.22LR barrel for home "zip" build

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dbooksta

New member
I'm looking for .22LR barrels that would be well-suited to "home-building" a single-shot, locked-breech gun without advanced machinery (i.e., no lathe or mill). (Yes, it's legal if it's not transferred or sold.)

I think a barrel with standardized male threads on the chamber end would be ideal, since an improvised "breech cap" with firing pin assembly could simply be screwed on over a loaded round.

I haven't come across any, but I'd be interested in seeing any common approaches to building such single-shot "zip guns" using a rifled barrel (as opposed to improvised smooth barrels). I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel.
 
J

James K

Member In Memoriam
Just FYI, most of the inexpensive .22's had barrels that were just a slip fit and pinned in, so it might be hard to find a .22 barrel with threads. Of course, you might be as well off with a pinned barrel also.

Jim
 
F

FrankenMauser

New member
Threaded .22 LR barrels are pretty uncommon. I believe the cheapest .22 rifle mass-produced with a threaded barrel is the Ruger 77/22. But they have only been threaded since 2008 (give or take a bit), and they used the 10-22-style V-block setup prior to that. So there aren't a whole lot of the threaded version to be found in "parts gun" barrels yet.

If your budget is any factor, I suggest rethinking the design to use a smooth-shank barrel (pinned, dovetailed stud, V-block, and various other mounting methods).
The cheapest barrels, in my experience, are those still attached to "junk" receivers.

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Your description isn't very detailed, and the inclusion of the term "zip gun" is sure to raise more eyebrows than my own.

If you're using the term, "zip gun" to refer to a home-built firearm that looks like a firearm and meets ATF criteria for a handgun or rifle, you should be fine.

But if you're using the term, "zip gun" to refer to a device that will fire .22 LR but is not recognizable as a firearm, then you'll be creating an AOW (Any Other Weapon).

Home-built, or not, AOWs are regulated and require registration. And since this is manufacturing, rather than a transfer, you have to file a Form 1 with the ATF, fork over $200 for the tax stamp, and get approved before you get started. (AOW tansfers are $5, but the manufacturing fee is $200 like other NFA items.)
 
M

Mobuck

Moderator
There are lots of Ruger 10-22 barrels floating around for sale. It shouldn't be too difficult to thread the section of barrel that normally fits into the receiver for the "breech cap" mentioned. The chamber is fully cut, the extension is true to the boreline, and there's even a little extractor cut to facilitate removing the fired case manually.
This just sounds like a lot more work than is worthwhile except in dire circumstances.
 
D

dbooksta

New member
10/22 barrels are a good idea.

@FrankenMauser, good point:

Don't make an AOW without getting stamped forms first! Only make a legal handgun or rifle, (or, if using a smoothbore, a shotgun).

I was planning to make a pistol. For reference, per 18 U.S.C., § 921(A)(29) and 27 CFR § 478.11: The term “Pistol” means a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having (1) a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s); and (2) a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).
 
C

Clark

New member
Someone heard I was threading a 22 barrel this week and wanted a barrel to invent a tiny 22 pistol.

I steered him toward
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/ad/527760.htm

That is small enough to put in a drill or drill press and alter it with a file or sandpaper.

I have Silver soldered barrels on, but I also think that Loctite can do it.
 
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