Saw one for sale and was wondering if any of y'all have any experience with this cartridge? It had what looked to be a Sporterized stock on it. Ammo availability would definitely be a problem and I'd probably have to make brass for it. But the rifle itself was $550 which I didn't think was a bad price but then again I know nothing about the .22 Spitfire other than what I've read on it. Would it be worth buying or is that really not that great of a buy? I wish I knew who the manufacturer was but I can't remember.
Is it worth the hassle with the ammo situation as it is or would it be worth it due to the fact that they're not very common?
It's a neat little cartridge. I actually have two barrels on the shelf. I need to get one mounted up. Making brass isn't too hard. A friend had one and enjoyed it. I have the dies just need to find the roundtuit
I'm not sure what dies would run you but for a play project 550 isn't bad.
The Johnson Spitfire Carbine as manufactured by the developer.
Originally Posted By: GLShooterIt's a neat little cartridge. I actually have two barrels on the shelf. I need to get one mounted up. Making brass isn't too hard. A friend had one and enjoyed it. I have the dies just need to find the roundtuit
I'm not sure what dies would run you but for a play project 550 isn't bad.
The Johnson Spitfire Carbine as manufactured by the developer.
Greg
I'm thinking about going and getting it tomorrow. I've already found everything I'll need to get started shooting it I just wonder if it's a good buy as far as from a collectors standpoint? I doubt I'd ever sell it but I like to have guns that will increase in value as time goes by or at least be able to get my money back out of it if there ever was a time that I did.
It is fairly rare, with the biggest issue being ammo. For me that price would make it a serious contender for a spot in the safe. It sounds like it might be a great little all-around rig if you can get the job done without a scope.
Originally Posted By: AWSIt is fairly rare, with the biggest issue being ammo. For me that price would make it a serious contender for a spot in the safe. It sounds like it might be a great little all-around rig if you can get the job done without a scope.
Forgot to mention it had a scope mounted on it. The sporter stock was a little scratched up but I can get a new one of those. For the time being I won't cause I wanna kill some coyotes with it. Using it will lead to scratches so I'll get me a nice new one and put it on when it becomes a safe queen.
Sounds like a very interesting little rifle; especially if it is a military receiver or at least one of the better civilian clones. As far as scope mounting on a carbine, IIRC this is a Square D "no drill" scope mount I put on my carbine when I could no longer see the sights. It replaces the rear sight w/o any other alterations.
Originally Posted By: crapshootWish I would have bought one of those old 30 carbine way back when they were only a few hundred dollars.
Few hundred dollars? Geeze I must be old. I use to go to gun shows in Houston in the early 70's and there would be table after table of them for $50 to $75 each. OD ammo cans full of 110 grain ball ammo too. Never bought a one. Meh. Never said I was smart.
One problem that I've noticed that I figured I'd have with this rifle is the reloads that came with it. It shoots a .223 diameter bullet which is what it came with. But they're too tapered so they hang up. I need to get some of the softpoint bullets that are more rounded and common in .22 Hornet loads. The feed ramp is meant for the round ball 30 Carbine. Anything with much taper to it in this .22 Spitfire it don't like too much.
Originally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: crapshootWish I would have bought one of those old 30 carbine way back when they were only a few hundred dollars.
Few hundred dollars? Geeze I must be old. I use to go to gun shows in Houston in the early 70's and there would be table after table of them for $50 to $75 each. OD ammo cans full of 110 grain ball ammo too. Never bought a one. Meh. Never said I was smart.
Same with the old 303 British guns and mosin nagants. Use to see them at big 5 packed in cosmoline for $99.
Originally Posted By: crapshootOriginally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: crapshootWish I would have bought one of those old 30 carbine way back when they were only a few hundred dollars.
Few hundred dollars? Geeze I must be old. I use to go to gun shows in Houston in the early 70's and there would be table after table of them for $50 to $75 each. OD ammo cans full of 110 grain ball ammo too. Never bought a one. Meh. Never said I was smart.
Same with the old 303 British guns and mosin nagants. Use to see them at big 5 packed in cosmoline for $99.
There was a Mosin with a bayonet on it leaned up against my .22 Spitfire when I went to pick it up. Perfect condition, really nice rifle. $500 price tag on it.
Originally Posted By: crapshootOriginally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: crapshootWish I would have bought one of those old 30 carbine way back when they were only a few hundred dollars.
Few hundred dollars? Geeze I must be old. I use to go to gun shows in Houston in the early 70's and there would be table after table of them for $50 to $75 each. OD ammo cans full of 110 grain ball ammo too. Never bought a one. Meh. Never said I was smart.
Same with the old 303 British guns and mosin nagants. Use to see them at big 5 packed in cosmoline for $99.
in 1961 I bought an M1 Garand from Kleins for $98, including the extra $10 for "special selection". It was a WWII lend leased rifle to England complete w/British Proof Marks.
Test fired my rifle yesterday. I thought maybe it was the magazine that was to blame for the feeding issues but it wasn't. It was the bullets as I first suspected. The flat tip of the hollowpoints catch on the edge of the barrel. So I ordered new bullets and some brand new brass and a resizing die to make .30 Carbine brass into .22 Spitfire.
The problem I had with the rounds I fired was cases splitting. So I've decided I'm going to anneal the brass I get to hopefully minimize that issue. With the ammunition I have that were reloads I'm going to pull the bullets from them and completely start over from scratch as I have no idea what type of powder was used. So I didn't even bother sighting in the rifle. I will wait until I can load some reliable ammunition.
