Shooting 22 LR in a 22 WMR Revolver?

[USGI]

I bought a Ruger 10/22 rifle a few years ago (my first) from a friend that had just put a new barrel on it. He bought it used and said the first time he fired it, it "blew up" the shell case and scared him pretty bad.. The only thing he could figure, was that there was something wrong with the chamber and cartridges fit way too loose in it - so installed a new barrel and that solved the problem.

This was at a gun show and a pretty sharp younger guy that overheard the conversation, said someone must have put a 22 mag barrel on it. He told us that the receiver and several other parts are different on the 22 mag version. Maybe it wouldn't have blown the case if it had been fired in an honest Ruger 10/22 mag? I'm guessing the bolt must not have sealed the breech correctly with the mag barrel on the standard 10/22. I've only shot a 10/22 (just this one) a couple times and it works perfectly now with the new barrel.

Is a genuine 10/22 mag barrel marked as such right on the barrel? Seems like he would have seen that if it was.

I know this whole story sounds kind of fishy, but that's the way it was supposed to have happened. Have any of you guys ever tried shooting 22 LR in a Ruger 10/22 mag? I don't know if it would feed one from the magazine, or if you'd have to load it like a "single shot"? - Bob