22mag Compared to 22lr
- Thread starter bfj2
- Start date
Solve the problem of which one to get by going for a Ruger Single Six with both .22LR and .22 Mag cylinders (that is the only way you are going to be able to use both types of ammo in the same gun). For plain cheap plinking you can not beat a .22LR. If you want something with a little more oomph or a small varmint round the .22 Mag is the way to go.
Ruger single six
:cool I have a Ruger single six that shoots booth- I love it and don't shoot it enough. You can definitly tell a difference in between the two rounds. Ruger is very straight forward in saying never shoot a round in the opposite gun though-probably very good advice. Wheather or not you ought to run out and get a .22mag is up to you and what your plans are. Can you have too many guns-not if you can afford them but lets face it how many of us can afford all the guns we want. The Ruger singl six is a good way to go if you want to have both. If you want to realy take advantage of a .22mag though you will problably need to get a .22 mag rifle witch will only shoot that round, you can get into one for not that much especialy if you are willing to go used.
Just out of couriosity what plans did you have for it if any?
good shootin
:cool I have a Ruger single six that shoots booth- I love it and don't shoot it enough. You can definitly tell a difference in between the two rounds. Ruger is very straight forward in saying never shoot a round in the opposite gun though-probably very good advice. Wheather or not you ought to run out and get a .22mag is up to you and what your plans are. Can you have too many guns-not if you can afford them but lets face it how many of us can afford all the guns we want. The Ruger singl six is a good way to go if you want to have both. If you want to realy take advantage of a .22mag though you will problably need to get a .22 mag rifle witch will only shoot that round, you can get into one for not that much especialy if you are willing to go used.
Just out of couriosity what plans did you have for it if any?
good shootin
Eric Larsen
New member
I have shot quite a few 22 lr's Ruger autos/revolvers, Taurus revolver with switchable cylinders. My fav is the mini NAA..I got
to shoot a Black Widow...pretty nice little gun.
anyway..in a short barreled gun...revolver. The power difference
between the 2 22 rnds is almost not. In a rifle the mag. produces alot more energy than the 22 lr. With a small gun you get more noise and kick , just not much more energy. If you want to plink..shoot the lr. Its cheap fun. God knows I would love one...I wouldnt go broke supporting my habit
shoot well
to shoot a Black Widow...pretty nice little gun.
anyway..in a short barreled gun...revolver. The power difference
between the 2 22 rnds is almost not. In a rifle the mag. produces alot more energy than the 22 lr. With a small gun you get more noise and kick , just not much more energy. If you want to plink..shoot the lr. Its cheap fun. God knows I would love one...I wouldnt go broke supporting my habit
shoot well
Ben Shepherd
New member
I learned this on another thread. NEVER shoot 22lr in the magnum chamber. The magnum is a larger case, even though they are the same slug. I verified this in my single six.
I had been leaving the mag cylinder in, shooting both, never a problem. But I always wondered "why 2 cylinders?". Turns out there's a very good reason.
I had been leaving the mag cylinder in, shooting both, never a problem. But I always wondered "why 2 cylinders?". Turns out there's a very good reason.
Eric said:
"The power difference between the 2 22 rnds is almost not."
That's simply not true.
Granted, a lot of .22Mag fodder is tuned exclusively for rifles, but there's a small few that really rock even in barrels as short as 1".
The CCI MaxiMag+V and +V-TNT are probably the best examples, although the Federal 30grain has a good rep too and the Winchester Supreme 33Grain isn't bad - although that latter has somehard primers that a minirevolver may have trouble with.
Go to www.naaminis.com and look under the "Technical" button, left-hand column. Then pick velocity tables. They show .22LR versus .22Mag in barrel lengths from 1 and 5/8ths out to 4" - just remember that the Black Widow is their 2" gun and the MiniMaster is the 4".
1,200fps from the CCI +V from a 2" barrel puts it into the .32ACP ballpark. At 1,400fps from the 4" and more than that from a Single Six Ruger, you've got something that'll really hurt somebody, if placed right.
"The power difference between the 2 22 rnds is almost not."
That's simply not true.
Granted, a lot of .22Mag fodder is tuned exclusively for rifles, but there's a small few that really rock even in barrels as short as 1".
The CCI MaxiMag+V and +V-TNT are probably the best examples, although the Federal 30grain has a good rep too and the Winchester Supreme 33Grain isn't bad - although that latter has somehard primers that a minirevolver may have trouble with.
Go to www.naaminis.com and look under the "Technical" button, left-hand column. Then pick velocity tables. They show .22LR versus .22Mag in barrel lengths from 1 and 5/8ths out to 4" - just remember that the Black Widow is their 2" gun and the MiniMaster is the 4".
1,200fps from the CCI +V from a 2" barrel puts it into the .32ACP ballpark. At 1,400fps from the 4" and more than that from a Single Six Ruger, you've got something that'll really hurt somebody, if placed right.
Eric Larsen
New member
Jim,
Actually, I believe it is true. However, I should have been more specific. I havent checked out 22lr and 22mag ballistics in a long time. My dad has a couple of the NAA super mini's . He has the lr and mag versions. He uses Aguila 22 lr ammo. Its super maximum something or other. Anyway Its rated at 200+ FPE (.380 territory) with a velocity of 1750 fps.
Thus my comment on the difference being "almost not". Standard "hot" rounds in a small barrel used to differ by 20-30% between the 2, but this little 22lr round is a wicked little bullet.
I am not certain how Aguila does there ballistics testing..I would assume from a rifle, like everyother 22 maker uses. But its gonna have some punch for a 22lr.
I dont know how close it would be to the CCI +v...dont have a clue.
I am glad they have improved the 22 mag ballistically for a short barrel. I personally love the cartidge. I had a single shot rifle when I was a kid and shot the h*ll out of it.
Either way..Its correct to say vast improvments have been made in both sizes. Shoot well
Actually, I believe it is true. However, I should have been more specific. I havent checked out 22lr and 22mag ballistics in a long time. My dad has a couple of the NAA super mini's . He has the lr and mag versions. He uses Aguila 22 lr ammo. Its super maximum something or other. Anyway Its rated at 200+ FPE (.380 territory) with a velocity of 1750 fps.
Thus my comment on the difference being "almost not". Standard "hot" rounds in a small barrel used to differ by 20-30% between the 2, but this little 22lr round is a wicked little bullet.
I am not certain how Aguila does there ballistics testing..I would assume from a rifle, like everyother 22 maker uses. But its gonna have some punch for a 22lr.
I dont know how close it would be to the CCI +v...dont have a clue.
I am glad they have improved the 22 mag ballistically for a short barrel. I personally love the cartidge. I had a single shot rifle when I was a kid and shot the h*ll out of it.
Either way..Its correct to say vast improvments have been made in both sizes. Shoot well
The Aguila .22LR doing 1,750 is measured from a rifle barrel, unless it's something like a 10grain slug.
The most you can hope for in .22LR from a 2" minirevolver barrel is about 900fps. The Remington Yellowjacket and CCI Stinger I think are the best. But don't take my word for it, look up the actual velocity data - www.naaminis.com under the yellow "technical" link on the left.
The most you can hope for in .22LR from a 2" minirevolver barrel is about 900fps. The Remington Yellowjacket and CCI Stinger I think are the best. But don't take my word for it, look up the actual velocity data - www.naaminis.com under the yellow "technical" link on the left.
Eric Larsen
New member
Jim,
I am not doing this to dispute what you say or your point of view..I just think you will find it interesting.
I did check out the ballistics on the NAA site. Plenty of data to compute. In checking with the makers advertised ballistics and
what NAA gets out of the Blackwidow with the 2" barrel.
They all lost an average of 1/3 of advertised velocity.
If you figure the Aguila ammo at the same loss, it would have a theoretical velocity of around 1200 fps.
It has the same 30gr bullet that the CCI +V has at 1381 fps.
You are correct in saying the best mag has 20% more energy than the best lr round, when fired from a short barrel.
IMO and only IMO, the difference in such a low energy round, is
small enough to be negligable.
In shooting both lr's and mag rounds from the mini's. I have found the lr more controllable than the mag.
In a Black widow it would be different situation. I would like one
and would carry the CCI +V's.
Again, I am not defending myself or my statement. I hope you see that. I am just another point of view on this forum. Nothing more or less. Thanks for your POV and shoot well
I am not doing this to dispute what you say or your point of view..I just think you will find it interesting.
I did check out the ballistics on the NAA site. Plenty of data to compute. In checking with the makers advertised ballistics and
what NAA gets out of the Blackwidow with the 2" barrel.
They all lost an average of 1/3 of advertised velocity.
If you figure the Aguila ammo at the same loss, it would have a theoretical velocity of around 1200 fps.
It has the same 30gr bullet that the CCI +V has at 1381 fps.
You are correct in saying the best mag has 20% more energy than the best lr round, when fired from a short barrel.
IMO and only IMO, the difference in such a low energy round, is
small enough to be negligable.
In shooting both lr's and mag rounds from the mini's. I have found the lr more controllable than the mag.
In a Black widow it would be different situation. I would like one
and would carry the CCI +V's.
Again, I am not defending myself or my statement. I hope you see that. I am just another point of view on this forum. Nothing more or less. Thanks for your POV and shoot well