22 mag vs 22 lr

[Lickskillet]

Am I able to shoot regular 22lr ammo through my newly acquired ruger 22 pistol? Inherited it with a box of 22 mag ammo. Thanks

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[AMT]

Gotta be a little more specific with the make/model of the Ruger 22 pistol.

If it is similar to the Convertible (http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSingleSixConvertible/models.html) then the cylinder should state somewhere "22LR" or "22WMR".

If you inherited the pistol and it has the 22LR cylinder, and you received a box of 22WMR, there should be another cylinder somewhere made for the 22WMR.

 

[Lickskillet]

Ok... thank you. I will look at it closer before firing...

 

[bumbazine]

If it's an older single six, the cylinder may very well not say anything on it, other than having part of the serial # etched on it.
at least that's the case with my '74 model.
The easiest way to tell the cylinders apart is to try to load a WMR round into it. The WMR rounds are enough larger than LR rounds that they won't fit into the LR cylinder.
The LR rounds will fit into the magnum cylinder and can be fired, but you shouldn't.

 

[Hook686]

My Ruger Super Single Six from the 1960's had, looking at the cylinder face closest to the hammer,:

- soomth face for 22 WMR
- a groove cut around the outer edge for the LR



The LR is on the left, the WMR is on the right.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Wondering if you can shoot a .22 out of a .22? ok!
Yea, there's different .22's in the world.
Good luck.

 

[Lickskillet]

Ok,, thanks for the heads up, but one question. It is a WMR from what I can tell and is an older model. Nothing on the cylinder at all. It is a Single Six. Bumbazine says it is capable of shooting LR rounds but shouldn't. Why?

 

[trainsktg]

You 'can' shoot .22LR in the magnum cylinder if you had to, but really shouldn't. The .22LR is slightly smaller diameter than .22 WMR, so ruptured cases are a possibility, and accuracy suffers. I discovered the latter empirically when a friend asked me to try their Single Six because it was inexplicable keyholing. They were shooting LR in a magnum cylinder.

EDIT - Trade offer: If you cannot find the LR cylinder and are a Portland local, I have a very nice New Model Single Six with both LR and Magnum cylinders I would trade you across the board for. I have an Old Model that is the twin of your's, except mine is LR only, so an OM magnum would be a nice addition.

Keith

 

[nextgenar]

Ok,, thanks for the heads up, but one question. It is a WMR from what I can tell and is an older model. Nothing on the cylinder at all. It is a Single Six. Bumbazine says it is capable of shooting LR rounds but shouldn't. Why?

View attachment 239902

You can purchase replacement cylinders in 22 LR relatively inexpensively, Midway currently has 8 shot cylinders in stock that work in the single six, they are made by a company called Story, I purchased a six shot model for my single six and it is exeptionaly accurate, they are $121 at midway, but shop around, I got mine for right at $100 for a six shot model

 

[Lickskillet]

Thanks guys... the gun is my wifes and was her fathers before he passed. Probably need to keep a hold of it

 

[trainsktg]

Definitely keep it!

Keith

 

[2gr8dgs]

To the OP,...If that is an unconverted 3 screw Ruger,... you have a sweet gun.
Also, just in case your not familiar with handling the "old models", you'll want to keep the hammer resting on an empty chamber. Good luck!

 

[Elidril]

I have an unconverted 3 screw Ruger. Besides the fact that I love it and it was my grandfather's, what are any other added benefits to it? Is the value increased? I don't have the .22mag cylinder unfortunately. Don't know if he ever had it, or if he got it before they started selling the convertible.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

generally 22lr shouldnt be fired out of a 22mag cylinder. i inherited an h&r 22lr/22mag from my grandpa. i have shot LR out of the mag cyl with no problems except spent 22lr fire forms to the cylinder and makes it hard to eject. i did eventually find the 22 lr cylinder along with 1000 rounds my grandfather hid from me(im assuming) as a boy. i knew he hid it and took me 12 years after he passed to find it in the budweiser box in the rafters in the barn along with a box of 30-06 marked BIMART$3.99.