Lot of fussing over 22lr ammo.

[alleyyooper]

So once again so soon after the last 22lr ammo shortage it is once again in short supply and pricy.

Some people just do not learn at all and didn't stock up when the stock arrived and the price went back down to below a dime a shot.

My self I went into a gun store and found no 22 LR ammo to be had but they had sagging shelves of 22 Mag ammo. Got a new Saveage in 22 mag only to have ammo for it to become impoissiable to find too and if you did was so expencive.

Decided then and there I was not going to be held hostage because I owned 22 rim fire arms when it came to squirrel hunting or any other need for a low power round.

I had seen the answer many times when I opened up my Speer reloading manuals but it never accured to me to give the information a try.

I bought yet another 22 rifle, this time in 22 hornet and started reloading the rounds with the reduced load information in the Speer manual.
Wow the hornet at 1500 FPS kills squirrels just as dead as a 22lr at 1500 FPS. could even load it a bit stiffer to 1800 FPS to match 22 mag speed.
Now I reload some of my 220 swift rounds to 22 mag speeds and have the hornet at 22lr speed.
Cost is 8 cents a round for 22 LR speed reloads, and rounded up to 9 cents for 22 mag reloads.

Today how ever you will need to do a good bit of research to down load a 22 center fire speeds. the powder used in the Speer manual is no longer being made and sold.

So unless you have the need to shoot a couple hundred rounds in a hour there are ways to get around the 22 rim fore shortage and beiung held hostage.

You do not even need a 22 hornet or a 220 Swift.
Depending on the Speer reloading manual number you can have a 221 fire ball, a 22 donoldson wasp, a 222 Remington including The 222mag, a 22-250 and any 22 center fire.

Keep in mind how ever you can get caught with your pants down if you do not keep a supply of componants. about 10 years ago rifle primers got hard to find so I keep a very good stock of them.
Bullets get in short supply also and the companys will stop makeing one that just might be your favorite.

Al

 

[blades]

In WI small varmint hunting like Squirrels, Rabbits is not allowed with center fire units, even with reduced loads. We are stuck with Shotgun or RF

 

[alleyyooper]

Then it would be shot gun like a 410 rather than not hunt at all because I could not find affordable rim fire ammo. would also work my tail off to get that law changed.

Al

 

[srb08]

While I see some merit in the argument for the .22 Hornet. For a guy to setup a rifle and buy dies and components, he could lay in a pretty good supply of .22lr ammo, even at $.10 a round. At a net savings of $.02 a round and a large upfront outlay of cash, it just doesn't seem to work out financially.

Although any excuse to buy a new gun is good.

 

[alleyyooper]

Yes if you are not already a reloader the cash out lay can be a bit over wheming.
But then again if like last time you had to buy 22lr ammo from a scalper at 15 cents or more a shot if you wanted any, or stand in line at the dealers ammo delivery day to get some and a hour later when you had made it to the front of the line and all the 22lr.mag ammo was gone.


Al

 

[Ron660]

In my area there's plenty of rimfire ammo either in shorts, long rifle, or magnum. When squirrel hunting I buy the most accurate my rifle likes which is Eley subsonic HP's. Expensive but very accurate and consistent. I don't mind paying for quality if the performance proves it.

 

[Catman]

I second the Eley Subsonic Hollowpoint,Excellent Round!!

 

[Catman]

I took 118 Squirrels last season with that round.

 

[alleyyooper]

Yes some areas are still flush with 22lr ammo. Not the case in my area some one is always asking if I know where they can get some.

Al

 

[breese]

I have been interested in reloading .22
Can you document what your using and how?

 

[alleyyooper]

Whgat do you have now?
A press to resize the brass and dies to do so. Scale to measure the powder also required.

I have a very old RCBS C press, a balance beam scale and RCBS dies.
Speer Reloading manual for the information on powder usage.

Al