversation with them today I see no reason to expect anything other than brass compatible for the SAAMI .22 LR chamber. Subject to filling in another couple of blanks I'll move forward and find out where the Devil dwells in this project.

I'm going to need a mould and have no idea who might be willing to make something to duplicate the .22 LR bullet w/heel to my specs.

I'll be needing a shell holder for purposes of decapping and a seat die that incorporates a taper crimp to specs as of yet undeveloped. The seat die need not be Rockchucker compatible, but I would not mind that. I rather imagine the shell holder should be compatible to enable seating the primers. Otherwise, the forces required to load this little beast will not be great.

Open to suggestions for source and style at your convenience.

Last thought goes to the Everlasting case idea. I like it, but am going to focus on the RF substitute in the near term. If one of you wishes to pursue the idea, go for it! Sit back long enough and I might beat you to it.

Regards,

DD

I'm leaning towards the Everlasting case idea. I can meticulously turn a couple on my miniature lathe- if done right, a handful should last, well, forever. The stumbling block for me will be having a chamber reamer ground to accommodate the special case- I'm envisioning a thicker case than a .22LR with around 2grain Bullseye capacity max, case mouth reamed for a .225" 45 grain cast bullet to be a snug thumb seated fit, with a ledge for the base to rest upon. .225" throat, .224 barrel, perhaps a 1 1/2 degree included angle leade for heavier longer nosed bullets. A couple potential donor rifles stand ready to receive it- either a Martini Cadet or Stevens 44. The Stevens would be better adapted to breech seating if I want to get truly crazy with this.

A Pope-style de/re-capper would be tasty- a couple weekends in the shop could see that accomplished. A tiny powder dipper, once the best load is worked out, would round out the tools needed to manage the rifle. Slow shooting for sure, but what's time to a pig? Spend the day at the range with a cup of powder, box of primers, box of bullets, a single cartridge case, a loaf of bread, and thou beside me crying in the wilderness.

I guess I better work up a drawing and start looking for someone to make a chamber reamer. At the risk of putting the cart before the horse, I think in this instance I would be well advised to cut the chamber first and then turn the cases to be a snug custom fit.

Thinking some more about this, the Stevens 44 would be more conducive to a switch-barrel system due to its design, allowing me to employ Digital (Dangerous?) Dan's design in a package deal for added pleasure (insanity).

There's 3-4 44s parked in the corner here,.....some derelict, some really fresh.
I'll model a ".32 Short / 22" and a ".38 Short / 25" , and post pics, and dims, directly time allows
....might even venture towards a .25 / .22,....but don't like the flimsiness inherent there, as opposed to thicker wall everlasts.

Don't think Rockchucker's gonna have the raw power to seat those pure lead , or BPC alloy .22 bullets Dan,.....probly need something a lot bigger.



GTC

Got around to scoping/slugging the bore on the .300 Rook. Being a Martini action I used the Hawkeye from the muzzle. I first noted very deep lands & grooves. That was the good news. The occasional pits, and the loose spot in front of the chamber were the bad news

A 00 buckshot ball used as the slug:



Near as I can tell the groove dia is .297" or so.

I can't reach the chamber with the Hawkeye, so I need to find one of those flexible borescope thingys that works with an iPhone and see why the bore is loose in front of the chamber. I don't see any bulges in the barrel exterior, but something is amiss.

I really wanted to shoot it in the original chambering, but the bore wear certainly creates an opportunity to rebore it to something like a .32-20 or .38 Special

.32 Federal?

assuming this is directed this way.
,,,as good a platform , reamer modification start point,....might be as good a place as any.

The cartridge design I'm suggesting does NOT need a custom reamer, and in truth, I'd rather just as soon be putting a depth stop on a common, VERY affordable chucking reamer, and THEN dealing with concentric throating,....per normal , everyday, concentric lead bullet practice. Rim recesses can be cut with boring bars,....hell in ACCURATE rifles, they SHOULD be.

The WALL THICKNESS implied by the phrase "Everlasting" pretty much dismisses concerns about "taper" ....straight walls will work just ducky.

GTC

That one is a candidate as well, though I wonder if it will clean up completely going from .297 to .312.

Mornin' all,.....those dims called out,....over what length ,...e,g. .312 to .297 in .XXX " ?

The barrel's 26" or so. But it has some deep pits and a real loose spot in front of the chamber. Can't see it with the tools on hand.

Sounds like the perfect candidate for relining.

GTC

Dan,

I'm not positive but I believe NOE will do custom bullet molds. You can always reach out and ask.

http://noebulletmoulds.com/

Thanks, will give them a ring.

Actually, I think most mold makers will make a custom mold. However, you may need to provide the plans to them...

Custom is not the issue so much as bullet size. My favorite supplier does none under .30 caliber for example. Too, I prefer to pay a little more for quality than less for junk. Cheaper in the long run.

An old alternative:



Bruce

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

Here is the whole magazine, so you can read the rest of the article:

https://gunsmagazine.com/1960issues/G0160.pdf

Bruce

Smiling here a bit. My Google-Foo is strong.

http://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/products

Heeled .22 40 grain double cavity mould, shell holder and crimp die....

Some real eye candy there, Dan,
That 60 gr Aguila catch your eye, by any chance ?

GTC