Now for something completely different...

[chicharrones]

How I came up with this idea is a long, torturous story, so we'll skip it.

The point is we have a serious ammo shortage, but I have plenty of bullets, and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of .22RF Powder Actuators (nail-gun blanks.) So when I was pawing through stuff on my workbench and found a section of .320 barrel I formed a cunning plan...

I made a breech-plug out of some 1/2-hard 4140 that I could press-fit into the barrel, then ran a .22lr reamer in until a #3 nail-gun blank would chamber (neither a .22LR or .22 Short will.) I silver-soldered a lug under the barrel for a hinge-pin and lock and made a simple single-shot pistol to mount it on.
View attachment 980686 View attachment 980687

To load you place the .32 bullet in the muzzle and ram it as far in as it will go. It's snug, but you don't have to hammer it or anything. The you cock the hammer to the first notch, rotate the lock about 80 degrees and tip the barrel up. You insert the #3 blank in the chamber, close and lock the barrel and you are ready to go. Just pull the hammer to full-cock and fire.

View attachment 980688

I started testing with a 100gr. LFP, which got 771fps. and 132 ft.lbs at the muzzle. Not bad. I also tried 00-buck. For some reason the chrono wouldn't read it; perhaps because it's very shiny (plated?) but it's stepping right out. The 47.5gr shot penetrated 13-1/2" into Clear Ballistics 10% ordinance gel.

It's a fun little plinker, and getting ammo is no problem. I think I'll largely stick with the buckshot to save strain on the gun; I'll consider the 100gr. shot's a 'proof load.'. I haven't been able to do any real accuracy testing yet, hopefully I can get to he range soon. I don't expect it to be a tack-driver; the rear sight is a small notch in the hammer that is visible when the gun is fully cocked.

I decided it needed a case, and I had a wooden box I picked up at Goodwill for $2 a couple years back, so I set it up for the gun, some ammo and a couple simple tools. I put together a ramrod and a screwdriver with antler handles to match the grips. I need to get some 3/16" brass to make a cleaning/clearing rod, but that's not urgent.
View attachment 980689 View attachment 980690
In some sense it's kind of pointless; the world does not need this gun. but it's not always about need, is it? I had a ball putting this project together, and it's fun to shoot. That's a win in my book.

As always, you make an excellent use of your spare time, MTP!

 

[ThomasT]

How practical would it be to sleeve the cylinder chambers on say a Heritage .22 for the nail gun blanks to have a six shooter ?

How about reaming for .177 and loading lead pellets in front of that .22? Shouldn’t have any ammunition shortages then. I bet that pellet would be supersonic.

I did this experiment a long time ago. Way back in the early 1990s. I took some of the lowest power nail gun blanks, some 22 caliber pellets and my Ruger single six. I slid the pellets in the chamber to the same depth. Then a nail gun blank and fired at an empty can. I could see the pellets hit the dirt but they shot all over the place. So I decided to load up and fire again. Thats when I found the problem.

The problem was that even with the lowest power blank it was expanding the skirt into the chamber walls and blowing the nose off of the pellet. I shoved the skirts out of the chambers and gave up on the idea. Maybe some solid 22 bullets would have worked. I don't know I never had any to try. Maybe some of the 22 round balls that Crosman sells to shoot in your air rifle. Those might be worth giving a shot to. But I wouldn't expect much in the way of accuracy.

That expanding the skirt and blowing the nose off of the bullet is what they are warning against when loading hollow base wad cutter bullets. I have loaded those well past the target load data and never had one separate but I do believe it could happen.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

I've seen some people try the cylindrical hollow-base pellets (Benjamin I think.) The pellets worked but accuracy was poor and leading was extreme.

 

[ThomasT]

When I tried this with the pellets I was playing "What If"? What if is me thinking what would I do if I couldn't get ammo or a gun anymore? What if ammo was banned could I find a way to shoot? I do that sort of thinking even today. But I can say you have played the game better than I did. You found a real answer to the What If question.

About the only other answer would be to make your own BP and a simple smooth bore gun. I think having a spare Flintlock Lock or two laying around would be a big shortcut to making a gun. Even the old time rifle makers would buy a pre-made lock for use on their otherwise scratch built rifles. Usually an English made lock.

Those cylindrical pellets you mentioned sound like the 20 cal Sheridan Diablo pellets. I suppose they may make them in 22 caliber.

 

[Rex in OTZ]

Very cool, be great for rabbits that attack.