Interesting .22 cal. S/42 Luger

PhilOhio · 08-09-2009, 12:07 PM

Very neat. I've never heard of that wildcat before. I'll bet it makes quite a bang, from that short barrel; and quite a ball of fire around dusk. I'd say you have a very interesting Luger custom variant.

It reminds me of a similar, but hotter, round I reload for a modified M-1 carbine, the 5.7mm Johnson. That's a .30 carbine case necked down to take 45 to 55 grain .223 bullets. You can drive them pretty fast, and they make a nice crack; accurate and effective on varmints at close to medium range. This was one of the late Mel Johnson's pet projects, but very few of the finished guns were sold. His son runs a nice website covering all this.

Oh yes, it is nearly identical to FN's "new" 5.7mm smg round, which is slightly smaller, slightly less powerful, and looks like it was cribbed directly from the Johnson cartridge...but no gun writer seems yet to have figured this out. Side by side, they are almost identical twins.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

08-09-2009, 12:07 PM	#7
PhilOhio User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 145 Thanks: 5 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Very neat. I've never heard of that wildcat before. I'll bet it makes quite a bang, from that short barrel; and quite a ball of fire around dusk. I'd say you have a very interesting Luger custom variant. It reminds me of a similar, but hotter, round I reload for a modified M-1 carbine, the 5.7mm Johnson. That's a .30 carbine case necked down to take 45 to 55 grain .223 bullets. You can drive them pretty fast, and they make a nice crack; accurate and effective on varmints at close to medium range. This was one of the late Mel Johnson's pet projects, but very few of the finished guns were sold. His son runs a nice website covering all this. Oh yes, it is nearly identical to FN's "new" 5.7mm smg round, which is slightly smaller, slightly less powerful, and looks like it was cribbed directly from the Johnson cartridge...but no gun writer seems yet to have figured this out. Side by side, they are almost identical twins.