The R-2 Lovell is an unusual development because it is an example of a wildcat
cartridge developed from what was originally a wildcat. It is believed to have been developed in 1937 by Harvey Donaldson from New York."It derived its name from the
fact that the second chambering reamer (made by M.S. Risley, Earlville, NY) appeared
to be correct in providing what the designer was striving to produce. It is actually an improved or blown out version of the original 22 Lovell or 22-3000 developed by Harvey Lovell about 1934. Both are based on the obsolete 25-20 Single Shot case necked down, itself a wildcat when it first appeared in 1882.
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The R-2 was so popular that the late J. Bushnell Smith of Middlebury, Vermont, and Griffen & Howe of New York City custom loaded ammunition in large quantities; when the supply of 25-20 Single Shot cases was exhausted, Griffen & Howe arranged for the manufacture of R-2 cases. These are specimens of those cases.
I consider the {22-3000 G&H} HeadStamp not a true Wildcat Cartridge,
but a Proprietary Cartridge as they were created by a Manufacturer of the day, not home made from another Cartridge as a True Wildcat |
