Getting a .22Mag cylinder for a .22LR revolver

[Telecaster]

I like my Charter Pathfinder Lite 2" .22LR revolver, it's a fun little shooter. My mind started wandering and I wondered if Charter would sell me a .22 Magnum cylinder for it. They said yes, you can send it in to be fitted. $100. But now I'm wondering if it's worth the effort. Is there anything.22 Magnum can do out of a snubbie that .22LR can't do? If ever pressed into service as a defensive gun, it would be a little better, but not much.

 

[DWalt]

Personal feeling, no. At least I wouldn't. Would be a better PD round but not by that much.

 

[OKFC05]

In a 2" barrel, its much louder.
Or you can shoot .22 WRF in the magnum chamber. I use these to shoot squirrels out of very tall trees with my .22 MAG rifle without shooting the squirrel apart.
But in a 2" barrel, well ......?
I have a 5" single action fixed sight revolver with the two cylinders, but only the .22 WRF shoots to point of aim.

 

[merl67]

A while back I found a loose k22 cylinder for cheap so I decided to fit it to my k22, and ream to 22 mag. Even with the 6 inch barrel I really don't see much advantage over 22lr might gain you some killing range I suppose. Rifles with their longer barrels give the 22 mag a clear advantage over the 22lr. Your mileage may vary...

 

[Rpg]

They are miserable in a handgun.

The noise and muzzle blast from a 2" barrel would be deafening...literally!

You'd get very marginal improvement in velocity, but not enough to notice a difference from 22lr, except for the noise, of course.

 

[Injunbro]

IMO .22magnum in a handgun is like having .22LR rifle velocities in a handgun. My 1 7/8" .22 magnum Model 351PD is a favorite & way out performs my 1 7/8" .22 LR.

 

[colt_saa]

Is it faster? . . . Absolutly

Is it louder? . . . Of course

Is it worth it? . . . Probably not

But I own this snubby anyway

Plus I am looking for a 2nd cylinder to build a 6" K-frame to go with it

This is America the only justification that we need to own one is because we want it

 

[steelslaver]

I see K 22 cylinders on Ebay regularly, Most are kind of spendy though. Would not surprize me to find a CA cylinder, 4DReamerRental will rent you a 22 mag cylinder reamer (different pilot than rifle).$34 plus $10.25 shipping. About the only other thing you would need is good cutting oil, a tap handle and a way to hold the cylinder firmly.

Beware. The mag has a larger rim. Some one here tried reaming a 10 shot cylinder to 22 mag. The rims would only allow a round to be chambered in every other chamber. Check for that before starting. 6 shot K frame cylinders work fine. No idea what CA doess


I have a spare K22 cylinder and several K22s, But, have no use for a 22 mag. 32 mag cylinders are another story.

 

[Mule Packer]

I think most of the folks here have pretty much covered it. About the only major difference you'll find shooting the .22 magnum through a 2-inch snub nose is that it will be much, much louder, kick more, but really won't give you much "bang for your buck," so to speak. In other words, shooting out of a 2-inch barrel, you won't see a significant difference over the .22 LR.

You see, the .22 magnum in a pistol is essentially just a souped-up .22 LR. Now, when you put it in a rifle, that's a whole 'nother breed of cat! The longer barrel makes all the difference in the world, turning a .22 magnum into a great, short-range (i.e. up 125 yards) varmint rifle, capable of taking down rabbits, groundhogs, prairie dogs, foxes, raccoons, and even coyotes.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I recall reading that the 22 Rimfire Magnum has a slightly larger bullet diameter, so convertible handguns have a slightly inbetween bore diameter.

 

[steelslaver]

You can stick .224 22 mags down a .222 22LR bore forever with no ill effects unless maybe you have some kind of pot metal pistol or an action that can not handle 22 mag pressures in the first place.

Now in rifles it may depend on the action. Many 22lr bolt guns depend on a single lug on the bolt and on those it would depend on that shoulder and the matching lug in receiver being strong enough for 22 mag pressures. I have a single shot 22 lr that basically has no lock up and when you fire it it blows back the "bolt" and ejects. I am sure re chambering it to 22 mag would not be a good idea, but because to much pressure no mater the bore.

Many semi autos have no lock up and strictly work on bolt block weight and spring pressure matching the pressure. Increasing the pressure to 22 mag levels would cause to bolt to cycle back to hard and to fast and once again the problem would not be bore size.

Actually over sized bullets do very little to increase pressure IF THE CHAMBER MATCHES THE ROUND. A 312 bullet in a 30-06 chamber does not cause a problem because the bore is to small. The problem is the neck of the chamber is to small and chambering it crimps the case hard on the bullet making it difficult for the bullet to release and start traveling causing a very big pressure spike. But, interesting PO Ackely took a 30-06 and left the bore stock, but re chambered it to 35 Whelen a 35 caliber bullet loaded into a 30-06 case. While using pressure equipment recorded no huge pressure jumps while firing 358 bullets down a 308 caliber bore. The bullets simply left the case and swedged down to .308 in the throat

 

[SweetMK]

We were shooting a Model 17 S&W one day,,
without telling him, I handed my nephew my S&W Model 48 instead,, (22 MAG)

I thought my nephew was gonna attack me with a stick, that Model 48 was SO LOUD,,,

That was over 30 years ago, and my nephew STILL talks about that day,,

Plan on the magnum being loud, REALLY loud,,,

 

[CH4]

I was looking for a orphaned cylinder to make a .22 WMR, but found a 648 no dash first. I couldn't be happier. I definitely wouldn't want a .22 mag handgun with a barrel shorter than 6", but that's just me.

 

[GregG]

On a revolver made specifically for .22 LR, and has a .222" bore, running .224" WMR jacketed ammo through it will raise pressures to the point the cases are difficult to extract. BTDT. And don't recommend it.

The revolvers made for both calibers from the factory usually have the larger .224" bore for .22 Mag ammo, and accuracy with .22 LR will suffer some.

 

[ky wonder]

I like my Charter Pathfinder Lite 2" .22LR revolver, it's a fun little shooter. My mind started wandering and I wondered if Charter would sell me a .22 Magnum cylinder for it. They said yes, you can send it in to be fitted. $100. But now I'm wondering if it's worth the effort. Is there anything.22 Magnum can do out of a snubbie that .22LR can't do? If ever pressed into service as a defensive gun, it would be a little better, but not much.

while I would not rework your pistol, I am a fan of the 22mag, in handguns
I have a old high standard sentinel II in 4inch, that shoots like a laser, and recently moved to packing a keltec pmr30 as everyday carry

I have owned it long enough to have upmost trust in it, and even fully loaded with 30 rounds weight is almost nothing, trigger breaks at 3lbs and it shoots very accurately, while it does not pack the punch of my 1911, I do like the capacity,

of course here on the farm I am more apt to run up on critters than villians

shot a young coyote just last week he was trotting across the field about 40 yds. from my tractor, he dropped like a ton of bricks on impact

I don't know of anyone that would willingly walk into a hornets nest of 30 mad bees, and fully loaded I could pack 2 pmr 30s, and still have less weight than 1 government model 45 loaded with 8 230 grain pills

not suggesting it to anyone else but I am very comfortable, knowing I have 31 in the pistol and additional 60 in two extra mags hanging from my shoulder, regardless of what shows up

 

[Catwrangler]

I had a 3" Pathfinder in the mid-80s that I sent to Charter to be fitted and timed with a new .22mag cyl.
I can confirm LOUD w/ an impressive muzzle flash.
I did however discover while firing at an indoor range that even after 2 cyls that the bench was covered with unburnt powder. - I'd like to see chrono numbers, but I think anything less than a 6" barrel doesn't offer any real world improvement- IMHO

 

[SuperMan]

On a revolver made specifically for .22 LR, and has a .222" bore, running .224" WMR jacketed ammo through it will raise pressures to the point the cases are difficult to extract. BTDT. And don't recommend it.

The revolvers made for both calibers from the factory usually have the larger .224" bore for .22 Mag ammo, and accuracy with .22 LR will suffer some.

..have had several S&W .22 Long Rifle revolvers fitted with .22 Magnum cylinders and have had none of the problems you describe. Currently I have:

Model 63 with a 651 cylinder
Model 35 with a 51 cylinder
Model 18 with a 48 cylinder

...and have zero problems with pressure or extraction...and accuracy with both cylinders is exceptional...

As to the original question on having a 2" done...you will probably see a 100-150 fps increase over standard High Speed .22 Long Rifle. It also depends on the bullet weights used in both calibers...

Bob