Calling all 22-4 owners

[Kevin Keith]

Need some input on my 22-4. I posted a few days ago about loading data. Got some good stuff but also a few cautions about shooting "+P" ACP/AR loads in the 22-4. The particular load I'm wondering about is one of Paul5388's loads on Handloads.com, 13.5 gr. 2400 with Oregon Trail's 255 gr. LSWC. Any experiences or advice? Thanks one and all.

 

[Kevin Keith]

Need some input on my 22-4. I posted a few days ago about loading data. Got some good stuff but also a few cautions about shooting "+P" ACP/AR loads in the 22-4. The particular load I'm wondering about is one of Paul5388's loads on Handloads.com, 13.5 gr. 2400 with Oregon Trail's 255 gr. LSWC. Any experiences or advice? Thanks one and all.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

As a general rule, lead bullets develop less pressure to generate the same speed as jacketed bullets due to the lower friction between the lead and the barrel steel.

 

[Kevin Keith]

Right, but any specific loading experience with the 22-4? I feel like that as a modern N frame it could stand what EMK and others "hotrodded" through 1917s and original 1950 .45 ACPs. Hopefully someone will have something concrete on this.

 

[Stainz]

Early TR 21s had problems matching up with the then available ammo - S&W replaced the front sight. I wonder if such a problem exists with the 22s as well. Make no mistake, the 21 & 22 were/are holster revolver variants, the 24/25 being the finer finished and adjustable sighted versions. You have to mate your ammo to the sights - and then, only to a given distance. I believe a friend's 22 was nearly 'on' at 15yd with 230gr ball ammo.

I have loaded the OT 255gr LSWC over 4.5-4.8gr Titegroup in Starline .45 ACP & AR brass for 771-829 fps from my 4" 625JM. A definite max - for me - and only 'tested' - was 5.3 gr Titegroup in the .45 AR cases, which yielded 884 fps with tapered crimp, a whopping 887 fps with a .45 Colt roll-crimper. The latter gave a SD of +/-18 fps, all others were 10-11 fps. The brass was never length sized, possibly the reason for the wide SD in roll crimped ARs. No pressure signs were noted on any of my Fed LP primers. Accuracy at 25yd was good with all loads from 4.5-4.8gr Titegroup and those excellent OT 255gr LSWCs. Not 22-4 specific, but maybe useful.

Stainz

 

[Kevin Keith]

Yes, it is useful. I am in the process of load development for this gun and do want to try the heavier loads as well as lighter ones. I loaded up some 255 gr OT SWCs with 6.5 gr Unique and the 22-4 handles it well. Thanks for taking the time to help!

 

[lonewolf]

Kevin; First I have a 22-4, and its a sweet shooter, and never any trouble with the lock.
I use 6.5 Unique, with 230 gr lead sized .452, and gun is "right" on with original sight blade. Only change was a pair of nice N frame diamond magnas, to make the gun appear, circa 1950.

As far as the "2400" loads, I have experimented with them.

Lyman Reloader Manual #3, a 1959 book, had "2400" load data for the .45 Auto Rim, using "FOLDED HEAD" or BALLOON TYPE R-P cases(yes, the earliest 1920's A-R's by Peters were folded head, as I have some).

The data STARTS "ABOVE" the 13.5 grs. you mentioned. Bullet weights were 240 and 255.
The MOST "2400" I was able to get in the SOLID headed case, and still seat the .452 sized 250 gr. hard cast swc was 15.0.

I used a nearly mint M-1955 Target (M-25-2). First, accuracy was great-BUT; 1)FELT recoil was like shooting an M-29 with nearly full house 245 gr. .44 Mag loads. 2) Leading after only 6 rounds, was horrible(gun was clean before this!)

So after this experiment, I discontinued the loadings, recalling that Elmer Keith was never really too keen on "2400" in .45 acp. His preferred load>IIRC. was about 7.3 Unique with a 230-240 grainer.

Velocities in the "old" Lyman Manual, were 1119 fps. for the top 2400 load, and Keith
s loading with Unique, ran a tad over 900 fps.
Of course bbl. length was 6.5" on the M-25-2 "test gun".

I think this is THE ONLY refernce I have to using "2400" in .45 acp/.45 A.R., and the "old" manual warns about using caution with ANY "2400" loading in this ctg.

Hope this helps a bit

Bud

 

[Kevin Keith]

Thanks so much Bud. That info is super helpful. Of particular interest to me are the experiences of people who own the 22-4 and your dope on the loads you have used/experimented was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again!