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Making jacketed bullets from 22 rimfire cases

5K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  flashhole 
#1 ·
Does anyone have experience with this? Corbin has a kit to swage 224 and 243 bullets using 22 rimfire cases and lead wire. I think my Redding Ultramag press is sufficiently stout for the swaging process and the idea of being able to make my own jacketed bullets is appealing to me. Is there an easier or less expensive way to do it?

http://www.corbins.com/prrfjm.htm
 
#2 ·
Just keep in mind that you can't shoot those bullets made from 22 casings much over 3000 fps as the jackets will not take the spin and begin coming apart at velocities faster than that. Also that your 22 casings must be exceptionally clean or you won't get good bullets and it's near impossible to get them as clean as necessary to hold the jacket on the lead cores properly.

I explored this pretty well at one time and it sounds really good, but with the velocity limitations imposed because of the thin 22 jackets and some of the other limitations I decided against it. I think you may want to do some more research before you invest in this project, you would be better off to use a set of forming dies and corbons standard jacket material rather than the 22 cases.

I don't know if a search will bring up much, but this has been discussed here a few times in the past. Corbon doesn't tell you about the velocity limitations in the initial add, but it's somewhere in their literature.
 
#3 · (Edited)
There are valid reasons few reloaders make their own bullets, including .22s from rimfire cases. But, the UltraMag press should be plenty strong for making them. Real question is, will it actually be cheap enough to make it practical.

The swaging die sets are qute expensive and there is a long learning curve to making good bullets no matter how you do it. You'll have to buy or make the lead core wire and that ain't free. Your .22 cases will have to be consistant, from the same maker and lot number, or your accuracy will be spotty at any velocity, and even then they won't be what anyone would call precision made bullet jackets. And, if you fall back on buying good jackets the cost of doing business goes up again!

I'd like to do it just for fun but not from a practical point of view. Over all, it just ain't worth it to me.
 
#5 ·
Some hints from the fist time these were popular (think Herters sold the dies back in the 1950's or early 1960,s...a buddy and myself shared a set).

1. Forget range pick up cases...there is a pretty wide variation between cases of the same headstamp but of different lots.

2. Fired .22 cases are dirty on the inside and OLD .22 cases are both dirty and tarnished on the inside. Got to work out a real good cleaning system.

3. Need really good dies and a strong press to iron out the rim fire pin strike...and even then, can detect it. A nicked edged bullet isn't going to shoot real well (as a test, try makring the bullet nose even with the firing pin hit, then chambering with that mark in the same orientation...if the loads shoot better, you'll know why).

4. .22 rim fire jackets are a bit on the brittle side.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the quick responses. My habit is to research things thoroughly before taking the plunge. I saw the limitations placed on bullet use and they seem reasonable to me. I was thinking about by 221 Fireball so I would be hard pressed to get into a region where the bullet would come apart. Good banter on the equipment. I wouldn't do this to save money but I would like to learn the ins-and-outs of it.
 
#7 ·
Fellow shooter at the range has been swaging his own pistol bullets for years using spent casings. Never delved into his process, but he's happy with the results.
 
#10 ·
I bought 1500 of them once, cheap. I sold 1300 of them even cheaper.

You have not lived until you've tried to get brass fouling out of a rifle. I would wish it on very few people.
Ding Ding Ding Ding - Give that man a cigar!

That was my initial fear and I was wondering if anyone would bring it forward. Do you remember the velocity of the fired loads?
 
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