It's now September, Labor Day Weekend, and The Past week has been 'interesting' but not fun. At about 71,000 miles the water pump on my 2006 Dodge Dakota let go and Dumped all the coolant on the Street. It is now fixed at a cost of savings. Then I go the Notice that Fiat-Chrysler are ready to replace the DANGEROUS Air Bag Inflator Cartridge in my Steering wheel. Interesting as they Claimed the Passenger side one is not a problem although made by the SAME Supplier.
I now have Three of my Stevens Rifles back in Working order but still not refinished.
1. The Stevens 1894 Favorite fitted with an Newer Round .22 Cal Barrel.
2. The Stevens 1915 Favorite fitted with new Extractor and a Stevens .25 R.F. Barrel; this one is with a .22 R.F. Breech block for use with Adapter Cases employing .22 Blanks in reformed Hornet Cases and drilled/reamed as Adapter cases.
3. The Stevens Model 12 Marksman fitted with a Newer .22 Cal. Barrel, firing pin, Cocking plunger with spring, and new Main spring and retainer Screw.
I have Three '44' Barrels marked as .25 R.F. in process of deciding what to do with them.
- The First one has been Chamber Cast and Slugged. It turns out to be chambered for .32 Colt Short with a 'Tight' bore of .298'/.304". I will probably have this one Chamber reamed for .32 Long Colt or Possibly .32 Extra Long and use it converted to Center Fire. The .32 Extra Long is an intriguing project, especially converted to Center Fire.
- The second and Third ones are at my Gunsmiths for "clean and Slug" as both have Badly 'Crudded up' Bores, which have resisted my Efforts to Clean them.
The one with the 'Best Rifling' will be chambered to take my 1.250" case Length Conversion Cartridges for further Load development.
The other one will be set aside for later.
I have been Working on Reforming "5.7x28mm" used Brass to an Alternative Source for ".25 Stevens" size parent cases. It has Been Successful in that the Reformed cases lengthen as the Diameter is reduced and yield cases long enough to use as a "new Wildcat" Cartridge, published as "6.35x32mmSR STEWART" and using .250" to .252" diameter Bullets. (.250 jacketed and .251" to .252" Cast Lead).
I am Very Pleased that "Ammoguide International" Added my Design to their Cartridge Master Database as Cartridge number 950.
It is my FIRST Published Design!
Load Development is starting at the 'Light end' as the first test rifle is a Stevens Favorite 1915 Action Based one.
- So the first "Starting Load" is 1.0 Grains of Bullseye behind a 74 grain Lead RFN GC Bullet using WSP primers with a Overall Length of 1.500".
- The Second "starting Load is 1.3 grains of Bullseye behind a 50 grain FMJ-RN Bullet using WSP primers also with an Overall Length of 1.500".
- Loads will be increased about 0.1 grain at a time to approach a muzzle Velocity of about 1124 fps in this action.
The estimated Powder chamber volume is now 13.8 Grains of H2O.
NOTE: this is an 'almost' Straight Walled Cartridge. There is a taper from .276" at .300" above the Base to .280" at the top of the Extractor Clearance Cut. Head space is intended to be on the RIM.
Now back to forming more Brass.
Best Regards,
Chev. William