is .22 mag (or .17 hmr) an "antique" caliber?

[dingus]

As long as the caliber is not on the list, and the chambering will not allow the gun to be loaded with one of the listed calibers, you're good to go.

Thats not quite true (the last part of your Statement.)

For example alot of Antique 476 Caliber WGs can and do Chamber and shoot the 45 Colt cartridge without altering the gun or the ammo.
But because the WG was never Chambered in 45 long Colt most were 450 /455/476 its still considered and Perscribed antique.

But if you alter a WG to shoot 45 Colt thats no good like reaming a 450 one so it can chamber a 45 colt makes it not a perscribed Antique anymore.
But finding one thats 476 Caliber and Orignal unaltered that chamber excepts a 45 colt is ok as the guns were never Chambered and sold in 45 Long colt. So its not a persons fault if a 45 colt happens to Cycle in some WGs actions.
Some guns wont Cycle the 45 colt cause the rims are thicker than on the 476 or 455 Cases, But some do and there still considered perscribed antiques.

Hey i didnt make up the Retarded rules i just try to live by them
You can fire a 38 long colt in a Antique 41 Long colt revolver Chamber that dont make 41 Long colt chambered guns not Antique.
Some guys fireform 38 SP cases in 41 LC guns to use as brass.

 

[trevj]

I certainly wouldn't want to cut up a good antique pistol. I was just thinking of converting a parts gun.

I wouldn't want to cut up a good one either, emphasis on the 'good', but it makes and interesting exercise, figuring out what could be done.


Cheers
Trev

 

[mooncoon]

For example alot of Antique 476 Caliber WGs can and do Chamber and shoot the 45 Colt cartridge without altering the gun or the ammo.

I don't completely agree with that statement. On my Webley Pryse, the cylinder is a smidge short to load with FACTORY shells. The key issue is factory shells not whether you can handload a named cartridge to fit.

cheers mooncoon

 

[BrotherRockeye]

Hows the length of a 38 rimfire long compare to a 22 WMR?
A better candidate would maybe be some of the 32, 38, or larger , rimfire pistols that would otherwise get used as trot line sinkers.
Sleeving the cylinder would be no huge job, making a barrel from a blank would be no real big deal breaker either. Not a drop together project, probably not really a project to consider if you were paying someone else to do it, but do-able.

Cheers
Trev

I don't know why you cant just use barrel inserts in .22 cal i was thinking of turning down a .22 barrel for my o/u .41 derringer one thing i would worry about
is the barrel i turn down would need to be offset to one side so the barrel may split on the thin side.i think would only want to fire fire .22 shorts to be safe.

this is exactly what I was saying-use an old rimfire(.32-.38) revolver and sleeve the barrel and chambers.
use an old .22 barrel lathed off center and index the chambers to the barrel.
no worry about splitting anything...chambers and barrel would be stronger after being sleeved.
would turn a $100 iron that's a pain in the arse to load for/shoot into a dandy plinker/trapping iron.
I'll post pics of a finished one once I find a worthy candidate

 

[tiriaq]

Just remember that if you chamber for standard .22rf, antique status is gone.

 

[david doyle]

messing around with 22 mag conversions is definelty an invitation to trouble.
If you capable of building a 22 mag conversion your capable of loading for any obsolete cartridge out there.

BTW anyone have a rifle barrel length of 17 cal liner laying around?

 

[BrotherRockeye]

Just remember that if you chamber for standard .22rf, antique status is gone.

I believe that's why the discussion concerns 22mag(or 17hmr)

messing around with 22 mag conversions is definelty an invitation to trouble.
If you capable of building a 22 mag conversion your capable of loading for any obsolete cartridge out there.

what kind of trouble are you referring to?
reloading rimfire cartridges is impossible and the adapters have to be indexed to fire...I've read countless reports of having to single shoot revolvers because of it...
loading a cylinder with 22mag seems more agreeable to me...but that's just my opinion

BTW anyone have a rifle barrel length of 17 cal liner laying around?

.177 caliber pellet gun would do...no?

 

[dingus]

I don't completely agree with that statement. On my Webley Pryse, the cylinder is a smidge short to load with FACTORY shells. The key issue is factory shells not whether you can handload a named cartridge to fit.

cheers mooncoon

Yes but a WGs cylinder is longer than your Webley Pryse.
A WGs cylinder in 476 caliber can chamber a factory 45 long colt.
But most cylinders once shut cant cycle because of the thicker rims of the 45 colt cases. But some Do.
Im saying them Orignal unaltered 476 caliber WG guns that can chamber & cycle and shoot Factory 45 long Colt are still considered perscribed Antiques because they were never Chambered in 45 LC from the Webley factory.

When you Request a antique Letter on a gun you state the Caliber the guns were factory Chambered in. Not the ammo that just happens to fit in the hole

Also yes you can Alter the 45 Colt cases by thining the Rims in the WGs that wont Cycle the factory 45 colt ammo.
if you have a 476 WG and it wont cycle the thicker 45 colt case because of the rims its AOK to alter the case rims and then use them in any Antique that will let them chamber (once the Case is altered.)
I had a 476 DA 1878 Colt that once you thinned the rims on 45 colt cases by .015 tho they would cycle fine.
Its OK to alter the cases but not the guns.

 

[tactical870]

From personal experience I can tell you that a .32 rf converted by sleeving to .22 rf will usually fire without any modification to the hammer.