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Shooting .22 WMR / Mag

5K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Buckeye! 
#1 ·
It my birthday is in a few days, and I don't know why, but I never shot any .22 WMR/Mag with the cylinder that I bought for the heritage rough rider. So I'll be doing a range report here, rather than a review on the ammo itself. It will be interesting to see and feel the difference if any, in regards to recoil and the sound.. accuracy non-widthstanding my post injured wrist.. although probally doing one handed shooting, off/weak hand.
 
#2 ·
It has been a while since I shot my RR but my memory says the difference in recoil is pretty small.

It's weird...well ok I'm weird, but when I look at the .22wmr cartridge I just can't help but think it is the most wicked looking little cartridge out there! Especially something like the Hornady plastic tipped stuff!

I look forward to your report. Have fun!
 
#3 ·
There is no recoil, not even in my 10 ounce NAA Black Widow, but it's one HECK of a lot louder. :D My RR is a 3.5" barrel/birds head grip model. It barks pretty good.

The .22 mag shoots with authority in my Remington 597 Magnum. It's 1.5" at 100 yards accurate in that rifle. But, I can shoot my M4 in .223 about as cheap. :D I killed a turkey with it a few years ago, though, dead center of the breast. It didn't do much meat damage at all and killed that bird dead. :D

When I was trapping ***** for a while, I'd carry the RR with magnums in it to put down the ***** a little quicker than .22LR. It worked rather well. :D Haven't trapped a hog in a while. When I do, I need to try a .22 mag on it. But, I mean, a .22LR to the cranium never fails.
 
#4 ·
^ This was going to be my comment also. The additional recoil is inconsequential but the louder report is significant. The barrel on my RR is 4.75" and the longer WMR case really makes for a loud bang. (I kinda' dig it.)
 
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#5 ·
I may get out to the range tomorrow to try the Rough Rider with the new grips. I really should get a hold of some magnum rounds to make sure they function. :rolleyes:
 
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#9 ·
Mine isn't more accurate than .22LR it likes, but it shoots POA in elevation and is more consistent load to load. The .22LR cylinder is kinda ammo picky.
 
#8 ·
Well, don't get too carried away. It's .22 magnum, not .357 magnum. :rofl: Now, you want bang? Light off a hot .357 in my 2", 19 ounce 605 Poly. :D It's really not that bad on recoil, but it's loud and significantly more so than any .22 mag from any barrel. :D
 
#10 ·
I have a Heritage Rough Rider with the swap-out cylinders too. When I shoot cheap 22LR bulk ammo through it, the accuracy is pretty poor. I can even feel differences in the recoil between shots with the cheap stuff.
When I shoot higher quality 22LR through it, the accuracy improves greatly.
When I switch to the 22 Mag cylinder and shoot magnums, it becomes very accurate.
The only problem is that I bought a few thousnad rounds of the cheap stuff.
 
#17 ·
I read online {it must be true} the barrel is bored for the 22wmr, the bullet diameter is a little larger, correct? If you did not get the combo you can get the cylinder later, one size fits all maybe a better explanation.
Yes, I did get it with only the .22LR cylinder, and there was a form inside the box, that I could get the .22WMR cylinder from the manufacturer. I actually was able to get it from ebay, as Heritage (Taurus) was out of them at the time. It's small bore, but yes it is big enough for the .22 WMR/Mag round.
 
#16 ·
I have a RR and a 992 and WMR cylinders for both. I also have a Henry Golden Boy in 22 WMR. The wheel guns are fun, especially at dusk when the big fireball gives me a giggle every time. My 22LR rimfires get most of the love though, just because of how inexpesive they are to plink with. And let's face it, If I need something with more "oomph", I've got other firearms that use more robust caliber cartridges. When I do get them out for target shooting, they both print a little high of POA compared to the 22LR cylinders. Of course the GB is sighted in for the WMR. Have fun and enjoy!
 
#21 ·
I found some .22 Mag cylinders for the Rough Rider, View attachment 441197 but they look strange...maybe lighting or something? He has a few and only asking $28 each. View attachment 441197
The Heritage website list a 22mag cylinder for $29.99. If you've got concerns about the ones you found, I think I'd go ahead and spend an extra couple of bucks to get the original.
 
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#20 ·
The Single Six bore is sized to the slightly larger 22WMR, I would hazard a guess the Rough Rider is also.

I have three RR's, and two of them stay loaded with magnums for use as farm carry. The 22WMR fired through a handgun gives better ballistics than a 22LR fired from a rifle, in a much handier package.
When I'm out working around the property, there is always the chance a rabid **** or fox will come out of the woodline. Very, very slim chance, but a chance.
This is why I carry a RR loaded with magnums, my alternative is a 38 Special snubby and that is just a little much in my opinion.

The 3.5" birdshead fits perfectly in my back pocket, alternately the 4.75" fits in my front pocket.
I prefer pocket carry, when cutting brush the debris won't get caught on a belt holster.

The best 22WMR ammo I have found is Winchester Super X 40 grain JSP. That also is very accurate in my Savage bolt action rifle as well.
 
#22 ·
The Single Six bore is sized to the slightly larger 22WMR, I would hazard a guess the Rough Rider is also.
Good guess. ;)

Let's look at SAMMI specifications:

Text Diagram Line Design Parallel


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It's interesting to note the spec for bullet diameter is actually larger for .22LR (.2255 -.004) than for .22WMR ).2245 -.004). These are the official SAMMI specs. The bore diameter for .22LR is .217, groove diameter is .222. For .22WMR the bore diameter is .219, groove diameter .224. I have read (on the interwebs, so it must be true) that gun manufacturers are sometimes a bit lax in complying with SAMMI specs, so take it for what it's worth.

So groove diameter for .22LR/.22WMR is .222/.224, a difference of two thousandths of an inch, roughly the thickness of a human hair. A .22LR fired in a .224 barrel will obdurate to fully engage the rifling. (Remember, .22LR bullets are either bare lead alloy or copper washed, not jacketed) OTOH a .22WMR fired in a .222 bore (assuming the chamber was reamed to allow it, though I wouldn't want to sit next to someone dumb enough to do that) stands a good chance of causing possibly catastrophic failure, since .22WMR bullets are jacketed just like CF bullets, and that copper jacket is not going to like being squeezed down that much.

On a related note, while firing a .22LR in a .22WMR chamber is possible, it's also asking for trouble. (Hint: Google is your friend.)
 
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