219 "wildcat"rechambers, rebores, and relines

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, isn't that what we had those boys for in the first place?  I always looked at 'em as investments in Christmas futures....  The risk is they go to places like Iraq (my older son), and Afghanistan (my Marine "baby") and you worry you'll lose your investment! (Kidding).

My younger son gave me a 2015 "Gun Digest" and my older son a 3-year subscription to "Rifle" and "Handloader."  Nice dividends, for sure.

Then my younger son took us to a range and proceeded to show us how Marines shoot a .45 Auto.  Truth is, he WASN'T "an officer and a gentleman by an act of Congress" and only was issued a sidearm when he made E-6, 6 months before separation from the service.  The .45 was a gift from me, but MAN can that kid shoot it!!!

Don't worry about returning the de Haas article; I have another.  Take care driving home, if you're driving--I see the weather is brutal between PA and Alabama.

Mike Armstrong

[Garnett]

Mike, I know you are proud of your sons!  I was too young for Korea, and too old for Viet Nam.  I did serve 12 years in the Alabama Army National Guard.  I learned a lot and made some good friends.  I think today's Guard is better trained than ever before.

[Garnett]

There is a M219 on Gunbroker now at auction.  It has been re-bored to .38-55.  I would not mind having it but someone carved the stock and to me, it looks terrible. 

[Garnett]

I discovered a site on Gunbroker.com telling about a gunsmith who specializes in reboring the 219 Savage to other calibers, one of which is the .38-55.  The site for the gunsmith is www.35caliber.com      I wonder if a .30-30 could be rebored to a .32-40?

[Mike Armstrong]

I just ordered a 219 .22 Hornet barrel from a member of Colt Forum that has been rechambered to .219 Zipper.  It came to the owner with a 219 .30-30, and he apparently never shot it, although he bought some factory ammo for it and also some primed brass. 

For $100 total including shipping, I figured it was an experiment worth trying, especially since "Mr. Single Shot" (gunsmith and gun writer Frank de Haas, RIP) says the action is OK for this caliber.  Not sure if it is grooved or has scope mounts, but I'll figure that out.

I'll try any loose factory ctgs. if there are any to see how it functions, then load 40 or 45 gr. Hornet bullets into the primed cases and try it for accuracy.  If it's OK, then I'll start scouting around for a supply of Zipper cases for the future.  I'm sure somebody makes them from .30-30 cases, since this was a fairly popular varmint ctg. among single shot nuts back in the day (and there are a few of US left!).

If he includes any complete box of factory Zipper ctgs., I'll sell them to a collector and recoup some of my modest "investment."

If it won't group, or I get bored fooling with the Zipper, I'll have Sonny France or somebody else reline it back to .22 Hornet, since the outside looks new and I have a blank extractor to fit. 

[Garnett]

Mike, it sounds to me like you got a great buy!  I have not reloaded in 30 years so I am not up on "things", but way back then, RCBS would make most any die that you needed.  I would think you would only need to run the .30-30 cases through a full length sizing die to get to .22 size, but I could be wrong.  You might need a neck sizing only die between to two sizes to make the first reduction with.  Please keep us posted on the accuracy.  Also, whether or not you have a problem fitting the Zipper barrel to your action.  If you get "bored" with it, but it shoots good, please give me a chance to purchase it from you.  Best wishes, Garnett

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, I have a large supply of .25-35WCF unprimed cases that I got for a couple of rifles I have in that caliber.  If I take a liking to the Zipper, I might just get a custom reloader I know to make Zipper cases out of a few of them.  Don't plan on shooting up a hatful of Zippers any time soon, tho,  since I already have a .22 Hornet.

I'll keep you in mind should I decide to move the rechambered Zipper barrel along.  Too bad the Zipper wasn't more popular; it's much like a rimmed  .222 Rem.  A friend of mine once had a Krag single shot Zipper done by a custom gunsmith that was a beautiful and REALLY accurate single shot.  But lever action varmint rifles just were out of fashion by the time the Zipper came along and nobody ever chambered a factory bolt action for it.  Works great in a small Martini, if you have one lyin' around!

[Garnett]

Good luck and let us know how it shoots.

[Mike Armstrong]

Got the 219 barrel in the mail today.  It is a Chicopee Falls barrel and is in almost new condition in and out.  For a standard early 219 action; no cocking pin or scope grooves, and originally a .22 Hornet.  Fits my Utica action perfectly, and I can see where it was fitted to another action--by dumb-ass luck it also fits mine!

It's still 26 inches long, but has had the front sight removed and the mounting screws buffed flush with the barrel radius, which will make them hard to remove in case I decide to replace the sight (normally I would).  There is a Weaver aluminum one-piece scope mount fitted onto the barrel with two screws, so scope mounting won't be a problem.

39(!) unprimed WW .219 Zipper cartridges came with this barrel and one fired case.  The fired case is identical to the unprimed ones except for the fired primer, so I know it's a standard Zipper, not an Improved or Donaldson wildcat.  That's good.  The box the unprimed cases came in is factory marked January 1979, so I wonder if that is near when the conversion was done?

Once I get my tools sorted out, I'm going to try some Hornet bullets over a mild Zipper load in the cases.  Don't have Zipper dies but probably can cobble together loads with .22 Hornet and .25-35 tools, since this is a single shot rifle.  Worst thing that can happen is "patterns" not groups, I think.  But I'll wear my safety glasses....

If I get "patterns," I'll save the $$ to get this very nice barrel relined to .22 Hornet.  In any case, it's an interesting experiment.

[Garnett]

Mike, Is the writing on the left side of the barrel and the scope base screws drilled through the writing for a side mount (or is it a top mounted scope base?) or is the writing on top of the barrel, which would indicate it was factory drilled and tapped.  I still think if you don't like this barrel you should sell it to me, take my money and purchase a factory original .22 Hornet barrel.   Please send pictures of the scope mount holes and the targets.  I am interested in the accuracy of a rechambered barrel.  It would seem the easiest way to remedy the front sight problem would be to get a barrel band front sight.  However, are the buffed flush screws wide enough to drill a small hole in the top of each and use a "back out" bit to remove them?  Best wishes, Garnett

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, it's a top-mount, and the lettering is on the sides--I'll email you a pic when I get to it. 

The screws are very small, so I'm not sure if an "easy out" would work.  May try one later, but I'll have to use my next door neighbor's drill press to avoid scratching the barrel--not a situation for "free hand" drilling!   Probably start with a dental burr to center the drill.

The other "solution" would be to drill out the two little original screws and retap threads for a size larger and then mount a Williams Streamlined Ramp or some such. 

Barrel band front sights used to be easy to find, but aren't any more, and then you have to either find JUST the right interior diameter to fit the end of the barrel, or ream a tighter one out.  Fairly dull work, at best.

[Garnett]

Good luck, what ever you decide to do.  Garnett

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, if you're still interested in my rechambered 219 .219 Zipper barrel shoot me a PM; I'll sell it for what I paid for it, shipping included ($100 total), and throw in a Savage-marked 2.5X 1" scope and Savage-marked rings, plus a leather-and-canvas no-name takedown case made for something like the 219/220, in the  late 1930s--it will take up to 30" barrel. 

All these "extras" are used but in usable condition, and I thought you might want to add them to your collection.  Savage scope has a neat "post-and-crosshair" reticle.

The 219 in .219 Zipper shoots fine (I shot the few rounds that came with it) but I can't see getting into reloading a whole new caliber now, especially one that requires re-forming existing brass to fit.  And I've not found a gunsmith who will reline the barrel for less than what the whole gun, including barrels, is worth!

Let me know if we can work out a deal.  I'm also interested in other 219/220 barrels, or a shotgun forend/iron that would fit my early Utica 219.  I have a nice Chicopee Falls .410 forend/iron (3 screw) to swap also.

Mike Armstrong

[Garnett]

Mike, I will take it.  Look for the PM.

[Garnett]

I now have Mike's .219 Zipper barrel.  The 3rd action I tried it on, fit perfectly.  However, the forearm will not fit at all.  I have an extra forearm that almost fits, and I will have my gunsmith friend fit it for me.  The new forearm is a light hard wood, and when it is fitted, I will remove the old finish and try to darken it, before refinishing.  If it turns out well, I will supply pictures.