Shooting 22 LR in a 22 WMR Revolver?

[USGI]

The NRA ran an article the other day on the S&W 648-2 revolver which is chambered in 22 WMR. The article suggests you can also shoot 22 LR with it. How does that work? Wouldn't that bulge or split the cases? Guess they would still eject, but just doesn't sound right to me. - Bob

https://www.americanrifleman.org/con...48-2-revolver/

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[tiriaq]

Bad idea. Cases will swell and fireform. Excellent chance of blown rims, splits, etc.

[USGI]

I can't see why any manufacturer would suggest that. I wonder if the NRA article is in error, "The cylinder has a capacity of eight rounds and can also chamber .22 LR cartridges, though it is specifically optic sized for .22 WMR." I could see how it could chamber 22LR, but wouldn't be a good idea to fire them. It make's me wonder if they meant to say 22 WRF, instead of 22LR? - Bob

[MAC702]

The article should be considered to be in error. I like that it probably meant to say .22 WRF instead of .22 LR. That said, I've shot plenty enough .22 LR out of a single-action .22 WMR revolver to find out that it's safe to do so. In several dozen that I inspected carefully, I've never seen a split case or had hard extraction. The cases are close enough and low enough pressure that you'd have to look very closely to see a bulge. The rim is smaller diameter, but still adequately seats against the chamber.

This is not to be taken as a recommendation to do it on purpose, but if you need to do what you need to do, it's nice to know what to expect.

[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