Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Ruger single action .22 groove diameter - the final word.

I emailed Ruger about the groove diameter of their .22 SA revolvers. I had read often enough that the Single Six Convertible was bored for the .22 WMR so nominally was .224", whereas .22 LR bullets are .222-.223" in diameter. But the hope was that the Single Ten made specifically for the .22 LR was bored properly. Apparently not so.

From the horse's mouth:
"The bore diameter for the new model single six family is .219 MIN MIN. DP. OF GROOVE .002 The groove diameter is .2240/.2255"

I underlined "family" since I am going to assume that means the Single Ten, which I had specifically asked about. I was looking at twist rates and noted that the Single Six, Ten and Nine all had 1:14 twists but every other .22 Ruger makes had a 1:16 twist, that's another indication that they use the same barrels on all of the Single Six/Ten/Nine revolvers.

So it should shoot .22 mag. more accurately?

Yes. I've heard anecdotal evidence from Single Six convertible owners over many years that while they shoot the .22 WMR just fine they aren't that accurate with .22 LR ammo, and I could add my experience with one I had many years ago to that list.

The hope was that since the Single Ten is made exclusively for the .22 LR while the Single Nine is made exclusively for the .22 WMR that the Single Ten would use a proper bore diameter for .22 LR ammo, but they don't.

How much of a difference that really makes might be influenced more by other factors. Jeff Quinn on Gunblast reports extremely good accuracy with his Single Ten to the tune of .81 up to 1.43" ten shot groups at 25 yards with several right in the 1" range. He uses a Ransom rest if that makes a difference. Other reviews I've read didn't show accuracy on that level, more like 1.5" to 3" groups.

Anyway, it's something I wondered about and since this a place to share info I figured I'd post what Ruger told me.

I've had five or six NM S-Ss...all but one was a tack driver with Magnum and mediocre with Long Rifle... The exception was the Hunter that shoots LR almost as well as the Magnums...

Did have one stainless 4 5/8" SS that was a single cylinder gun. It had a * on the frame ahead of the trigger guard and read that these guns were made to shoot Long Rifle ammo. It was much more accurate than the other S-Ss I had...

Two friends have Colt New Frontiers that has the same crapy accuracy with LR ammo.. The FA 97 and USFA Flat Top Target I have shoot the same with LR as Magnums...both are .2225...

Bob

One reason the 22 WMRs likely seem to shoot better is the shorter barrel time.

I've also noted that Jeff Quinn's results using a Ransom Rest look pretty good.

A couple of recent threads here and in the Rimfire forum had me getting newgunitis so I went out looking at Ruger single actions, but my loonyism was in need of confirmation of those couple of thousandths of an inch.

So I have given up on the idea of a new Single Ten and am now trying to talk myself into a sweet little J-frame Smith .22 on an auction site.

Even then, I looked at the prices folks want for those, then I went and dry fired my SR22 that is already bought and paid for...

I haven't had great luck with the Single Six with the .22 LR cylinder. My first, back in the late 80s, was a blued gun with the 4-5/8" barrel. It shot everything fairly well.

Since then, not good. I had one, blued with a 9-1/2" barrel, that shot one brand of .22 magnum very well, sub inch at 25 yards, but everything else was in the 2-4 inch range. I had a Hunter model for a while ... it was pretty awful.

I'd love another single six if it'd shoot but after probably 8-9 and only one good one, it's hard to justify. I have a Mk III semi-auto with some Volquartsen parts that I can dance bottle caps out to 75 yards with and a 10" Contender "match" .22 LR barrel that's been punched to .22 magnum that will do as well, so it's hard to justify further expenditures when I expect only further failure.

For some reason, single six or single seven, Ruger cannot seem to put the front sight on top of the barrel, either, which looks awful and chaps my hide no end.

Tom

I noticed that on my new Single Six convertible. The front sight is slightly but visibly leaning left. Rear sight is adjusted way over to the left to get zero'd.

Exactly my experience as well. Tack drivers with magnums, and mediocre with LR's.

I kinda figured they kept the magnum bore with the Single Ten's...I'm REALLY disappointed they went that route, seems rather lazy. I guess they're counting on gun writers being too excited about the gun in general(it is a damn exciting gun), most shooters not being able to shoot worth a crap, and most shooters not being savvy enough to ask the question in the first place.

It's really too bad, what a fantastic revolver. I'm sure it's going to be decent, but it would be nice if it were excellent.

When I was a kid my brother and my dad had convertibles. Brother's was a fixed sight and my dad's had the adjustable.

The idea of using a magnum cylinder was laughable and I don't know why. We killed tons of schit with those things and I don't recall ever thinking they were inaccurate.

Fast forward to a couple years back, I bought a 9.5" version. It has killed plenty of schit with the 22LR cylinder. Just recently I tried the mag version and the Hornady 30gr. V-Max load for schits and giggles. It is insanely accurate.

I'm just going to keep buying more Hornady ammo. It's an unbeatable combo.




Travis

I guess I'll have to be getting some of that Hornady ammo also.
I've never noticed the difference, bit I haven't compared on paper.

My '70s vintage Single Six shoots great with both cylinders. I want to try the A22 35 grain ammo.

I bought mine in 1978 so I'll have to shoot some of both and see if there is a difference.

I had a Single Six convertible when I was 16 and had no problem hitting all kinds of stuff including bottles thrown in the air (we used to do that in the ungreen 60’s) – even “quick drawed” a rabbit once when it burst from cover and I drew and shot from the hip. It was a thing hitter, not a group shooter.

Just providing this info for the group shooters who are interested in such. Kind of like how we obsess over squeezing those last few .010’s of an inch from our rifles when any rifle that can group into an inch or inch and a half will still suffice for most big game taken today.

OK. went to the range yesterday with the Single Six convertible and an assortment of the .22 LR and .22 Mag ammo I had on hand.

The pistol was bought in 1978, 6-1/2" barrel, with serial # 67-23xxx.

Set up target at 10 yards and shot 10 round groups from bench with bag support.

Results:
.22 LR
Rem. Golden Bullet 36 gr. PHP-------1.38"
Fed. Auto Match 40 gr. solid---------1.1"
PMC Sidewinder 40 gr. solid---------1.67"
CCI Standard Velocity 40 gr. solid---1.76"
Average of all------------------------1.48"

.22 Magnum
CCI Maxi Mag PHP 40 gr. HP--2.1"
Fiocchi 40 gr. JSP-------------1.76"
Winchester 36 gr. V-Max-----1.55"
Average of all-----------------1.8"

It looks like maybe the older guns were bored for the regular .22 stuff.

Other observation was that for the lower priced .22 LR ammo, the Federal Auto Match is very good stuff. It also was the most accurate of several brands I tried in my 10/22.

'Will cost you a few pennies to find out. Grasp a .22 lr cartridge kinda firm-like. Same with the other hand on the lead bullet, flex them a bit. The bullet should come out of the case easily. SWEEP UP THE GUN POWDER YOU JUST SPILLED ALL OVER EVERYTHING! AS usual UNLOAD the revolver and take the cylinder out of the frame. Stick the bullet point first into the muzzle your Ruger revolver. Push it flush into the muzzle with your thumb. Tap it all the way thru the bore with a 1/8 inch dowel rod or a cleaning rod. If your revolver is typical the bullet will offer little resistance. The lands will lightly engrave the soft lead bullet.

There is you answer....but sometimes they shoot well with the smaller .22LR bullet.

PO Ackley chambered .22lr barrels with .22WMR chambers, paid attention to the leade angle of the throat. He claimed no pressure difference (how or if he had a way to measure pressure we do not know). Accuracy was better with the fat WMR and WRF bullets in the .22 LR skinny bores. He liked a 15" twist in rimefire mag and LR barrels... if I recall correctly.

There's a tool called the Paco Kelly Acu'rzr that allows you to resize the 22LR up in size to get a tighter fit and better accuracy in any gun using bulk ammo, particularly in the Ruger convertibles. Never broke down and got one myself because I don't need great accuracy in a 22, just use them for plinking.

http://www.pacotools.com/tool_discriptions

It appears the CCI stuff ain't that great..

Nice to see that Winchester 36 gr magnum ammo gave you the smallest group. I have a bunch of that on hand and, with the new Ruger rifle, I can't wait to try it out..

Nice tests above.. Thanks for the info..

10 yds. !!!! I realize it's 10 rds. per ammo make, but only 10 yds. ?
My Convertible was purchased in 1972. It's a stainless, 5.5 inch version. .22 LR groups run 3 inches plus depending on ammo brand. But .22 Mag CCI 40 gr. HP runs just over 2 inches for all six rounds. Winchester goes over 3 inches for their 40 gr. HP stuff. E

'Bought one back when Longs Drugs was selling stainless convertibles for $188.00. Setup the rest and chrony. Shot some for size and speed. All the Magnums were about 2" @ 25 yards. Tried the .22 lr and shot a leg off the chrony! Patterns, not groups with that pistol and and LR ammo.

On gun, one half day at the range, one bore slugging. One opinion.

Sold it at the next gun show in Palmer!