Bullets - Shells - Ammo - Reloading

[glenn kangiser]

A friend asked me what the best round is for a .22 magnum - Full metal jacket or hollow point.  I told him I would ask.

After that we could go onto other sizes and reasons or whatever is related.  Thanks in advance.

[MountainDon]

A friend asked me what the best round is...

Depends...       ... on the purpose/need.

[Whitlock]

If I had to choose one it would be the full metal jacket. Only because a 22 mag. is a small bullet is needs to get penetration if the round is going to be used for hunting or self defence. CCI mini mags are the best round that I have found in that caliber.

[muldoon]

not my area of expertise at all here. 

If the target is within 10 yards I would want hollow point due to over-penetration concerns and the mushroom effect.
If the target is over 50 yards I would want jacketed for the extra penetration. 

I think using reliable and clean ammo is the key for 22's, I like the cci minimags too.  Also the stingers.  remingtons golden bullets too.  the cheap stuff is not worth the trouble in jams and filth. 

All of that said, I wouldn't want to rely on a 22 for hunting or self defense.  Use the right tool for the job. 

[MountainDon]

How about a JHP, Jacketed Hollow Point??   Good for small animal varmints, good all round I'd say. A 22, even WRM is not a self defense weapon. But if it's the only gun one has... 

[apaknad]

hi glen,

i ike hollow for small/medium critters and metal for everything else. .22 ammo is cheap, buy alot of both.

dan

[peternap]

I like the FMJ CCI ammunition for the magnum. Over penetration is not a problem with the 22 mag and it does not expand reliably. The FMJ's give it that little extra oomph it needs to get in where it counts.

While it would not be my first pick in a defense gun, it would be far from my last. Many years ago the Highly Respected Author and gunsmith, George C. Nonte, experimented with the 22 Magnum. He decided that it was far more effective than the plain lead bullet .38 spl that was standard issue with police at the time. I have to agree. Many State Police officers in Va and elsewhere were issued the double action High Standard Derringers in 22 mag, as either backup guns or for undercover work.

The Inuit's have used them for many years to take everything from seals to bear. They are just cheaper to shoot than the 30/30's that was their big gun.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks  for the info, everybody.   I think this will help my friend out and good info for me too.  I know it takes care of small game here and things that need to be put out of their misery cheaply. 

I plan on having lots of ammo for my .22's and quite a bit for my big guns.  I hope to check out what I have in reloading equipment that I never used for the 30.06 also.  Bought it years ago and did nothing with it.

[peternap]

Everyone should have reloading equipment and know how Glenn. You don't save as much as you used to, but you can customize loads for your tastes.

I'm a great believer in 22lr's. Back when I was a kid, everyone that had been through the Depression, had a .22 in the corner and it served 80% of their gun needs.

The basic arms cabinet then had:

A single shot .22lr

A single shot 12 ga

A .32 Cal Pistol (Usually a top break)

In our family we also had a .50 muzzloader that my Great, Great Grandfather brought back from the war after we whipped the Yankees.
We used that for a hog rifle.

[glenn kangiser]

Damn Yankees. 

I learned to say that when I was stuck in a truckstop in Paris, Texas for a couple weeks with no loads out. 

It helped me to get along with the natives. 

I have a .380 Baretta Automatic for a pistol recommended buy a cop friend.  Seems short on stopping power though.

[MountainDon]

Seems short on stopping power though.

Bigger bullets make bigger holes.    We love our .45's   

[peternap]

Seems short on stopping power though.

Bigger bullets make bigger holes.    We love our .45's   

That we do Don....But no one wants to get shot with anything, including a .380. Remember, the 9mm and .380 (It's a 9mm short Glenn) served the Nazis very well.

[MountainDon]

Yes, anything that spits a bullet is better than none at all.

The Nazis made some sweet little guns in 380/9mm. I still love that Walther PPK.

[glenn kangiser]

I thought they were the same - are they interchangeable on the ammo?  I find plenty for it - just wondering.

[MountainDon]

If my brain is correctly retrieving archived material,  you can shoot 380's from a 9mm parabellum (9x19) but not the other way around.        The 9x19 is longer and will/may not chamber correcly.

A 380 is less powerful (smaller powder charge) than the 9x19

[peternap]

If my brain is correctly retrieving archived material,  you can shoot 380's from a 9mm parabellum (9x19) but not the other way around.        The 9x19 is longer and will/may not chamber correcly.

A 380 is less powerful (smaller powder charge) than the 9x19

Both headspace on the case mouth so they can't be used interchangeably...You can use the same bullet to reload both though.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for that, Peter.

[glenn kangiser]

If you reload your own is there room for more powder in the .380?

[John_C]

Not really. 

If you want to reload your own pistol ammo the .45 is the way to go IMO.  Its a low pressure round so cases last a LONG time. It's common so brass is easy to get. The large slow bullet is easily cast by the DIYer.  And best of all it's a more effective round than the 9mm and much more so than .380.

The only drawback is the semi auto sends brass hither & yon.  A revolver makes brass retrieval easier.  A .44 mag loaded to roughly . 44 special ballistics is a good weapon for someone who wants to cast - load their own.

In that regard a .44 mag rifle works well if you don't have big bears to deal with.  Jacketed bullets can be loaded hot enough for deer or black bear to 100 yards or so.  Much lighter loads with cast bullets will work for smaller game. 50 or 100 lbs of scrap lead would allow you to cast a bunch of bullets. In light loads you can get 700+ rounds from a pound of powder so it's economical. The cases are very strong so with anything but very hot loads they last almost forever.  Being straight sided they don't stretch so trimming isn't necessary, nor is lubing.  A .357 rifle would have may of the same virtues but be a little light for deer and bear.

But as Peter said. Stock up on primers!!!

[Whitlock]

As for rifles I myself like the 30-06.I can hit what I'm shooting at 500 yards (with the right loads of course) The ammo is cheap and easy to get. I can go to any town and someone will have a box of it for sell. I also have a few rifles in this caliber that are the same gun .Just in case the $hit hits the fan and I need to use two to make one work. As for a shotgun the same applies everything is 12 ga.
I also think that my 10ga cap and ball is a good thing to keep around. It weighs 14 pounds and is 5-1/2 feet long. But as a kid growing up, it and a 22 is all my old man would let me take out and target shoot.
The powder is cheap the caps are cheap and I have shot everything under the sun out of it. Things like nuts, bolts,washers,nails,screws,marbles,rocks,one of my sisters barbies (I lost the privilege of shooting for a year after that one)
What I'm getting at is we can all make black powder and if you have a flintlock you should never be without a gun.

I'm with Don on the 45. I also like what John C. says about reloading the ammo for the 45. Reloading sounds like a good winter time project.

[peternap]

The only thing I DON"T like about the .45 ACP for the novice, is that it headspaces on the case mouth. (Same fot 9mm, 380, etc) so you can't crimp the bullet. Most people find a lot of missile silo's before they get the taper right.

A 45 auto rim conversion or 38 super would solve it but present brass availability issues and just confuse the newby.

This is one reason Ilike revolvers. I agree the 44 mag is king for most reloaders.

[MountainDon]

Do primers have a shelf life?  What's the best place/method to store them?

What about powder in a factory sealed can? ...an opened can?

[Whitlock]

That's a good question
All I can tell you is from my experience,I still us black powder that is 30 years old. And some 30-06 rounds that are closer to 40 and have had no problems yet.
I think a lot of it would have to do with humidity.I did have some 12 ga. rounds go bad after they were left in the cold shop one winter.

Keep your powder dry,Whitlock

[MountainDon]

...Keep your powder dry...

Not a problem here in the desert. But up in the mountains they are periods of 90%+ humidity. Followed by periods of extremely low humidity.

We'll see what gems of knowledge peter nap checks in with.   


I have a feeling that keeping primers, powder or loaded ammo in a dry moderate temperature is likely good. The humidity is probably the more important factor.

[peternap]

{pwder will lose some potency after several years. That said, I have a Can of IMR3031 that I bought around 1972 and last year I loaded some 375 H&H with it and I didn't notice any problems.

I seal my stash of primers in mylar bags that I seal with my seal a meal. A tip for getting the bags cheap is to get them from someone that refills laser printer cartridges. They put the refilled cartridges in mylar and buy them by the thousand bag lot. I think I paid about a nickle each for the last ones I got.