.22 Hornet to .223 Rem to .22-250?

[MSP Ret]

Here is the question guys, I have a barrel that started as a H&R single shot in .22 Hornet, it is the thin almost superlight contour barrel. I got it from a member with ejector work needed. I figured out what was up with the ejector drilled one hole in the barrel lug which was needed to fit an ejector lifter button, added the ejector lifter button and spring as well as a .223 ejector and the ejector now works fine. It turns out the chamber was bored a few thousands to deep and there is excessive headspace and the chamber is a bit rough also. I am looking for something a bit larger in diameter and length to clean up the problems. A .225 Winchester has been suggested and I think a .219 Zipper and a .222 Mag might work out also but  I am looking for something a little more mundane. What do you learned types think about a .22-250 in a 20" superlight barrel as a truck gun for the occasional shot at a coyote? I would not think of using it for repeated shots off a bench where the barrel would get overly hot and throw shots. I am more interested in one or possibly 2 shots at a time at most with plenty of time to cool before more were fired, a hunting or pack/truck/handy gun. Would this rechamber, .223 Rem to .22-250 be someting I could do at home with a rented reamer or do you think I should send it out? If you think it is possible to do myself should I get a piloted reamer? I have done some minor gun work before. I probably have about as much into this barrel as I want to spend already so I do want to keep the cost down...Thanks....<><....

P.S - I have fired the gun with .223 ammo and it functions fine but the brass sticks in the chamber and has to be tapped out hard with a cleaning rod. I would have preferred to keep this as a .223 but I do not believe there is any chance of saving it as a .223....do you?  If there is a gunsmith out there that thinks this can be saved as a .223 for a reasonable(cheap) price I would be happy to send the barrel for him or her to evaluate and perhaps hopefully repair or if you already have a .22-250 chamber reamer I will send you the barrel to do just a rechamber, I will take care of the ejector work, just run the chamber reamer in to the correct depth for headspace and send me back the barrel...Thanks

[trotterlg]

Give this guy a call, he did my 17 HMR to 17 Remington Handi barrel and knows what to do, I sent him a piece of my sized brass and he set the headspace to about .001 for me.  http://www.vtgunsmiths.com/tis/tispricing.html  Larry

[quickdtoo]

MSP, I think I would consider hand reaming it to 223 Improved depending the condition of the curent chamber, it would take minimal reaming and brass isn't hard to fire form for it, just takes a little time, a die set can be had for less than $30. Of course, with the right gunsmith, the cost of renting a reamer is almost as much as some charge, my .280 Improved Handi cost $50 done by a smith, plus shipping of course.

Tim

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690981

[trotterlg]

Unless I am badly mistaken you have to set back the barrel to go to an AI chamber on a rimless cartridge, not an easy task with a handi.  Larry

[quickdtoo]

Barrel doesn't neet to be set back, you just don't end up with a true Ackley chamber, that's why I called it an Improved chamber, not an AI, factory ammo can't be fired in it. Before Fire forming, a false shoulder must be created to insure proper headspace is maintained.

Tim

[MSP Ret]

Thanks guys, I would really like something that I could fire currently available factory ammo in also, thats one of the reasons I have rejected the .225 and the .219....<><....

[gunnut69]

Why is the 223 sticking? Is the brass marked in any way? The experiences I've had with these break open guns gave me the distinct impression they were sensitive to rough or out of shape chambers.. The normal result was a failure to eject but you said the cases were stuck 'hard' and had to be driven out.. Are there any prssure signs apparent? Does a round (loaded) inserted into the chamber and the action closed show any marks on the case or the bullet. Have you cast the chamber to see what is going on? Do you know the bore diameter or have you slugged it to find out.. The simplest fix is usually to what already is in inventory.. Of course you are aware that the Hornet is most often built with a 1 in 16 rifleing twist and heavy bullets most often don't stablize relagating the rifle to 40-45 grain bullets, perhaps a bit more..

[quickdtoo]

The NEF Hornet barrel has a 1:12" twist, that's standard for them, if it's a 1:16, it's an oddball. Mine is a confirmed 1:12".

Tim

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,26264.msg141263.html#msg141263

[MSP Ret]

Yes, it has 1:12" rifling and it exhibits no  signs of excessive pressure that leads me to believe the headspace is something I could live with, especially if I loaded some less than factory loads for it in the vicinity of .22 Hornet velocities, which was my inital intent before I found the headspace issue and then more of a problem the chamber problem. Besides the marginal excessive headspace after firing factory ammo there is a VERY slight circular bulge evident on the brass just behind the shoulder that I feel may be from reamer chatter during the rechambering process. This is what I feel is causing the difficulty in ejection and is the reason I now feel I must rechamber this barrel. My thoughts are to go to a .22-250 even though it is a Superlight barrel. With one or at the most 2 shots at a time POI shift because of barrel heating should not be a problem...What do you think? If it works it might make a handy Handi for a truck gun for varmints, but I really wanted it to remain as a .223 Remington....<><....

[trotterlg]

A 20 inch 22-250 barrel will be real loud for sure, other than that I would say have at it.  Larry

[MSP Ret]

Thanks Larry, it looks as if it will be a go for the project, I'm just waiting for a couple of new ejector parts to get in from H&R, I don't really need them now but I want to get them in and set up the ejector myself before I send the barrel in for the rechamber. Your right about it possibly being a bit loud but it most likely will not be any louder than my 19" barrelled .280 Remington Handi rifle, aka "Thunderboomer", this .22-250 may become "Thunderboomer II"....<><....