22 mag reloading?

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1894cfan
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22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Got some 30 or so empty 22 mag cases all ready to stick powder and bullet in them and wanted to run something by the rimfire reloaders here.
The cases were originally loaded with 3.4gr of powder that looked an awful lot like power pistol and a 45gr sorta plated lead bullet.
Got some speer 46gr jacketed bullets made for 218 bee and was thinking of using 4 to 5gr (maybe) of 2400.
What do you guys think?
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Rimfire McNutjob
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

I'm wondering if something like that can be simulated/estimated in QuickLoad by someone on the forum. I'm also wondering if 300MP might not be the ideal powder for that case and capacity ... though many of the newer Alliant powders are not characterized for QuickLoad. I believe it's an Alliant issue ... not the fault of QuickLoad.

Is there an easy rimfire re-priming method? Would the existing firing pin strike spot not have weakened the brass at that point? Just curious. I've only loaded rimfire prior to firing by pulling the bullets and using the existing priming compound. I guess, technically, you just mentioned empty cases and I should probably not have assumed they got empty by firing.
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1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

I do have one of the 22lrreloading die sets for 22 mag. I didn't have to re-pack the priming compound, these are Win Dyna-point cases that had the bullets pulled and powder dumped with a partial resize and flare enough for .224 bullets. The powder went into 223 Rem cases with 55gr cast bullets with no gas checks. These rounds are subsonic.
The rest of the Dyna-point ammo I had had either 55gr cast bullets (150 rds) or the already mentioned Speer 46gr JFN bullets (300 rds). The cast bullets don't shoot worth a darn out of my Marlin 983, but the jacketed stuff, while anemic, still shoot pretty good.
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earlmck
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by earlmck »

QuickLoad does indeed show the 22 mag -"experiment" for estimations. Poking in Speer's 46 grain projectile and 3.4 grains Power Pistol shows 21k psi and 1730 fps (20" bbl) with Pmax for the cartridge shown as 27.5k psi. So that looks quite plausible.

5 grains of 2400 QL shows as also producing 21k psi and 1730 fps. 4 grains shows as 14k psi and 1300 fps while 5.5 grains shows as 26k psi and 1890 fps, so quite sensitive.

And I have no idea how close QL is on these figures as this is not anything I have ever played around with.
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1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Thanks AGAIN, earlmck.
I do have some Power Pistol that I'm not using in anything else, so that might be a starter.
Likely play around with the 2400 loads loading 1 or two at a time for testing. Will likely hand weigh the 2400 loads. :)
Nath
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by Nath »

Am I correct in thinking a 25acp shell holder is needed?
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1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Nope, I bought the 22mag reloading kit and found out they also sell 22mag sizer and shell holder so got those also. Used a Lee universal case expander to flare the case mouth, don't take much to do that. THEN, using the same case expander with the larger plug, set it to seat the bullet to proper depth then used the nut cracker crimper to crimp in the crimp groove. HTH
elmo123
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by elmo123 »

I tried reloading the 22 magnum last winter and used Bullseye. I have the dies and the biggest problem I ran into was the reliability of the priming mixture that I mixed per the directions.
I was using bullets for the 22 Jet along with the 35 V-Max. Accuracy was OK but not as good as the factory loads and the priming mixture is corrosive so I ceased fooling with it. If i had a source of factory primed casings I would load up some more.
1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

I know what you mean. I read that the priming compound recipes were rather suspect in as far as corrosion is concerned. For me, I had some 500rds of Win 22 mag Dynapoints laying around and really didn't want to run them through my guns as they did too good a job of leading the barrels. So when I found the die set and resizing die and shell holder I went ahead and picked them up, got some Speer 46grainers and started pulling the bullets out via my reloading press and a pair of pliers. Some reloads are with 55gr l#2 bullets with no gas checks and the rest are the 46gr 218 Bee bullets. Haven't shot them for groups yet, but they're lots better than the factory lead ones!
BTW, don't bother casting any bullets with the mold that comes with the set, with no insulation on the handles, they are gonna get HOT and really don't make very good bullets.
FYI, noebulletmolds.com makes a mold for 22lr and they have 5 in stock at $91 ea. I'd suggest getting one before they're all gone!
1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Just tested ONE round of the 5.5gr 2400/46gr JFN load, sounded like a squib load! It did exit the barrel. Probably a case of too much powder for the priming. So likely going with the 3.4gr Power Pistol load for the rest of the un-fired cases.

Well, 3.4gr Power Pistol IS better than 5.5gr 2400, but not by much. Guess I'll have to try something else faster.
Last edited by 1894cfan on Wed May 11, 2022 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kaschi
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by kaschi »

Reloading rimfire cases? Never heard of it but please elaborate!
1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

kaschi wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 3:56 pm Reloading rimfire cases? Never heard of it but please elaborate!
Do a site search, there's other threads here!
elmo123
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by elmo123 »

You will have to use a faster burning powder. I started out with Lil Gun and had squib loads also. Bullseye or something with the same burn rate will get you where you want to be.
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by AJMD429 »

.
Here's one such thread...

viewtopic.php?t=80864

Sometimes instead of using that forum search function it works better to do a regular internet search using "levergunscommunity.org", and then whatever other terms you are interested in.
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Nath
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by Nath »

Red dot might be good too.
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1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Ba10 works too. Tried 2.5gr with the 46gr JFN and it burned cleaner than the 2400 and Power Pistol.
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Rimfire McNutjob
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by Rimfire McNutjob »

Will be interesting to see where this lands for you.
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1894cfan
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Re: 22 mag reloading?

Post by 1894cfan »

Well, I got 32 cases loaded with 3.5gr Power Pistol before deciding to try one out, foolish me! :oops: Turned out pretty much what the 5.5gr 2400 did, it went bang and spit the bullet out, but left a fair amount of soot in the barrel! :roll: Since most of them weren't crimped yet thought I'd find the shell holder and pull those bullets. Turned out that the shell holder was buried SOMEWHERE and I couldn't find it, so just went ahead and crimped them anyway to use later in my single six, or maybe my NA Mini.
The 14 empty shells I just dumped in 2.5gr of the Ba10, a bit faster burning than Bullseye, and stuck in some 55gr cast bullets that had been rolled in Lee Liquid Alox and sized to .225, and crimped them.
And so, since that was the end of my empty 22 mag primed shells I just put everything back in the package and stuck it away never to be used again! Happy Daze, found the shell holder and pulled the jacketed pills, dumped the Power Pistol back in its container and reloaded with the Ba10 and cast bullets!
I've got about a hundred of the Speer .224 46gr JFNs left and will likely use them up in one of my .223s.
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