22lr in a 22 magnum revolver

O

oldcabin

New member
Aside from the split casings and possible extraction issues, are there any other reasons not to use 22lr in a 22m revolver?? The reason this came up is the SP101 in 22 currently is.a.22lr only. I figure it will come out 22m before anything.else. My single six is fine.with both cylinders but S/A only. I have put 22lr in the magnum cylinder before not paying attention. It ran fine, had 1-2 cases not stuck but split, and seemed ok. This was a while ago. I started thinking about it. I think it is plenty accurate for me using 22lr in the gun with a 22m bigger capable barrel. I understand the round should fit the cylinder correctly. Do people run 22lr in taurus or smith 22m revolvers?? Thanks,
 
There's a reason for the interchangeable cylinder on the Single Six.

Split cases should be reason enough not to use .22LR in a .22 Magnum.

I'd just wait for the cylinder to come out for the SP101.
 
The bullets travel unsupported down the chamber and can strike the chamber's shoulder shearing off lead. I know, I bought a .22 WMR Contender barrel that someone had been firing .22lr in. There was a nasty ring of lead at the end of the chamber. Evidently he did know understand what ".22 WMRF" stamped on the barrel meant.
Also the gas gets around the side of the bullets greatly reducing their power.

Isn't that enough?
 
Hammerhead, I see what you are saying and I understand the problem with the way you describe it. But doesn't any 22/22m revolver have the same problem? Should people buy one of each?
 
I'll simply repeat on of the best pieces of advice you'll get. "Only use the specific ammunition for which your firearm is chambered". While there are several chamberings that will allow using shorter/lower powered ammunition, the 22 long rifle/22WRM DO NOT FIT THE CRITERIA.
 
Good bad or indifferent.
When my brother and I were kids he had a Ruger
22 with only the magnum cylinder.We shot hundreds of
lr's out of it with just split cases being the damage.
I guess it got stolen years later.,or maybe that's why
he quivers when he talks now.....:p

True about the 22lr out of the magnum cylinder.
Ron
 
oldcabin said:
Hammerhead, I see what you are saying and I understand the problem with the way you describe it. But doesn't any 22/22m revolver have the same problem? Should people buy one of each?
Click to expand...
Yes, any .22 caliber revolver does have the same problem. This is the reason so many manufacturers offer "convertible" models, that come with two cylinders.

oldcabin said:
Ah,, you are saying the problem starts with the chamber oversized and causing wear. I see.
Click to expand...
No, it's not a question of wear. The brass cartridge casing is not designed or intended to contain the force of the powder igniting -- it's there only to hold all the components together. The cylinder is what provides the strength necessary to contain the force and to direct the energy down the barrel. When you fire .22LR (or .22 long, or even .22 short) in a firearm chambered for .22 Magnum, the cylinder bore is too large for the case. Thus, the case is not contained, and the forces are not directed down the barrel as intended. This is why you had split cases. If the force/energy is not being properly contained and directed -- you have no control over where it goes. That's "not a good thing."
 
One point not mentioned. Firing .22 LR out of a .22 WMR chamber in a SA revolver can cause split cases but the cases will extract/eject because the SA guns use rod ejectors. But in a DA swing cylinder revolver, the shorter cases with smaller case rims can jump the extractor and tie up the gun. In a plinking situation, that is a PITA, but should one have to use a .22 in a serious situation, there could be a real problem.

Jim
 
I appreciate all the answers. Thanks to.all This is all very good info that I had really no other way of finding out. And agian, I didnt think it was a good idea or advocating it, but I knew there had to be more to it and something I wasn't seeing.
 
You can buy inserts to allow safe shooting of LRs in WMR guns.
http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

I do not know how well they work.

An anecdote at risk of contributing to the delinquency of shooters:
The local gunsmith traded for a Colt single action in .22 WMR without LR cylinder. He did not like split cases or paying for WMR ammo, so he made his own adapters by cutting off the heads of fired WMRs. That served him well enough until he traded off the revolver. It might not work so well in a double action hand ejector.
But that was in the 1970s, we are more careful now.
 
I bought a S&W Model 651 (22 Magnum) and had S&W fit it with a 22 LR cylinder. Now it's a convertible DA revolver. It cost me $168 at the time to do it.
 
.38 Special in a .357?

What about shooting 38 special rounds from a 357? The cases are shorter than 357 cases.
 
plinkz said:
What about shooting 38 special rounds from a 357? The cases are shorter than 357 cases.
Click to expand...

They are shorter, but the brass and the bullets are the same diameter for both .38 Special and .357 Magnum. That is NOT the case with .22 LR and .22 WMR.
 
Around here, with .22 Mag being much easier to find, and the price of .22 LR being almost as much now, I would wonder why anyone would want to. I have a Ruger Single Six with both cylinders, and I shoot more .22 mag these days for the reasons above.
 
.22

What Jim Watson said in his post above. As a youth I had a Game Warden friend that carried a .22m mag. revolver. He "sleeved" a few of the mag cyl. by filing the end off of spent magnum shells and inserting the "open" case. He then loaded these with regular .22 cartridges. Seemed to work fine. I am no gunsmith or expert and am not suggesting you do this.
 
the357plan said:
I bought a S&W Model 651 (22 Magnum) and had S&W fit it with a 22 LR cylinder. Now it's a convertible DA revolver. It cost me $168 at the time to do it.
Click to expand...
When was that?

I'm just curious. The general word on the S&W forum is that the company has not offered this service in a LONG time. :(
 
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