.22 LR handloading???

[HAMMER1DOWN]

Hi, I was tinkering around on the reloading bench the other day and tore apart 25 .22lr rounds ( remington bulk) and was wowed by how innacurate the powder charges were, now is there a shell holder that I could get that would fit the .22lr so I can pull the bullets and load them with my own powder? I know its a totall waste of time but I would just like to give it a try, maybe make some hot loads or some subsonics

Thanks, Hammer

[Sevens]

I think the problem is two issues... first is that it's rimfire, which makes it somewhat dangerous to hold in a shell holder and apply pressure. If you can get past that, then it's more a matter of the fact the you are using heeled bullets and I'm not sure how you can get a heeled bullet out of the cartridge case without damage -- or how you can put one back in to a case without damage, and how you'd re-crimp the round so that it stays in there.

.22 Mag would be a different story since it's a traditional bullet loaded typically.

I do think it would be an interesting exercise... but a whole lot of work for what result, I don't know. I'd be interested in hearing how it works out but I can't imagine ever wanting to do it myself, and I love handloading and find it to be very enjoyable.

[HAMMER1DOWN]

I to really enjoy reloading, I was just out in the field and would notice that some of the rounds were weaker and others hotter so I decided to pull em apart and see what was up, Now I am kind of an accuracy freak and at 100 yards the remington bulk gives me a 4' group which is unaccepable to me. I really don't feel like paying the money for match or competition .22's either, so I was thinkin why can't I reload it? It makes sense to me..

[floydster]

Ya, a 4' group is pretty big at 100 yards.

[Ifishsum]

IMO, Remington bulk .22LR is probably the crummiest ammo you can get. Very inconsistent - and it could be as much priming as it is powder charge so I think you'd be wasting your time. I also get a relatively high percentage of duds with it.

CCI Mini-Mag .22LR is definitely more expensive but it's cheaper than any match ammo and it's very consistent and accurate. If you must buy bulk stuff, Federal Champion is many miles better than Remington.

[Bamashooter]

remington bulk is junk. all i use now is federal champion and cci mini-mag, stingers, and velositors when i can find them.

[Sevens]

It's been my experience that if you ask 10 guys who have been shooting rimfire for 10 years or more which is the worst bulk rimfire you can buy, you tend to get MANY different answers.

Not so much in this thread, though... I've only been shooting rimfire since the mid-1980's and though I've shot dozens of different brands, styles and a handful of manufacturers of rimfire over those years... I've never found anyone's rimfire as consistently bad as Remington. And that seems to jive with what everyone else has said.

Remington rimfire is crappy.

[Cat Hunter]

I agree remington bulk is JUNK.

[farmerboy]

I guess I'm gonna have to stand alone on this one... The best ammo I mainly shoot and YES the best accurate in two of my 22's is Remingtons' Golden Bullet (sold in the brick) at Walmart. Use to about three yrs ago cost $9.00 a brick now costs about $16.00 a brick. But as far as I'm concerned about as accurate as they come in bulk and a pretty good price. I have'nt bought any lately for that price because I still have quite a few bricks put up but when I do have too that's the brand I'll be buying. That or Stingers but they're pretty pricey and dont really perform any better (In my opinion)

[Crankylove]

22 Mag would be a different story since it's a traditional bullet loaded typically

One of my younger brothers loaded for his .22 Mag for a while. He would start with new loaded ammo, and by pullin the bullet, dumping the powder, and then loading with his own powder and bullet he was able to increase the power/velocities quite a bit............but it still wasn't worth the hassle, and cost more to reload per round than just about any other cartridge he shoots. If you search enough, you can find primed, empty .22 Mag cases for sale to load you own, and, not that I am in any way recommending it, a .25 Auto shell holder will work to hold the .22 Mag brass.

[Sevens]

Zicksiviks-Bob on our forum here reloads .22 WMR, I think.
(that's the name I read when I see your handle, Bob. )

[Brian Pfleuger]

Here ya go, 22LR primed brass. Only $116 shipped. Armscor brass, 5000 count. It's obviously available for the bored and masochistic loader.

[FrankenMauser]

I don't remember what companies make them... but, there are .22 LR shell holders available (mostly for the guys that load .22 LR centerfire).

The closest thing that's easily obtainable is a .25 Auto shell holder. I would recommend an RCBS shell holder, as they have tighter tolerances in .25 Auto than Lee - and the center hole (for decapping and priming) is too large on the Hornady. It would put pressure directly on the primed rim.

Somewhat obtainable, but still special-order, would be a .22 CCM (Cooper Centerfire Magnum) shell holder. It's a centerfire .22 mag. Again, RCBS's version is said to have tighter tolerances. I haven't tried one.

The safest, but most expensive bet is going to be a shell holder designed specifically for .22 LR.

As far as the actual reloading process is concerned...

I wouldn't bother trying to save bullets. There is no good way to pull a lead bullet from rimfire ammo - especially heeled bullets.

Once it's out... you need to flare the mouth of the case. If I were doing it, I would try threading a .22 cal cartridge die upside down in my press, with the expander pointing down toward the cartridge (minus the decapping pin, of course). ...So, the expander is sticking out of the die the wrong way, and the die is in the press the wrong way; making the expander face the right way.

Once you get your hands on some new lead bullets... (which are not likely to be heeled; and jacketed stuff is not an option), you'll need to create an artificial heel, and seat them. If it were me, I would build the equivalent of a cannelure tool, to roll a heel and crimp groove into / onto the bullets.

For seating, there is little choice, but to build a tool for the job - or modify another .22 Cal seating die. I would probably use a .22 Hornet or .218 Bee seater. The shorter dies will require less cutting (and still retain enough threads to fit in the press), and the Hornet and Bee have seater plugs (RCBS versions, anyway) that work better with round nose bullets.

To crimp.... I would probably cut down and modify a .223 Rem Lee FCP die, or a buy a brand of die for the Hornet or Bee that uses a roll crimp (like the original design). The Hornet or Bee die could serve double duty, of course - being used for seating, as well.


Lastly - I wouldn't do it at all. I started loading for the .22 WMR to see what kind of velocities I could get, and to use bullets that weren't available in commercial ammo. In the end, I stocked up on Fiocchi and ArmsCor 45gr HP/SP ammo, and called it a draw. It was a vicious cycle of wanting more velocity, more expansion, a slower powder, then more velocity again. After everything was said and done, I just wasted a lot of perfectly good factory ammo (expensive stuff, too - the best .22 WMR hulls are from Winchester Supreme loadings).

I won't do it again. On the up side, though... my .22 WMR is probably the only one in the world that has fired a handful of 53gr Barnes TSXs.

[troy_mclure]

i know that the ruski's used to do it, even the primer.

i read somewhere about putting a rubber/leather pad on the shell holder to keep the pressure off the rim.