Can I shoot .22LR in my .22 Mag revolver?

[ImDrRich]

Can I or should I, I guess, are the real questions.

Would any harm come to me or my S&W 351PD if I do?

Thanks and Happy Independence Day to all.

Rich

 

[Cal44]

A lot of people do this with steel guns.

It works, but accuracy suffers as does velocity.

Cases bulge and sometimes split.

Maybe ok in an emergency.

Like you are stranded on an island and the only thing to eat was a bunch of rabbits.

Actually I wouldn't try it in a gun with an Aluminum cylinder.

 

[daddio202]

In a simple answer NO. 22 wmr is a different size case and head. Back in the day you could order a model 48 with for an extra fee your gun would come with 2 cylinders one in 22lr one in 22mrf. Also back in the day if you owned a 22mrf gun you could send it in to S&W to have a 22lr cylinder fitted to your gun. They no lomger offer such options.Now days the only way is to find a 22lr cylinder on ebay or any Internet site buy it, then have a gunsmith fit it to gun. In some cases the new cylinder might fit and work fine without fitting but it is recommended to have a gunsmith check it out first to make sure it is working correctly.

 

[Scorpion520AZ]

Can I or should I, I guess, are the real questions.

Can you? Sure.

Should you?
I wouldn't, bullet diameter, neck diameter, case length, and rim diameter are different. I also doubt S&W would give the go ahead warranty-wise.
For me it's a "No".

 

[75Vette]

You gotta watch out for rabbits!!

 

[ColbyBruce]

If you are looking for something cheaper to shoot .22 WRF can be fired in .22 magnum chambers.

 

[JamesSion]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ubQlgMqhF8[/ame]

Here is a video showing .22LR fired from a .22 Magnum.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

The video seems conclusive. Not a good idea. I am not a metallurgist or ballistician or any skill useful to this conversation, but if they make a separate cylinder, there is probably a good reason.

 

[S&WIowegan]

Many years ago when I was first getting into guns, a gunstore sold me a Ruger single six as a 22LR shooter. Knowing little or nothing, I proceeded to shoot 22LR ammo which produced some split cases. I do not recall how/when I figured the whole thing out, but the cylinder was for 22WMR and chambered them. Another hard knocks lesson.

 

[steelslaver]

Can? Yes. Should? No. As shown cases can split realeasing hot gases in wrong ways. Case will not be center properly in chamber and may well strike forcing cone off center a bit, spitting lead and giving poor accuracy. Wearing shooting glasses and with no one to the side of the gun no real danger, but hey why even do it. 22 cylinders are hard to find, not impossible. Say $300 give or take fit to your gun. but you should be able to find a good 22 for around $600-700. And get you money back if you ever decide to sell if you take care of it.