Heavy 22. mag. loads

[Seven For Sure]

The smily is because .22 magnum and heavy don't exactly go hand in hand. The heaviest I can find is the Federal 50 gr. HP which is nice from my S&W 351PD. I'm looking for something heavier if they make it. I really like this gun and it's 11oz. weight loaded for a BUG. It's about the only BUG I can conceal/toelerate. Thanks for your time. I'm talking weight BTW.

 

[VA27]

Right now the 50gr Federal is the heaviest made. Should have loads of penetration even out of the 351.

I read a rumor that the company that makes Coyote Killer ammo is looking at making a 55gr load, but I haven't seen any of it yet.

How do you like the 351? I've looked at one, but haven't had a chance to shoot one.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

FWIW - Winchester makes a Lubaloy-coated lead 45gr WRF [Winchester rimfire] that's compatible with .22Mag firearms

Natchez has 'em on sale right now. These should give some decent penetration from a .22Mag snubby

 

[PO2Hammer]

50 grain Fed's and 45 grain Dynapoints are about it.

 

[Seven For Sure]

I like the 351 PD. The 50's do penetrate very well in my backyard hill-billy tests. As I said, it's about all I do for a BUG and it's great for working in the yard. I paid around $400 for it new, I think it was a good deal. I ordered a case of those Federal 50 gr. HP's for about $8/50.

 

[JT'sDad]

+1 on the 351PD. I too would love to see some 55gr ammo.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You got a deal on the ammo. I've always liked the .22mag. Too bad they downloaded it. Used to be 2,000 fps, then 1910fps and cci now loads to 1875fps. Dynamite noble still loads it up to about 2100fps, but a box of 50 will cost you about $30. if you can find it. For ballistic gelatin tests on the .22mag go to www.brassfetcher.com.

 

[rcmodel]

What would really be nice is if CCI or someone would load a true "Short-Barrel" revolver load.

All .22 Mag ammo is loaded with slower powder for use in rifle length barrels.
As a consequence, they just make a lot of noise without much performance out of a handgun.

I can't help but think they could improve on that quite a bit with faster powder more suited to revolver length barrels.

Here is some velocity data from NAA:
http://www.naaminis.com/magvel.html

rcmodel

 

[VA27]

Back when AMT brought out their 22 magnum AutoMag autoloading pistol, CCI MaxiMag ammo wouldn't function in it. So, CCI made some change to the MaxiMag so that it would operate the pistol. I would think that that would count as a 'handgun specific' round.

And the performance of 22 mag ammo out of handguns is just fine. Most 22Mag loads out of a 3.5" barrel will duplicate the velocities achieved by the 22LR, with similar bullet weights, out of a 20" barrelled rifle.

I think the only way to better that would be with more powder in a bigger case.

If someone will produce a PPK sized (or smaller) pocket pistol in 5.7X28, they could sell a bunch!

I know I'd be up for a couple.

 

[Daizee]

Thread Revival...

I've been thinking about this lately myself and followed the brassfetcher link. Unfortunately they shot all their .22WMR out of a 2" revolver...

I could use some data on barrels in the 4"-6" range (particularly interested in 4" and 4.5"). Has anybody chrony'd their service-size .22WMR revolver?

Futhermore, how would one go about getting a batch of primed (unfired) .22mag brass for handloading? *hmmmm*....

-Daizee

 

[Jim Watson]

About a hundred years ago you could buy primed rimfire cases to be loaded to your own tastes, but we are not smart enough for that any more.

I have READ of, not seen or done, .22 WRM being handloaded. The practicioners would pull the factory bullet and seat something like a SMK down over the factory powder charge. The careful ones would dump, average and even out the factory powder charges. The adventurous ones would distribute seven powder charges into six cases. A 14% increase in powder charge plus a heavier bullet with thicker jacket no doubt led to a gross overload, but they were shooting strong Contenders in a division of metallic silhouette competition that rewarded the practice. I recall no mention of completely new powder selection and load.

Y'all be careful, now, you hear?

 

[Daizee]

Hi Jim,

I've heard of people pulling factory loads and customizing them too. Sounds like an expensive pain in the butt, if you ask me. Tho I guess you can start with the cheapest dynapoint junk.

I was hoping to load them cheaper than their now-astronomical prices AND get some proper pistol loads at the same time. Like maybe a 62gr .223 bullet, for instance, over an appropriately reduced charge. Or who knows what else. Cast and lube some hard lead flat points?

Seems to me that *most* .22WMR revolvers are WAY overbuilt, so I imagine there would be plenty of room to experiment *within the limits of the rimfire brass*.

A 4" Smith 48 is about to arrive, and some more efficient loads would be just too cool.

Barring all that, some decent chrony and/or gel testing of factory ammo out of a ~4" barrel would satisfy me and save a ton of time.

-Daizee

 

[rcmodel]

Unless you can come up with a new revolver barrel with a faster rifling twist to stabilize heavier bullets, you are SOL.

That is the reason there are no "heavy bullet" commercial loads.

The heavy bullets would tumble out of a normal .22 Mag barrel.

The Aguila 60 grain SSS .22 RF loads tumble at much over 20 yards out of several different .22's I have tried them in.

rc

 

[Daizee]

Ah, good point rcmodel.
55gr is prolly the heaviest, then.

After mulling it over I changed my fantasy a bit.
Ferget the thick-jacketed big-rifle rounds.

Instead go with medium-hardness lead WC's, SWC's, or HP's. Lube 'em with Alox. Form the noses with Paco Kelly's bullet-squishing tool. They'd probably run at magnum pistol velocities and perform nicely for their size.

I found this article:
http://www.shooting-hunting.com/reloading_techniques.html

which is interesting, but still doesn't contain actual number or any pistol references at all.

-Daizee

 

[bakert]

I didn't know there were heavier bullets in .22 mag, guess mainly because the 45 gr Win Dynapoints shoot so well in my Ruger Single Six. I bought the last 3 boxes at wall- Mart a few weeks ago. Gonna be a dry spell and then prices will quite a bit higher

 

[257x50]

Thread Rerevival

A friend runs coon dogs, a lot. I got him started on the 60 gr LR. He came in the other day and said for the first time a coon didn't drop on the 1st shot, and this is the 3rd box I bought him!

Tumbling? Is a 22mag a quicker twist? I want to know. With Prowleys, I want to load heavies for the kid. Or rebarrel to correct it.

Maybe the tumbling is what makes them work?

Flat nosing them makes no difference. Not fast enough?