Can a .22LR be shot thru a .22 magnum rifle?

croc4d · May 22, 2008, 03:46 AM

I am new to shooting, i've just got my firearms licence (in Australia) and I know a .22 short can be shot thru a .22 LR. Can a .22 LR be shot thru a .22 Magnum, General logic says it can be done. Any help Much appreciated.

3 gun · May 22, 2008, 04:06 AM

It can be done BUT it should NOT be done. It is not like shooting 22 shorts out of a 22LR chamber. There are a few guns that you would not even want to do that mix, if you can avoid it.

croc4d · May 22, 2008, 04:30 AM

So it can be done but shouldn't be done, why is it different to the 22 short/22LR scenario, in theory wouldn't a 22LR be called a 22 magnum short?

blume357 · May 22, 2008, 05:32 AM

the 22lr cartridge will more than likely split in the magnum chamber and thus bad things could happen... most likey wont but could.

22 mag is slightly larger in diameter than the 22lr.

it is really stupid that way back when they messed up these two and did not make them like the 38/357 and 44spec and 44mag.

crrrock · May 22, 2008, 08:28 AM

Blume, I'm assuming you mean the cartridge size, yeah? I'll go measure one in the morning. But we'd only be talking thousandths of an inch, so I couldn't see a 22lr cartridge "exploding" in the chamber of a magnum.

mikejonestkd · May 22, 2008, 08:34 AM

don't fire 22lR out of a 22mag chamber. you'll split cases and possibly get hot gases blowing past the cartridge and back at you. the danger isn't as bad as with high pressure centerfires but it is still a poor decision.

don't do it.

**Bud Helms** · May 22, 2008, 10:18 AM

The .22 WMR case dimensions are entirely different from the .22 short/long/long rifle cartridges, whose differences are primarily case length.

The .22 WMR has a significant taper to the case and does not use a "heeled" bullet as does the .22s/l/lr cartridges. If you try to chamber a .22 WMR in a .22 long rifle chamber you will quickly notice the difference. Not a good fit at all. Notice the large difference between the base and rim diameters.

.22LR vs .22WMR
.223 bullet dia .224
.225 neck dia .240
.225 base dia .241
.275 rim dia .291
.040 rim thick .046
.590 case length 1.052
.985 total length 1.350

Gbro · May 22, 2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

General logic says it can be done.

Just because it has been done doesn't entitle it to be any kind of logic, General or otherwise.
General foolisness is a better title for knowingly doing it.
Ignorance is the most common title for doing it.

birdshot · May 22, 2008, 11:25 AM

i have fired the 22lr in a savage 24, 22wmr. case splits, bullet departs without any authority. i can't remember what kind of accuracy i got. you would probably get more energy from throwing the round at your target.

Sidetracked · May 22, 2008, 05:06 PM

As stated, this is bad logic.

.... and a bad idea.

It is not a dumb question. Asking before trying it is a good idea.

But, assuming ANYTHING about interchanging different firearms and cartridges is likely to result in severe injury, or death.

Legionnaire · May 23, 2008, 03:09 PM

Short answer, "No." The reason Ruger's Single Six convertible has two cylinders, one for .22Mag and one for .22LR, is because the cases have slightly different diameters even though the bullets themselves are pretty close (the .22 Mag bullet is also slightly larger, which is why many Single Sixes shoot the .22 Mag a bit more accurately).

That said, I have heard (but never tested) that one can cut the base off of fired .22 Mag cases and slip a .22LR round inside the resulting cylinder, place the whole thing into the .22 Mag chamber, and fire it without splitting the .22 LR case. As I said, this is hear-say only; I've never tried it. Nor do I plan to. Sounds like a lot of work to launch a .22LR in an inefficient way.

croc4d · May 23, 2008, 08:34 PM

Thanks all, sounds like my question's answered.

Speedy Warrior · July 21, 2010, 02:32 PM

Thats great info guys. I've been looking for a new gun and been looking in the direction of a .22 for cost savings. When i saw a 22 mag I thought "Great i can shoot cheep .22lr and get a little more power from a .22 mag when i want." thinking it was the same as the 38/357 but i have learned somthing today.

Thanks.

Speedy

Alan Truism · August 10, 2011, 09:29 AM

There was an interesting little article about an elderly woman who fended off an attack with a North American Arms .22 mag mini-revolver. One shot (fired through her handbag) and the guy was down.

**Aguila Blanca** · August 10, 2011, 10:25 AM

Quote:

There was an interesting little article about an elderly woman who fended off an attack with a North American Arms .22 mag mini-revolver. One shot (fired through her handbag) and the guy was down.

That's good news. My 1911 in .45 Auto is feeling awfully heavy in this hot weather. I guess I can trade it in on a .22 Mag mini-revolver and still get one-shot stops.

I'm so relieved.

A Person · August 13, 2011, 07:05 PM

Absolutely not!

Not trying to be mean

, but ALWAYS shoot the kind of bullet the gun is made for. The only to bullets that are interchangable (that i know of) is .223/.556x45mm NATO and the .308/7.62x51mm NATO, oh and you can shoot a .38 special in a .357 magnum, but you cant shoot a 357 mag in a 38 special. Hope I helped

sigcurious · August 13, 2011, 07:09 PM

I may be wrong, but aren't 5.56 and 7.62 nato, while the same dimensions, spec'd to higher pressures than .223 and .308, making them unsafe for use in some of those rifles?

**Bud Helms** · August 13, 2011, 08:56 PM

Necro-thread Alert with thread veer.

sigcurious, start a new thread with your question..

This one is closed.

May 22, 2008, 03:46 AM	#1
croc4d Junior Member Join Date: May 21, 2008 Posts: 3	Can a .22LR be shot thru a .22 magnum rifle? I am new to shooting, i've just got my firearms licence (in Australia) and I know a .22 short can be shot thru a .22 LR. Can a .22 LR be shot thru a .22 Magnum, General logic says it can be done. Any help Much appreciated.

May 22, 2008, 04:06 AM	#2
3 gun Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 1999 Location: N41 24.283 W81 43.370 N.E.Ohio Posts: 561	It can be done BUT it should NOT be done. It is not like shooting 22 shorts out of a 22LR chamber. There are a few guns that you would not even want to do that mix, if you can avoid it. __________________ Change you can believe in... Pre-65 US silver coins NRA RSO & Certified Instructor in rifle, pistol, shotgun. An unloaded pistol is a paperweight. Opportunity knocks..Trouble kicks down the door.

May 22, 2008, 05:32 AM	#4
blume357 Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2005 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 3,943	the cartriges themselves are different diameters as well as lenths the 22lr cartridge will more than likely split in the magnum chamber and thus bad things could happen... most likey wont but could. 22 mag is slightly larger in diameter than the 22lr. it is really stupid that way back when they messed up these two and did not make them like the 38/357 and 44spec and 44mag.

May 22, 2008, 08:34 AM	#6
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,716	don't fire 22lR out of a 22mag chamber. you'll split cases and possibly get hot gases blowing past the cartridge and back at you. the danger isn't as bad as with high pressure centerfires but it is still a poor decision. don't do it. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

May 22, 2008, 11:25 AM	#9
birdshot Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2008 Location: north platte nebraska Posts: 344	done it i have fired the 22lr in a savage 24, 22wmr. case splits, bullet departs without any authority. i can't remember what kind of accuracy i got. you would probably get more energy from throwing the round at your target.

May 22, 2008, 04:30 AM	#3
croc4d Junior Member Join Date: May 21, 2008 Posts: 3	So it can be done but shouldn't be done, why is it different to the 22 short/22LR scenario, in theory wouldn't a 22LR be called a 22 magnum short?

May 22, 2008, 08:28 AM	#5
crrrock Junior Member Join Date: May 22, 2008 Location: Oz Posts: 1	Blume, I'm assuming you mean the cartridge size, yeah? I'll go measure one in the morning. But we'd only be talking thousandths of an inch, so I couldn't see a 22lr cartridge "exploding" in the chamber of a magnum.

May 22, 2008, 10:18 AM	#7
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	The .22 WMR case dimensions are entirely different from the .22 short/long/long rifle cartridges, whose differences are primarily case length. The .22 WMR has a significant taper to the case and does not use a "heeled" bullet as does the .22s/l/lr cartridges. If you try to chamber a .22 WMR in a .22 long rifle chamber you will quickly notice the difference. Not a good fit at all. Notice the large difference between the base and rim diameters. .22LR vs .22WMR .223 bullet dia .224 .225 neck dia .240 .225 base dia .241 .275 rim dia .291 .040 rim thick .046 .590 case length 1.052 .985 total length 1.350

May 22, 2008, 05:06 PM	#10
Sidetracked Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2008 Location: Henrietta, FL Posts: 306	As stated, this is bad logic. .... and a bad idea. It is not a dumb question. Asking before trying it is a good idea. But, assuming ANYTHING about interchanging different firearms and cartridges is likely to result in severe injury, or death. __________________ Feel free to disagree with my opinion. -I do it all the time.

May 23, 2008, 03:09 PM	#11
Legionnaire Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2000 Location: Central TX Posts: 1,503	Short answer, "No." The reason Ruger's Single Six convertible has two cylinders, one for .22Mag and one for .22LR, is because the cases have slightly different diameters even though the bullets themselves are pretty close (the .22 Mag bullet is also slightly larger, which is why many Single Sixes shoot the .22 Mag a bit more accurately). That said, I have heard (but never tested) that one can cut the base off of fired .22 Mag cases and slip a .22LR round inside the resulting cylinder, place the whole thing into the .22 Mag chamber, and fire it without splitting the .22 LR case. As I said, this is hear-say only; I've never tried it. Nor do I plan to. Sounds like a lot of work to launch a .22LR in an inefficient way. __________________ Cogito, ergo armatus sum.

May 23, 2008, 08:34 PM	#12
croc4d Junior Member Join Date: May 21, 2008 Posts: 3	Thanks all, sounds like my question's answered.

July 21, 2010, 02:32 PM	#13
Speedy Warrior Member Join Date: March 23, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 30	Thats great info guys. I've been looking for a new gun and been looking in the direction of a .22 for cost savings. When i saw a 22 mag I thought "Great i can shoot cheep .22lr and get a little more power from a .22 mag when i want." thinking it was the same as the 38/357 but i have learned somthing today. Thanks. Speedy __________________ "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in Government." -Thomas Jefferson

August 10, 2011, 09:29 AM	#14
Alan Truism Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2011 Posts: 8	Combat Handguns - .22 WMR "crazed addict attacks granny" There was an interesting little article about an elderly woman who fended off an attack with a North American Arms .22 mag mini-revolver. One shot (fired through her handbag) and the guy was down.

August 13, 2011, 07:05 PM	#16
A Person Junior Member Join Date: August 13, 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 8	Absolutely not! Not trying to be mean, but ALWAYS shoot the kind of bullet the gun is made for. The only to bullets that are interchangable (that i know of) is .223/.556x45mm NATO and the .308/7.62x51mm NATO, oh and you can shoot a .38 special in a .357 magnum, but you cant shoot a 357 mag in a 38 special. Hope I helped

August 13, 2011, 07:09 PM	#17
sigcurious Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2011 Posts: 1,755	I may be wrong, but aren't 5.56 and 7.62 nato, while the same dimensions, spec'd to higher pressures than .223 and .308, making them unsafe for use in some of those rifles?

August 13, 2011, 08:56 PM	#18
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Necro-thread Alert with thread veer. sigcurious, start a new thread with your question.. This one is closed.