what load for primed 22 lr cases?

[knobster]

Bringing this old thread back to life as the cost of 22lr has only gone up. Any updates?

Is there a shellholder out there that will hold the 22lr case?

edit: Nevermind, I followed the castboolits link from the first page. Now I just need to see if the CH4D shellholder is still available.

[w30wcf]

I have loaded the vast majority of my .22 primed cases with 4.5 grs of Swiss Null B but a couple of years ago decided to try some smokeless. Philip Sharpe in his book "Complete Guide To Handloading" (1937) mentioned that DuPont SR80 (Sporting Rifle) had been used to load .22 L.R. cartridges. Based on some other information I had gleaned, I loaded 2.5 grs. of SR 80 under the 40 gr cast bullet. They shot well and produced velocities about the same as the b.p. round (1,100 f.p.s.)

SR80 has approx the same burning rate as Blue Dot and HS7 but I have not yet tried an equal amount of those powders. The CCI Velocitor is loaded with 2.2 grs. of a fine disc powder of unknown burning rate which pushes the 40 gr. bullet to over 1,400 f.p.s. 2.5 grs of either of above powders would certainly be safe but may not give the best accuracy results.

A Federal Hi Velocity .22 L.R. cartridge was loaded with 1.5 grs of a powder that looks like Titegroup BUT is probably not! As time and the weather permits, I will try some smokeless powder loads and report back.......

Note: SR80 was discontinued in 1939.

w30wcf

[w30wcf]

I loaded some .22 RF cases today with smokeless powder. The loads were:
Titegroup powder / 40 gr cast bullet
1.0 grs. - 0849 f.p.s. average
1.3 grs. - 1081 f.p.s. average
1.5 grs. - 1260 f.p.s. average

with a 30 gr. swaged bullet (North American Arms)
1.5 grs. - 1439 f.p.s. average
I will have to try 1.3 grs. with the 30 gr. bullet

I did not test for group since it was cold and windy. Will be testing for accuracy when the weather cooperates.....

w30wcf

[Blacksmith]

Primed .22 cases are available again (cross posted in .22 LR Black Powder reloads):
https://fedarm.com/product-category/ammunition/22-lr/

[Kev18]

I have had .22 rounds crack down the case because they were so old and in bad condition. I shot them in a semi-auto.
Pro tip: Dont hold anywhere near the mag well. Thats what I did and my hand ate some blow back gas and small shrapnel. I kept shooting but I should of worn gloves.
Be careful testing loads

[uscra112]

Take a loaded 22lr apart and measure the powder. If fine grain, use the same in 4756. If flake, use the same in Herco. ... felix

I think Felix has it correct here. Vihtavuori lists their 3N37 as being fomulated for .22 Rimfire, and I find that Herco is the nearest equivalent amongst American powder makers.

About 1.5 to 1.8 grains looks right in my Quickload model.

(I don't load .22 rimfire cases, but I did a detailed study to find the bolt thrust of .22s, to evaluate the safety of certain antique boys' rifles.)

[Wally44]

How r you guys making out with your 22 loads

[LynC2]

An interesting project, but personally I'd rather be shooting than loading them unless I started shooting .22 BP silhouette. However I hope you enjoy your journey and be safe. ☺

[scholar]

I loaded some .22 RF cases today with smokeless powder. The loads were:
Titegroup powder / 40 gr cast bullet
1.0 grs. - 0849 f.p.s. average
1.3 grs. - 1081 f.p.s. average
1.5 grs. - 1260 f.p.s. average

with a 30 gr. swaged bullet (North American Arms)
1.5 grs. - 1439 f.p.s. average
I will have to try 1.3 grs. with the 30 gr. bullet

I did not test for group since it was cold and windy. Will be testing for accuracy when the weather cooperates.....

w30wcf

Has anyone confirmed this or can anyone point me in the direction of more reloading data for 22LR. I just picked up a 22lr reloading kit from 22lrreloader.com, but the only load data is has is for BP and BP substitutes (and surprisingly, match-heads, like I'm that hard up). I'm looking to go smokeless, and there just isn't that much data out there. This is quite old, and I would have thought there'd be more available.

[John Boy]

Scholar, and I view your alias loosely, I will confirm the data prepared by one of the most dedicated reloaders and knowledgeable historian who has since died. He is John Kort, my long time close friend and shooting buddy who between him and me, plus a couple of others, started reloading 22LR primed empty cases in the US. We started because of it’s historical value with
a David Mos custom mold of the UMC Target Bullet that we took dimensions and the Lyman 224253 bullet and we cobbled together the reloading process
John experimented with Titegroup and I have stayed with 2.1gr of Bullseye at 1532 FPS and 4.5 grs of Swiss Null-B at 1230 FPS using the 45gr UMC bullet. I also reloaded the Old West bullet but never chronographed the rounds using my data loads

So I would like to see your detail post what you used and chronograph results

[John Boy]

Knobster, look on the Old West bullet website, they have everything you want and need, including shell holder ... https://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/shop/ols/products

[Goofy]

Don't know this information is of use, but I've been shooting a CF version of the .22 LR for 2-3 years and will pass along some of the load/velocity info below. Most were fired with small pistol primers, both WW and CCI.

.9 gr Red Dot Avg 1048 fps
1.1 gr Red Dot avg 1259 fps
.8 gr 700X avg 919 fps
.9 gr Bullseye avg 965 fps
1.0 gr Bullseye avg 1075 fps
1.0 gr WW231 avg 1031 fps
1.1 gr 800X avg 840 fps
1.2 gr 800X avg 1054 fps w/Federal small pistol primer

Couple of points for consideration. Standard LR RF ammo has more case capacity than my CF version, hence my loads generate more pressure for a given load. Regardless, the case volume is small and as suggested in the information above, very small increments of change in the charge can have a significant result. Proceed with caution.

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

.........4.5 grs of Swiss Null-B at 1230 FPS using the 45gr UMC bullet......

If accurate that would be the ultimate Smallbore Lever Action Silhouette round.

By the way my one real regret in life is that I never looked John Kort in the eye and shook his hand. Been to Bradford and Ridgway while he was still with us, just not when he was there.

[bobthenailer]

it seemes to me that i read that VV 3N37 was used for the 22 lr as well as other applications

[475/480]

I bought 2000 primed cases off of GB- , bought a MP 37hp/39fp mold and have Bullseye powder on hand.
I have loaded 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0gr behind the bullets. Weighs 35gr HP with my alloy . I will shoot this weekend and post my results
I will run the loads thru a TC G2-10" barrel then ( next week) to my SW 5.5" and Buckmark 10" Bull.

**UPDATE - got delayed this weekend will try loads next weekend, 4-18-21**

Sean