Not sure I want to go smaller

[Wayne Smith]

I just, for the first time, gc'ed and lube sized about 100 71gr .25 boolits. My fingers hurt! I can't imagine playing with .22's!

If I get a CF .22 I'm gonna have to get a swaging die set.

[beagle]

Oh yeah, I feel your pain. Every fall, I make up a batch of .22s and .25s if I need them. Handling the little boogers can be apain and I inspect my small bullets with a 3X eyeshield and discard any ah sh_ts!

Gas checking is really bad but now, I do all my small stuff nose first and seating checks is easier and eliminates any bends that I may induce into the equation./beagle

[leadman]

I use a forceps to put the 22s in the sizer. Cuts down on the damage to the fingers.

[Mk42gunner]

Its not putting them in the lubamatic that's so bad, but getting the gascheck to stay on from the bench to the sizer can be a PITA for both .22 and .25 calibers.

Robert

ps.

The last time I did a bunch of .225438s I conned my daughter into putting the gaschecks on. That worked, once.

[geargnasher]

This is why I prefer long .30 caliber boolits and anything 230 grains and over in .45. Easy to handle.

Gear

[Shuz]

Its not putting them in the lubamatic that's so bad, but getting the gascheck to stay on from the bench to the sizer can be a PITA for both .22 and .25 calibers.

Robert

ps.

The last time I did a bunch of .225438s I conned my daughter into putting the gaschecks on. That worked, once.

Robert--I shoot a lot of .25 cal in the .250 Sav. I've found that the best way for me to gas check is to place the check in the luber and then carefully seat and lube. I use a Saeco luber for my .250 Sav. At first I thought that I would get a few checks that were not seated square, etc. but so far, that has not been a problem with either my Cramer 55A or my RCBS 25-100FN.

[1Shirt]

Yep, the little ones are a real pain! That said, when they shoot well, the effort is more than worth the pain!
1Shirt!

[Moonie]

I don't mind the 22's, just more rejects that I'd like. Can't wait for my NOE mold to arrive, perhaps the reject rate will be lower than with my bator.

[Mk42gunner]

Robert--I shoot a lot of .25 cal in the .250 Sav. I've found that the best way for me to gas check is to place the check in the luber and then carefully seat and lube. I use a Saeco luber for my .250 Sav. At first I thought that I would get a few checks that were not seated square, etc. but so far, that has not been a problem with either my Cramer 55A or my RCBS 25-100FN.

Actually, once I started annealing the gaschecks, the job isn't all that bad.


I don't mind the 22's, just more rejects that I'd like. Can't wait for my NOE mold to arrive, perhaps the reject rate will be lower than with my bator.

Maybe my experience is different from everybody else's but I find the little 22 and 25 cal boolits to be very easy to cast. The pile doesn't get bigger very fast, but the quantity does.

Robert

[Wayne Smith]

It's not the casting that's the problem, it's getting the gcs on. I think my mold may be casting the shank a bare touch large.

[Swede44mag]

They may be a pain but you don't use as much lead compared to my 45-70.
I have a 2 cavity .22GC mold sitting on my reloading table just wanting to help feed my XR-100.
It has been years since I tried to cast any .22 cal boolits.