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.22 WMR and "the other" rounds
Lucky4597
Member Posts: 271 ✭✭✭
The pointed question is will guns chambered in .22 WMR safely shoot the other .22 loads - .22 LR and .22 Short. The fact that a manufacturer like Ruger makes interchangeable cylinders would lead one to believe not. But on the other hand the Taurus Judge, as an example, shoots both a physically longer .410 round out of the same cylinder as a much shorter .45 LC - I ask the question generally as it pertains to pistol and rifle platforms - auto, revolver, bolt, lever, pump, et al. And that may well effect the answer(s). TY
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No they are different diameters.
TY - and that makes perfect sense. So in the case of the Ruger Single-6 w/interchangeable cylinders - the barrel is bored such that the .22 LR will "process" safely and w/some reasonable accuracy even though a projectile of less diameter is flying through it?
Same bullet diameter different case diameter. 22LR is .226 the magnum round is .242. it is how the bullet is seated in the case that is different.
AHHHHA! Thanks DB - knowledge is power.
As I understand it, the .22's will fire in the WRM chamber but you will probably get split cases and blowback into the action.
As a youngster, my first handgun was a Ruger Single Six with the interchangeable cylinders for 22LR and 22WMR. Being of the curious sort, I just had to find out what would happen if I attempted to fire 22LR or shorts in the magnum cylinder. First of all, about 15 to 20% of the time, the LR or short ammo wouldn't fire because they sat in the bottom of the larger magnum chamber and the firing pin was too high to properly engage the rim. Second, when they did fire, the cases would bulge to fill the larger chamber and sometimes one would split, especially with Remington ammunition. Third, the accuracy was certainly nothing to brag about.
Thanks T - exactly the kind of wisdom I was hoping for. Man, I was that kid too - and then some.
OK, I'll beat the deceased equine a bit:
The 22 WMR bullet(generally a jacketed design) is seated INSIDE the case requiring that the case be larger diameter than bullet diameter. The common 22 rimfire(generally a plain lead slug) uses a HEALED (meaning the base of the bullet is a reduced diameter to fit inside a case that is the same external diameter as the bullet.
The 22 WMR bore dimension is also slightly larger but the soft lead of the 22 rimfire will 'slug up' to provide adequate accuracy.
Attempting to fire 22lr cartridges in a 22WMR falls into the 'expedient or only in case of emergency' category and only a totally uninformed ?????? takes this path (or recommends such for others).
FWIW The 22WMR in a handgun is neither fish nor fowl when it comes to performance. The cartridge (until recently) was really meant to be used in a rifle length barrel and performed poorly in a handgun. The muzzle blast was nearly as loud as something far more effective such as the 38 Special.
Big 411 Mo - 🙏💥
The 22 WRF works fine in the magnum chamber.
Not as high a velocity though.