IT'S ALIVE !!! & boy is it "angry" Custom 22 Hornet revolver...

Magnum Wheel Man · June 24, 2009, 08:54 PM

1st off the details... former 10.5" Taurus Raging Hornet, 8 shot 22 Hornet, grafted with a 6" Dan Wesson changable barrel type barrel shroud... a custom 1 in 9" twist ( 223 barrel ) was cut & threaded on both ends to work with both the Taurus revolver frame, & Dan Wesson shroud & stock barrel nut... a custom comp / barrel nut was constructed & is pictured & tested on the gun...

1st test target was shot from the bench, just using a block of wood as a field rest, the target faces east, I was shooting into the sun & the target was barely visible, with all the rain we've had lately, the mosquitos were terrible, so I could barely sit still long enough to get 3 shots off... I used factory 45 grain ammo, & my goal was to sight in the revolver, & break in the new barrel... the 1st shot was 8-10" low, & 6" or so to the left, & I only loaded one round ( just in case )... I was able to dial it in pretty close ( well close enough for the visibility & the mosquitos ) the 13th, 14th, & 15th shots grouped just over 1.25"... not too bad with factory ammo & under the conditions...

I'll post a pic or two later, after it gets dark, I'm going to have Mrs Magnum try to get a pic of the muzzle flash out of the unique muzzle...

can't wait to get trying my reloads... BTW... volume of the rifle round out of the 6" revolver was about equal to a 6" 357 mag, with no muzzle "blast" often associated with firing rifle cartridges in shorter barrels...

( edit... well off the bench, I have a tin roof for shade & rain protection, along with 1/2 walls 4ft high... when I did the night shooting, I tried not using hearing protection just to see really how loud it is, & I shot out in the open, rather from my "shooting shack" ... well someone had to do it

IMO, it was less loud than a 357, maybe more in line with a 6" 38 special... I could hunt with it, probably without hearing protection, but a cylinder full ( 8 rounds ) was getting painful, still has the sonic crack of a 2000 fps bullet... of course on any prolonged shooting I'll be wearing muffs, but the gun definately doesn't have that concussion wave of muzzle blast that often accompanies rifle rounds fired through shorter barrels )

comn-cents · June 24, 2009, 08:58 PM

That's sweet i like it alot.
can't wait to see muzzzzel flash pic's
Congrats

w_houle · June 24, 2009, 08:59 PM

I like it
Now let's see the target of you shooting it with your weak hand

Winchester_73 · June 24, 2009, 09:11 PM

Congratulations on completing this project. So many people say they are going to do something but never do. But not you, you had the perseverance to succeed. Enjoy your Tauresson

cornbush · June 24, 2009, 10:32 PM

I hate to say it but, that Taurus kinda in a small almost indistinguishable way interests me............Looks like alot of fun. Cant wait to see the muzzle flash out of that brake.

Magnum Wheel Man · June 24, 2009, 10:56 PM

thanks for the comments guys...

got 2 pics for ya ( no photo chop... honest )

turns out Mrs Magnum & I aren't in sinc very well on the trigger, I didn't get a good muzzle shot...

... & if I thought the mosquitos were bad earlier... oh man... they about carried us away...

1st pic is the only one we caught any "flame"... just a tad early... even though it's a lower pressure rifle round, & the barrel cylinder gap was set at .003" good shot of pressure bleed at the gap...

this pic was during our 1st attempt ( when it was a bit lighter out )... I think it speaks for itself

mosquito caught in the flash, close to the camera...

Scorch · June 24, 2009, 11:00 PM

That's cool, MWM! Glad it turned out good!

HeroHog · June 25, 2009, 12:39 AM

Why is the hammer back while the flames are coming out of the cylinder gap? Was this rapid fire?

Magnum Wheel Man · June 25, 2009, 07:04 AM

good catch... maybe why we couldn't catch muzzle flash ??? my digi camera is one of the 1st ever made ( "several" years old now ) & even though we fired a dozen rounds trying to sinc the trigger with the camera button, we could not catch muzzle flash... I don't have any control of the shutter speed, but it does seem weird that the flash on the camera would catch the hammer still back, yet the start of flames would show up ( presumably with out the flash of the camera

) I'm guessing it's a shutter speed / flash thing... but I'm thinking it's time for a new camera... I still like this one, because the pixal size is small enough that its easy to take pics for forums like this that restrict the file size of the photo...

I was firing each shot single action, so no, not rapid firing...

w_houle · June 25, 2009, 04:00 PM

Does your camera do video? If it does, then just make a video of shooting the gun and hopefully you get a good shot in the video of the muzzle flash. Play the video on your computer and when you have the shot you want just make it full screen and hit the button on the upper right of your keyboard that says "print screen". Open MS Paint and hold down the control button and hit the letter "v", then save as a JPEG

Magnum Wheel Man · June 25, 2009, 04:49 PM

it does ( video )... I never use it or the programs they're all old... but I'll give it a shot...

Magnum Wheel Man · June 26, 2009, 06:01 PM

I had to try a few of my handloads... so I picked the middle load to test ( no chrony today ) of 3 different bullets / weights, & 3 different powders... one I've never seen used in the 22 Hornet before

I'm still shooting off the bench, with a field rest at 60 ft...

of couse I wanted to try the heavies 1st, but wanted to use a standard powder, so my 1st 8 handloads were the middle charge of 4227 with the 55 grain Sierra Game King BT spitzers... if I throw out the worst 2 "fliers", ( hey... I never said "I" was a good shooter ) I had 6 shots ( nice round holes ) that would almost cover with a quarter... hmmmm... I've still got just as ugly a mug, & no bleeding or damage to the gun... in fact the recoil was less than the factory loads I shot just before... whew...

2nd group of 8 were the middle charge of Lil Gun, with the 45 grain Barnes Banded Solid Spitzer BT... hmmm.... I'm still alive & feeling good... the group ( again all nice round holes ) I could cover with a quarter vertically, but I had about 4" of vertical stringing albeit perfectly across the 4" black bullseye I was aiming for...

so, I was feeling lucky, & I go for broke... the 36 grain Varmint Grenades ( I hoped they wouldn't "blow up" bridging the barrel / cylinder gap ), & a middle charge of AA #9 ( I highly recommend no one load 22 Hornet with this powder, because there is no published loading data for AA #9 ) again, perfectly round holes, & overall the tightest group ( today )

another interesting thing, was all 3 rounds ( different powders & different bullets & bullet weights, all hit to point of aim

B.N.Real · June 26, 2009, 11:11 PM

Yum,this is delicious crow I'm eating here.

Great looking end product you built there,Magnum Wheel Man.

I wish I could say I encouraged you but I did'nt.

I learn things everyday.

Congrats on a great project well done.

HeroHog · June 26, 2009, 11:36 PM

Talk about an old digital camera, how about my Epsom 640x480x256? No upgradeable memory, proprietary everything and about 20 images max!

mnhntr · June 26, 2009, 11:41 PM

congrats and glad to see you got her running.

Magnum Wheel Man · June 27, 2009, 12:08 PM

I'd guess "crow" could be good eating if fixed right... & this revolver may actually make fine crow "medicine "

... but Id never be the one to dish it out, & find myself eating it more often then not

got too many commitments to shoot it much today, but I'd still like to do a video, & capture a muzzle flash just to see how it looks

also have many many more load combinations to try ( I'll continue to shoot the middle load at a target just to see how things go ), but really need to get the chrony out & see what some of these loads are capable of out of a revolver, ... so I'm going to build a "dedicated chrony bench", a 2 X 10 that is 12' long, with kinda sawhorse like legs for stability, & the pistol rest can go on one end, adjust the height to my pistol backstop target holder, or 50yard or 100 yard target holders & mount the chrony on the other end... maybe a 1 x 4 along each edge for stability... this could easily fit in the storage area under my shooting shack, & would make chronying all these loads I need to test this summer easier to do, & the groups could also be saved as they were shot from a bench & a rest... maybe I can have that completed in a couple weeks & start recording velocities of these custom handloads

Magnum Wheel Man · June 27, 2009, 12:24 PM

I was asked about cartridge OAL with the heavy bullets on another forum...

Cartidge OAL is stretched a bit over published 22 Hornet specs, but limited by the cylinder length on the revolver... my standard revolver loading length is 1.785" for heavier spitzer type bullets, shorter for typical Hornet bullets & most charges can eccept the longer barnes lead free bullets, or the Sierra Game King BT Spitzers ( 55 grain )without problems... I do have a couple loads ( one a Lil Gun load ) that is lightly compressed, which I haven't tried yet, as it's a stout charge for the bullet weight, but I was kinda suprised ( I was expecting the worse ) with both the 55 grain bullets & the Varmint Genades, with the weight & the fragile nature, but the loads I tried were no hotter than a factory load ( as far as recoil, & case expansion ), so I'm trodding onward...

tulsamal · June 27, 2009, 09:22 PM

The flash went off before the hammer fell. But the shutter stayed open. (Archaic expression now since there is no physical "shutter" in a digital camera!) So the camera was doing something like half a second or a full second exposure. Flash at the beginning. That tends to make me think there really wasn't any muzzle flash. It would be quite a feat to have the shutter open when the cylinder flash came out but closed by the time the bullet cleared the muzzle!

Gregg

HeroHog · June 27, 2009, 11:36 PM

With that long an exposure (proper term?), you would think there world be some blurring of the gun as surely the recoil had begun by that time yet the gun is crystal clear! Cool picture.

zxcvbob · June 28, 2009, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Why is the hammer back while the flames are coming out of the cylinder gap? Was this rapid fire?

Nope, a slow shutter speed. The hammer was back a lot longer than it was down. The camera captured both, but you only see when it was back.

Magnum Wheel Man · June 28, 2009, 10:38 PM

Houle... welll that isn't working... I tried shooting some video with the camera tonight, but if I take a pic of my screen, I can't edit the pic... it shows up on my screen, but won't save that way if I try to print ???

I'm going to try a couple more pics tonight...

Magnum Wheel Man · June 28, 2009, 10:55 PM

I noticed that it's pretty interesting from the shooters seat, so I tried to take a couple pics while I held the gun ( kinda tough to do with the lag of the camera )... I'm thinking the comp also is acting somewhat as a flash suppressor, as in the vids, there is not enough flame to light up the pic...

... from what I see, it looks like a large "sparkler" like your kids play with on the 4th... these latest 2 pics kinda show what I mean...

June 24, 2009, 11:00 PM	#7
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,249	That's cool, MWM! Glad it turned out good! __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 25, 2009, 12:39 AM	#8
HeroHog Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2008 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 486	Why is the hammer back while the flames are coming out of the cylinder gap? Was this rapid fire? __________________ Speedy AKA: Hero Hog, Dr. Speed, "That fat, old, balding, Grey-bearded gimpy guy" *I don't have NEAR enough ammo on hand. `Nuff said.*

June 26, 2009, 06:01 PM	#12
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Too hot & humid to shoot today... butt... I had to try a few of my handloads... so I picked the middle load to test ( no chrony today ) of 3 different bullets / weights, & 3 different powders... one I've never seen used in the 22 Hornet before I'm still shooting off the bench, with a field rest at 60 ft... of couse I wanted to try the heavies 1st, but wanted to use a standard powder, so my 1st 8 handloads were the middle charge of 4227 with the 55 grain Sierra Game King BT spitzers... if I throw out the worst 2 "fliers", ( hey... I never said "I" was a good shooter ) I had 6 shots ( nice round holes ) that would almost cover with a quarter... hmmmm... I've still got just as ugly a mug, & no bleeding or damage to the gun... in fact the recoil was less than the factory loads I shot just before... whew... 2nd group of 8 were the middle charge of Lil Gun, with the 45 grain Barnes Banded Solid Spitzer BT... hmmm.... I'm still alive & feeling good... the group ( again all nice round holes ) I could cover with a quarter vertically, but I had about 4" of vertical stringing albeit perfectly across the 4" black bullseye I was aiming for... so, I was feeling lucky, & I go for broke... the 36 grain Varmint Grenades ( I hoped they wouldn't "blow up" bridging the barrel / cylinder gap ), & a middle charge of AA #9 ( I highly recommend no one load 22 Hornet with this powder, because there is no published loading data for AA #9 ) again, perfectly round holes, & overall the tightest group ( today ) another interesting thing, was all 3 rounds ( different powders & different bullets & bullet weights, all hit to point of aim Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; June 26, 2009 at 06:11 PM.

June 26, 2009, 11:36 PM	#14
HeroHog Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2008 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 486	Talk about an old digital camera, how about my Epsom 640x480x256? No upgradeable memory, proprietary everything and about 20 images max! __________________ Speedy AKA: Hero Hog, Dr. Speed, "That fat, old, balding, Grey-bearded gimpy guy" *I don't have NEAR enough ammo on hand. `Nuff said.*

June 27, 2009, 12:08 PM	#16
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I'd guess "crow" could be good eating if fixed right... & this revolver may actually make fine crow "medicine " ... but Id never be the one to dish it out, & find myself eating it more often then not got too many commitments to shoot it much today, but I'd still like to do a video, & capture a muzzle flash just to see how it looks also have many many more load combinations to try ( I'll continue to shoot the middle load at a target just to see how things go ), but really need to get the chrony out & see what some of these loads are capable of out of a revolver, ... so I'm going to build a "dedicated chrony bench", a 2 X 10 that is 12' long, with kinda sawhorse like legs for stability, & the pistol rest can go on one end, adjust the height to my pistol backstop target holder, or 50yard or 100 yard target holders & mount the chrony on the other end... maybe a 1 x 4 along each edge for stability... this could easily fit in the storage area under my shooting shack, & would make chronying all these loads I need to test this summer easier to do, & the groups could also be saved as they were shot from a bench & a rest... maybe I can have that completed in a couple weeks & start recording velocities of these custom handloads Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; June 28, 2009 at 04:31 PM.

June 24, 2009, 08:58 PM	#2
comn-cents Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2008 Location: Pac.N.W. Posts: 1,804	That's sweet i like it alot. can't wait to see muzzzzel flash pic's Congrats

June 24, 2009, 08:59 PM	#3
w_houle Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,391	I like it Now let's see the target of you shooting it with your weak hand

June 24, 2009, 09:11 PM	#4
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	Congratulations on completing this project. So many people say they are going to do something but never do. But not you, you had the perseverance to succeed. Enjoy your Tauresson

June 24, 2009, 10:32 PM	#5
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	I hate to say it but, that Taurus kinda in a small almost indistinguishable way interests me............Looks like alot of fun. Cant wait to see the muzzle flash out of that brake.

June 25, 2009, 07:04 AM	#9
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	good catch... maybe why we couldn't catch muzzle flash ??? my digi camera is one of the 1st ever made ( "several" years old now ) & even though we fired a dozen rounds trying to sinc the trigger with the camera button, we could not catch muzzle flash... I don't have any control of the shutter speed, but it does seem weird that the flash on the camera would catch the hammer still back, yet the start of flames would show up ( presumably with out the flash of the camera ) I'm guessing it's a shutter speed / flash thing... but I'm thinking it's time for a new camera... I still like this one, because the pixal size is small enough that its easy to take pics for forums like this that restrict the file size of the photo... I was firing each shot single action, so no, not rapid firing... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; June 25, 2009 at 07:31 AM.

June 25, 2009, 04:00 PM	#10
w_houle Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,391	Does your camera do video? If it does, then just make a video of shooting the gun and hopefully you get a good shot in the video of the muzzle flash. Play the video on your computer and when you have the shot you want just make it full screen and hit the button on the upper right of your keyboard that says "print screen". Open MS Paint and hold down the control button and hit the letter "v", then save as a JPEG

June 25, 2009, 04:49 PM	#11
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	it does ( video )... I never use it or the programs they're all old... but I'll give it a shot...

June 26, 2009, 11:11 PM	#13
B.N.Real Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Posts: 4,092	Yum,this is delicious crow I'm eating here. Great looking end product you built there,Magnum Wheel Man. I wish I could say I encouraged you but I did'nt. I learn things everyday. Congrats on a great project well done.

June 26, 2009, 11:41 PM	#15
mnhntr Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2008 Posts: 972	congrats and glad to see you got her running.

June 27, 2009, 12:24 PM	#17
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I was asked about cartridge OAL with the heavy bullets on another forum... Cartidge OAL is stretched a bit over published 22 Hornet specs, but limited by the cylinder length on the revolver... my standard revolver loading length is 1.785" for heavier spitzer type bullets, shorter for typical Hornet bullets & most charges can eccept the longer barnes lead free bullets, or the Sierra Game King BT Spitzers ( 55 grain )without problems... I do have a couple loads ( one a Lil Gun load ) that is lightly compressed, which I haven't tried yet, as it's a stout charge for the bullet weight, but I was kinda suprised ( I was expecting the worse ) with both the 55 grain bullets & the Varmint Genades, with the weight & the fragile nature, but the loads I tried were no hotter than a factory load ( as far as recoil, & case expansion ), so I'm trodding onward...

June 27, 2009, 09:22 PM	#18
tulsamal Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2004 Location: Vinita, OK Posts: 2,552	The flash went off before the hammer fell. But the shutter stayed open. (Archaic expression now since there is no physical "shutter" in a digital camera!) So the camera was doing something like half a second or a full second exposure. Flash at the beginning. That tends to make me think there really wasn't any muzzle flash. It would be quite a feat to have the shutter open when the cylinder flash came out but closed by the time the bullet cleared the muzzle! Gregg

June 27, 2009, 11:36 PM	#19
HeroHog Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2008 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 486	With that long an exposure (proper term?), you would think there world be some blurring of the gun as surely the recoil had begun by that time yet the gun is crystal clear! Cool picture. __________________ Speedy AKA: Hero Hog, Dr. Speed, "That fat, old, balding, Grey-bearded gimpy guy" *I don't have NEAR enough ammo on hand. `Nuff said.*

June 28, 2009, 10:38 PM	#21
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Houle... welll that isn't working... I tried shooting some video with the camera tonight, but if I take a pic of my screen, I can't edit the pic... it shows up on my screen, but won't save that way if I try to print ??? I'm going to try a couple more pics tonight...