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

This is my first post here. I stumbled across this topic in a web search and it caught my attention.

While I was reading this thread, I wondered if the full length die and shell plate, linked below, would fit the bill? The shell plate doesn't have a hole in the base, but that could be remedied with a drill press or lathe. Then you could use a standard press and a universal decapping die to deprime and full length size if needed with the included die. I don't see that priming with a standard hand priming tool would be that hard. Get a .25 ACP shell holder and go to town. The .25 ACP has same rim thickness as the 22lr and 0.024 rim diameter difference.

http://www.brassworldeshop.com/sharpshooterresizingdiefor22lr22longand22shortwithshellholder.aspx

My next question is, have you thought about trying Universal Clays as a powder?

I've been thinking about a project just like this. I'm thinking about using my 77/22 as a donor rifle and getting a second bolt for it to convert to centerfire. Just change bolts to switch back and forth. Maybe a Ruger American Rimfire and rework the firing pin to centerfire. Again just change the bolt to shoot the ammo you want.

Welcome to the 'Fire, shiwarlock!

Ed

Welcome.

Lot's of good people here on the fire. Put your cast iron underwear on over your thick skin and enjoy the ride.


Jeff

I did consider U. Clays and have a fair supply, just haven't walked down that path yet.

As far as the dies go, a fella might get some mileage out of the SS dies, but there are some things to ponder when doing this exercise. One of them are the constraints posed by heeled bullet dims. Not clear to me what specs the SS dies use and at this point I'm certain there are some differences between match grade and standard production, and that manufactured here in the US versus imported brands.

I'll be plinkin' a bit this afternoon and find out how it fares on the 50 yard line.

IIRC Hodgdon Lil Gun is used in some commercial rimfires.

Seems counterintuitive to me but will give it a try.

My dad shot either cast bullets or bullets similar to what Steve is showing during WW II. I think his folks, mother and father shot cast bullets during the 20's and 30's, and my great grandfather and great grandmother shot only cast in their muzzle loader(s). (He got his thumb shot off at Gettysburg.)

I'm not sure of the cartridge as dad upgraded to a 222 in 722 sometime after the war. But I believe he was shooting a 218 Bee, but it may have been another?? Dad did not care much for lever rifles, I'm not sure why, but he really liked that 222. It was only much later when a few Model 92's came up for sale did dad ever have lever rifles again.

I cast for almost all the cartridges I shoot, including 22. Although I don't have a Hornet, I find a 223 can be loaded down fairly well with acceptable results. I have not measured the velocity of my loads, but use loads from RCBS cast bullet and Lyman cast bullet manuals. I use GC's on mine, but after the weather gets better, I may try doing as MD did and shoot as cast, w/o GC.

Well, we wandered into the third round today with some interesting results. Per the previous efforts a couple rounds of regular RF ammo was fired to foul the bore and verify zero, this time at 50 yards. Double bag rest, two shooters this time under sunny skies with a light breeze, temps in the high 60s to low 70s. Groups were of 5 shots each with a minor deviation which will be noted.

Fouling round fired with Wolf MT and Norma TAC, the Wolf shooting a somewhat better group. Avg 1063 fps, ES 34.



Following that was a group fired with .9 grain Red Dot, WW SPP, and averaging 1031 fps, ES 25 and Sd of 11. The stats do not include an oddball that left a bit slow at 915 fps and was the low left hole. Have no idea what went astray there, but stuff happens.



Next up was a string of .8 grain 700X. Avg 953, ES 54, Sd21.



Color me underwhelmed..........

Next to last round of CF ammo today was a .9 grain charge of Bullseye which averaged 1000 fps, ES 58, Sd of 22.




Odd left overs caused me to chuckle. Two rounds with 1.0 grain of Red Dot, Avg 1068 fps, and broke the sound barrier with the second round....and burped from the primer. First time in my experience to see smoke emanating from both ends of a barrel.



Checked the barrel with Wolf and Tac on the way out, no significant change in precision.



The barrel cleaned without trace of leading and with only two patches. I have reached a point where the need for a sizing die is becoming apparent. One round fell apart during the loading process and I suspect there might be a relationship between that and random flyers that presented today. On another front, I have three pieces of brass that will no longer hold a primer. I suspect my assault with the primer pocket uniformer may have had influence on this but am not certain about that. Several cases indicate faint neck tension as well. I suspect the next firing cycle will be illuminating.

Case on the bottom is the one that burped.




If you look closely you will see a slight swelling forward of the web. Case walls are ballpark .008" in thickness with very minor variance. Bullet heel diameter is .208"-.210" with a preponderance hovering at .210". It is entirely possible that a slight increase of case wall thickness with a corresponding smaller diameter heel would address this favorably, but that would be speculation on my part.



That is all for now.

I love speculation.

Keep at it.

Hell, Dan I wouldn't put it past us missing the primer diameter a couple tenths, while setting stuff up, a one tenth, off set on a lathe gives you twice that on a diameter.
A half a thousands is easy to come and go, lets see how the next batch runs for consistency before we worry about the consistency of the material.

I could be the error we are seeing, I need to run of a batch with no changes in offsets, then we can end the speculation and start fixin stuff!

We are close, and close is good !

Very close indeed and thank you for that!

Closer to an "Everlasting" case, no?

Ed

Nah, closer to American production specs. The specs used for the brass production originated from Wolf MT dims. They do it different over in Yurp...shoots better too. Was trying to mimic their methods. Haven't decided yet if that was good thinking or not....lemme pop some more caps and I'll get back to ya!

Bottle caps or primers?

Ed

Yes. Absolutely! -laffin'-

Think I'll shoot the next series in the dark just to see how the IR guidance system works. I do love my PGM's.

I think you should set up the next series of tests with a live remote feed to us here on the 'fire, set up so we can take turns doing the shooting with our "enter" buttons.

Anyone shooting this rig is such fashion will have to have proof of adult supervision.

Will a note from my Mom suffice?