Overcast Rainy Day Games

[JimT]

I bought a tin of GAMO .22 caliber round balls to shoot in the air rifle. They seem to do better than pellets, at least in the gun we have. Messing around this morning I wondered how the balls would shoot in a .22 handgun. And would they work with just the priming and no powder? So I got out the Bearcat Shopkeeper and went to the shop.

I have a bunch of Russian primed .22 Long Rifle brass and decided to see just how hard the priming compound would push the round ball. I seated the round ball on the Long Rifle brass with a light tap from a small hammer. Then I dipped the nose of the ball into some grease and loaded them into the Bearcat.

I set up a cardboard box about 8 feet away and put 4 layers of cardboard into the box. Then I fired a shot at it, and it whacked the box nicely. I shot several others and noted that sometimes a round shot harder than another did. The diameter of the balls vary. I sawthat shooting them in the air rifle. Some drop into the chamber and some have to be pushed in. I will have to mic a bunch of them and see how much they vary.

I loaded 5 more Long Rifles and set a target at 15 feet. Some of the blame for the 2 shots to the left can be attributed to the shooter.

The 4 layers of cardboard inside the box (6 layers total) did not stop all the balls. Especially when the shots hit close together. I had a backstop behind the box to catch the errant balls.

I ended up shooting 25 rounds or so. Fun little load. No noise other than about like a cap pistol.

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Recovered balls. Some engraved deeper than others.

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[Walt]

Nice little shopkeeper, Jim! And an interesting experiment. Thanks!

[gamekeeper]

Nice idea for rainy days Jim, you now have a Parlour pistol...
A gallery gun, Flobert gun, parlor gun or saloon gun is a type of firearm designed for recreational indoor target shooting. These guns were developed in 1845, when French inventor Louis-Nicolas Flobert created the first rimfire metallic cartridge by modifying a percussion cap to hold a small lead bullet.

[Pat C]

Somebody say parlor gun ,I think maxim solved that.

More serious note I like the idea!

[JimT]

Nice idea for rainy days Jim, you now have a Parlour pistol...
A gallery gun, Flobert gun, parlor gun or saloon gun is a type of firearm designed for recreational indoor target shooting. These guns were developed in 1845, when French inventor Louis-Nicolas Flobert created the first rimfire metallic cartridge by modifying a percussion cap to hold a small lead bullet.

YESSIR! Mr. Flobert would be proud!

[Bill in Oregon]

Now Jim, you'll shoot up all your Russian primed brass!
Be interesting to chronograph them vs. the Colibris.

[JimT]

Now Jim, you'll shoot up all your Russian primed brass!
Be interesting to chronograph them vs. the Colibris.

Yeah.. I was thinking the same thing. Gloomy and rainy ... I will probably start with penetration comparisons.

[.45colt]

That's pretty interesting Jim! We only saw the sun four times in the last month. now they are saying it all sunny days till next Friday. just crazy. .

[JimT]

That's pretty interesting Jim! We only saw the sun four times in the last month. now they are saying it all sunny days till next Friday. just crazy. .

Yep. The sun just popped out here and we are supposed to be able to see it through next week. I am happy!