Author Topic: rimfire handloads (Read 468 times)

chaplain robert · « **on:** August 12, 2005, 03:52:25 PM »

I am not a handloader. But I am interested in getting a 17hmr. I am curious to know if it is possible to load your own. I know (I think) that I would have to have new cases every time because of the primer being part of it (is that right?) I was just curious if the components could be purchased separately and assembled cheaper than buying brand name ammo. Sorry if this is a dumb question.

KN · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2005, 04:06:20 PM »

I don't know of any manufacturer that sells primed rimfire cases to the public. It would probably not be very cost efficient any way. HMR ammo goes for about $9.00 a box. A hundred rounds of 17cal ballistic tips, V-maxes, or Blitz kings will run you about 12 bucks. Add cases and powder and you are not saving much. It would be fun to play with though. KN

Questor · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2005, 04:08:16 PM »

I don't think it would be practical (or safe!), even if you could find the primed brass, which I doubt you could. The problem is that rimfires can't be reloaded after the priming compound in the rim is detonated. The case is the primer. If you could somehow acquire the primed brass, it would still certainly cost more than factory ammo to produce the finished cartridges.

One option you may consider is to get one of those Mexican rifles that fires .177 pellets, using a .22 caliber blank for propellant. Definitely not the same ballistics as the HMR, though

myronman3 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2005, 04:43:11 PM »

rimfires aint for handloading. if you are worried about cost of ammo, get a 22 long rifle instead of a 17. you just cant get a more economical and fun gun than a 22. yeah, the 17 is faster and sexier; but the 22 does everything i need it to do and gives me more options. i can shoot high velocity hollowpoints, and super quiet shorts, and lots of in between options.

not knocking the 17, but if you are worried about cost of ammo (the main thing stopping me from getting one), the 17 probably isnt for you.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2005, 10:25:53 AM »

Some years ago , comp. target shooters toyed with handloading the .22 LR.

What they would do was buy loaded ammo and pull the bullet , then change the powder and bullets.

They never did get much better results than factory loads :cry:

beemanbeme · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2005, 05:03:02 PM »

Reloading rim fire ammo?

naaaaaaah! It just won't work. Not for everyday folks.

Robert357 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2005, 06:42:05 PM »

First, I hand load all kinds of rifle and handgun ammo.

I have even read up on making your own pin-fire cartridge.

At the gunshows I go to, I will ocassionaly see an old rimfire handgun that could be fun to own and shoot (with real low powered probably blackpowder ammo.)

I would be very hesitant to try to use a highly explosive primer compound and swirl it around the base of a case to get into the rim for fear it would blow up. There is no way this would be cost effective unless it was an alternative to shooting collectable ammo.

Academically as to reloading rimfire, the biggest problem I see is that the rim gets crushed with each firing and you either need to use a different part of the rim for your next firing or somehow expand the very thin crused rim. That sounds pretty hard.

Having said this, I stumbled across an old index for NRA American Rifeman magazine and found a Reloading/Ammunition article as follows:

Homemade" .22 WRF Apr-85 63

I kind of wonder what it might talk about.