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  #1  
Old 10-07-2019, 09:16 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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Default Needing a Tight-Neck .221 FB Reamer and Wildcat Info

Hi all,
Before I spend the money on replacing my apparently lost tight-neck .221 Fireball finishing reamer, I thought I would reach out to the brethren here. Anyone have such a reamer I could rent for a few weeks? I promise to cut only one chamber with it and dance at your next wedding .

And, as long as I'm looking at reamers, if I do end up purchasing another new reamer, I was actually thinking of a .221 Fireball with a longer neck, perhaps similar to the neck length on the .222, with the shoulder pushed back to reduce powder capacity to something a bit closer to .218 Bee size but maintaining the same overall .221 FB case length. I decided to forego the bolt face and magazine alterations that turning my little 1960-era L-46 into a .218 Bee would entail, so I am wanting to retain the rim and body diameter and body taper of the parent .222 case. For feeding simplicity, I don't feel comfortable going as small as the .22 TCM, however, so something between the .221 FB and the .218 Bee. Anyone have any experience with such a wildcat?

Thanks in advance.

TBR

Last edited by Teddy Bear Rat; 04-20-2020 at 02:55 PM.
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  #2  
Old 10-08-2019, 12:32 AM
TinMan TinMan is offline
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Wasn't there a round here a few years ago 221FBI, a blown out 221FB? Sort of like an Improved FB. You might find some references in the archives here.
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  #3  
Old 10-11-2019, 11:21 AM
Ganderson Ganderson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TinMan View Post
Wasn't there a round here a few years ago 221FBI, a blown out 221FB? Sort of like an Improved FB. You might find some references in the archives here.
That might have been the 22SCC...it was basically a 221 AI. I believe that the shoulder was slightly moved forward though...about 0.010" and the 40* shoulder...so you did lose a little neck length.
The same was done in a 20cal...the 20SCC...basically a 20VT on steroids.

Gene
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  #4  
Old 10-11-2019, 02:24 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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Well, I couldn't locate my reamer, and I had no offers, so I called Dave at PTG. Since a new tight-neck .221 reamer was going to be about the same as a wildcat reamer, I decided to go with the latter.

As mentioned, I would ideally want something in the K-Hornet/.218 Bee capacity range, since I have found that level of noise and velocity to be just about perfect for my needs. The problem being neither of those rounds will fit my L-46 action and magazines without considerable alteration, though the .218 Bee was tempting.

So, jumping to the chase, I'm having PTG make me a reamer for a .221 Fireball with a tight neck but with a neck length identical to a .222 (.312" versus the .221's .203"), pushing back the shoulder about .110". I haven't precisely calculated water capacity, but a quick and dirty indicates it will probably have a capacity of about 18 gr., or right at .218 capacity, possibly slightly over that. I am retaining body taper, shoulder angle, and overall case length, and the Sako magazine lips stop right about where the shoulder will fall anyway, so I think this will work. I loaded some .221 dummies, and they feed as well as the .222 dummies I made.


Dave asked me what I wanted to call it, and I didn't have any idea at the time, but I think I will call it the .221 Tanuki. Tanuki is the name for a small animal in Japan similar in size and temperament to our raccoons. You would be in big trouble shooting one there, though...they have almost Panda Bear status in Japan, but the name sounds cool, and most Americans would pronounce it properly from the spelling.

I know the "practical" people out there will say I should have just gone with the standard .221, or even just left it as a .222, or just loaded down a .223...or a .22-250! (does anyone really load down their .22-250s to .218 Bee levels...I mean really? Don't most us here have dozens of rifles? ) Anyway, it seems this is what this forum is all about, right? Should have the reamer in a couple of weeks and have it chambered up shortly thereafter.

TBR

Last edited by Teddy Bear Rat; 04-11-2020 at 12:20 AM.
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  #5  
Old 10-11-2019, 06:32 PM
craig55 craig55 is offline
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Neat project. Keep us posted.
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  #6  
Old 04-16-2020, 08:56 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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Default .22 Tanuki Update

Well, I've had the PTG reamer now for about 3 months but had no time to do the things that have to happen before I could chamber it. Namely, form some cases to use as a headspace gauge, and that requires grinding .110" off the bottom of a .223-to-.221 form and trim die to push the shoulder back and form the longer neck.

I got that done and more, and that's why I'm posting. Grinding the bottom of the die was easy enough, and I squared it up by chucking it into a 7/8" R-8 collet and turning the as-ground bottom on the coarse side of a whetstone using a milling machine. I also rounded the corner of the mouth slightly.

With that done, I thought I might also have a problem with the shortened die not having adequate length to screw down and touch the shell holder, requiring an extended shell holder, but there was just enough room. I merely lubed up some Lapua .221 cases, and out pops a .22 Tanuki case. I can't post pics yet, since PhotoBucket is holding me hostage for more money, but I'll get some posted as soon as I can.

I also compared the case capacity against that of a .218 Bee case. My quick and dirty was pretty close. I remembered an article in a 2002 Rifle magazine on a Cooper M38 in .218 Mashburn Bee. The author described in detail the various powder levels in a fire-formed .218 Mashburn case and even provided a picture of the level using 17 grains of 4198, showing it about 3/16" from the case mouth. Comparing the magazine pic and the Tanuki case, both filled with 17 grains, it appears I have duplicated the Mashburn powder capacity but with the advantage of availability of more consistent, stronger brass (in this case Lapua) in a form that allows functioning in a Sako L-46 without any modifications or restrictions on overall cartridge length/bullet seating depth. I think mission accomplished.

I was also able to get the .222 Sako Bofors Steel barrel removed without incident, the new Shilen barrel threaded, chambered, and fitted earlier than I thought, using my shiny new PTG reamer. With proper placement, the Shilen barrel is very close in contour to the only slightly narrower original barrel. A few swipes with 100 grit emery cloth wrapped around the appropriately sized extended socket, and the barrel is nearly free floating while still maintaining pretty good wood-to-metal fit.

I've got a local guy that does a very good job of engraving on knives, guns, and such, so, I'll need to get him to mark the barrel with the chambering. First things first, however, and, if the weather holds, I could be shooting groups in the next few days.

Stay tuned

TBR
Right to left .222, .221 FB, .22 Tanuki:

Last edited by Teddy Bear Rat; 04-20-2020 at 08:01 PM.
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  #7  
Old 04-17-2020, 11:28 AM
M595NUT M595NUT is offline
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Anxious for your results and can’t wait to see pictures of the case. Thanks for keeping us posted. Sounds like a neat project.
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  #8  
Old 04-20-2020, 07:59 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forum...1&d=1587413805

Last edited by Teddy Bear Rat; 04-20-2020 at 08:17 PM.
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  #9  
Old 04-20-2020, 08:19 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forum...1&d=1587413928
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  #10  
Old 04-20-2020, 09:23 PM
craig55 craig55 is offline
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TBR. Your attachments show as invalid for me. I would really like to follow this! Where is it on rimfire central? Thanks!!!
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