17-222 - Case Forming from .223 Brass

[Gary in Illinois]

Kevin knows of what he speaks. This can be a problem in minimum spec chambers. I am not aware of any way to correct this situation. Best to avoid it with custom cases that may involve a lot of prep work and fine tuning.

[Bill K]

Sounds like some of the old guy, ie. Ackley, Warren, Keith and others that came up with various wildcats, etc. should have had the present day experts around then to help them further their ideas of forming cases and working properly with wildcats, etc.

[Oso Polaris]

Please keep giving insight, advice and personal experience and preferences. This is extremely helpful. If I come back with a response please don't take it as being confrontational or ego... just a casual conversation amongst friends tossing thoughts and ideas back and forth. Totally okay with "Glad you thought about that, but it still won't work. Trust me we've been trying for years."

I had used Sinclair Chamber Gage tool on a previously fired case (shot in this rifle). The chamber length was 1.686", which is a little shorter than the standard 1.700" spec. I retested the depth multiple times and got consistent readings. Not a big difference.

I did a rough trim with WFT to 1.687" (always some minor deviations) with plan to do final trim to 1.684". Curiosity got me so I chamfered several cases from 1.682" thru 1.692", and used a Sharpie to blacken the case mouths so that any rubbing would clearly show as shinny metal instead of black. Surprise... none of the case mouths made contact?! I then used a long case at 1.698" and still no contact....

I don't have a borescope and I have enough OCD that I don't want one. The chamber on this vintage rifle has a .2065 neck... My educated guess is that there must be some carbon buildup in chamber that is giving false readings with the Sinclair Chamber Gage.

Lesson Learned: Its never too clean. I'll do a good soak of chamber with some Kroil on a patch and then follow it up with Butches Bore Shine using a 20 cal brush to clean the neck/throat of chamber.

Sorting this process out and identifying what the rifle needs/wants without knowing the chamber is why I started with the expendable brass. No tears when I toss it in the recycle bin!!!

[B23]

Originally Posted by Oso Polaris

I don't have a borescope and I have enough OCD that I don't want one.

I can appreciate your OCD concern but a borescope can really be a very useful tool.

Teslong has one that works with Windows based PC products as well as Ipad/Iphone. The picture quality is extremely good certainly not what you'd expect from something only costing around $50 depending on the model you get.

The only real downside, like nearly all other borescopes out there, they will only work on 20 cals and larger. With 17's you'd only be able to see the chamber, neck area and maybe the entry of the throat.

I heard about the Teslong borescopes a couple years ago and purchased the flexible one first then a few months ago I purchased the rigid one. Bought both on Amazon. There's no setup I just plug mine in to my laptop and I'm viewing. They're very easy to use and easily worth fifty bucks.

[Bill K]

[quote=B23;298202]I can appreciate your OCD concern but a borescope can really be a very useful tool.

The only real downside, like nearly all other borescopes out there, they will only work on 20 cals and larger. With 17's you'd only be able to see the chamber, neck area and maybe the entry of the throat.

Some have done something, i.e. filed a small amount off the lens portion, somehow and they will work in a 17 caliber barrel. You might google that or go back through some old posts.

[B23]

[quote=Bill K;298203]

Originally Posted by B23

I can appreciate your OCD concern but a borescope can really be a very useful tool.

The only real downside, like nearly all other borescopes out there, they will only work on 20 cals and larger. With 17's you'd only be able to see the chamber, neck area and maybe the entry of the throat.

Some have done something, i.e. filed a small amount off the lens portion, somehow and they will work in a 17 caliber barrel. You might google that or go back through some old posts.

Hmm, I'll have to look in to that and maybe give it a try on my 17 Hornets.

The Teslong is fairly inexpensive and not that I want to but even if I ruin it trying to make it fit in a 17 cal bore it's not like I'll cry to hard.

[B23]

Originally Posted by Bill K

Some have done something, i.e. filed a small amount off the lens portion, somehow and they will work in a 17 caliber barrel. You might google that or go back through some old posts.

I went and measured the OD of head end on my Teslong and that would actually be a lot of sanding or file work to make it fit in a 17 caliber bore. I know some guys were having trouble getting theirs to fit in their 20 cals and were sanding them a little to fit but taking them all the way down to .172 would require quite a bit of work and not be easy to do since you'd need to take an equal amount off all the way around. Not impossible but I don't think it would be very easy either.

[Kevin Gullette]

Santa brought me one of the Teslong borescopes a while back......but I haven't tried using it yet.

One note about trying it in 17's. You'd have to "sand" it down to less than a 0.168" bore diameter.........as groove diameter is 0.172".

Interesting idea, though.......

Kevin

[Oso Polaris]

I was time to remove some lube from formed cases. I had already chamfered the cases so I didn't want to wet tumble the cases and dull my workmanship. It was either going to be a chemical rinse or vibrating tumbler. I shifted to wet tumbling maybe 15 years ago, and I gave my vibrating tumbler gear to my brother. I was getting ready to go borrow it back when I remembered seeing something in the attic...



This vintage machinery is from when I was a kid (circa 1980's). It still works and is loud... you need earmuffs. There is no chance that I could accidentally leave this running and still go to bed.

[TinMan]

Never seen on of those before. I do have a VibraShine brand rotary vibratory polisher, and it works great -and quiet.