.22 wmr handloading

Andy1 · March 15, 2020, 12:21 AM

Does anyone know if it's possible to order .22 wmr brass that's already primed?

I'd like to handload Barnes varmint grenade and Maker subsonics.

Has anyone tried handloading the .22 magnum?

Jim Watson · March 15, 2020, 12:43 AM

There was a division of handgun metallic silhouette that fit .22 WMR.
There was some handloading.
I never heard of primed brass for sale, what I read called for pulling factory bullets, adjusting the powder charge, and seating a Sierra MK.
Shoot in a STRONG action with tight breech, usually a Contender.

That was 30+ years ago, I don't know where to get the details now.

NoSecondBest · March 15, 2020, 08:08 AM

I shot some of those "handloads" around 30+ years ago. I'm not going to tell you what or how they were made. There's a reason no manufacturer will sell primed brass.....it's called liability. There is NO LOAD DATA published anywhere for doing this. Get a centerfire and a loading manual and play around to your heart's content.

MarkCO · March 15, 2020, 11:26 AM

This might give you some interesting information.

I owned a .22WMR (sold it) and then a .22 Hornet (sold it) and then a .22 Cooper (sold it). I tried all kinds of things after I bought 20K of .22Mag pulls for $8. Eventually, I just went to .223Rem using AA1680 and got better accuracy. 40 grainers at 2200 fps out of a 16" carbine gas AR15. I still use that as my arrival gun when I shoot prairie dogs in a big town. 1000 rounds costs me around $55 to load and the brass does not need to be resized.

There are still .22 Coopers around, and it is a cool cartridge, but for me the gap between .22LR and .223Rem is not really necessary to fill anymore.

https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/22-CC...g-Guide-2/4751

**44 AMP** · March 15, 2020, 02:19 PM

The idea of "reloading" a primed rimfire case (with conventional tools and methods) just scares the snot out of me. NO THANK YOU!!

I gave up on the .22WMR decades ago. The round itself is great, but the cost/benefit in my life is poor.

If I want something in the .22WMR range, I download .22 Hornet.

FrankenMauser · March 15, 2020, 02:43 PM

I've done it.
I was very careful.
I fired many things, including the 53 gr Barnes TSX-FB.
I stopped experimenting after a case detonated in the seating die.

I still have a bunch of empty primed hulls ... somewhere.

The only bits of advice I will share:
.25 ACP shell holder. (I needed three, to work with various hulls.)
Collet-style bullet puller.
Universal .22 caliber seating die.
CCI hulls are good. ArmsCor hulls are pretty decent. Most others are quite variable, especially in rim dimensions - which means some may not fit your shell holder.
You'll need to adjust powder charges. How you calculate how to do that for your loads is up to you.
Don't be dumb. It's already inadvisable and sketchy. Don't make it worse.

If I didn't already own a .22 WMR that I really like, I would just buy a .22 Hornet.

Jim Watson · March 15, 2020, 04:45 PM

In the same vein, I read with interest a couple of accounts of .22 LR black powder loading.
There was apparently one batch of Armscor primed cases imported, but after they were gone, it is back to pulling down ammo.
Bullet molds and dies were very special order items.
One experimenter reported good shooting after 100 rounds without cleaning.

March 15, 2020, 12:21 AM	#1
Andy1 Member Join Date: March 16, 2019 Posts: 71	.22 wmr handloading Does anyone know if it's possible to order .22 wmr brass that's already primed? I'd like to handload Barnes varmint grenade and Maker subsonics. Has anyone tried handloading the .22 magnum?

March 15, 2020, 11:26 AM	#4
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	This might give you some interesting information. I owned a .22WMR (sold it) and then a .22 Hornet (sold it) and then a .22 Cooper (sold it). I tried all kinds of things after I bought 20K of .22Mag pulls for $8. Eventually, I just went to .223Rem using AA1680 and got better accuracy. 40 grainers at 2200 fps out of a 16" carbine gas AR15. I still use that as my arrival gun when I shoot prairie dogs in a big town. 1000 rounds costs me around $55 to load and the brass does not need to be resized. There are still .22 Coopers around, and it is a cool cartridge, but for me the gap between .22LR and .223Rem is not really necessary to fill anymore. https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/22-CC...g-Guide-2/4751 __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

March 15, 2020, 02:19 PM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,860	The idea of "reloading" a primed rimfire case (with conventional tools and methods) just scares the snot out of me. NO THANK YOU!! I gave up on the .22WMR decades ago. The round itself is great, but the cost/benefit in my life is poor. If I want something in the .22WMR range, I download .22 Hornet. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 15, 2020, 02:43 PM	#6
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,427	I've done it. I was very careful. I fired many things, including the 53 gr Barnes TSX-FB. I stopped experimenting after a case detonated in the seating die. I still have a bunch of empty primed hulls ... somewhere. The only bits of advice I will share: .25 ACP shell holder. (I needed three, to work with various hulls.) Collet-style bullet puller. Universal .22 caliber seating die. CCI hulls are good. ArmsCor hulls are pretty decent. Most others are quite variable, especially in rim dimensions - which means some may not fit your shell holder. You'll need to adjust powder charges. How you calculate how to do that for your loads is up to you. Don't be dumb. It's already inadvisable and sketchy. Don't make it worse. If I didn't already own a .22 WMR that I really like, I would just buy a .22 Hornet. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

March 15, 2020, 12:43 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,545	There was a division of handgun metallic silhouette that fit .22 WMR. There was some handloading. I never heard of primed brass for sale, what I read called for pulling factory bullets, adjusting the powder charge, and seating a Sierra MK. Shoot in a STRONG action with tight breech, usually a Contender. That was 30+ years ago, I don't know where to get the details now.

March 15, 2020, 08:08 AM	#3
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	I shot some of those "handloads" around 30+ years ago. I'm not going to tell you what or how they were made. There's a reason no manufacturer will sell primed brass.....it's called liability. There is NO LOAD DATA published anywhere for doing this. Get a centerfire and a loading manual and play around to your heart's content.

March 15, 2020, 04:45 PM	#7
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,545	In the same vein, I read with interest a couple of accounts of .22 LR black powder loading. There was apparently one batch of Armscor primed cases imported, but after they were gone, it is back to pulling down ammo. Bullet molds and dies were very special order items. One experimenter reported good shooting after 100 rounds without cleaning.