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Thread: 22 Spitfire/5.7 Johnson

  1. #41
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I think I've found the best load for this rifle.
    11.5 of 2400. 40g Sierra .223 bullets
    1 1/2 at 50yds. No soot.
    Started at 10.5 and worked up to 12.0.
    11.5 and 12.0 no difference.
    I'll load more rounds and move to 100yd accuracy.
    Getting closer.
    Be off this Sunday. Sister in town.

  2. #42
    Boolit Master kywoodwrkr's Avatar
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    FWIW
    Manual of Catridge Conversions pg 709
    40gr/spire/14.0gr-2400 /2850fps/Nonte
    50gr/spire/14.0gr-IMR4198/2700fps/Barnes

  3. #43
    Boolit Grand Master
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    In my earlier testing I did try some 14.0gr loads.
    Little to hot. to me

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
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    Each gun is a different story for sure but good advice to start low as we know. Sure looks like 2400 is going to be hard to beat. Any of those powders around that burn rate would be worth a look see.

    Any info on primers used?

    This is a pretty good bunch of information on a cartridge about which there really isn't much info written on. Great work guys!

  5. #45
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    Newtire,

    Fwiw, when I was "way down South", one of the Civil Guard guys had a US .30 M1 Carbine converted to the .22 Johnson Spitfire & used it for hunting both 2-footed & 4-footed quarry.

    I cannot remember either sort of "game" getting away after being hit with that little carbine.

    BEST WISHES, tex

  6. #46
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I've been having problems with the gas piston.
    The nut keeps blowing off.
    I've cleaned the threads in the housing. They look good.
    Noticed a crack where the hole on top is.
    Don't see any other cracks in it.
    Last time I added some blue Loctite, but it didn't help.
    I ordered a new nut and will try that.

  7. #47
    Boolit Master
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    Yeah, the nut was cracked on my .30 cal. when I bought it. I think that if it gets loose, it hammers a bit and cracks. Put a touch of blue loctite on it. Just warm it up with your propane torch for about 3-4 seconds when you want to take it out. It won't crack or come loose anymore I'll bet.

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by abunaitoo View Post
    I've been having problems with the gas piston.
    The nut keeps blowing off.
    I've cleaned the threads in the housing. They look good.
    Noticed a crack where the hole on top is.
    Don't see any other cracks in it.
    Last time I added some blue Loctite, but it didn't help.
    I ordered a new nut and will try that.
    Do you happen to know the MFG who made the barrel, there were several barrel makers, if you can't figure out who and can take a pic or 2 maybe we can help you out.

  9. #49
    Boolit Grand Master
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    No marking anywhere on the barrel.
    The top front of the receiver is stamped....
    Plainfield Machine
    Dunellen. N.J.
    Cal.22 PMC M-5

    When I first started working on it, it had problems sometimes ejecting.
    It also sometimes had lots of blow back and blown shells.
    I noticed something rattling. When I took it apart, the piston was broken.
    Used the old nut with a new piston, and it's been blowing the nut out since.
    Last time I used blue Loctite and made it a little extra tight.
    Ordered a new nut.
    If the new nut doesn't work, I'll just spot weld it.
    If there is a big, long crack, I don't see it.
    Can't do anymore damage to it, and it should get it working again.
    Unless someone knows how to repair the threads in the housing.

  10. #50
    Boolit Master
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    Numrich has new barrels if worse comes to worse. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/766960A

  11. #51
    Boolit Grand Master
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    New nut came in.
    It seems to me that the nut is not going all the way in.
    I ordered a thread tap.
    I want to clean up the threads and try it again.
    If it still won't hold....
    I just got a early Christmas present to myself............A Tig welder.

  12. #52
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Got the tap.
    Kind of hard to start it straight.
    Found that the threads were bad.
    Nut wasn't going down all the way.
    After the tap, it's now bottoming out.
    Will try it this weekend if I have time.

  13. #53
    Boolit Master
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    Hope that is all it is. That would be great!

  14. #54
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Took it out yesterday.
    After 10 rounds I took the stock off to check the nut.
    It was coming out.
    I did use blue locktite and stake it.
    It was a new old stock nut.
    I'll clean it up and look at it better.
    May just end up welding it.
    This thing is more problems than it's worth.
    Not my rifle.
    It was given to a friend.
    probably why it was given away.
    Can't be worse than it is now.

  15. #55
    Boolit Master
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    Just wondered if you could drill & pin the nut to the gas "chamber"

  16. #56
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Looks a little to thin for that.
    I did see a small crack in it.
    Just going to weld it.
    Can't make it any worse.

  17. #57
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Been busy with other projects, but finally found some time to play with it again.
    Not the best solution, but piston nut is now welded.
    Seems to be holding fine.
    Loading Sierra 40gr, .223di, Hornet bullets. 2400 powder. 11.3, 11.5, 11.7.
    All loads, primers flat. Small rifle CCI
    11.5 seems to be the best.
    Now that the piston problem seem fixed, I'll go back and try some different powders again.
    Suggestions on weather to go faster, Blue Dot, or slower I4227.
    Last edited by abunaitoo; 03-06-2018 at 09:47 PM.

  18. #58
    Boolit Grand Master
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    So I went with I4227 this time.
    11.5, 12.0, 12.5.
    Cases showed lots of blowback. Dirty and soot.
    Primers flat at 12.0 and 12.5.
    Accuracy not that great, with 12.5 the best at 2" at 50yds.
    So 2400 was good, but to me a little to fast burning. I4227 was to slow burning.
    Going to try W296. middle of the two.

  19. #59
    Boolit Buddy arclight's Avatar
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    You might want to look at Hodgson Lil'Gun. It works great in 30 carbine and .357mag lever guns.

  20. #60
    Boolit Master
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    I had a lot of grains of unburned powder in .30 carbine with IMR 4227. Curious to know how things go with the WW296. It was the best with 113 gr. pointed gas checked in .30 carbine.

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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