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Thread: 22 Spitfire/5.7 Johnson

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Part came in. Cleaned up the barrel and it fit like new.
    I'm wondering if it was broken for a while and just didn't fall out this past time.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master kywoodwrkr's Avatar
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    I load 218 Bee FP Speer in mine.
    Use IMR 4227
    All USGI except barrel-Paladin barrel(90's).
    See there is Speer HP now also. Should have said maybe there will be!
    Fun little rifle.
    Thought I obtained original loading data from COTW from the 90's time frame.
    Load software probably would be useful as well.
    Update-Forgot Grafs has 5.7 Johnson 'basic' brass with correct headstamp.
    Basic in this case is 30 carbine it looks like with 5.7 Johnson headstamp.
    Last edited by kywoodwrkr; 08-05-2017 at 08:53 PM.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Shot it yesterday.
    Worked fine.
    Used 2400 powder. 11.5, 12.0, 12.5, 13.0, 13.5.
    Seemed a little to hot even with the lowers load.
    Blew a case at 12.5.
    Accuracy was "not to good"
    I have a feeling the piston was broken for a while.
    Plan is to go back to I4227 and probably try some slower powders.

  4. #24
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    I picked up a 5.7 spitfire barrel month ago, one of the original 1-16 twist that was NOS, throat is so long I can seat a Sierra 69 gr with base at bottom of neck and still not touch rifling. Been to busy to take it out and shoot it but with 1-16 I settled on 34 gr varsity bullets from grads and sons. Real cheap for 500.
    Glad to see some other people on here shooting these.
    Spent three years in Kaneohe Bay back in early 80s.

  5. #25
    Boolit Grand Master
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    When I slugged this barrel, it came out to .221/.222.
    So I went with the Sierra Hornet bullets.

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Decided to go to the range today.
    Shot it with Reloader7
    10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0.
    All cycled well. Much softer recoil. All between 1" to 3" at 50yds.
    Bad part is shells came out with lots of soot on the neck.
    Powder to slow.
    Going to try I4198 or N133 next.
    Getting closer.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by abunaitoo View Post
    Decided to go to the range today.
    Shot it with Reloader7
    10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0.
    All cycled well. Much softer recoil. All between 1" to 3" at 50yds.
    Bad part is shells came out with lots of soot on the neck.
    Powder to slow.
    Going to try I4198 or N133 next.
    Getting closer.
    Thanks for doing all this testing guys. I heard it said that you could use .218 Bee data but tend to believe certain people on this site more than I believe some of the other things I see on the Internet. When you see incipient case separation beginning a couple of notches lower down on the scale, one begins to seriously question the loadings from P.O. Ackley books...??

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I'm feeling the load data for the 218 Bee might be a little hot.
    I start low and go up, but stop if it feels to hot.
    I'm using range pickup brass, so don't know if reloaded or not.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by abunaitoo View Post
    I'm feeling the load data for the 218 Bee might be a little hot.
    I start low and go up, but stop if it feels to hot.
    I'm using range pickup brass, so don't know if reloaded or not.
    Starline now sells M1 carbine brass. I'd be willing to bet it's thicker than anything else, judging by the other stuff they sell, so you'd have to start out on the low side. Great brass though!

  10. #30
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    I bought NOEs 37 gr gas check mold for my spitfire, mine measures .2235 on the grooves. I have these little cast boolits sized to .225. Did a quick load check and seems like lilgun is about the best powder for these, 13.2gr gives you 2550fps at 36600 psi, about 10k lower than max.
    That's 85% case capacity.
    Will let you know haw they shoot as soon as I get a chance to get to the range. Hoping this Weekend.

  11. #31
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    Took my spitfire out today and the two rounds I got off showed no signs of high pressure and both printed right next to each other but real high, need a taller front sight to get it closer to POA.
    I had my gas piston pop out and keep the op rod from closing the bolt all the way so that ended my day with that gun.
    Lucky no damage to gun, looks like gas piston nut wasn't staked in and being first m1carbine I didn't know it was already half way out.
    Will clean it all up and have it back together tomorrow and take it out next week to try some more.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 69daytona View Post
    Took my spitfire out today and the two rounds I got off showed no signs of high pressure and both printed right next to each other but real high, need a taller front sight to get it closer to POA.
    I had my gas piston pop out and keep the op rod from closing the bolt all the way so that ended my day with that gun.
    Lucky no damage to gun, looks like gas piston nut wasn't staked in and being first m1carbine I didn't know it was already half way out.
    Will clean it all up and have it back together tomorrow and take it out next week to try some more.
    Hi 69 Daytona. Just a thought; I haven't had my gas piston come loose on me during shooting before so have a guess as to why it may be happening. I would say that the threaded interface between the nut & the gas piston housing attached to the barrel has gotten so that it's not fitting properly anymore. In this case, a bit of blue loctite should serve to fill up the gaps in the threads and help it to stay put. I would advise against staking it, since this may result in damage eventually. Just saying this based on the fact that I've never had to stake mine in place. A little 3-5 second burst of heat from the propane torch will get even the stubbornest loctite to turn liquid again so that you can unscrew it again for cleaning the carbon out of it. Sounds like the metal on the gas piston housing may have been a little soft or maybe the replacement nut was of questionable quality. Either way, the loctite should fix it without having to booger things up by staking.

  13. #33
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    Thanks newtire, I took it all apart today, looks like whoever put it together last didn't tighten it up more than half way because the threads in the base are buggered. Have to get a 1/2-32 tap or the armorers tool to fix it, then use the blue loctite.
    Thanks for the tip.

  14. #34
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    Took it out yesterday with VV N133 powder.
    10.0 to 14.0.
    Powder is to slow.
    Lots of blowback and soot on case.
    All loads 1/2 to 2 at 50yds.
    It did get better with higher charge.
    Cycling was good with all loads.
    I'll go back to trying a faster powder.
    Don't have a Lilgun.
    According to the chart I have, and powder I have, it's in between 2400 and W296.
    I'll go back and try 2400 and W296 again.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    Thanks for keeping us posted Abunaitoo! Looks like 2400 is the ticket. I use a lot of WW 296/H110 in the regular .30 carbine but that's using heavier bullets. It burns great in .30 cal, I wonder about lighter .22 bullets though. Plus, it's one of those powders not recommended to reduce charges with (detonation problems).

  16. #36
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    H110 with the loads I looked up were around max pressure at 86-92% case capacity with velocities in the 3000-3200 fps range with 40 gr hornady.
    Got my gas piston nut fixed and loctited in place, as soon as this heat wave breaks I will go try it again, have a bunch loaded with lilgun and h110, 4227.

  17. #37
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    Thanks for the update Daytona. Great thread.

  18. #38
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    Saw that I didn't try Blue Dot, so I loaded up some and tried it on Sunday.
    Load was 9.0, 9.5, 10.0, 10.5.
    9.0 was 1" to 2" at 50yds. Cycle good, A little soot on neck.
    9.5 was 2" to 3" at 50yds. Less soot on neck. Primers flat.
    Didn't try the 10.0 and 10.5 because of how flat the primers were.
    Accuracy was worse, so didn't have to.
    Blue Dot may be just to fast.
    I think this is the sixth firing with these cases.
    Could be the reason for the soot.
    I'll anneal them for the next round of testing.

  19. #39
    Boolit Master
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    Great work Abunaitoo. I used Blue Dot for some .30 carbine loads with cast & had pretty good luck but it was a narrow band between function and too much pressure. This is turning into a real thorough wringing out of this cartridge.

  20. #40
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    Taking long because i get to the range only on Sundays. When I have time.
    But I'm getting closer.

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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