Cat sneeze .223 loaded with an airsoft BB?

[G.A.Pster]

I was looking at an empty .223 case and I got the idea to see if an airsoft bb would fit and sure enough it did.

I was thinking; loaded with just a primer it could be useful as “cheap” indoor practice ammo, since no powder or bullet would be required only a primer, and noise and penetration would be greatly reduced.

6mm airsoft bbs come in weights ranging from 0.12 to 0.20 grams. (and 0.29g aluminum bbs)


Has anyone loaded something like this for .223 or heard of anyone doing it?

 

[DIV03]

Go for it and see what happens, just wear safety glasses in case thing go south! Might want to mic out the BB to see if it will fit through the barrel? Are you to cheap to buy 5.56 ammo and waste a SRP on the above?

 

[Russt]

If primers weren't so high or hard to come by I'd try it. I'd use small pistol primers though. I think Speer makes rubber bullets for pistol's using just the primer, don't see why it wouldn't work in a rifle.

 

[bfoosh006]

Interesting thought, let us know if it works !

 

[EHCRain10]

would the airsoft pellet fit? you said that the pellets were 6mm.

 

[G.A.Pster]

I only have an AR and I’m worried it might get plastic shavings into my gas tube.

The bbs are 6mm (actually 5.98 mm) at their widest part, I thought with the bb being plastic it would get cut or squished to the correct size during firing.

 

[Ergosphere]

For indoor practice, I'd be worried about toxic primer residue.

 

[nastynatesfish]

Just don't forgetabout the whole primer fire and polymer in your barrel. I loaded some subsonics for using around the house using 75gr amax and 3gr of reloader 2400

 

[Navy_Guns]

I drilled out a 12-gauge cartridge dummy by A-Zoom to fit a 12 gauge primer and 6mm airsoft pellet. Fired in my Mossberg, the effective "barrel" length is only as long as the 2 3/4" dummy round. However, with a 209M primer, it chronographed at 1,850 feet per second. Yes, ladies and gentleman - it would blow nice big holes through stuff, even if the pellet mostly disintegrates when it hits something. It's NOT a toy!!! I imagine a small rifle primer would have much less power, but maybe still enough to be quite dangerous. A .243 barrel would probably be better suited, the pellet would ride the lands.

 

[Quoheleth]

I drilled out a 12-gauge cartridge dummy by A-Zoom to fit a 12 gauge primer and 6mm airsoft pellet.

Listen...I'm not trying to be a putz or some kind of fink, but would the alphabet crew look at this as manufacturing a firearm? You, in effect, made a chamber/barrel to fire a projectile.

Q

 

[W.E.G.]

Assuming it works, what sort of "training" do you expect to accomplish with a single-shot AR that shoots plastic pellets?

Seems like your time would be equally well-spent running tactical drills with a Red Ryder, and with less hassle reloading.

I have the deluxe version with Monte Carlo stock.
Holds 700 rounds.
I will WEAR YOU OUT while you're reloading.

 

[TonyDedo]

I will WEAR YOU OUT while you're reloading.

+1

I know I haven't spent a ton of time on this forum over the years, but it seems to me like there's been a rash of really silly "do you think I could do this?" reloading projects posted here. None of them seem to accomplish a goal or solve a problem, but they take up a lot of time and energy, and risk venturing awfully close to the "darwin award" realm.

If I'm about to do something potentially dangerous and stupid, I always ask myself if I'd be okay with the results showing up in tomorrow morning's newspaper. So, are you willing to be known as the guy who lost an eye loading BBs into an AR-15?

 

[G.A.Pster]

It’s a valid question, bullets and powder are expensive.

Wearing safety glasses, I don’t see any danger involved, just potential plastic fowling.

 

[Randy1911]

[I think Speer makes rubber bullets for pistol's using just the primer, don't see why it wouldn't work in a rifle. /QUOTE]


I have shot the Speer plastic bullets. They are several thousandths smaller than bore diameter so they easily slip down the barrel. And they don't shoot to point of aim, they his about 6" low at 15 feet.

 

[Gatofeo]

Somewhere in my reference library I have an article on using .22-caliber airgun pellets in the .223 Remington, with primer only.
Can't find that blamed article! :banghead:
But I seem to recall that the author made the flash holes of his cases much larger, to avoid primer setback. Such cases must be clearly marked, to avoid their use in any other loads. An oversized flash hole can create pressure problems, especially with ball powder.
Using a small file, make a few tiny grooves in the rim of each case. Or use a wide, black or red marker on each altered case. Or buy some Brass-Black, which is a liquid that stains brass black.
He used the holow-based, wasp-skirted, flat-faced lead pellet made for target shooting. Load it holow-down. No point in loading it hollow forward, to create a hollowpoint projectile -- you won't get enough velocity for it to work.
This would make a good rat load in a barn, though the prospect of setting the hay afire with muzzle flash may negate that use.
Seems that it would be a good indoor load, to practice snap-shooting or point shooting. Doubtful that the sights would aim anywhere near where the pellet strikes.
Such pellet loads would be easy to reload while using. Just get a Lee primer seater. Don't know if you'd need to use Magnum primers, or if regular would work fine.
Be wary of getting a pellet stuck in the bore, though. You may wish to check your bore after each shot.
If you try this, let us know how it went.

 

[Navy_Guns]

TonyDedo - If you're tired of people trying to be innovative or, at the least, entertain themselves in a way that does no harm to you & yours, can't you save your "Hmph!" and go be productive? Hey, no hard feelings. We're all grown ups here. I bet you $10 if you tried one of those air-soft inserts like I built, you'd LOVE it! I thought it'd be a safer way to break my son into shooting, but after seeing the results I think the .22 LR is about as hazardous!

Quoheleth - Go tell it on the mountain, brother! I've built several firearms that God never intended to see the light of day, and you know what? It's 100% legal! You can make your own pistol. You can make your own rifle or shotgun. You can even make your own silencer or SBR if you get an ATF stamp first. The only thing I can NOT do is make my own machine gun. You got an itch for a semi-auto AK-47? You can buy a "flat receiver" and make the jigs to bend it to shape and (insert some work here) build your own legally. You can buy an 80% AR-15 receiver and finish the machining operations in the area of the trigger group and build your own legally. Some times it seems you can't do nothing fun without paying a price, fortunately building rifles for your own amusement isn't one you have to worry about!!!

 

[blkbrd666]

Is there something wrong with just buying an Airsoft AR15? You could even get full auto and save the 200 bucks.

 

[Roccobro]

Have you prices Airsoft rifles yet? Not the Big 5 clear plastic toys either. I'd rather buy a REAL firearm for the same money!

Justin

 

[fireman 9731]

I load 22 cal pellets in my 22-250. Fairly accurate out to about 75 yards, I haven't chronoed them, but I would guess at least 750fps.

The only problem with loading them in a 223 is that the small rifle primer doesn't have nearly the oompff of the 22-250's large rifle primer.

For short indoor ranges it might be adequate though.