Reloading 22lr

[Cornbread]

Well these guys seem to have pulled it off and with cast bullets and black powder as the propellant no less. Personally I will stick to .22 center fire rifles until prices come down because this process looks about as tedious as watching paint dry but if you simply have to have .22lr these guys have a spendy little kit that will allow you to do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxh6cvWk09g

[Freightman]

That is as bad as redoing primers, might be worse.:veryconfu

[Bulldogger]

The biggest challenge as I see it is those priming materials are corrosive. Otherwise, it's not a bad little kit. The casting and crimping tool is nifty, and is probably 90% of the $189 price tag. That price tag keeps me away! It's probably fair, for the machining involved, but I will make due with something else. Hard to make a heeled mold, but maybe not as bad as buying one. Who can say.

I'll pass, but it is nifty.

Bulldogger

[LUBEDUDE]

I might play with it if it was closer to a hundred bucks. But I think they priced themselves out of their own market which they are trying to create.

[2wheelDuke]

That's pretty interesting there. It's got me wondering just what it'd take to make a similar tool. I'd really prefer to have the operations on separate tools. I'd rather have multi-cav mold blocks that use their own handles, then the pliers style tool to crimp. I didn't see any mention of lube at all. I'd think you might want to size them and tumble in something like JPW before loading.

Sure seems like alot of effort though.

[dilly]

The biggest challenge as I see it is those priming materials are corrosive.
Bulldogger

If black powder is the propellant, how much does that really matter? A very thorough cleaning is necessary anyway.

[Cornbread]

Yep good points all around. I agree, they priced it too high, they should have made at least two tools vs. one tool so you can separate casting and crimping, and there should definitely be lube involved. How are they not getting lead in their barrels with no lube? Maybe they are and they just don't notice because they have to clean them so good from the black powder? The tedium of it is what got me, and why can't you buy some sort of priming compound vs. having to scrape matches or caps? For that amount of tedium and effort I could cast and reload a whole lot of .223 and not have to worry about corrosives.

[oldred]

That's the second tool for reloading 22's I have seen and they mention strike anywhere matches like you can actually find the stinkin things! I set about trying to find those matches last year and it's a hopeless cause, they have been out of production for several years and the only decent ones left are bringing obscene prices on places like E-Bay. Sure I know if you look around you can still find the strike anywhere type but they are NOT the matches of old and are worthless for priming material, on the new matches the miniscule amount of actual strike material on the tip (just the white tip is all that's usable not the entire match head) is so tiny it often won't even light the match. The point is don't buy this outfit with the intention of using match tips for priming material because you simply can't find them.

[dilly]

why can't you buy some sort of priming compound vs. having to scrape matches or caps?

I think those chemicals are categorized as explosives and illegal to have in any useful quantity. I think they may even be almost dangerous enough to justify the regulation, if you were to find a liter of it or something.

[dragonrider]

I'll stick to center fire 22 before I will try that. Too costly and time heavy.

[Cornbread]

I think those chemicals are categorized as explosives and illegal to have in any useful quantity. I think they may even be almost dangerous enough to justify the regulation, if you were to find a liter of it or something.

I wondered if it might be that. I know the stuff they make whippersnappers out of will explode under it's own weight in pure form if you have more than about the size of a dime worth.

I'm with dragonrider on this thing. I'll stick with 22 centerfire if I really have to shoot a 22 caliber gun. Just looks like way more effort than it is worth, but I did find it interesting that people are willing to go this far to shoot 22lr.

[rking22]

An answer looking for a question in my mind. I dearly love 22LR but part of the reason is the convience factor. 22 hornet,32-20,357, 32 SWL. even 380s are a better solution. And black powder without some lube can't shoot too well in that small bore very long. Give me an air rifle for plinking and a small case centerfire for small game. Or just a nice 30-30 for everything.

[dragon813gt]

It's easier all around to reload 22 centerfire. Even if you have to reuse primers you can use the same priming compound they describe. There is a lengthy thread here about making your own priming compound that doesn't involve caps or matches.

[MaryB]

I remember back in high school chem lab making a contact explosive that when dry went off under pressure. Chemicals used were pretty common but I would have to research and find the formula again. We made a batch, soaked bits of paper and scattered them in the halls while wet. They dried before classes got out out so as people were walking down the hallways little pieces of paper kept popping under their feet. Never got caught as the guilty party either! Potassium permanganate was one of the chemicals used...

[Plate plinker]

Cool but not for me

[Garyshome]

I'll use that after I shoot all my hoard of 22lr's

[MT Gianni]

Local Cenex dealer had a display at the fair. It included 500 Bricks of Thunderbolt 22 lr for $25, limit one. They had saved all they got in recently to sell at local fairs. i don't see the need personally.

[bangerjim]

I reload 223 Bators faster and more accurately than that! I use reduced loads that give me ~1300fps for plinking.


A good Christmas present for someone that has everything????? except 22LR's!


banger

[silverado]

I can load a box of 9mm as low as under 3 bucks a box..... those are just not worth the hassle.
Neat idea though, kudos to that guy, just not for me.

[MaryB]

I quit shooting 22lr and kept back the 1k rounds I have left. Other than needed to pop a skunk or groundhog no need really. Will shoot some this fall squirrel hunting which is more of an excuse to get some exercise in the woods than anything else.

[blademasterii]

Iodine crystals desolved in amonia. When dry that is your touch explosive. Yep I had a few of my own projects in lab too. :D Do we have these items? Yes, why? I want to make something. Ok. :D :D :D Made a small pitri dish full, spilled a bit on the floor. Dried almost immediatly. Noisy to walk in that area for a bit :D

[fastfire]

Iodine crystals desolved in amonia. When dry that is your touch explosive. Yep I had a few of my own projects in lab too. :D Do we have these items? Yes, why? I want to make something. Ok. :D :D :D Made a small pitri dish full, spilled a bit on the floor. Dried almost immediatly. Noisy to walk in that area for a bit :D

May be a bit hard to acquire,

The federal government regulates the sale of iodine crystals since combining iodine crystals with water and phosphorus (usually in the form of red phosphorous or phosphoric acid) yields hydriodic acid, a chemical some people use in the production of methamphetamine. Sales of iodine crystals exceeding .4 kilograms to a single individual or entity in a two-month period must be tracked by suppliers; there are state-specific regulations that may apply as well.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6700369_iodine-crystals-used-for_.html

OR.......you can make your own

http://www.ehow.com/how_6654257_make-seven-percent-liquid-iodine.html

[blademasterii]

Well highschool lab was a few years ago. :D He just handed me a jar of them.

[retread]

Seems like you could make a real simple mold (no lube grooves) and powder coat. The crimping operation could be done with a Homemade die and shellholder. Better than a hand crimper.

[dtknowles]

This has me thinking I could reload .22 mag for my Single Six using a mold I already have. How do you prime the case, just push the compound down to the bottom with a stick?

Tim

[MaryB]

I would wet prime and make a jig to spin the priming compound out to the edges.