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Just got the latest Handloader magazine in. The article on the 22 Savage hi-power was interesting. Mr. Weiland noted the poor accuracy of the cartridge. Also noted was the twist rate (1:14)and bullet weight (70grs,) used on the Savage 99. I wonder if the twist rate was a 1:7 or 1:8 wouldn't the accuracy have been much improved even on a lowly lever action?
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me. John 14:6
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Campfire Tracker
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Possibly a reason for bad accuracy is because people load it with .224 bullets. I think it takes a .226 bullet.
Not many problems you can't fix With a 1911 and a 30-06
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Quite possibly so. The .227/.226 stuff is as rare as hens teeth. But, Ibelieve the author stated that he aquired and used the proper slugs. I was thinking maybe the really slow twist.
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me. John 14:6
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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It actually uses a .228 bullet, and mine is ridicously unaccurate with "proper" bullets. With heavier (63 and 71 grainer) .224 sierras, I get much better accuracy. Sample of 1, but that's how it is.
I think the 5.6X52R used in Europe has a faster twist rate, maybe even the OPs suggested 1:7 or 1:8.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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The summary paragraph says it best: even if you manage to overcome all the problems it poses and also manage to eke out decent accuracy, it is a totally useless round to begin with. Way too much for anything small and way too little for anything large.
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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There are tricks to making the HiPower work. First off, the twist rate is 1-12" in the old Savages which is on the ragged edge for stabilizing the last .227 readily available bullet- the Hornady 70gr. spire point. The original factory loading used a semi-pointed spitzer similar to the bullet used in today's Norma stuff. It was .1" shorter than the modern Hornady and stabilized just fine in the 1-12" twist. The long discontinued Sisk and the more recently discontinued Speer 70 grainers are also short enough, but rare as hell anymore. The solution? Trim the Hornady's (I made a file trim die to accomplish that), shoot nothing but Norma or S&B factory ammo, or switch to .224 bullets of a short enough length (necessitating a change in expander ball in the sizer die). Doing that will provide good accuracy. I routinely get 1 1/2- 1 3/4MOA accuracy out of a 1912-vintage 1899 Savage, tang sights, with enough lucky groups that would prompt some Internet Cowboys to claim it as a MOA gun.
As far as useless: anybody who agrees that a properly placed .223 bullet is sufficient for deer hunting would have to agree that the HiPower is too. It's nearly identical in velocity with 70gr. bullets. Enough deer-size game has been killed with it in the past (and present) to make a mockery of the statement that it's useless. Loaded with lighter bullets it's a virtual twin to the .219 Zipper, one of the most venerated varmint rounds of it's day.
Once again this article is another case of mis-information spread in the guise of "research". Anybody who wants some real-world advice on making this cartridge work, feel free to PM me.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 01/09/11.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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gnoahhh and I have already discussed this a little on the Campfire, and have pretty much come to the same conclusions. In fact Ken Waters came to much the same conclusion years ago when he did his "Pet Loads" article on the .22 HP: .224 bullets work just fine, and better than the Hornady 70-grain .227" bullet.
The reason is simple: The Hornady bullet was actually designed for European 5.6x57R rifles, which commonly have about a 1-10" twist. The bullet is a little too long for American .22 HP rifles, but can be cut back a little (as gnoahhh does) to stabilize in the American twist.
I found it a lot easier in my own Savage .22 HP rifle to just use .224" bullets. Several shot accurately in my rifle, including the 60-grain Nosler Partition, 53-grain Barnes TSX and 50- and 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips--just as .224" bullets shot well for Ken Waters in his research.
I eventually settled on IMR3031 and IMR4895 powder as most accurate in my rifle, but no doubt others would work. These loads all shot into 2" or so at 100 yards, using a Lyman tang sight and factory front bead:
50 Ballistic Tip/ 29.0 grains IMR3031/ 3350 fps 53 TSX/ 29.0 IMR3031/ 3375 fps 55 Ballistic Tip/ 28.0 IMR3031/ 3225 fps 60 Nosler Partition/ 30.0 IMR4895/ 3000
The Partition shot a little better than anything else in my rifle, though not by a vast amount. It works great on anything from prairie dogs to deer.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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It seems (on its surface) a cartridge that needs the arm's dimensions to shine, since they seem to vary, along with the components.
I'd make the headspace fit the gun, the bullet fit the throat and groove and fit the twist.
Rocky, on the surface it really just appears to be a giant Hornet....
It would be interesting to toy with, as getting a cast bullet to its original ballistics shouldn't be a tradeoff.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I'd submit that there are quite a few who do NOT agree that a .223" bullet is sufficient for deer hunting. For those who hold that view, the Hi-Power is indeed useless - or at best nearly useless.
It goes bang and can be fun to shoot, but that's about the limit of its usefulness. There is practically no difference between it and the 219 Zipper, and the latter is hardly a renowned hunting round.
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Rocky,
I tend to believe in what I have seen work, not on theory. And aside from experiencing persnally that .224" bullets work very well in the .22 HP, I have also seen the cartridge do an excellent job on both varmints and deer.
Of course, the animals were within the limits of an iron-sighted rifle, but within that limitation, the .22 High Power works quite well.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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The Zipper was hardly a renowned hunting round (for deer) because it was never offered with a stoutly constructed heavy bullet, not to mention that the 1-14" twists common in .22 varmint rifles of it's day wouldn't stabilize such a bullet anyway.
To each his own views, from each his own opinions.
The HiPower IS a fun cartridge to play with offering sufficient challenges for a rifle loony to overcome. In the hands of a cool customer in the deer woods it'll do fine.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Campfire Ranger
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I just got done reading Elmer Keith's Big Game Hunting;
I believe bullets plagued about every cartridge from the 22 Hornet to the 400 Jeffrey...if not on targets, on the meat.
It would be fun to run a TSX or a Partition, maybe even a softnosed cast from the 22 Imp., in fact I have shot some fairly large hogs with the TSX and a cartridge that duplicates the 22 Hi-Powers ballistics. It even one-holes a 70 grain cast bullet at 2,900 fps..
I was a little let down the author quit so easily.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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I've thought about getting a beater 22HP and having a new 1-8" twist tube (.224 cal of course) spun on it. That plan isn't dead yet.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Campfire Ranger
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It would be neat, for sure.
If I didn't have so much stuff that pretty much does the same thing...
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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I hear you, cept I like the 99. I like the 250-3000 I picked up but the friggin twist is killing me.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Campfire Ranger
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How hard is it to re-tube one (extractor cuts)?
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Not sure, though I figure if I can hand twist off the tubes on 2/3rds of the the 99's I own that it can be done without hiring a NASA engineer.
I've been wrong before though.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Campfire Ranger
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IIRC, the TD's use an intermittent thread design and taper like the M12 shotgun? I don't know that much about them.
You'd be surprised at how few "gunsmiths" will or should even touch that stuff...
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Campfire Tracker
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Dad has an old 99, in .22 Hi-Power, that also has a .410 shotgun barrel. Very easy to swap from one barrel to the other.
Kind of a neat old rifle. Tang sight, brass rotary magazine, two very different barrels. I haven't shot it much over the years.
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Campfire Ranger
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Interrupted threads on TD's made early on. Later ones used regular uninterrupted threads. Like most things Savage, that's probably not cast in stone. (A little extra screwing never hurt anyone anyway.) Any competent smith who knows his way around a lathe can fit a new barrel. A new tube with a 1-8 or 9 twist is something I'd like to try too.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Campfire Outfitter
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I tend to agrre with gnoahhh & JB. I didn't want to discredit someone's article, but most all should be read carefully. I had thoughts of a cusotm TC tith a 1:7 or 1:8 barrel, shooting 80gr A-Max's. My 700 22-250 carries a 1:8 Douglas and does very well on deer around here (100-125lbs). One was DRT, the other travelled 100 yards. I believe there is nothing wrong with the Hi-power other than the rate of twist. That happens to be the same malady as plagues the slower 25's (Savage and Roberts) with heavier slugs. It's odd to me that the factories are so slow to catch on.
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me. John 14:6
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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JB, I'm certain that in your hands, darn near anything would work just fine on deer. I have nowhere near the breadth or depth of your experience, but even with my little, I have seen .224" bullets do a less-than-encouraging job on deer. All in the hands of other hunters, I hasten to add. Precision placement is everything when you use a bullet that small, and even that assumes a bullet up to the job even if perfectly placed. Not many bullets OR shooters are up to it.
Based on that, I'll continue to recommend against the practice.
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Placement trumps diameter, period.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Campfire Tracker
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I saw the ads.....the .22 HP is definitely enough for deer. It was enough for tigers wasn't it???
I hate change, it's never for the better.... Grumpy Old Men The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I have a few Savage 1899s and 99s in 22 HP and the biggest problem with them is finding a 22 HP with a good bore. Most of them were made/sold/used prior to the introduction of non-corrosive primers and the combination of a small bore and corrosive primers had a real impact on barrel life.
The best original 22 HPs that I've seen are those made between the mid-1920s and the end of production in 1941/42, mostly 99EGs, 99Gs, and 99Ts.
JEff
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Campfire Ranger
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I myself Realy like the little IMP, I have Two of them, one scoped with a stith & Alaskan scope, and Gary, Gnoahhh, does know his stuff, he got me lined out, on this fine round, I have taken a deer with it also but 50yrds shot, only needed one, fun to shoot and hunt with I realy want to shoot a coyote or 2 with it! John
Deer Camp! about as good as it gets!
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I have around 30 of them, but they are all still in storage in NH.
The only 1 that I ever shot much was a special order 1899CD that was made in 1914.
JEff
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I've got a 1930's 99G and an Italian made combo gun. Both shoot great and are fun to hunt with. Brian.
"You set your own goals for success, and when you succeed it don't necessarily mean that you're going to be a big star or make a lot of money or anything. You'll feel it in your heart whether you've succeeded or not." - Roy Buchanan
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Saddlering, I have a little bit of fun now and then hunting coyotes with my .22 HP. I use the 63 grain Sierra over Reloader 7, a load I got right out of Waters Pet Load article. Works great with accuracy around an inch and a half at a "hunerd". Decrying the usefulness of a 100 year old cartridge in a modern hunting rag seems a little pointless to me. It was designed for the times. If a guy wants something "better" than get a .223, what's the big deal? On the other hand, if you like cool old rifles and know your way around a reloading press, than this ones a lot of fun.
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Nice. I'm justabout convinced to either build a custom or buy a Savage...Savage wins by the cool old gun factor...
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me. John 14:6
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Campfire Tracker
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mw406 - that's a terrific photo!
Guy
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Campfire Sage
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Campfire Outfitter
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JB, I'm certain that in your hands, darn near anything would work just fine on deer. I have nowhere near the breadth or depth of your experience, but even with my little, I have seen .224" bullets do a less-than-encouraging job on deer. All in the hands of other hunters, I hasten to add. Precision placement is everything when you use a bullet that small, and even that assumes a bullet up to the job even if perfectly placed. Not many bullets OR shooters are up to it.
Based on that, I'll continue to recommend against the practice. In the very late 1960s and the 1970s, my graduate students and I collected over 1,100 whitetails, including almost 100 big Kansas whitetails, with a .222 Remington Magnum or a .22-250 and 50 grain bullets (mostly Sierras, but some Hornadys and Remingtons). All were taken from a sandbag rest, either over the cab of a pickup or out of a window (when temperatures were below zero). All but a few were neck shots, but approximately 45 or so were taken with lung shots at extreme ranges when we were getting to the end of the month and needed a few more to make our quota. Only two were lost: one that was hit in the cartilage at the base of the ear (she woke up when we poked her jugular with a syringe to get a blood sample and bolted despite my best efforts to hang onto a hind leg), and one that was hit behind the lungs below the spine (we collected him the next month and confirmed the hit). I don't recommend the .22 centerfires for everyone, but with even average bullets and careful placement, they are deadly.
Ben
Some days it takes most of the day for me to do practically nothing...
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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I have owned several M1899 22 HP rifles, and all of them shot the Hornady 55-gn FMJBT better than any of the .227" or .228 inch bullets available. I still have one, a takedown model, and it is no target rifle, but groups with the 55-gn bullet are about 2.5 to 3 inches at 100 yards, open sights; compared to 4 to 5 inch groups with the Hornady or Speer .227 or .228 loads.
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Campfire Greenhorn
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beautiful "montana pale". nice rifle too!!! what are pelts bringing now?
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The notion that the .22 High Power is "useless" because other cartridges that do the same thing is a dog that ain't gunna hunt. If that's true than why do we still have 7-08s, 7x57s, .280s and .284s? Might as well retire the .270s, .308s and 30-06s while your at it. We should all be using the more modern 7mm WSM instead. Speaking of "dogs that ain't gunna hunt" at least any more, here's another coyote taken with the old Savage. I believe I had a better chance getting this coyote with the .22 HP than I would have by throwing rocks or using an atlatl. So I'd say it's still a little bit useful. I've always wondered why Newton and Savage didn't think of necking down the .250-3000 to .224 and putting it in the 1899 as well.
Last edited by mw406; 01/11/11.
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Campfire Ranger
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I often wondered that to. It took guys like Jerry Gebby, J. Bushnell Smith, et al to make it happen 20 years later with the .22 Varminter (later called the .22-250).
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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I've always wondered why Newton and Savage didn't think of necking down the .250-3000 to .224 and putting it in the 1899 as well. I often wondered that to. It took guys like Jerry Gebby, J. Bushnell Smith, et al to make it happen 20 years later with the .22 Varminter (later called the .22-250). I've read (and think I can dredge out the source if needed) that Gebby visited Newton's home in the early 1920s, and pulled a 22-250 round out of a cigar box containing various Newton experiments. Gebby hung onto the round, and began to work with it when Wotkyns tapered off working with it. The Newton round may have had a .228 bullet in it. Gebby wisely picked the .224 when he began to chamber for it. The 22-250 wasn't a viable cartridge until the development of applicable powders. Wotkyns tried to work with the 22-250 in the mid-20s, but gave it up because of pressure problems. However, about 1932, he gained access to some pre-commercial 3031, and he and Sweany put together the 22-250 that sufficiently impressed Winchester to bring out the Swift. With 3031 and 4064 available, the 22-250 worked. --Bob
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Savage was coming off of bad hype from massively overmarketing the 22HP as being good for any big game, and I think a few dead and injured PH's resulted. They went from the 22HP to a 25 caliber (250-3000) 3 years later, then to a 30 caliber (300 Savage) about 5 years after that. I don't think they had much interest in revisiting the 22 caliber high power market for a while. Though this one was sure gutsy.. http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/LeverGun.html
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Campfire Outfitter
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Big Kitty... Little Gun...
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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I still hunt with mine once and a while and my .303 Savage. I shot a deer last year (about 135lbs.)with my Hi-Power. All this nonsense about how tough deer are now days. No wonder kids all want to use tree stands, they are afraid of the deer. I only ever lost one deer with a rifle, and that was a 30-40 Krag. I am sure everyone can come up with stories, real or rumor, about lost deer. I have been hunting public land for a long time and the most deer hit and lost award would have to go to the 30-30. There is just no argument. A bad hit is a bad hit no matter what you use. By the way, I put a .228 1:10 liner in mine and it shoots S&B ammo great.
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Campfire Ranger
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Where did you find a .228 liner?
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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gnoahhh--
A liner maker on the west coast.
Beinke&Beinke 24550 Sprauge River Road Sprauge River, OR.97639 541-533-0906
I haven't talked to him in a few years, I guess he is still in business. He used to do installations too.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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The question of whether .22 centerfires are adequate for deer comes up frequently on the Campfire, though it usually involves the .223 and/or .22-250.
The anti argument is almost always made by hunters who have never used .22 centerfires on deer, and never will, because they "know" they're too small.
The pro argument is almost always made by hunters who have used .22 centerfires on deer, and know they work.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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The question of whether .22 centerfires are adequate for deer comes up frequently on the Campfire, though it usually involves the .223 and/or .22-250.
The anti argument is almost always made by hunters who have never used .22 centerfires on deer, and never will, because they "know" they're too small.
The pro argument is almost always made by hunters who have used .22 centerfires on deer, and know they work. John, Your whole post can be used in countless other age old arguments also. Can I have permission to use this post in another one of these arguments on a different forum? Which revolves around using a .270 win for elk hunting for which I fall into the latter camp. It works just fine!
Last edited by Kelk; 01/12/11.
Shut up and hunt!
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Go right ahead!
I have seen a number of elk die quickly by .270 injection--and have only one failure, due to a bad bullet.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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I was once a disbeliever when I was younger for just that reason. I swallowed all that heavy bullet crap from older guys that would never use a .243 for deer. Well put Mule deer.
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Go right ahead!
I have seen a number of elk die quickly by .270 injection--and have only one failure, due to a bad bullet. Thank you much kind sir. I'll be sure and credit you as the source. I'm just tired of the same argument day in and day out.
Shut up and hunt!
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BTW John,
I've never seen a failure in the .270 either using NP's, but I've spoken to many that had "failures" out of dead elk. I don't get it.
Shut up and hunt!
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The 22-HP is not just for tigers you know. Shot this bad boy in the dark holding the HP in one hand and a flashlight in the other. BP...
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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kelk,
These days a lot of people judge whether a bullet failed or not by what the mushroom looks like, or whether or not the bullet exited. This is because there are almost as many bullet experts as bullets.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Bumping a really old thread, but Norm Nelson's notes (Author of many articles for Field and Stream, Outlife life, etc) said that he intentionally had a 22 Hi Power rebored to .250 to overcome the inaccuracy of the 22 HP. He was using store bought ammo for his 1913 rifle which I now possess. I have both the 1913 rifles, one in 22HP and the re-bored .250-3000. (Which I have test shot with no target and works great)
After reading this thread, in regards to the 22 HP, I'm leaning on a .224 62 gr bullet front of some Win 760 (Once I get my dies) What say you Savage brain trust?
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Joined: Sep 2004
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Campfire Regular
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I simply use a file type die, drop a Hornady 70 grain .227" in and file the tip off. No more keyholing.
Some folks say the .224's shoot well in their .22 HP's, but I've never tried them.
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Joined: May 2002
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Campfire Tracker
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I'm a fan of this old cartridge, it is one of my go to coyote rigs, 12ga/22 HP in a BRNO Combo gun with a Nikkon 1.5-4.5x20mm scope. Buffalo Arms has a whole line of .228 bullets from 45-70gr. The 55gr shoots well in my rifle.
Last edited by erich; 10/05/17.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.
Make mine a Minaska
Heaven has walls and rules, H-ll has open borders
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
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Bumping a really old thread, but Norm Nelson's notes (Author of many articles for Field and Stream, Outlife life, etc) said that he intentionally had a 22 Hi Power rebored to .250 to overcome the inaccuracy of the 22 HP. He was using store bought ammo for his 1913 rifle which I now possess. I have both the 1913 rifles, one in 22HP and the re-bored .250-3000. (Which I have test shot with no target and works great)
After reading this thread, in regards to the 22 HP, I'm leaning on a .224 62 gr bullet front of some Win 760 (Once I get my dies) What say you Savage brain trust? If you read the first couple of pages of this thread you should know the answer to your question. If I were just starting out with a .22HP I would simply buy a bag of .25-35 brass, some Buffalo Arms bullets (or scrounge around the internet for some old Speer 70 gr. or Sisk 50-70 gr. bullets), a can of either H-4895 or IMR-3031- and go forth and shoot stuff with it. I never tried 760 powder in either of the four .22HP tubes I feed. One thing is sure- I doubt you'll get too much of that slower powder in a HP case to cause trouble, but act prudently nonetheless. I always, always, found best accuracy with 23 gr. 3031 or 24 gr. H-4895/70 gr. bullet. The resulting lower pressure = better case life as well. Step them up a skinch for hunting loads if you feel it necessary. You'll have to change out the expander button in your die if you insist on using .224 bullets, or perhaps just not use an expander button at all. Otherwise a .224 bullet will slide right on through the neck. (At least that's the case with my Redding dies.) Others disagree, but I'm in the camp of believing that .228 bullets should be used- if you're like me and will put a bazillion shots through those 100+ year old barrels. I could be all wet, but I figure every little bit of prevention of gas cutting helps with barrels that aren't made anymore. I'm 64 and probably have enough .228 jacketed bullets now to last me the rest of my life- and no, none are for sale! The very best bang for the buck is to cast your own- cheap as all hell and won't wear the bore, and A-ok for plinking/targets/small animals. There was a guy on Gunbroker who was regularly selling .228 cast bullets cheaply. I saw his offerings recently but don't know if he is currently there. I don't care- I have a couple molds and a ton of lead.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
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I'm a fan of this old cartridge, it is one of my go to coyote rigs, 12ga/22 HP in a BRNO Combo gun with a Nikkon 1.5-4.5x20mm scope. Buffalo Arms has a whole line of .228 bullets from 45-70gr. The 55gr shoots well in my rifle.
I would love to create or buy a fast twist .22HP single shot, but other guns and projects keep getting in my way. I'm still kicking myself for procrastinating over a BRNO single shot that got away from me on Gunbroker a short while back.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Wow, this is an old thread.
Without trying to be a trogdolyte (which I am), I cant but help thinking a round/flat nose custom bullet mould sized to fit the throat and blunt for the twist of said rifle using heat treated metal and a .22 gas check couldnt tackle anything 22 cf could be pointed at. Softnosing a few for posterity (or for BarnesTSX results) is easily an option at its velocity levels. Yes, make the check shank for HORNADY gas checks.... Ditch the bore riders, make that 70grs. short, fat and blunt, or with less BC than original jacketed ammo at its inception. Size nose first.
Jacketed bullets and the typical Hornady "re-designs", junk die/brass dimensions plague this cartridge. Either it needs barrel changing to work with consistent bullets or you need to make the bullets work for the gun.
Its not hard to make a turd out of any cartridge. This one isnt the only one.... aftermarket often is not on par with OE, especially when OE has been discontinued.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Was happy to find that I could get factory-new .22 Hi Power ammo with a soft-point 70 gr bullet.
Accuracy from my 1913 TD model has been adequate, with the flip-up rear tang sight.
Planning to carry it a fair bit this winter after the big-game seasons are over, for coyotes, and will hope for a mountain lion.
Guy
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I had some Norma and S&B factory loads. My TD would shoot one of them ok they pother keyholed like crazy! Tried handloading the Hornady, mega-keyhole. Had to go to the file die to shorten the Hornaday's. I wish my 99 had a faster twist. I thought about rebarreling, but then realized trimming the bullets is a whole lot less expensive.
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New Member
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I hear you, cept I like the 99. I like the 250-3000 I picked up but the friggin twist is killing me. I know I'm way late to this thread, but don't let the twist rate in the older ones get to you. I picked up a 1935 99 and in my loading experiments, discovered that the 1:14 stabilizes up to 100gr bullets just fine. I hunted with 87gr last season moving at an average of 3045 FPS. Took 2 deer before 7:15am opening morning, both with perfectly placed heart-lung shots. One walked slowly less than 10 yards abs dropped, the 2nd DRT. What I found when I gutted them was impressive. The vitals were nearly liquified and they hemorrhaged internally. Very little blood around the exit. Zero blood trail from the one that walked. The hydrostatic shock actuality bruised the rear of the front shoulders, about 4" from the entry and exit, and left about a 4" bruise on the ribs around the exit. That quarter bore kills way better than it should or sometimes gets credit for. But I digress. I recently picked up a 1913 99 takedown in 22HP. I bought it as a restoration project. The lock up is perfect and while externally it looked rode hard and put away wet as they say, the bones are fantastic. The bore is shiny with well defined lands and grooves, no frost, pitting, or rust. It's in pieces right now with the wood getting done first, metal next. I found brass and .228 60gr custom spitzers and can't wait to take the 110 year old lady to the range age then the woods. I've read up more than most sane people would on the "imp", as i tend to do on every cartridge that I take a shining to, and based on what I've read, I am confident that she'll do fine with deer so long as I do my part. Cheers !
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Give me liberty or give me death.
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Pictures as this project goes along would be appreciated! Good to see one getting back to the field
I used to only shoot shotguns and rimfires, then I made the mistake of getting a subscription to handloader.......
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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A Methodist missionary in China, by the name of Henry R. Caldwell, wrote a book, the Blue Tiger, in which he gives his accounts of shooting tigers in China, including some man eaters with the 22 Savage HP. He said that he'd written the folks back home that he needed them to send him a good rifle, and this was that they sent. This was in the early 1900's, and he also used other Savage rifles, in particular a 303 Savage. His book gives accounts of other game being killed with the 22 HP. Karamojo Bell was also a fan of the cartridge.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Karamojo Bell wrote that he had seen 23 Cape Buffalo killed with 27 shots from his friends .22 Hi-Power
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,156 Likes: 13 |
I recently picked up a 1913 99 takedown in 22HP.
I bought it as a restoration project.
The lock up is perfect and while externally it looked rode hard and put away wet as they say, the bones are fantastic.
The bore is shiny with well defined lands and grooves, no frost, pitting, or rust.
It's in pieces right now with the wood getting done first, metal next.
I found brass and .228 60gr custom spitzers and can't wait to take the 110 year old lady to the range age then the woods.
I've read up more than most sane people would on the "imp", as i tend to do on every cartridge that I take a shining to, and based on what I've read, I am confident that she'll do fine with deer so long as I do my part.
Cheers ! I'd also like to see some photos as the project gets closer to completion! In addition to my old post on this thread about getting fine accuracy with .224 bullets in the .22 Hi-Power I owned for a while, especially the 60-grain Nosler Partition, it also shot 55-grain Ballistic Tips well enough to take prairie dogs out to 150 yards or so with the tang aperture and bead front sights that were on the rifle when I purchased it from a local pawn shop.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Indeed, pictures would be appreciated. I've owned more than a couple of them over the years. I too have a .22 HiPower Savage 1899H, that I named "Phoenix", which was raised from the ashes of decay - a mixmaster that started out as a bare rusty/pitted receiver I got for $60. (I also additionally fitted a spare .303 Savage barrel to it in a fit of masochism.) I haven't experimented with the .22HP much in recent years, other than continuing with some cast bullet stuff. The rifle pictured above has a bore with a solid .228" groove diameter and, more importantly for cast work, a .229" throat. It simply will not shoot worth a tinker's dam with cast bullets sized at less than .229". Jacketed bullets gotta be .228" also - smaller stuff I tried in it delivered so-so accuracy. Just goes to show that individual rifles can be finicky compared to their brethren. Interesting side note: Pac-Nor still offers a .228" barrel blank, 5 groove, 1-10" twist. One of our compatriots here is looking hard at this as a second barrel for his Stevens 44 1/2. The gun is chambered for .303 Savage, and the second barrel in .22 HP would be the t*ts. It's got me thinking again about building a .22 HP on a High Wall action, to explore the limits of just what this old cartridge is capable of.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Campfire Outfitter
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years ago at Gillete , Wyoming at O. Heins wild game processing building we were skinning animals , hanging and water rising these animals when a discussion started about a 22 Savage Hi-Power and using 224 bullets instead of 227 bullets in David`s old 99 take-down Savage 22 Hi- Power ,this rifle had a lift up old peep on the rifle. a older gentleman named Darrell who also was skinning with us said that would never work well . i went outside to take more garbage out in back of the building and there was about 20 antelope grazing about 300 yards away and David said i will get my rifle and prove those 224 bullets work just fine and the bet was on. so we went behind building again David brought the old Savage 99 Hi-power ,ammo and a 5 gallon bucket . well those 2 argued some more and the bet was if the doe antelope was shot and it had to be 1st shot , Darrell had to go gut the antelope ,drag it back alone and skin and hang it . if David missed the antelope David had to give Darrel 25 bucks David then sat down behind the bucket laid the old 99 Savage on the bucket aimed , and shot the doe antelope 1st shoot at around 300 yards, then handed Darrell his doe tag and walk back into shop without saying anything except let Darrel do his bet deal. man it was funny ! Pete53
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I would've paid to watch that!!
I had a few animals processed there back in the day. I hunted with Randy Greer a few times.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 03/08/23.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,156 Likes: 13 |
Great story, Steve!
Might also comment that I tried .224 bullets in both my .22 HP 99 and a friend's I handloaded for. They shot well in both--but I got the idea from Ken Waters' book Pet Loads. If Ken said they'd work, I figured it was well worth a try....
John
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I never could get .224 bullets to do anything but keyhole out of my 1917H, save the 63 Sierra SMP which patterned them like a shotgun, but at least they hit the target going straight instead of tumbling. I must have tried 30 different bullets from the 35 grain VMAX to 75 grain AMAX. It shot several true .228 bullets just fine, but they are getting difficult to find. I finally broke down and had the bbl lined with a .224” 1/10 Douglas. I haven’t played with it much since then though. The .228 (70 grain?) Sisk shot good and was a killer but I got tired of searching for old stock bullets.
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Campfire Member
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Unique antlers on that buck, Tinman.
I think they look cool. But I'm weird. Just like those antlers.
Last edited by JayJunem; 03/08/23.
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Campfire Outfitter
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I would've paid to watch that!!
I had a few animals processed there back in the day. I hunted with Randy Greer a few times. then you must have met David and Owen, and know how David was a real card , we live 10 miles apart in Minnesota now and still get together some . and yet to this day i still remember that shot at that doe antelope with that old 22 Hi-Power Savage 99 rifle and i still laugh about it. Owen Hein also moved here lived 5 miles away but passed a few years ago . >those were some real good times matter fact David and myself might be headed to Lake of the Woods soon fishin. Take care ,Pete53
Last edited by pete53; 03/08/23.
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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I finally broke down and had the bbl lined with a .224” 1/10 Douglas. Hopefully the barrel got remarked so the next owner doesn't shove .228 bullets down it w/o knowing. Sure would be a hell of a lot more practical being .224. But at that point a 219 Zipper would be even better.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
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