Shotgun primer - .22 pellet

[thejanitor]

I tried the search and didn't find what I was looking for, I know I read about someone who modified a primer pocket in either a hornet brass or .223 rem brass so it would take a shotgun primer for shooting .22 cal pellets from their rifle without powder. Do any of you recall the topic? Have you done it? I have shot half a tin of pellets this summer in my hornet Handi rifle with mag small rifle primers and they are quite accurate but yesterday a chipmunk had the nerve to sit on the branch and itch the spot I just hit him...    With all the houses that have popped up I don't dare use even rimfire bullets so the pellet is a great alternative I just want a little more oomph behind it. It would be nice to keep the critters out of the berries and garden.  Thanks for any help, I may have read it in the Handi NEF section but searched there as well and found nothing.
Thanks thejanitor

[chutesnreloads]

I'd suggest using a 22LR and some Aguilla Colibre ammo.It's a 20 grain pellet fired by nothing but the primer.Save you lot of work .

[.22-5-40]

Hello, thejanitor.  I tried pellet shooting with a .22 Hornet.  First tried primer only..then 1 or 2 grains of Bullseye.  Had to be careful or pressure would blow head off pellet leaving skirt/body in bore!  Gave up because of lack of accuracy.  But they had power!  Was shooting out to around 50yds. nearly went thru 1/2" plywood..so still have to be careful.  I think I even tried the .22 round ball..can't remember what accuracy was.  I might try this again..your idea of the shotgun primer sounds interesting!

[Austin from NC]

I just watched ammosmith do the same thing on youtube but reamed hole to use large magnum rifle primers.

       Austin

[thejanitor]

I never though to even try this at longer distances but even with the small rifle  mag primer it is more accurate (out to 20 yds max) than my old pellet bb guns I grew up with. Using the mil dot scope on the hornet I can keep my scope set with coyote loads and drop to the next dot to use at close range with a pellet. (at least with the primer I shoot now) with more fps this will change.
I googled and saw another forum had a listing/link for a kit for .223 to do the same thing, but they were very expensive. I know I read about it here in the past but need to re-search with a different target word or something.
Does ammo smith mention a bit size? I don't have a lathe for metal work.
Thanks for the replies, more are welcome.   thejanitor

[Old Syko]

Go to this page on youtube and pick your poison.  Too many vids to copy here.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ammosmith+pellets&aq=f

[possume]

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/223-22-cal-pellet-conversion-kit.aspx?a=593401      i think this is what your looking for

[thejanitor]

That would work for the .223 and is exactly what I wanted to do to the hornet, but I watched the videos above and I am not sure the hornet can handle that much brass removed to accomodate a 209.... So maybe just opening the flash hole and sticking to small rifle magnum primers will help. Thanks everybody for the help! thejanitor

[.22-5-40]

Hello, thejanitor.  The dia. of the 209 is .244".  subtracting this from the head dia..right in front of rim..of a hornet case & dividing by 2..gives only .024" wall.  Pretty thin.  Nearest twist drill would be a letter "C", at .242..thats a very tight press.  Next size "D" too big at .246".

[geezerbiker]

I used small rifle mag primers and .22 pellets and while shooting in the garage, I could embed the pellets in some 2x12's sections I scrounged up.  I also tried them with 1/2 a grain of red dot and got a little better performance.  Compared with the cost of .22 short or .22 CB long rounds, it's not worth it from a cost stand point but it was fun to do as an experiment.

Tony

[Larry Gibson]

I've drilled .223 cases to take 209 shotgun primers and used them with .22 cal pellets.  I used a # drill the diameter of the primer and then camferred the hole with a larger drill so the rim of the primer was flush with the head of the case.  I also found Beeman Crow Magnums and Kodiacs to be the most accurate and hard hitting primers.  Don't waste you time and the cost of the 209s on the cheap wallyworld pellets. Best accuracy was with 14" twist barrels followed by 12" twist barrels.  Also to maintain accuracy run a slightly damp (I used Hoppe's #9) patch through the barrel every 10 shots as the primer residue gets pretty thick. 
Larry Gibson

[thejanitor]

Thanks for the specs Larry- I did notice even with the small rifle primers that after a dozen or so shots the residue was building up, so the wiping out is a definite needed practice.
Thanks everyone for the input. If you want to chat about it via PM please pm me, I may not keep checking back too much now that I have the info I need for .223 case modification. The hornet brass will probably be left unmodified, or I may just try a few flash hole expansions to see if it improves the speed. But .223 brass is way cheaper to experiment with than hornet....  Take care, thejanitor

[tacklebury]

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/223-22-cal-pellet-conversion-kit.aspx?a=593401

[243dave]

If you want to increase the speed of the pellet/hornet case(or any other) fill it to the neck with epoxy, allow it to dry, drill a small hole to the flash hole.  This will direct all the energy to the pellet and not waste any inside of an empty case.  To deprime it a finishing nail and a hammer is required.
Dave

[hardpack101]

Check out www.jkmshells.com you can get some there.

[purpledragon]

Just use the Aguilla with the 20gr. bullet,you have to use a short barrel. I shoot them in a little Davey Crickett and they are something else.Accurate and quiet..............