Reeder Custom Guns - Chronographing Handloaded .22 Rimfires

Well, I finally got out to the range to chronograph the handloaded .22 rimfire stuff. I had the 40 gr. FP loaded with 1.5 gr. Bullseye and the 36 gr. HP loaded with 1.6 gr. Lil' Gun. All were shot out of my Ruger Single Six.

The 40 gr. with 1.5 gr. Bullseye averaged 1045 fps. I only had 5 which ain't a lot to get a good average. I kinda wonder if the bullets were pulling the crimp because the first two loads were over 1100 fps then it dropped into the middle 1000 and the last 2 were middle 900's. Will need to test more to make sure.

Next I tried the 36 gr. HP with 1.6 gr. Lil' Gun. I had 15 of these loaded. The first shot went "piffle" and the bullet stopped halfway down the barrel. I got that cleared up, started again and "piffle" .. but a little louder. I pushed a rod down the bore and no obstruction. I fired the last 3 and all went "piffle" and if I watched close I could see the bullet go. Probably 300 or so fps. I reloaded and fired the next 5 and the 3rd one stopped in the bore. I fired all 15 and all went "piffle" about 300 fps except the two that stopped in the bore. I am not sure why because the first one I fired in the shop really demonstrated some power!

I had the single shot Winchester .22 rifle and am glad I did not start with that as I did not have a rod long enough to remove a stuck bullet with me.

Next I will try 231 and Unique and see how they do.

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if you don't mind.

Thanks!

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they will likely fire fine. I don't understand but with full capacity and a "cool" ignition you get hang-fires. What do you think?

bullet was not against the powder. I am not sure what happened.

It sure would be fun to try different powders. Don't blow a rim.

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throw it away and use another powder.

many years ago when I first started hanging around Lee Jurras he told me to always have a full load of powder and if possible lightly compressed. Always have the powder flush against the primer hole. I do and as far as I know I have never had a misfire or hang fire with loading that way. I have had numerous hang fires and misfires with light loads, and a very light load has been known to blow revolvers in half. But I always try to use a powder that will fill up the case and even lightly compress the powder and it has always worked for me. Look at 454 Casull loads. The ones I have duplicated from factory loads were heavily compressed. I figure Bob Baker knows what he is doing. For sure I figure Lee, with his own ammo company, Super Vel, knew a helluva lot more than some of these wannabe experts on the internet.

The only hang fires or misfires I can remember having had nothing to do with the powder. It was with small rifle primers in my 410 GNR or 429 GNR and the 454. With a custom revolver with a light action job and a lighter hammer fall than normal trying to set off the harder cup rifle primers will sometimes give you a hang fire or misfire. Since then we no longer do the really light action job on either of these calibers. We have also switched to small pistol magnum primers on these calibers and have had no problems whatsoever.

using a CCI .22 .. pull the bullet, dump the powder and re-seat the bullet, the priming will push the bullet out of the barrel.

These will not do that. They get it about halfway down the bore.

Bullseye is very easy to ignite which is probably why it is working better.

a fellow blow a 38 special revolver in half with a lighter than normal load. He wanted to get a faster trigger time or something like that and loaded 2 grains of Bullseye instead of whatever was normal. 2.5 I think. Anyway he blew the gun up completely. Since then I have read about that happening to other shooters.

it will hangfire almost 100%. I've done it with the .510 and .429 GNR most notable. It makes a packed yellow/green biscuit at the back of the cartridge and the remainder of the powder will be unburned. The projectile can be half-way in the cylinder/forcing cone or a very short distance down the bore.

Again this is due to slow burn rate powder compression and a primer that is too cool to do the job. With compressed loads I ALWAYS use "magnum" or "Rifle" primers in guns that can use them. Contenders or Encores seem to do fine with rifle primers, revolvers not so much. The Rem. 7-1/2 caps are an exception in .454 cases. Winchester markets a hot cap listed for "standard or magnum" loads, it's good.

Don't test this unless you want to pound a stuck slug out of your barrel!

using a "cool primer"and Lil Gun powder? CHANGE POWDER or PRIMERS!!!Go with 296 or H-110 and a magnum primer. I NEVER have hang fires or misfires with the right primer and those powders. Holy shit! That is like hitting your finger with a hammer and then keep doing it.

During the Obama years. If there is an air-space it usually shoots fine! But you are right use a hot primer!

I thought Jim and his .22 RF might be having the same problems. He dose seem to have weak priming. Jim put some of that magic pixi dust in it!

magnum primer with any ball powder like 296, H-110 or Lil Gun are all ball powders (although Lil Gun looks like flat balls). I guess I am too lazy to try out all the new powders. Actually I just don't have the time. I am bluing tonight and will be well into the morning hours, and a lot of my nights are like this. So I have to depend upon all the Misfits to tell me what new powders are worth using. In the meantime I stay with 296, H-110, 4227, Unique, H-322, H-335, 4350, 1680, 3031, AA#9, AA#7, 748 and a few others. If I can't find a load with all those powders I need to give up.
I am very partial to all ball powders as they have never failed me when I use them properly.

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