is it possible to make a 22 rifle a 22mag?

[vince]

anybody ream my old single shot 22 into a 22mag? like the gun, super long barrel, want more umph though. is it possible? who, where, howmuch $$ thanks

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[BillM]

anybody ream my old single shot 22 into a 22mag? like the gun, super long barrel, want more umph though. is it possible? who, where, howmuch $$ thanks

Possible? Yes. Might have to open up the bolt face, probably have to
tune the firing pin, extractor and ejector a bit. I've seen old Winchester
1890's in 22 mag---

Good idea? Maybe, maybe not. SAAMI max pressure standards are actually the same for LR and 22 mag (24,000). The twist rate on your old 22 is
probably not optimal for 22 mag, and its an OLD rifle.
Take it to a good gunsmith and discuss it.

 

[OregonJohn]

It is NOT a good idea for several reasons:
1. The groove diameter on the .22 LR barrel is smaller than that of the the .22 Magnum (.219" vs .224 and this will increase pressure greatly.

2. The barrel of that .22 LR chambered gun is probably mild steel and will not be happy with the jacketed bullets used in much of the .22 Magnum ammo; you will wear out the rifling faster if you squeeze those too-fat bullets through it, whereas you can't wear it out with .22 LR shooting.

3. There is more to the conversion than rechambering: you may have to modify the extractor and ejector to deal with the larger, thicker rim of the .22 Magnum and the length of the case.

4. The gun is worth less than the conversion would cost you.

You would be FAR better advised to buy a new rifle in .22 Magnum. There are some excellent Marlin bolt actions in this chambering that will cost you less than the conversion of an elderly Mossberg, will shoot tighter than you can hold, and can be depended upon to last for the rest of your life as reliable, accurate rifles. Tarting up an old rifle makes no economic sense, will inevitably wear it out from stresses it wasn't designed to handle, and cost you more than buying a new rifle, perhaps twice as much. Your gunsmith is trying to tell you these things in a polite way: listen to him.

 

[dave]

But it works in .22/.22 mag convertible revolvers. Ruger single six for example.

Same rifling, So the barrel is larger ID to accomodate the WMR rounds?

 

[OregonJohn]

Ruger pistol is a 22 mag barrel shooting a 22 lr bullet in a 22 lr cylinder.