224GNR field report

[stimpylu32]

Took the blue beast to the Ok panhandle for a P-dog shoot , all in all I was more than pleased with the results , while the 40 grain Speer's had some problems bucking the wind , the 52 grain Sierra HP's did a wonderful job , many of the P-dogs met their demise to this flat shooting little rifle , while I had it set to zero @ 200 yards I found that it was also zero at 100 and 300 with no hold under / over needed for these ranges .

For anyone looking for a flat shooting , non-typical Handi , I would recommend taking a hard look at this round , easy to form with the proper die set and works very well with the new style extractor barrels .

To say that I'm pleased with how this project turned out would be an understatement , this may just replace my 45/70 as my all time favorate Handi . 

stimpy

[Datil]

 I have to agree with Stimpy On the 224 GNR, Great shooting round.
 Stimpy was nice enough to let me try a few shots with it.
 Thanks Stimpy!  Marv.

[FW Conch]

   Congratulations Mr. stimpy !  It sounds like you have a "laser beam" !

   Back in 1968 it was "proven" that smaller calibers "could" be more inherently accurate , & get less so as the caliber increased.
   This "seems" to be true of Handis, @ least all the way up through 243.

   Do you suppose this could @ least be partly true because of less "frame flex" in smaller calibers ?

   I would really like to see a Handi in 260 Rem & , or 6.5 x 55 Swede !     Good Shooting

   Jim

[tykempster]

What is the 224GNR and what is it capable of?  Never heard of it.

[oneshotonekill]

What is the 224GNR and what is it capable of?  Never heard of it.

Its a 357 max necked down to 224.  The wildcat was developed by Gary Reeder take a look at his site for more info: http://www.reedercustomguns.com/information/GNR_cartridges.htm

[nomosendero]

Congrats Stimpy, sounds good!!

[Couger]

Hello Stimpy,  email sent to you 6-16

[Fred M]

Stimpylu.
Something to be said about small cartridges they do a fine job with a minimal amount of powder and you don't give up much velocity. I am really impressed with my 6x47(222Rem Mag), mild blast, high velocity, minimal powder charges and super accuracy with a 1-12" twist using 55 and 58gr bullets. Of course this is a complete custom re-bored bore made from a 223. I don't think a 224GNR can be made
from a 223 since the 223 chamber is 0.155" too long. What did you use for the conversion? A Hornet would be doable. The only trouble one could have
is a barrel bore that is not dimensional consistant.

[stimpylu32]

Ya Fred , I know what you mean about the small rounds , I'm on this 22 cal kick these days  As for the 224GNR , it started as a 22" hornet barrel , after I cleaned it real good I slugged the bore to look for tight or loose spots also to check the bore dia.

The reason was to make sure that the barrel would be worth spending the $$s for the chamber work . Over all I am more than pleased with how the project turned out , the next one is a 22 Rem Jet with a 1 in 16 twist 22 mag barrel .

stimpy

[Fred M]

Stimpy.
The 22Rem Jet is a very poor design and will burn out the throat in no time flat. The point of convergence is way out side the case, also called the turbulence point. Unless you would blow out the case and fire form a 30 deg
shoulder I would not use this case.

But if you do that you may as well find a better parent case. The 220 Russion
comes to mind or a 6mm BR necked to 22 and shortened 1/10". Using light 22 bullets a 16" twist would be super.

Fred M.

[LaOtto222]

Stimpy - I like the small 22 stuff too. I have got 3-22 Hornets, 3-221 FB and 2-223's. used to have a 222 Rem but have rebarreled that gun into a 221 FB. I shot out the 222 barrel, it was my only "varmint" gun for years. I will have another 222 before too long. Nothing exotic, but that 224 GNR sounds intriguing.

Fred - you are correct about the 22 jet. The 22 BR would be a great round. I think that Stimpy likes rimmed cartridges for his Handis and the 22 PPC and 22 BR are not rimmed.

[stimpylu32]

Fred M

Thanks for the input on the Jet , It will be a sometimes shooter so barrel life should be ok . I went for the jet for a few reasons , one is that H&R did make a barrel in that round at one time so this is kind of a throw back the old days and two for the fact that I like forming my own cases .

And as LaOtto said , I like rimmed rounds in Handi's , as long as the rim is cut properly the head space problems that come with rimless rounds are a non-factor and with H&R going to all exrtactors the rim works better with my fat little fingers . 

stimpy

[Couger]

What about rechambering/reboring the 'Jet' to .256Winnie someday?  If it was ever "necessary?"

[stimpylu32]

Couger

That's whats so nice about these little .22 cal rounds , If you eat the throat out you can always just re-chamber to a larger case capacity round , with in reason of course . 

stimpy

[Fred M]

Stimpy.
I do not buy buy the head space problem with rimless rounds. This is not
an inherent problem. Been loading 1000sands of rimless ammo and head space has never been a problem. If you have a head space problem is is
usually introduced by faulty die setups or improper chamber dimensions or both. Or mostly by incompetent handloaders.

These too can be corrected by proper fire forming with lubed cases.

I just measured the rims on ten factory 375 Win ammo, the rim thickness
varied from 0.053" to 0.060 and anything in between. So your no head space problem with rimmed cases does not fly either.

The rims on the 303Brit vary even more, so when I loaded for the 303 I always
headspaced on the shoulder to get anywhere near reasonable use out of the brass.

Myself I prefer a rimless case above a rimmed one, because the are easy to tailor to a chamber.

[stimpylu32]

Fred M

I'll admit that the only Handi that gave me any kind of problem in a rimless case was my 25/06 , and that was fixed by using a false shoulder and fireforming the cases to fit the chamber .

As for rim thickness you are also right about the fact that they very quite a bit , so even with the rimmed cases I have to use a combo of rim & shoulder to headspace some rounds .

I still like the rimmed better for my fat fingers . 

stimpy

[Fred M]

Stimpy.
At least we are now on the same wave length. There is nothing wrong with rimmed or belted cases as long as you head space on the shoulder or the end of the case ala 45ACP. As far as preference for rimmed cases goes, for what ever the reason that is OK too. My 375Win don't give any trouble either when the cases are trimmed to the proper length with about one thou head space.
The Ruger #3 action can handle a very snug fit, unlike the Handi, almost like a bolt action. A one thou head space on a Handi is nip and tuck it may not fully close and that is bad news for accuracy and slamming the action shut is not to my liking.