WidenersLoad DataTitan ReloadingRepackbox
MidSouth Shooters SupplyLee PrecisionRotoMetals2Inline Fabrication
Reloading Everything
Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 12345678 LastLast
Results 41 to 60 of 146

Thread: 22LR replacement caliber

  1. #41
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Valley of the SUNs, AZ
    Posts
    9,254
    Air Rifle is the way to go - cheaper than 22LR even before - you can get several caliber's from 177 to 22 to 25 all the way up to 50 if you want to spend the money - 22LR performance if you want supersonic - but for plinking quietly keep it 1050 fps or under. You can cast for 'em but pellets are so cheap they are better off bought.
    je suis charlie

    It is better to live one day as a LION than a dozen days as a Sheep.

    Thomas Jefferson Quotations:
    "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master



    cbrick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Kalifornia Escapee
    Posts
    8,034
    The 22 Hornet, 30 Carbine or 32-20 all fit the bill for the OP, all three of these are available from T/C in either handgun or rifle. For the Hornet the Lyman 438 or RCBS 55 gr and for the 30 Carbine the Lyman 311410 at 130 Gr, Miha had a group buy for the 311410 that very recently closed and it's possible he may have a few left. I'm shooting the 30 Carbine in a Blackhawk using 32-20 brass (for the rimmed case) and the 32-20 in a 10 inch Contender. With the Miha 311410 in the Blackhawk it's right @ 1,000 fps with mouse phart loads, accurate at squirrel distances and the HP devastates them.

    What the OP wants to do is very doable in all sorts of ways.

    Rick
    "The people never give up their freedom . . . Except under some delusion." Edmund Burke

    "Let us remember that if we suffer tamely a lawless attack on our liberty, we encourage it." Samuel Adams

    NRA Benefactor Life Member
    CRPA Life Member

  3. #43
    Boolit Master ballistim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    where rocks are shot at & milk jugs, too...
    Posts
    945
    Quote Originally Posted by cbrick View Post
    The 22 Hornet, 30 Carbine or 32-20 all fit the bill for the OP, all three of these are available from T/C in either handgun or rifle. For the Hornet the Lyman 438 or RCBS 55 gr and for the 30 Carbine the Lyman 311410 at 130 Gr, Miha had a group buy for the 311410 that very recently closed and it's possible he may have a few left. I'm shooting the 30 Carbine in a Blackhawk using 32-20 brass (for the rimmed case) and the 32-20 in a 10 inch Contender. With the Miha 311410 in the Blackhawk it's right @ 1,000 fps with mouse phart loads, accurate at squirrel distances and the HP devastates them.

    What the OP wants to do is very doable in all sorts of ways.

    Rick
    I have the 22 Hornet, 32-20, 30 Herrett, and .357 Max in TC Contender barrels to try out with my several of my new NOE & MiHec molds, planning to use my new 311410 in both the 32-20 and 30 Herrett. I've used cast in both the .22 Hornet and 32-20 with reduced cast loads several years ago and have used roundball loads with pistol powder also for use instead of .22 LR for pests and plinking and have had loads of fun with them! I've shot rodents before using cornmeal fire forming loads for the Herrett, very effective! I've held off lately because of the primer shortage but will be giving it another go real soon. Have fun!
    “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."

    Winston S. Churchill


  4. #44
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Switzerland of Ohio
    Posts
    6,313
    .25-20 is my first choice. Actually .25-20 Single Shot.

    .32-20 is also high on my list. Easier to cast for, IMHO. Good lever-gun cartridge.

    I also like the .32 S&W Long, but as has been pointed out already brass is hard to come by.

    Hornet? Well, I like the Hornet, and I have one, but if I'm going to go high pressure I'll go .223. Will do anything that a Hornet will do and reach out 50-75 yards farther when using j-warts.
    Cognitive Dissident

  5. #45
    Boolit Master kenyerian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    977
    Love the hornet. i like the 225107 37Gr. FN 4 cavity GC That NOE made for the group buy. A little bit of alloy goes a long way casting 37 grain boolits. Cheap shooting.

  6. #46
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Middle Tennessee
    Posts
    1,109
    I have two H&Rs that would fit the bill. The first is a .223 with 1:12" twist. I shoot it with 4-5 grs. red dot with a cast bullets a friend casts. I may get the bator mold from Mid-South. The other is a Topper in 30-30 with a 16.5" bbl. I load 7 grs. Green Dot with a 165 Ranch Dog or a 113gr. Lee.

    By the way, Midsouth, fine folks indeed, is out of stock on both Bators, 2 cav and 6 cav and NOT accepting backorders. Tough news.

    If you cast your own, a 30-30 with reduced loads will make you never go back to .22RF.

  7. #47
    Boolit Master
    NoZombies's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    N. Florida
    Posts
    2,493
    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    We must be on the same wavelength !
    I bought a savage mod 24 this spring, 222 on top of 20ga.
    I like it so much, I've been watching auctions for a bolt action rifle in 222. I missed a few.
    BUT, this one fell through the cracks, I got it with only the one bid.
    http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=368185623
    Savage 340 in 222. it's not here yet...but soon.

    I'm hoping my 223 load with Red Dot and a 60gr boolit works as good or better in this 222.

    Auctions are funny things, I had been watching for any 222 rem on GB. I used the search words "222 rem" Then for some reason I searched for ".222 rem" this rifle and a few others came up with the second word search, but not the first word search. I think that is why I won it with only one bid, it didn't come up on searches because of the decimal point.
    Good Luck,
    Jon
    That's a Great looking gun Jon!

    I've got a 340C in .222 on the way to me as well, with a proper vintage weaver K-6 scope to boot.

    I'm looking forward to the endeavor, as I traded away my model 24 in .222 a few years ago, and still have brass, dies etc left over.

    You'll have to let me know what works for you and your rifle!
    Nozombies.com Practical Zombie Survival

    Collecting .32 molds. Please let me know if you have one you don't need, cause I might "need" it!

  8. #48
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Omaha, NE
    Posts
    1,625
    There was a wildcat based on the .22 Hornet that has intrigued me for many years. It was a .25 Hornet. It was necked up from .22 to .25 and had what looked like a straight case. I believe it was made for revolvers so that the case would not set back. I would think that .25 would be easier to cast than .22.

  9. #49
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
    Bonz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Mint Hill, NC
    Posts
    1,302
    Quote Originally Posted by Garyshome View Post
    A 9 mm carbine with a red dot. Cheap to reload for, small caliber although range is limited? Anything you have brass and boolits for? Mosin? [although ammo is getting costly]
    +1 on the 9mm AR15 with RedDot ($50) Wife and I shot 200 rounds thru ours yesterday. Great fun, cheap to reload, not at all picky on bullet types. What more could you ask for...
    Shoot'em If You Got'em...

  10. #50
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    398
    A 223 with RCBS 55 gr sized .225, and about 7 gr Blue Dot prints nice tight groups at 50 yards for me.

  11. #51
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eureka MT
    Posts
    2,513
    My favorite for this is a M92 Win in 25/20. I also have a Savage 23 in 25/20, a Contender in 256Win 223 and 22KH, a NEF in 22KH and 30/30 and an old Rem 700V in 223 with 1/12 twist. All of these work as 22lr replacements with the smaller cases being a little more economical. The 22KH with a 45gr cast and 4.5grs of Win 231 works really well but velocity is more like 1400 than 1200. I haven't tried loading the rest of them really light but I suppose they would work ok.

  12. #52
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    375
    Are there any decent .223 loads that don't need gas checks? I'm thinking light plinking loads.

  13. #53
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
    felix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    fort smith ar
    Posts
    9,679
    Probably not. Use a non-checked boolit design if you must. ... felix
    felix

  14. #54
    Boolit Master

    Uncle Grinch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Middle Georgia
    Posts
    1,703
    The one roadblock that I see, at least here in Georgia, is the fact that small game hunting requires a rimfire caliber only.
    Shoot Safe,
    Mike

    Retired Telephone Man
    NRA Endowment Member
    Marion Road Gun Club
    ( www.marionroad.com )

  15. #55
    Boolit Master dudel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Texas Hill Country
    Posts
    1,238
    22 Hornet. I recently discovered this round. It's great in my Contender and HandiRifle, Works great for gallery loads, and it a good small critter getter without damaging too much meat (like a .223!)

  16. #56
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,239
    I have an inexpensive Handi-Rifle in .223 (the scope costs more than the rifle). I began shooting full .223 loads but soon tired of it. Now I've been experimenting with some handloads that are a lot of fun to shoot. I have tried Beartooth's 45 gr. RN over about 4 1/2 gr of WC820, and around 9.0 gr. of 2400 and it's a hoot to shoot! Brass is everywhere, cheap, and easy to reload. My average "good" groups are hovering around 1" at 40 yards and recoil is nil. I believe there is load data in my Lyman's Cast bullet Handbook for lighter bullets/light loads. I don't try to count costs but a 45 gr. lead bullet (I don't have a mold that size yet) a small rifle primer, and a little bit of powder can't cost very much...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  17. #57
    Boolit Master dudel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Texas Hill Country
    Posts
    1,238
    Quote Originally Posted by detox View Post
    Some primers are allmost as loud as a regular 22 long rifle boolit. Is it difficult to make the Hornet as quiet as a subsonic 22 CB?
    I've had very quiet loads in 22 hornet with a SPP and a .22 caliber pellet. This was using a 20" HandiRifle.

  18. #58
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    95
    Thanks everyone for the relies - this site it excellent!
    sofor, there have been 13 different calibers listed, and the most mentioned is 22 hornet, .223, 222, and a 38 or 9mm carbine. This is a lot of options and info. I'll be researching all this over the weekend. I think it might come down to rifle availablity/price, and brass availability/price. Here, the 222/223 (same brass) and the 9mm win out. However, I don't want a .35x projectile for this, actually don't want a .308 projectile either - just too big if trying to replace a .22LR. I sometimes take game that I want to eat.
    I already have and reload for .223, .243, 30-06, .38, and 9mm. I'm going to look into the 22-250, 222, and 223 low velocity loads and rifles first. Thanks for all the ideas!
    wade

  19. #59
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    95
    Also PS - I live in Florida. migratory birds must be taken with shotgun, but squirrels can be "by all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols".
    wade

  20. #60
    Boolit Master


    grumman581's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    The Lone Star Republic
    Posts
    759
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    Are there any decent .223 loads that don't need gas checks? I'm thinking light plinking loads.
    You can use a gas check bullet without the gas check. I've used the 22BATOR bullet without a gas check.
    Live fast, die young, leave a cute widow...

Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 12345678 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check