Use of Dixie Spencer rim fire cases

[Steve Weems]

I am curious if any of you have tried using any of the Dixie Gun Works Spencer cases that use
.22 blanks in the Sharps & Hankins carbines? They are expensive but avoids doing a center fire
conversion.

[John Holland]

I have used those type cases in Sharps & Hankins, Joslyns, and Ballards. Because of the expense I make my own. It is a bit labor intensive, but well worth the effort. First you braze up the primer pocket, then machine it flat/flush. I use a large drill chuck, mounted to a plate, to hold the cartridge case. Then I mount and locate the plate on the bed of a drill press under the chuck. I use a home made counter bore drill ground with the pilot sized for the .22 case diameter. The counter bore diameter of the drill body is sized for clearance for the head diameter of the .22 case. First position the jig with the case to be drilled properly under the drill press chuck so that the counter bore drill will just clear the edge of the case rim being drilled. Then drill with the pilot going through the head of the case and stop when the counter bore has gone deep enough for the .22 case to be flush with the flat surface of the case you are drilling. It comes out so that the pilot drill will just clear the inner case wall for the .22 case to fit in it.

Personally i I do not like using .22 blanks to ignite the charge, because I feel they are so jot they start the bullet before the powder has properly ignited. I prefer .22 Shorts, of course you must first pull the bullet and dump the powder. I think you get a more consistent ignition this way.

Just my experience.....which is worth just what you have paid for it!

[RaiderANV]

I second John's use of .22 shorts......seem more consistent to me also.

[jonk]

I think it sounds like a great idea, with one thing that makes me hesitate... brazing the primer pocket. I had always heard in annealing not to overheat the case so as to avoid heating the case head, thereby maintaining it's structural integrity.

Accepting it's a low power case, how do the heads hold up?

I'd wonder too if a shotgun primer, given that it has a rim, might not also be made to function in this role. Anyone try it?

Otherwise it sounds like a great way to keep the gun in original condition.

[Jim Brady Knap's Battery]

I tried making some years ago but I drilled, tapped and used some threaded rod to plug the centerfire holes.

Jim Brady
2249V
Knap's Battery

[John Holland]

JONK - If you heat brass and let it air cool it actually hardens. Therefore, by brazing and letting the cases air cool the heads are harder than when I started. To anneal brass to make it soft you heat it & quench it. Because the case heads are quite thick there is really no issue either way.

Another thing about using .22 blanks, when you fire them they flare out because of the star-like split crimp and lock into the case head very securely requiring a good punch and hammer to knock them out.

[Eggman]

I make them. $4.00 ea for a batch order of 100. Larger quantities negotiable.