Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Can you shoot 22lr from a 22 mag?

Can you use 22LR ammo in a 22 mag bolt action rifle. What happens if you do? Just always wondered this…. Thanks for any feedback.

You can and it will...................but the results suck. There is no accuracy and the .22lr cases split or bulge up front. The .22WMR chamber in addition to being longer than the .22lr, is also slightly larger in diameter. Then there's the danger of a squib because of the split and pressure loss, but they usually just rattle down the barrel.

I don't even like .22lr/.22WMR convertible revolvers because the bore diameter has to be a middle-of-the road compromise to accommodate the differences in bullet diameters.They'll both shoot okay, but neither will shoot well. A dedicated .22lr for shooting .22lr, and a dedicated .22WMR for shooting .22WMR, I say. They'll both work out better for you.

One can take a 22 mag case, cut off the rim and insert a 22LR round and fire it.

My Brother used to do this with a 22 mag. single six that only had a 22 mag cylinder.

Virgil B.

I've tried it in my .22 Mag. M24 and it worked, or should I say it went off, but I don't know how accurately. If that was my only rifle for running a trap line I might try that close up for not wrecking something with the stronger magnum round. I wouldn't be doing that too often because the shorter LR will create a burn and build up a ring in the chamber and the magnum cases would not feed or eject well.

THIS
I have a single six with both cylinders, it is acceptably accurate but not great.
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