.224 Harvey Kaychuck loads with Lil' Gun for a S&W

[S.B.]

Does anyone here load for a Kaychuck using Lil' Gun powder and if so, what powder charge are you using with the 35 grain bullets, in a K framed S&W?

[Czech_too]

About 25-30 years ago, I started to work up some loads, but this was in a Colt Trooper using Hercules 2400 powder, Winchester small rifle primers, new winchester brass and Speer 40 gr. SP bullets.  Started out with 7.6 gr and went up to 8.4 gr by .2 gr increments.  By 8.2 gr there were signs of pressure with 8.4 gr showing flattened primers and stuck cases.  The brass was trimmed to 1.385 with OAL of 1.614
Not sure at what distance the targets were placed, probably 50', but groups were not great, about 2".  Didn't use/have any decent sort of rest to use at that time though.

Brian

[S.B.]

Czech_too, nice to finally tallk to someone who has experience with this round. My gun in a hybrid of a S&W models 15 and K22. I need to have the barrel set back to operate correctly (too much b/c gap) but, have been working with Hodgdons Lil'Gun powder and the Horandy 35 gr, bullets. From what I've gathered the 40 gr. bullets work best with the barrel twist from the K22 magnum barrels. and the lighter 35 grainers works best with the standard K22 barrel twist? I don't know what twist was in the Colts? Al Georg's book "Pioneering Handgun Hunting" has a wealth of information about these guns and their loads.

[Czech_too]

S.B.,  Have you experienced any problem with case extraction in your Smith?  This seems to be an ongoing 'issue' that I've been trying to deal with and haven't found an answer to it yet.  I seem to recall that one of the problems with the 256 Win. was case extraction and it was found that a clean chamber, meaning free of lube/oil was necessary.  Tried that yesterday and I still had extraction problems.  I'm thinking of spraying the cases, after loading, with a moly lube like that used for coating bullets.  There has to be a solution to this, just have to find it.

[S.B.]

.224 Harvey Kaychuck is not the Rem. 22 Jet. I've heard of problems with the Jet and never experienced any with the Kaychuck. The Kaychuck is the caliber that S&W should of brought their gun out in, it was the original and prior to the Jet. The Jet and the .256 Win. are both bottle necked cartridges and have a very angled taper.

[quickdtoo]

Hodgdon should offer recommendations for Lil'gun in the Kay-Chuck, give em a call or email, they've always responded to my email queries.

Tim

help@hodgdon.com

913-362-9455

[S.B.]

I've already got some loads. I posted this some time back. Thanks, anyway.

[quickdtoo]

I've already got some loads. I posted this some time back. Thanks, anyway.

Dang, ya sure did, only took 2yrs to get your first reply!!!

Tim

[Czech_too]

Still having problems with case extraction, tried both a dry cylinder and oiled.  Prior to this I noticed that the brass is stretching also, so trimmed it all back to length.  The cylinder walls appear to be smooth so that shouldn't be the problem.  Haven't tried the moly yet.

If it wasn't for the cost, I'd be tempted to have it refitted with a 22 Mag cylinder again, providing I could find one.

[S.B.]

Please, explain your problem, what's it doing, exactly?

[Smokin Joe]

Check out Taurus' fix for the case setback problem:

http://www.magnumresearch.com/news_detail.asp?story=shoottimes04.asp

[S.B.]

My Kaychuck is an American made Smith & Wesson.

[S.B.]

In the S&W model 53 it was advised to clean the cylinder and then swab it with isopropil alcohol, then let it dry? If memory serves, the least trace of oil would cause the cases to set back and cause jamming? Go to extremes to get every bit of oil out of the cylinder chambers.
Worth a try, what can you lose?