I have a nice rook rifle in 300 Rook which doesn't inspire me to get the tools and supplies it takes to load this round. The rifle is too nice to modify. I'm wondering if it's feasible to make a barrel insert in 22LR or 22Hornet. The firing pin complicates the rim fire round. Any ideas, suggestions?

My H&H top lever, break open Rook with a shot out/neglected barrel is shooting again with a 5.6x50R.
Reason for this is the size of the case.
Just wanted something different to what I already had and also be able to buy ammunition off the shelf.
Depends of course on what Rook rifle you have. Although seems a shame to alter it if its ok as it is.
I love these little Rook rifles. Any chance of a photo. I would put one up myself but since Photobucket shut me down I can't.

Bill,
I believe you can shoot 32 long or short Colt, if you can find it. The original cartridge had a heeled, outside lubricated bullet .313" in dia. Later ammo had a .298"inside lubricated bullet, .298" in dia, but intended to expand for a closer fit to the barrel. They didn't expand very well, but the 300 bullet is only .300, which is close enough. The 32 S&W long or short will not work. The head diameter of 22 Hornet is too close to .300 to make an insert practical. I think a 22 LR insert (w/o extractor) may be possible, but the barrel will be very thin.
Mike

I wouldn't know for sure, but I'd suspect an insert would be marginal for remaining strength after some slick machining, and very difficult to package an auxiliary extractor that is activated by the original. If you think you can do the machining, maybe you could make a simple form die to convert 38 spec brass base on a chamber cast, and seat bullets with a shorter 32 pistol die even if it's a bit oversized.

You don't have to thread it for a press, and it may be a bit better to size down to the rim and tap out with a dowel. After fireforming, I doubt you would have to size again, but you could probably figure out a combo of neck sizing and universal expander/flaring die if needed. Hope you get it shooting.

A rifle too nice to modify but you want to modify it . Rebarrel (match the existing contour), chamber for a cartridge that is dimensionally similar, modify/replace the extractor as necessary.

Or just buy some Bertram brass and shoot it.

Is Rocky Mountain Cartridge still making custom brass to order? I'd go with that before Bertram if it is still available but it seems that I recall it might have closed.

Or Bob Hayley in Texas.

http://home.earthlink.net/~mhclary/HeCanMakeAnything.pdf

Rocky Mtn Cartridge loads the round in Bertram brass for $4.60 per round. I think I'll either try the loading myself or sell this one and track down one that's more readily shootable. I'll look for the Colt ammo, too.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/749586652

If you cast bullets, Accurate has a heeled mold design that will work well. Tom will cut the diameter to whatever your bore slugs to, so the heeled design can be customized to your gun's barrel. Brass for .32 Long can be purchased from a fella on Gunbroker who sells modified .32 S&W Long brass he reworks to be .32 Long.
I load for the American .32 Long heeled in a couple Ballard rifles, and it's a wonderful cartridge to shoot. If you decide to reload for your rook, you wont be disappointed in shooting it if the bore is great!

Thanks to all for advice and info. The 32 Colt long has a bigger base diameter than will chamber in my rifle. It's good to know the bullet can be made.

Vall's solution is the best. Whoever reforms the brass could start with 32 H&R brass and get full length cases easier.
Mike

I just got my brace of .255 rook rifles up and running with help from RMC. Everything worked out beautifully except for the cost of the brass! I have been careful to save the brass for reloading next time around. I purchased 3 bricks which was much cheaper than relining or rebarreling. One rifle was retailed/finished by Boss and the other by Purdey, so I did not want to touch those barrels!

RMC brass isn't cheap, but sometimes it's the only option in town! I use it for my #7 Ballard in .44-100 Ballard caliber, and I love everything but the price!

I shoot 32 Long Colt brass with a Buffalo Arms .300 bullet. Works great and sweet to shoot.

Sorry about the 38 spec parent case thought. If I'm not mistaken, that head and rim size can work for some rook variations, but certainly not yours. My thought was none other than if some one could pull off machining that insert, they could probably come up with a form die quite a bit easier. It sure would help though starting with a closer fitting parent case.

The .38 Long case is great for the .380 Rook rifle, so might be what you were thinking of Craig?

I think 32 Colt cases are available, new, from Starline. They also have 32 S&W, so be careful and don't get them confused. 32 Colt cases will be a little short, but it doesn't make much difference.
Mike
I just checked the Starline site, I found 38 Colt, but did not find 32 Colt, sorry.
Mike

Hi Owen,
your Boss Rook Rifle is pretty rare as a few years ago I had a book on the firm of Boss from the very beginnings to the present day and as far as my memory goes I think it said they only made one or two Rook rifles.
As regards to putting in a 224 liner into the existing barrel I did not mean the slim type used for a 22RF but a standard barrel thinned down leaving enough meat on it to be safely used so my existing octagon barrel could be kept with its name, address and sights.

Some questions Gents as I am looking at converting a rook rifle back to 22 Hornet from 410.

1) What is diameter of the liner at the breech. Is the 410 chamber diameter or the full diameter of the rim plus a bit more.

2) At the muzzle end - again how much is reamed out here.

Walther in their catalogue do 5.6x50r barrel with 10mm outside diameter and a 22 Hornet in 10 or 12mm OD.

Can somebody who has a lined rook rifle, please post a picture of the breech end.

Many thanks