It's alive... and cheap to reload for!

[Catshooter]

Sweet. How's the velocity?


Cat

[NoZombies]

Sweet. How's the velocity?


Cat

I don't have an answer on that one yet, I've got to break out the oehler to find out, and I just didn't have the time today. Maybe later in the week or next week I'll be able to sneak out again and find out!

My guess based on observation would be somewhere in the 800-850 FPS range. Loads could certainly be pushed harder, but a big priority long term will be finding a load that can be shared between the long guns and the revolver that will be accurate enough in whatever, and remain subsonic in the long guns for suppression. With that said, I'm sure I'll make up some hotter loads for the revolver as well to see what can be done...

If I can find another cylinder (or two), I'd chamber one for a version of the cartridge with a 1" long case for 'magnumization'. The 1" brass can be made easily enough from hornet brass, and possibly 5.7 brass, though I've had less luck with the 5.7 stuff...

[NoZombies]

It works well, Caught this little bugger climbing out of a hole he or his compatriots had chewed in my siding, nailed him when I had the clear shot.

[HATCH]

In this case, the revolver started life as a CF gun, and had a barrel and cylinder fitted to it. Then the cylinder was chambered for the cartridge.

that was gonna be my question next
Just wondering what savings is over just buying a 32/20 revolver?

[NoZombies]

that was gonna be my question next
Just wondering what savings is over just buying a 32/20 revolver?

I can't think of a good reason a 32-20 wouldn't be better for just about everything. But it wouldn't make me smile as much

This gun (and caliber) doesn't answer any important questions, or really do anything any better than anything else. But it's not supposed to, not really anyways. I could think of it as kind of an exercise in pushing the limits of efficiency in lead and powder, or case forming, or maybe some other things, if I felt the need to justify it. It's fun, functional, and because I could do the work myself, wasn't expensive.

I see no commercial potential, it quite literally does nothing that you can't do with a .22 LR or magnum. It's okay if people scratch their heads, I used to drive British cars when I was younger, and they were even less practical, at least this one won't keep costing me money every time I look at it!

[Traffer]

Just a possible fyi. In a 22lr, varying crimp pressure can cause a vertical shot string. But that may only occur on rim fire. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[HATCH]

Please don’t take my question wrong.
I think it’s way cool but it doesn’t really bring anything to the table that isn’t already there.
I just can’t justify the modification.

[NoZombies]

Just a possible fyi. In a 22lr, varying crimp pressure can cause a vertical shot string. But that may only occur on rim fire. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

These rounds weren't crimped, but they were first loads on freshly made brass, and haven't been reamed yet, so neck tension variation is a real possibility. I normally ream after the first firing, now the brass is fire formed, and the reaming should help keep the tension consistent in the future.

Please don’t take my question wrong.
I think it’s way cool but it doesn’t really bring anything to the table that isn’t already there.
I just can’t justify the modification.

No worries, I'm not at all offended, as you said, it really isn't something most people would get much out of. Please don't take my tone as defensive, it isn't meant that way!

There might be some real legitimate uses for the cartridge where it would be better than something else out there, but they would be pretty limited, and narrow in scope.

For me, it's about being able to do something interesting. I've always been fascinated by small capacity cartridges, this is about as small as it gets.

[woodbutcher]

No Zombies is the type of person that innovation was built on.The inveterate tinkerer.
Go man go.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[joatmon]

In the first post it was said that this round was to work as 22rf (as in another shortage implied) and it looks as if you've done that I spades.
Great job.
Aaron

[NoZombies]

Well, the squirrel season is mostly done here, and between the contender and the little K-frame, I managed over 100 bushytails in 5 months. The Smith only accounted for about 20-25 of those, but it did so very well. 100-1 lead tin alloy in HP form weighing 33 grains anchored the little buggers well. My longest shot with the smith was a little over 50 yards.

I hadn't thought about the fact that as a .22 Magnum the model 48 barrel might have some copper fouling. Once I cleaned that all out, it started shooting a bit better. I'll have to find some targets to post, but it's holding 1" at 25 yards without any issue, and from a solid rest, I've gotten some groups around that size at 50 yards.

[arlon]

Maybe not totally practical, maybe not even a little practical but heck I've seen some WAY cool miniature internal combustions engines made that weren't practical either. That wasn't the point of them. The point was to exercise a skill and have a lot of fun doing it. I think it's as impractical of a firearm as I've ever seen but it also one of the coolest. I seldom see anything practical about doing ANY hobby, that's why it's a hobby and not a job. Love that S&W. (-:}

[NoZombies]

Maybe not totally practical, maybe not even a little practical but heck I've seen some WAY cool miniature internal combustions engines made that weren't practical either. That wasn't the point of them. The point was to exercise a skill and have a lot of fun doing it. I think it's as impractical of a firearm as I've ever seen but it also one of the coolest. I seldom see anything practical about doing ANY hobby, that's why it's a hobby and not a job. Love that S&W. (-:}

Thank you, You're right, practicality doesn't really come into play on a build like this one. And it's SO much fun! Easily one of the best ways I've spent a couple of days in the shop.

[scattershot]

As an engineering exercise, this is an outstanding example. Gotta ask, though, with pistol primers selling for .03 cents, and .22 LR selling now for around .05 cents, loaded and ready to go, is it worth the effort?

[NoZombies]

As an engineering exercise, this is an outstanding example. Gotta ask, though, with pistol primers selling for .03 cents, and .22 LR selling now for around .05 cents, loaded and ready to go, is it worth the effort?

From a financial standpoint, probably not, but from a personal satisfaction standpoint, very much so. Even economically it's not terrible, and costs me no more to reload than bulk .22 ammo costs to buy, but I have much better control over the ballistics.

As I've said, it's not a practical caliber, or gun, but It's more than paid for itself in entertainment value!

[Winger Ed.]

Way cool.

Don't worry about pureists.
They're really not much more of a threat than having Mrs. Kravitz for a neighbor.

[Texas by God]

If I had Samantha Stevens for a neighbor I'd be looking out the window too!
Sorry, got sidetracked there

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[skeettx]

My K-22 was made into a 22 Harvey K-Chuck many years ago, currently I use jacketed .222 bullets
But might down load it and use .224 Cast Boolits, what fun, great idea, Thank You

[NoZombies]

My K-22 was made into a 22 Harvey K-Chuck many years ago, currently I use jacketed .222 bullets
But might down load it and use .224 Cast Boolits, what fun, great idea, Thank You

When I had a Kay-chuck, I didn't like shooting the jacketed stuff much, and found happiness with GC cast bullets and milder loads.

[LAH]

This has been a great thread.