A friend of mine succeeded in getting his hands on a rifle in that caliber, but without ammo nor cases.
I discovered that:
-cases are available in U.S.A only but the manufacturer does not sell abroad
-dies are available and the manufacturer (CH4D) seems to be ready to export.
Question to the colleagues:
-are cases drawings like SAAMI or CIP available? In the net there are some but not all dimensions
-from which cases is it possible to obtain a .242? It seems that the cartridge was obtained by reshaping a .30-06.
-which bullet is suggested? .244 like the .243 Win.?

Thanks in advance

I looked in my manual of cartridge conversions I show several 242s but not a Vickers doses it have a metric designation or did it does it also go another name.

Also what country are you from.

Ken Howell's book says, for .242 Vickers -
"Resize .25-06 Remington brass full-length in .242 Vickers sizer die. Trim to 2.4 inches. Deburr." (page 137 of "Custom Cartridges" 1995)
Header says (Kynoch drawing, 1922.) Can "snap" a picture if you want the published dimensions, too.

Donnelly shows a .242 Rimless NE developed by Vickers about 1922,(pg 185). The recommended case is the 7x64 Brenneke, anneal and form in the .242 FL die with the expander removed, trim, chamfer and FL size & fireform.

Sounds like the 25/06 is the way to go.

George Hoyem's excellent book "The History and Development of Small Arms Ammunition, vol 3" gives a bullet diameter for the .242 Vickers as .253" (that's two-five-three), definitely an odd diameter. Fleming's "British Sporting Rifle Cartridges" says min .249", max .253".

I'd highly recommend slugging the bore before loading for this one.

quote:

Originally posted by Jgrabow6493:
http://www.municion.org/vickers/242Vickers.htm

That diagram puts the bullet diameter at 0.250". Gonna be an oddball to load for.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by Jgrabow6493:
http://www.municion.org/vickers/242Vickers.htm

That diagram puts the bullet diameter at 0.250". Gonna be an oddball to load for.

Bullets are the easiest part I would think take a 243 lee sizer polish it out to 250.

Run 257 bullets trough it said and done.

Chamber cast to measure the neck and then slug the bore.

PLUS ONE for Jim...a cast will give you the measurements irregardless of all the other "stuff"... THEN find a case AND BULLET and fireform a case... send three fireformed cases off to a die maker for your reloading dies.

Check the SAAMI data base for the rifle barrel ACTUAL imprinted cartridge nomenclature and/or the CIP data bases.

PLUS ONE for 50 Clashtr...my Donnelly states the same so at a case length of 2.38" you would need to use resized 2.49" 25-06 cases, 2.54" 270/280 cases or the 2.52" 7 x 64 Brenneke as suggested...VERY simple reform...PITA to cut to size.

Alternatively you could use X 57 cases and just forget about the minor case length difference...

You might need to go to use cast lead bullets or coat them, 0.253" jacketed bullets are hard to find...you can have LEE or CH4D make you a bullet sizing die that might work for 0.257" bullets.

Basically you/someone can muck about with several case sizers to get a couple of cases squeezed down to fit the chamber then fireform them.

The 9.3 x 62 case is 2.44" so there ya go...easy peasy, just a resize and a slight trim. Difference in base dia. could cause a problem or not, the only way to know is to DOIT.

This is not the hardest case forming job I've done...BUT, it's NOT the easiest either.

Good Hunting

I agree with Jim.
after I knew what I had in hand then I'd work out my own cases and bullets.
gunsmiths and reamer grinders don't always agree with what the guy who's name is on the cartridge wanted.
you might have a deep cut chamber and basically a 6mm-06
I designed a wildcat a few years back and we had a couple dozen rifles built, a couple of the guys had the chambers cut on another rifle longer than intended and use them for even higher velocity's.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:

quote:

Originally posted by Jgrabow6493:
http://www.municion.org/vickers/242Vickers.htm

That diagram puts the bullet diameter at 0.250". Gonna be an oddball to load for.

Bullets are the easiest part I would think take a 243 lee sizer polish it out to 250.

Run 257 bullets trough it said and done.

Was just answering the OP's question, "-which bullet is suggested? .244 like the .243 Win.?"

No it's at least .250" - an oddball.

quote:

Was just answering the OP's question, "-which bullet is suggested? .244 like the .243 Win.?"No it's at least .250" - an oddball

I used polished out Lee push through dies to make different size bullets need a .250 .253 ect ect.

I polished out the closest smaller size to the size you need. Or have Lee do it for you simple.