Hanned Line Small Game Bullet Tool

[Naphtali]

Is the Hanned Line Small Game Bullet Tool -- a device to render 22 LR bullets into flat points -- still available? If not, has anyone the device who might consider selling/trading it to me?

It appears to be a less invasive method to reshape bullet noses than Paco Kelly's.

The information I have on the device is that Dennis Smith in Cupertino, California, bought the rights and tooling.

[LIMPINGJ]

I think I heard they are out of business.

[Bret4207]

I made a few from sections of worn 22 barrels I had. Either use a chambering reamer or drill that's close to the size of a 22 case. Keep cutting the length back till you get the section of nose exposed you want and that's about it. You could use a block of hard wood too instead of barrel. I got a set of very small, very sharp electrical side cutters and ground the bottom side flat. It's much more accurate than using a knife, you can finish with a file.

FWIW- I found a FP of about half the bullet diameter kills all out of proportion for it's size. Far better than HP's. The range may be limited though if you get too much FN. You can always experiment and see what you like best. As an added benefit some guns seem to like the altered bullets a bit better accuracy-wise. Just be careful whne you start czarving on the loaded rounds as you'l find they loosen quickly as you play with them. THat's why I like the side cutters.

[JSnover]

They've been gone for a while. If you know enough about the tool you might find someone to make you a copy of it.

[Outdoors]

To make a hanned style tool, see directions below from an article by Ed Harris

Date: 27 Feb 94 21:24:42
From: Ed Harris
To: All
Subj: .22s for Small Game
Practical Dope On Rimfire Game Bullets
By Ed Harris (Rev. March 1, 1994)
... (text omitted)

A cost-effective alternative is to take an accurate standard
velocity Long Rifle round and make a flatnosed "small game
bullet" or SGB out of it. Hanned Precision, which invented the
"SGB die" is out of business. That's unfortunate, because the
idea works well. The SGB die is a file trim die which produces a
flat on the nose of a .22 LR bullet, and removes only 1-1.2
grains of lead.

Although you can't buy the die by mail order any more, it is easy
to make. Start with a piece of 5/8" diameter air hardening drill
rod. Put this in the lathe, square the end and center drill it.
Then drill a 1" deep pilot hole using a No. 4 (.209") drill.
Ream the pilot hole ream up with a new No. 3 (.218") drill. At
this point, if you have a .22 LR Sporting chamber reamer, use
this to finish the chamber of the die. If you don't have a
chamber reamer, continue by reaming the hole full length with a
No. 2 (.221") drill and finish by runing a No. 1 (.228") in short
for a depth of 0.65"-0.70".

If you don't use a chamber reamer it is necessary to lap the die
chamber with 220 or 240 grit to break the sharp corner at the transition
between the two diameters. When doing this you should also enlarge the
"bullet seat" of the die chamber until the chosen round of
ammunition will drop in freely, and fall out of its own weight
withoput "sizing" the bullet in the die. After the die is
chambered, break the edges on the corners and turn a few grasping rings on
the OD to aid holding it in your hand, then turn it around in the
lathe and use a parting tool to cut it off at 0.90", break the
sharp edges, remove the die from the lathe and harden it.

The flat-nosed .22 LR modification does not significantly affect
point of impact or accuracy. The altered bullets expand to about
1.5 times their diameter. Penetration is reduced from about 8-9"
for ordinary Standard Velocity to about 6-7" for the standard
velocity SGB. CCI's factory-loaded SGB .22 Long Rifle Small Game
Bullet is a high velocity load. The CCI SGB or Winchester Super
Silhouette flat-nosed high velocity rounds make good sense for
handgun use, but are louder than I like for a squirrel rifle.

In penetration tests there was little difference between .22
Short or .22 Long Rifle solids, or between high velocity or
standard velocity rounds. Altering either standard or high
velocity Long Rifles to a flat-nosed shape by removing .05" off
the nose in an SGB"die NEI gave considerable improvement, which
approximated the effect of subsonic hollowpoint ammunition. High
speed hollowpoints showed some bullet fragmentation on the 2"
blocks which parallels their excessive destruction of edible
small game.

[MT Gianni]

You can use 1" or 3/4" square stock also. You will need to temper it after it is drilled by heating to a dull orange then dropping it quickly into a 1/2 filled soda can of oil. If you make 3 the oil will boil over and make a mess in your shop. Don't ask me how I know.

[Firebird]

It's still available from the original inventor who licensed the idea to the Hanned Line, Paco Kelly. Here's a link to his order page (http://www.leverguns.com/store/acurzr.html)

[blackthorn]

Is it possible to use this tool to shorten a .22 LR to the length of a .22 Long? I have an old Browning .22 pump that was designed to cycle .22 long not LR. .22 Long cartridges are expensive, not to mention hard to find and I am frugal/thrifty (read CHEAP). Have a great day!

[Wayne Smith]

It's still available from the original inventor who licensed the idea to the Hanned Line, Paco Kelly. Here's a link to his order page (http://www.leverguns.com/store/acurzr.html)

Paco's tool uses pressure to size and reform the nose. I believe the Hanned Line tool simply held the case for the nose to be flattened with a file. I use Paco's tool with my abor press. I have no problem creating exactly what I want, from simply a sized case to the most extreme hp.