Reloading rimfire ammo

[mrostov]

These guys make kits to reload .22LR/Long/Short and .22WMR/WRF/WIN and they make a kit to manufacture #11 percussion caps. They also make dies to resize rimfire cases before reloading.

It's also pretty obvious that their primer compoud package can be used to recharge spent centerfire primers during an emergency or shortage.
http://22lrreloader.com/

Here is an article about it
https://www.ammoland.com/2015/11/reloading-22lr-ammo/#axzz5FfC68iqf

And a couple of videos

 

[Janne]

Can you buy .22 lead bullets?

I used to reload to save money, but would never do .22 even if it was posdible in those days

The time spent vs cost saving = not worth it.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Can you buy .22 lead bullets?

I used to reload to save money, but would never do .22 even if it was posdible in those days

The time spent vs cost saving = not worth it.

Agreed - its fun reloading 303 & 7.62 but .22rf - no thanks.

As .22rf tends to be soft points / expanding any bullets that are purchased come off your total ammunition allowance anyway.
(FMJ bullets do not count towards your allowance)

I have had to apply for an increased quantity of ammunition as when reloading and doing load testing / development having a few boxes (of 100) of different bullets can easily take you over your limit.

For our American readers - our FAC (Firearm Certificate) gives a maximum number of rounds of ammunition that can be held in each calibre, this is granted based on your likely usage and if you do not purchase ammunition on a regular basis the allowance can be reduced or even removed completely as you obviously do not have sufficient good reason to own that firearm.

 

[mrostov]

Regardless of where you live, I would look upon this as something to discretely put aside for a long term crisis. If you look at the kit, the .22LR/Short tool has a bullet mold in it for both long rifle and short bullet styles (.22LR and .22Short use .223" bullets while a .22mag and .22 centerfire uses .224"). Hence, no need to stockpile bullets. A bar or two of plumbers lead or a coffee can full of old fishing weights set aside will do. All you need is some powder.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Regardless of where you live, I would look upon this as something to discretely put aside for a long term crisis. If you look at the kit, the .22LR/Short tool has a bullet mold in it for both long rifle and short bullet styles (.22LR and .22Short use .223" bullets while a .22mag and .22 centerfire uses .224"). Hence, no need to stockpile bullets. A bar or two of plumbers lead or a coffee can full of old fishing weights set aside will do. All you need is some powder.

Have you had any success with fishing weights or plumbers lead ?
I have found it's way, way too soft resulting in fouling / lead stripping in the barrel.
Now - wheel-weights are different again being a harder alloy.
The best 'lead' for bullet casting is Linotype which is 84% lead, 12% Antimony and 4% Tin.

Linotype is pretty hard and can shatter if hitting steel plates or occasionally bones, for 'softer' bullets a 50/50 mix with lead seems to be about right.

 

[slowworm]

As .22rf tends to be soft points / expanding any bullets that are purchased come off your total ammunition allowance anyway.

Not any more, if you have a certificate that specifically allows expanding ammo you need to get that condition removed, but expanding rifle heads are treated the same as non-expanding now.

As for reloading 22LR it would be interesting to give it a go 'because you can' but not something for making large amounts. The percussion caps sound interesting as they now cost about 6p a pop, but I wonder how the aluminum caps perform in a revolver compared to the copper caps (jamming etc).

As for leading, it depends how fast you push the bullet, I think you'd want something harder than pure lead but much softer than Linotype for sub-sonic 22LR. Possibly just lead and tin.

 

[Robson Valley]

I shot a lot of .22cal back in my target days. .22 shorts were still used for Rapid Fire.
I was burning 10,000 rounds of LR per year.
I enjoyed hand loading for center fire (IHMSA Unlimited) but the entire concept of reloading .22 cal makes me shake my head.

I believe mrostov: Buy the supplies and put that stuff aside for a black day.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Not any more, if you have a certificate that specifically allows expanding ammo you need to get that condition removed, but expanding rifle heads are treated the same as non-expanding now.

Thanks for that - I've spent some time googling and found it was revised in 2017.

45. Section 129 of the 2017 Act amends subsection 5(1A)(f) of the 1968 Act to remove the prohibition on ammunition which incorporates a missile designed or adapted to expand on impact (‘expanding ammunition’) in respect of rifle ammunition only.

However, at the end of the document ( Part 6 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017) it does state :

The Home Office’s non-statutory “Guide on Firearms Licensing Law” will remain in its current form until the statutory guidance is published.

The last issue of the Guidance is 2016 (which still contains the original statements re expanding bullets counting towards ammunition allowance) so it appears that the 2017 amendments may not yet passed into law, the document goes on to say :

Revisions to the general condition relating to expanding ammunition are being considered by the Firearms and Explosives Licensing Working Group. Forces will be notified in due course of the new condition which should be applied as and when a certificate is due for renewal or variation or for any other reason. Forces are not expected to recall certificates specifically for amendment.

So I am not sure what the situation currently is.

Any idea where we are up to ?

 

[slowworm]

The changes happened in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 - https://basc.org.uk/blog/press-releases/latest-news/basc-issues-expanding-ammunition-advice/

You can now buy expanding heads by post without a cert.

Like many people, I had a specific condition on my cert to allow me to buy expanding ammunition which I had to have removed so I could then use them for all the uses listed plus target shooting.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

The changes happened in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 - https://basc.org.uk/blog/press-releases/latest-news/basc-issues-expanding-ammunition-advice/

You can now buy expanding heads by post without a cert.

Like many people, I had a specific condition on my cert to allow me to buy expanding ammunition which I had to have removed so I could then use them for all the uses listed plus target shooting.

Thanks again - I had found some info and edited my post whilst you were posting.
My FAC is due for renewal next year so I'll make sure they remove the condition.

 

[gonzo_the_great]

The ban (move to section 5) for expanding bullets, was originally due to some badly drafted legislation/misunderstanding of an EU directive. It should only have ever been applied to pistol ammunition. And I suspect this was really intended for ammunition used for defensive purposes. As why would anyone ever care what is used for target shooting.

The new wording refers to cartridges designed for use in pistols.
This is still badly worded. As where does that leave the 38/357 rounds that you use in your underlever rifle? Are these designed for rifle (as that's all most of us can possess. Or is the cartridge designed for pistol, whatever it is used in?
But 22LR is at least in the clear. The clue is in the name.

But on the reloading 22LR kit.... Doesn't it come with a set of bullet casting moulds? the one I've seen had a nut-cracket style set of handles, as a combined mould and crimp tool.
And 22LR is almost pure lead. So you should be able to cast with any scrap. Though you may want a touch of tin, just to 'wet' the mould. But only a few %. Not the 40% of plumbers solder.

 

[gonzo_the_great]

As an aside, I did try reloading 22LR, a very long time ago.
We used red match heads and a solvent, to make our own primer compound. Black powder (for safety) and airgun pellets.
Some did go off and make it out of the barrel, but it was very hit and miss. But in hindsight, this may have been where I'd not cleaned out the prime groove in the case head, before repriming.

 

[sunndog]

Reloading .22lr?

 

[Delta wolf]

[QUOTE="

The new wording refers to cartridges designed for use in pistols.
This is still badly worded. As where does that leave the 38/357 rounds that you use in your underlever rifle? Are these designed for rifle (as that's all most of us can possess. Or is the cartridge designed for pistol, whatever it is used in?
QUOTE]

It has since been clarified and includes pistol ONLY calibres.
I can buy .44 mag for my underlever happily online.
There are only a few oddballs it applies to.

 

[Janne]

When young and a poor student, I used to cast .38 bullets.
After casting, you need to size and lubricate them ( in one moment) . All bullets used in comps or for any precision work need to be weighed after sizing, then lubed. So two moments.
I can not see anybody casting, sizing and lubricating .22 bullets.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

At about £90 per 1000 is it really worth it ?

Time could be spent better used to make and sell something and raise the cash to buy the 'factory quality' ammunition.

 

[mrostov]

On why I didn't mention wheel weights, don't know about the UK but here in the US most new wheel weights being used are now are zinc, not lead.

A lot of this depends upon your perspective and outlook. In the US we recently had a major rimfire ammo shortage that lasted a couple of years. This tool is a result of that. Yes, it's crazy that a nation with over 300 million privately owned firearms and an estimated over 2 Trillion rounds of ammo stored in private hands should have an ammo shortage. However, it showed the frailty of the manufacturing and supply system.

All in all, a tool like that is an insurance policy. If you need ammo and there is none to be had, a mere 50 or 100 rounds can make a difference.

 

[slowworm]

Yep, wheel weights in the UK can contain stuff you don't want to be casting bullets with. We still have a fairly good supply of soft lead, range scrap etc.

I thought one of the reasons given for the shortage/price rise of 22 ammunition was the fact so many people hoard it in the US? I've seen people in the US claim they've got 1000s of rounds put aside, even though they don't like 22s.

I would consider reloading if I wanted something different, slower/lighter loads for example. I'd rather have pre-primed cases though!

 

[Janne]

The shortage was because the previous president said something about gun control.
Our club and individual members together buy around 150 000 9mm rounds a year. 20 000 .38 Spec, 10 000 5.56 and a couple thousand .357 Mag.
A couple thousand .22 Lr.
So a large order the suppliers have wet dreams about!
For about three years we could not find anybody in the US to supply us, so we had to go worldwide. Brazil could supply.

Once a year our club sifted the berm sand, and we split the goodies.

To augment it I mixed in about 1/3 wheel weights and 1/3 pure lead.

I used to change my revolver for a new one every 3 years, or about 20 000 .38 rounds and 2-3000 .357 Mag.

I used a Ruger Security Six, stainless steel gun with a blued non stainless barrel.

I also cast bullets to be used in the .357 Mag shells, for long range shooting. There I mixed 50/50 tin and pure lead I think.

 

[Janne]

In many cases in US it is not hoarding, but it is a way to keep the cost down. To buy 200 rounds ( one practice session for many shooters) is hugely more expensive per round than if you buy 5000.