Converting 22LR Chamber to 22WMR Short Chamber?

[arakboss]

How would you go about modifying a 22lr chamber to fit a 22WMR short? I am most interested in an easy dyi method to open up the chambers rim ledge to accommodate the wider rim of the 22WMR. The rim size of 22lr is about .278 versus .296 for the 22wmr short. The overall length of 22WMR short is .400 inches. I only have a hand drill and dremel for power tools.

Edit: I would want to leave the diameter of the 22lr chamber untouched beyond the .400 length of the 22WMR short.


Let's use a rough rider cylinder as the chamber that I would be modifying.


Why, for the fun of it.

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[edzz]

What the heck is a 22WMR short?

 

[arakboss]

What the heck is a 22WMR short?

25cal nail gun blank

 

[dangerranger60]

For about $30 Heritage will sell you a 22 mag cylinder.
that's the cheapest and easiest way.
If you wanted to do this yourself you would do it with a chamber reamer. You can rent one, Somewhere around $30 to $40 .
A Rough riders cylinder is log enough to chamber a 22 mag. I would not chamber for the 22 WMR [slightly shorter than 22 mag.] They are expensive when you can find them. They have kind of gone the way of the 25 rimfire and 32 cal rimfire. And If you did find the older short s they fire just fine from a 22 mag chamber. DR

 

[arakboss]

For about $30 Heritage will sell you a 22 mag cylinder.
that's the cheapest and easiest way.
If you wanted to do this yourself you would do it with a chamber reamer. You can rent one, Somewhere around $30 to $40 .
A Rough riders cylinder is log enough to chamber a 22 mag. I would not chamber for the 22 WMR [slightly shorter than 22 mag.] They are expensive when you can find them. They have kind of gone the way of the 25 rimfire and 32 cal rimfire. And If you did find the older short s they fire just fine from a 22 mag chamber. DR

Isn't 22WMR and 22 Mag the same cartridge different name?

 

[arakboss]

For about $30 Heritage will sell you a 22 mag cylinder.
that's the cheapest and easiest way.
If you wanted to do this yourself you would do it with a chamber reamer. You can rent one, Somewhere around $30 to $40 .
A Rough riders cylinder is log enough to chamber a 22 mag. I would not chamber for the 22 WMR [slightly shorter than 22 mag.] They are expensive when you can find them. They have kind of gone the way of the 25 rimfire and 32 cal rimfire. And If you did find the older short s they fire just fine from a 22 mag chamber. DR

I thought about just ordering the 22 mag cylinder from Heritage but discussing it with another member he mentioned that if I use the blanks to fire 22 pellets in a 22 mag cylinder there would be free space between the mouth of the blank and where the pellet rested in the cylinder. I am not sure that would be a bad thing but I want to test out the idea before getting in to the project too deep. I would be willing to sacrifice one hole in my 22lr cylinder to test the idea. If I modify one hole in the cylinder, I will mark it so I don't inadvertently put a 22lr cartridge in it again.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

Does somebody have too much time on their hands?

 

[arakboss]

Does somebody have too much time on their hands?

View attachment 1242688

My brain is like a wall. I keep throwing ideas up there and occasionally something sticks. Most of the time the ideas are fleeting and drift away up into the ether.

I am going to try 27cal nail gun blanks with some .17 cal pellets in my Savage BMAG. I will double coat them with ALOX. I will probably stuff some down through the muzzle and super glue a few to the blanks.

 

[dangerranger60]

Isn't 22WMR and 22 Mag the same cartridge different name?

Sorry, I ment WRF. its an older rimfire that is the same diameter as a 22 mag. but much less power. It dates from 1890.

 

[dangerranger60]

I thought about just ordering the 22 mag cylinder from Heritage but discussing it with another member he mentioned that if I use the blanks to fire 22 pellets in a 22 mag cylinder there would be free space between the mouth of the blank and where the pellet rested in the cylinder. I am not sure that would be a bad thing but I want to test out the idea before getting in to the project too deep. I would be willing to sacrifice one hole in my 22lr cylinder to test the idea. If I modify one hole in the cylinder, I will mark it so I don't inadvertently put a 22lr cartridge in it again.

Why not try putting the pellet just ahead of a 22 cal blank in the cylinder. unless you over pressure it the skirt of the pellet will expand to the cyl size and conform to the barrel size as it moves down the barrel. Try the lowest power blanks first.[ pellets make a very light weight bullet.]
If the pellet does not fit the chamber, you may need to w swage it by pressing the skirt side on a ball bearing. [ you should be able to do that with finger pressure] all that without modifying your cylinder.
using smokeless powder there should be no problem with an air gap between the powder and pellet.
You might try first with primer only! Good Luck DR

 

[ARFrog]

Gonna haveta keep you guys out of the shed...you're gonna hurt yourselves

 

[arakboss]

Why not try putting the pellet just ahead of a 22 cal blank in the cylinder. unless you over pressure it the skirt of the pellet will expand to the cyl size and conform to the barrel size as it moves down the barrel. Try the lowest power blanks first.[ pellets make a very light weight bullet.]
If the pellet does not fit the chamber, you may need to w swage it by pressing the skirt side on a ball bearing. [ you should be able to do that with finger pressure] all that without modifying your cylinder.
using smokeless powder there should be no problem with an air gap between the powder and pellet.
You might try first with primer only! Good Luck DR

That seems to be the standard method for loading pellets and blanks in revolvers. I think with rifle chambers it may be more difficult to get the pellet in there from the chamber side. I will try it both ways. I am going to try the blanks in my M&P 22 compact as well. I am hoping to get the thread adapter I need for that pistol so I can mount my lead round ball launcher to it. My shopping list is much larger than my disposable income right now so I have to prioritize projects. The projects that can be tested with what I already have on hand will get moved up the list.

 

[dangerranger60]

That seems to be the standard method for loading pellets and blanks in revolvers. I think with rifle chambers it may be more difficult to get the pellet in there from the chamber side. I will try it both ways. I am going to try the blanks in my M&P 22 compact as well. I am hoping to get the thread adapter I need for that pistol so I can mount my lead round ball launcher to it. My shopping list is much larger than my disposable income right now so I have to prioritize projects. The projects that can be tested with what I already have on hand will get moved up the list.

I doubt you will have any problem putting a pellet ahead of a blank. The pellet will be shorter and have a flatter nose than the bullet. it should fit easily in the lead. DR

 

[arakboss]

I thought about just ordering the 22 mag cylinder from Heritage but discussing it with another member he mentioned that if I use the blanks to fire 22 pellets in a 22 mag cylinder there would be free space between the mouth of the blank and where the pellet rested in the cylinder. I am not sure that would be a bad thing but I want to test out the idea before getting in to the project too deep. I would be willing to sacrifice one hole in my 22lr cylinder to test the idea. If I modify one hole in the cylinder, I will mark it so I don't inadvertently put a 22lr cartridge in it again.

So I am looking at my rough rider revolver's cylinder and noticed there is no recessed area for the rim to sit in. I think you could simply drill out a cylinder hole half way through the cylinder's length with a 1/4 drill bit and make it capable of accepting a 25cal blank? I am not sure I feel comfortable trying this with a hand drill but in a drill press I think it's doable?

Has anybody tried shooting 22lr in a 22 mag chamber, did the brass blow out?

My 22lr cylinder




22lr cylinder photo from Heritage website





22 WMR cylinder photo from Heritage website



Judging from photos I think the cylinders are the same except for the 22WMR having the 22WMR chamber holes.

 

[arakboss]

If anybody has access to a 22WMR chamber and a micrometer can you measure the diameter of the hole on the side the bullet enters the chamber and post it here?

 

[Kruel J]

All standard specs are here:

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[arakboss]

All standard specs are here:

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I have previously looked at that page and while it list the specs for the cartridge it doesn't list chamber specs.

 

[bcp]

Cartridge and chamber specs:

 

[arakboss]

Cartridge and chamber specs:

View attachment 1243546

Thank you. Looks like 1/4 inch hole would be slightly too big but would probably be workable if the hole was cleanly drilled.

 

[Member 52301]

What the heck is a 22WMR short?

I have never heard of a 22wmr 'short' before.

Cate