.223 bullets used in 22LR Rimfire ?

[preventec47]

The bore of .223 centerfire rifles is just a little larger
than 22 LR rimfire and is the same as the 22 magnum
rimfire. I have some ..223 bullets and I was wondering
if there is a sizer of some sort I could push the bullets
through with a press that would reduce them in diameter
enough to work in the 22 LR rifle barrels.

I know if sounds stupid but I have experimented with
my "reverse muzzle loading" on 22 rimfire rifles all my
life. I have my experimental platform Marlin bolt action
that cannot be blown up. I tried. Actually the weak
link in 22 rimfire is the rim of the case. At a certain
max pressure the rims let go.

Anyway there is a company that loads 60gr bullets
into 22 short cases for subsonic loads and I was just
thinking of the possibility of using the long .223
pointed bullets instead.... maybe even the 75 grain
.223 benchrest bullets.

Thanks
Scott

[runfiverun]

the general practice is to use a slightly oversized boolit anyways, i'd try the 224's first.
if necessary you can call lee and have them make you a push through 223 sizer for your press.

[preventec47]

See I know that the .223 barrels are designed for larger bullets than what are
shot in 22LR. I know that about the 22Magnum also which is the same as .223
barrel sizes. Plus the jacketing on the .223 bullets is much much harder than
on 22 KR rimfire so there is no question the .223 bullets have to be reduced in size.

One suggestion was to take wooden dowel and hammer down an oiled
22 RIM fire barrel first as the sizer before they are fired. I suppose I could do
that from the bolt end with the bolt removed. Or i could call a barrel maker
who makes 22LR barrels and ask for some cutoff pieces but I rarely if ever have
heard of a 22 Rimfire replacement barrel

[stubshaft]

Why don't you just use the .223" Sierra 45gr bullets for the Hornet?

[RP]

Ok did not know the size difference in 22 and 22 mag. So that got me thinking what about the 22s that have the changeable cyl, so you can shoot either 22 or mags in the same gun. I have a ruger that is like that.

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
You are in for a lot of work here. You not only have to size the bullets to .222 dia. This can easily be done by the way. You have to put a extra reduced heal on the bullet for it to go into the 22LR case. The 22LR bullet has to be a heal type.
With the 1-14 twist rate for a 22LR barrel you will not spin heavy bullets fast enough.
If you use a 22RF barrel as a sizer ,you will have a sized bullet with grooves in it.
n.h.schmidt

[preventec47]

Hi
You are in for a lot of work here. You not only have to size the bullets to .222 dia. This can easily be done by the way. You have to put a extra reduced heal on the bullet for it to go into the 22LR case. The 22LR bullet has to be a heal type.
With the 1-14 twist rate for a 22LR barrel you will not spin heavy bullets fast enough.
If you use a 22RF barrel as a sizer ,you will have a sized bullet with grooves in it.
n.h.schmidt

At least as far as the heal on the bullet is concerned, Not a problem.
I refer to it as reverse muzzle loading. push the bullet into the grooves
and then point rifle straight up and then load case with powder into the
chamber behind the bullet.

Rate of twist .. .certainly that will be a problem for distance more than
25 yards since the bullet will begin to tumble. Didnt think of that one
BUT the extra long 60gr Aguilla SSS subsonic bullet surprisingly did not tumble
when I shot 100 yd targets recently. I cant explain that.

[Norbrat]

This very recent thread in the rimfire forum discusses the same thing.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=146224

Seems he ruined his barrel. Rimfire barrels are usually made from fairly soft steel, so no surprise.

[uscra112]

We call that "breech seating". Have called it that since about 1880.

IMHO this is a double-plus-ungood idea when using LR cartridges. The brass ain't strong enough to contain the pressure need to get that j-wart up to any useful speed. IMHO 1800 fps is the threshold for adequate terminal performance on varmints, and in my Hornets it takes 20,000 psi to get there with a 40 grain V-Max, (per Quickload). You really wanna load a LR case to 20K psi? I don't.

Another factor is "starting pressure". A lead boolit will start to move and engrave the rifling at 1200 psi or so. Typical starting pressures for j-warts are double that and more. This means a delay that lets pressure build up much higher than you may expect. Oversize j-warts just make matters worse.

Maybe if you use .22 Magnum brass it might be safer. . . .

Another guy on the forum just admitted that he destroyed the rifling in his family-hand-me-down .22 doing this. The old admonition not to shoot j-warts in soft steel barrels is proven, (again).

[preventec47]

22 Magnum brass will not fit into the chamber of a 22LR riimfire gun.

The revolver shooters who have interchangeable cylinders will be shooting
22LR ammo in a barrel that is slightly oversize compared to normal
and accuracy will suffer.

I followed the link and I think the reason he screwed up his barrel is
1. probably a 75 year old gun.
2. The .223 bullets were TOO large in diameter.

I recognize the .223 bullets need to be resized smaller and have newer gun
and hope to bypass the experience of ruining the barrel.

Thanks

[Reload3006]

to answer your question yes you can draw a .224 bullet down that far easily. But you dont want to do it in a rifle barrel it just doesnt seem to me that you will like the rifling engraved in a bullet before its fired. lee will make you a custom sizing die that will do the job.

Now having said that I think your asking for a world of problems most namely developing enough pressure to drive the bullet out of the barrel. as has been pointed out. You dont have strong enough brass in a LR nor the capacity to develop enough pressure to get any reasonable velocity. My best guess is you will lodge one in your bore that you will have a very fun time trying to remove.
But good luck

[mpmarty]

Why? Your barrel will not survive jacketed bullet friction and heat, you will not be able to drive the bullet fast enough at a sane pressure level to be worth the effort. Shoot the ammo designed for the gun and buy a centerfire rifle in a caliber you like and quit trying to reinvent the world.

[honus]

As n. h. schmidt said "With the 1-14 twist rate for a 22LR barrel you will not spin heavy bullets fast enough".

Even a 1/12 twist won't stabilize 55 grain plus at rim fire velocities.

[frkelly74]

I guess I would just enjoy the 22 for what it is.

[Shiloh]

Why don't you just use the .223" Sierra 45gr bullets for the Hornet?

If ya gotta do it, that would be my suggestion as well


Anyway there is a company that loads 60gr bullets
into 22 short cases for subsonic loads and I was just
thinking of the possibility of using the long .223
pointed bullets instead.... maybe even the 75 grain
.223 benchrest bullets.


Doesn't Aguila do this??

Shiloh

[MtGun44]

The other issue is that .22RF barrels are often (always?) made with pretty cheap and soft
steel, which may wear rapidly in this application.

I'd love to have a gun that "can't be blown up". . . . . . . . . . :bigsmyl2:

Bill

[olafhardt]

I think I once read that a 22 lr operated at 21000 psi?

[BAGTIC]

All the rimfires, short, long, long rifle, Magnum operate at the same pressure. The limits are due to the weakness of the primer filled rim the weakest part of the case. A 22 Magmum burns considerably more powder and might cause more erosion.

At one time one of the bullet companies made jacketed .222 diameter bullets. They may have been for the .22 Jet.

I can not imagine any advantage to using a jacketed bullet at LR velocities.