Reloading a .22 long rifle

[Oregonhunter5]

Is there dumb questions in reloading?
So here it is.
Can we reload, or load .22lr at home?
So it more accurate

Read More

 

[MarkAd]

No, 22 is a rimfire cartridge. The priming compound is spun into the rim which is why sometimes the gun goes click but rotate the case and the same bullet goes bang.
I suppose if you had unlimited funds and the room to install the machines needed you could do it.

If you want accurate, buy match grade ammo, get a match grade rifle and good sights

 

[jonn5335]

Short answer no. long answer it is possible if you spend lots of money, time, build your own equipments or have it built and have tens of thousands of dollars laying around go for it .

 

[Key-Hay]

With the price of Ammo I'll bet someone is working on it. I remember my dad telling me he had heard of some system years ago.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Ok. That solves that!
I was trying to become a better sage rat eliminator.
Probably need to dump taking the browning .22 lever action, which breaks my heart, and buy a browning tbolt .22 mag which warms my heart.

 

[Boomerang]

If you're just wanting more accuracy from cheap ammo, you might try a rim thickness gauge. You can sort your bulk .22lr ammo and achieve better accuracy.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

You rock dude!
This is the kind of bubblegum that saves people time in this site.
Thanks

 

[Allfat]

I heard there is a machine that you can take the brass of 22LR and turn it into a jacket for a .223 cast lead bullet. But that is about it as far as I know for usages of 22lr in reloading.

 

[Greenbug]

I tried for years to reload 22LR, but none of the stores ever had any rimfire primers so I gave up.

 

[rdt]

This is purely theoretical, but . . .

there was an article in this or the last backwoodsman journal about reloading rimfires with re-moistened matchtips. The author was talking more about obscure and ancient calibers but all the same, big machines & electricity not necessary.

If what Oregonhunter is after is the equivalent of BR cartridge tuning in 22LR, then it could be possible, couldn't it? Hes not going for commercial or even amateur production of plinking ammo so he wouldnt need the machines. BR reloaders seem to be meticulously careful and detail oriented, checking examining and uniforming every variable of each round, documenting everything, and only really producing a dozen or two rounds. Maybe he could even order custom 22LR brass, primered and unfired. Or would he only use fireformed? Could he cut down Stingers or 22WMR because arent they thincker? Maybe he could even source real primer compound? What powder would give the best pressure curve and lend itself to the tiny and precise metering required? Would he use a micrometer seating die?

But seriously - for what measurable benefit?

BTW, there are several options for turning 22LR cases into 223/243 jackets, but no melting required. From what I understand the jackets are generally used with swaged lead cores.

 

[Swedish K]

I know a friend tried to do some "custom" 22 lr loads several years ago. I know he found a recipe for a priming compound somewhere and made a quarter round T shaped punch to try to knock the firing pin ding out of the used brass - he gave up on that and just went with re-priming the used brass for the experiment. after much time and work he finally decided to throw in the towel. He did play with pulling the existing bullets out of existing live 22 (not recommended) and replacing it with various 22 tips with various success out of a bolt action but that too was not worth the work. He now uses a rim micrometer and weighs each round after sorting by rim thickness. This seems to be the "magic bullet" he was looking for.

 

[Collateral]

Ok. That solves that!
I was trying to become a better sage rat eliminator.
Probably need to dump taking the browning .22 lever action, which breaks my heart, and buy a browning tbolt .22 mag which warms my heart.

I remembered reading about a tool called Paco's Accuizer that is supposed to re-size the .22 bullet and comes with a companion toll for making better (more effective) hollowpoints.
Have I used it? No, but Paco thinks a great deal of it.

Paco Kelly's site: Pacotools - Tool discriptions

Testing done by Jeff Quinn over at Gunblast: Paco Kelly's Improved ACU-RZR and NASTINOSE Rimfire Bullet Tool

Article from accurateshooter.com : Paco Kelly

Leverguns.com : Paco's Acu'rizer Tool

 

[AMProducts]

Can you manufacture .22LR ammo at home? yes, if you have the right tooling. Can you reload .22LR? No... and reloading it doesn't make any sense.

Here's how CCI does it:

The process boils down to:

Blanking and Cupping
Drawing and trimming
Bumping/rim forming
Priming
Charging
Bullet seating
Roll Crimping (done on a roller, not with a roll crimper)

 

[BillM]

Anything is possible, but given your goals you would be better off stepping up to a small centerfire.

As far as accuracy, be sure to try every brand of 22 ammo you can lay your hands on. Every 22 has
a favorite---and sometimes it will surprise you. Expensive may not mean better.

 

[mjbskwim]

If you're just wanting more accuracy from cheap ammo, you might try a rim thickness gauge. You can sort your bulk .22lr ammo and achieve better accuracy.

I'm sure if he's going for accuracy he isn't buying bulk ammo. That doesn't make sense either.
I always buy all the different little boxes to see which ammo the gun likes. Every 22 seems to like a specific ammo,with some not caring at all. (my buckmark) My 10 22 doesn't like the hyper velocity rounds,but loves the bulk Blazers
So I would,well now try to find,a few different brands and then weighing and sorting will get you what you really want

 

[deadshot2]

If one really wants to handload .22LR Rimfire ammo, as recently as 2010, HSM sold primed brass. Was available in 5k lots for just a little less than regular primers in the same quantity.

Most competitors I know that shoot .22LR just sort within a given brand name by rim thickness, using one of the commercially available gauges. Lots of Wolf .22LR shows up at matches as well as Aquila.