NAA Super Companion #4 Buck No Bueno

#4 Buck is .240 I believe, which means you're trying to swage a .240 diameter into a .22 chamber with the hand press NAA includes. Yeah, it's not going to happen, but you can try to size the balls down with something like the Lee Lube & Size. IDK if they'll be able to squeeze down a hard lead round ball from .240 to .225, but you've got a lot more leverage with that than you do the loading tool NAA provides.

I'd call up Lee and explain what you're trying to do and you'd like to know if their Lube & Size can size the .240 round balls down to .225. If they can, that may move enough lead to allow you to push the bullet into the chamber.

I'm not so sure I'd bother going thru all the trouble tho because the bullets are available from NAA and are pretty cheap.

Lee makes .224 and .225 bullet sizing kits for 20.00. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018523537 They should work guys size .338 jacketed bullets down to .329. lube the balls with Lee case lube before sizing.

There's a bunch of .25 caliber airgun pellets to choose from. [2 pages of .25 pellets] --->>> https://www.pyramydair.com/a/Ammo/Airgun_pellets/384/calibers_0_25
Benjamin .25 pellets reportedly measure .251, but most others measure .255 - .258 or so.
Lee makes sizing die kits in .224 and .225 to use with reloading presses for $19, and also the .224 and .225 inserts for $8 that can maybe be used to push them through by hand if you don't have a press.
Airgun pellets are made with soft pure lead.
Midsouth Supply is one of the only places that has all of these items in stock.

1. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000691505/bullet-sizer-and-punch-point224

2. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000691506/bullet-sizer-and-punch-point225

3. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690049/lube-and-size-kit-point224-diameter

4. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690036/lube-and-size-kit-point225-diameter

Some .25 pellets weigh over 30 grains.
At PyramidAir, put 4 tins of pellets in your cart and only pay for 3.
Most weigh about 30 grains more or less or close to it.
Note how many pellets come in each tin as they all have different counts.

Check out these H&N Grizzley pellets @ 31 grains. which will be back in stock soon @ Airgun Depot, Midway and Pyramidair.
They look a lot like a .22 short HP bullet . --->>> https://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/H_N_Grizzly_Pellets_25_Cal_31_Grains_Hollowpoint_150ct/1225



Gamo makes .22 round balls but they're undersized for your chambers since .22 airgun bore land diameter only measure 0.218", and 5.5mm is .0216" They would need to be patched with paper or cotton etc.... This post states that these balls only measure 0.217. --->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/22-cal-round-ball.805635/



https://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Gamo_Round_22_Cal_15_43_Grains_Lead_Balls_250ct/610

Pocket said:

Thanks Arcticap, you always come through.
I am gonna try the 9 dollar one....

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When buying pellets at Pyramidair, put 4 tins in your cart and only pay for 3.
Some other pellet vendors give $5 - $10 Dollar discount codes with the first purchase.
Pyramidair has a $10 discount code with a $50 purchase.
Hopefully you'll measure the chambers, buy the right sizing die and all will work out.
As always, let us lnow.

For airgun pellets on the cheap go to fieldsupply.com and click the airgun tab. They have a wide selection and you won't find them for less.

Pocket said:

The NAA bullets are cheap. For the last month they have not had any. She said they can't get lead.

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That would probably explain why the black powder revolvers are sold out everywhere then as NAA sells them with all the accessories and a bag of bullets.

Pocket said:

I really like this little NAA Super Companion cap and ball with the Bullseye ( Thank you again Acricap).
I had no idea that I would be shooting it as much. But now that I have been turned on to the Bullseye, I can't keep enough lead.

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How many grains of Bullseye do you use? I assume you're not compressing the powder, correct?

Pocket said:

I really like this little NAA Super Companion cap and ball with the Bullseye ( Thank you again Acricap).
I had no idea that I would be shooting it as much. But now that I have been turned on to the Bullseye, I can't keep enough lead.

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Pocket,
I think that it was a mistake for me to recommend resizing the .25 pellets by hand in a single operation.
As soft as the lead is, .030 is a lot of pellet to shave off by hand.
Too much.

Larger and harder bullets are usually sized down in multiple operations using a reloading press.
I'm not sure how much of a pellet's diameter can be sized down by hand.
It could depend on the shape of the pellet, and how much larger the skirt is than the rest of the body.
To be safe, I really think that you would need to buy at least 2 sizing dies and a press.
And the last step to re-size from .243 to .224 - .225 could still be difficult and questionable even with a press.

The intermediate Lee sizing die in between the pellets @ .251 - .258 and what you are trying to size to @ .224 - .225 is .243.
I think you may need a bench reloading press that costs $43.89 with free shipping & returns from either Optics Planet --->>> https://www.opticsplanet.com/lee-gunsmith-and-reloading-equipment-90045.html
OR from Mid South Supply that costs $41.21. --->>> https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690045/breech-lock-reloader-single-stage-press
And that press would need to be clamped or mounted to a bench.

Also, if sizing in steps which I think is necessary, then you would need one of the sizing dies to be part of a sizing kit to use with the press and both of the inserts.

If you already have a reloading press, or have a friend with one, then that would save money and also help prove whether re-sizing would work or not.
But hopefully if it works, you would be able to size all of the pellets that you want into NAA ammo., even the solid pellets that look like .22 short bullets.
I'm not familiar with re-sizing .25 pellets/bullets, and the difficulty involved with sizing to the extent that's needed.

A .243 sizing die alone costs another $8.21, while the .243 kit costs $19.01.
You need at least one kit if you want to try it with the press.
And then the cost of the .224 or .225 die or kit, would cost another $8.21 minimum, plus the cost of the Press from Optics Planet would total $71.11 without the cost of shipping from Mid South.

I'm sorry, but I think that I made a mistake to think that sizing the pellets by .030 by hand in one operation was doable.
Here's the additional items to choose between that haven't been listed already.

1. .243 sizing kit --->>> https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690083/lube-and-size-kit-point243-diameter

2. .243 sizing die --->>> https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000691507/bullet-sizer-and-punch-point243

And the last operation from .243 to either .224 or .225 could be difficult because it's resizing by .018 - .019.
Most re-sizing operations using larger lead bullets are usually only done a few or several thousandths at a time.
And you'll also need some Lee Liquid Alox for lubing the pellets for re-sizing. --->>> https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690177/alox-bullet-lubricant-4-oz-liquid
Grand total would be $78.19 plus shipping.
I can only hope that re-sizing would work satisfactorily.

I've posted 2 threads asking for advice about resizing cylindrical .25 pellets using a bench reloading press.
One is on THR and the other is on Castboolits.

1. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/advice-with-resizing-25-bullets-pellets-to-22.875895/

2. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...sizing-25-Bullets-to-22&p=5000536#post5000536

I have sized.490 round ball through the lee .452 sizing die in an rcbs rockchucker. I lubed with alox and it went smoothly.

Pocket said:

Do take think bench vise will work instead of a press?

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I think a vice would work. If you have a drill press I would try it first if it works I think it would be easier.

What's the diameter of the NAA bullets and the NAA's chambers.

Another idea would be to take a .22 pellet that measures .217 and put into the sizing die and compress it to fill out the space in the die.
That could result in expanding the pellet diameter.
Some of these cylindrical HP pellets have large cavities inside of them that could allow for easy expansion when compressed inside of the die.
It could be worth a try.

If that doesn't work then the pellets can be patched by wrapping them in paper or loose cotton, or by compressing a ball of paper wadding on top of them in the chamber to hold them in place.
The bases may expand when fired like .22LR heeled bullets do.
They should work okay at close range, even if undersized.
But I think that they would work better if they were compressed using the die to try to expand them.
You could also try to wrap the bullets with Teflon tape to get them to hold in the chambers if they were a little loose.

Below are all different brands of .22 slugs but note the large hollow cavity that would help them to fill out the sizing die if compressed in a reverse swagging operation.
The .22 JSB Knockout pellets weigh 25 grains compared to 30-31 grains for the .25 H&N version, and about 27 - 29 grains for a .22 short rimfire bullet.

.22 pellet page at Pyramidair: --->>> https://www.pyramydair.com/a/Ammo/Airgun_pellets/384/calibers_0_22

Will the seater seat 22LR bullets? You could just pull them from 22 ammo.

Mike 56 said:

Will the seater seat 22LR bullets? You could just pull them from 22 ammo.

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I'm pretty sure that pulled .22LR bullets worked when busyhands94 tried them.
I had sent him some to try out.
They're heeled bullets and weigh 36-40 grains.

Pocket said:

Do you think a bench vise will work instead of a press?

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What are you doing with a bench vise? Trying to size the ball down with the Lee sizers?

Good luck with that...

Another alternative would be to cast your own .22LR bullets.
NOE has made custom .22LR molds for groups buys in the past.

I found that Sharpshooter sells separate .22LR and .22Mag reloading kits that include an aluminum bag mold to make different weight bullets depending on the cartidge being reloaded.
But it appears that a person needs to buy the whole kit to get the mold. which the kits are priced at $75 & $90.--->>> https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.myshopify.com
Here's an article that shows bullets made with their .22LR mold. --->>> https://www.ammoland.com/2015/11/reloading-22lr-ammo/#axzz6a68JUCkb
Their .22Mag mold makes slightly larger 40 grain bullets.

Old West makes a .22LR mold for a 40 grain heeled bullet that costs $105. --->>> https://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/sho...ifle-40-grain-heel-bullet-double-cavity-mould

If a person were to shoot their gun into a .22LR bullet trap they could recover a lot of their lead for future casting.
I've recovered a lot of pure lead that way when shooting airguns indoors.

MP Molds in Slovenia has a .22 air rifle bullet mold that makes eight 35 grain bullets @ .224 diameter. --->>> https://www.mp-molds.com/product/22-air-rifle-mold-8cav-mold/

IIRC his name is Miha and he's a long time member on CastBoolits.
He may have other airgun molds too as he makes a lot of custom molds for group buys, but this one is in stock.
Note that it's for WW lead and doesn't come with handles.
That would put you in business.