Casting 22 rimfire bullets

[ncmn]

This is something I have always wanted to do, so it is a learning experience to be able to load my own 22rf. I picked up a few primed cases and going to try and load a couple hundred for testing. I read as many posts on here as I could find before starting down this road. I enjoy the casting and loading so please don't tell me I am crazy or ask me why I am doing this

After a few emails with John Boy, I picked up a 40gr mold from South West. Mold is a great, and casts like a dream.They are perfect size right out of the mold, 210 heel and 224 just like I wanted. I am using range scrap lead and just a small amount of Linotype in a 20lb Lee pot. I have no way to measure hardness, but the bullets are averaging 38.5 grains and seem to be too hard for 22rf. I am going to load them with Swiss Null B like a few on here do, but I am little concerned about the hardness. I may try smokeless as well, but right now interested in black powder for backyard target practice with single action revolver to start with and later try 50 and 100 yards with Henry Frontier and a Savage bolt action for informal target shooting.

If I was guessing, I would say they are in 12-14 hardness range as you sure cant scratch them with your finger nail like normal 22rf. Should I throw them back in the pot, and try to get some pure lead for casting 22rf or just load and shoot? Thanks for the help guys.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I cast for .22 (22gn)and .17 (13gn) air rifle pellets and use only pure lead!

[DDriller]

For plinking hardness doesn't matter, as long as the barrel doesn't lead just shoot them.

[tazman]

Casting for 22lr is a project that sounds like a fun thing to pursue. I have never tried it but I have contemplated it.
Just not certain it is a chunk I want to bite off right now.
Please, please please, keep us informed of your progress as I find this topic interesting.

[ncmn]

Barrel leading is my concern. Loaded a lot of 223 from the Lee bator mold and shot in 223 bolt action but never 22rf. This is new for me.

[ncmn]

Tazman I sure will, due to current state of primers, powder and other supplies this is all I am planning on loading now. Got everything else where I want it, and just not shooting anything now. I reload for everything I shoot, but this is always something I wanted to try. Not interested in it if I didn't have the primed cases already.

[dverna]

If going down this path, I would buy 10k primed cases. Otherwise when, not if, the supply of primed .22 cases dries up you are no better off.

We can learn from our mistakes or be doomed to repeat them.

If this is being done to get trigger time, as the OP states, Bas *** Wallace has a better strategy. Get a good pellet rifle and cast pellets.

[dtknowles]

I don't really have an interest in loading .22 LR but I would be interested in loading .22 WMR for pistol. I pull down some WMR and reloaded them and I can beat factory ammo in my pistol. Also for Pistol you don't need jacketed bullets since the velocities are lower.

Anyone know were to get empty .22 LR cases and does anyone know how to reprime .22 WMR?

Tim

[ncmn]

Dverna Thanks for the reply, and let's just say I have enough primed cases to do me for a long time. I haven't looked into casting pellets but that is interesting as well. As John Boy says just going back in time shooting black powder. Casting keeps this old man out of trouble....

[Texas Gun]

I just finished building a swage die for suasion 22 Long rifle bullets The biggest headache were the base punches

[sigep1764]

I just finished building a swage die for suasion 22 Long rifle bullets The biggest headache were the base punches

How do they SHOOT????

[Texas Gun]

I will find our tomorrow morning I have made 22g and 25 g 30g to test and just for fun a 60 g lol

[dtknowles]

I will find our tomorrow morning I have made 22g and 25 g 30g to test and just for fun a 60 g lol

Will the 60 gr. chamber? I have some 60 gr but they use the short case.

Tim

[ncmn]

Texas Gun now the 22gr and 25gr sure sounds interesting to me. Make some quite rounds for my backyard fun.

[Texas Gun]

I will be using HS5 because I have a ton of it maybe some unique and tightwad and testing with some trash can powder I have a pound of powder somebody gave me in a Coffee can Not a clue what it is Then I have some random powders from breaking down Rounds found on the range

[Texas Gun]

I don’t know if I can get it the chamber I’m gonna be using a bolt action Rifle for my test

[JimB..]

Barrel leading is my concern. Loaded a lot of 223 from the Lee bator mold and shot in 223 bolt action but never 22rf. This is new for me.

Not sure where you are in NC, but if you’re near Charlotte and need some pure lead feel free to reach out.

FWIW, I thought that pellets were swaged, not cast.

[ncmn]

Thanks Jim, I may reach out as Charlotte is not about 45 minutes from my location.

[Texas Gun]

Well the pistol powders work great tightwad work the best at 1.0 g and for and the questionable powder in the coffee can work pretty good use 1.5 grains which is about all I can fit in a case I did not test unique this time . Lost the front sight off my rifle after the second shot so I did not really get to see accuracy ><

[ncmn]

Well since no one said not to load them, I got 15 loaded for a test in revolver. Mainly just getting dies setup, waiting on black powder now.