Kit gun accuracy
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Short answer is no, the shorter barrel should never keyhole.
Try different ammo.
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These guns are difficult for most people to shoot well, so many assume they aren't accurate. Kit gun .22s will almost always shoot one ammo better than others. Try CCI SV for a start, but try others as well. If you're experienced shooting from a bench and have the right equipment, shoot some groups at 25 yards. If not, find somebody that can.
This is the only way you'll know the accuracy potential of your gun and what ammo works best. When you find out how well your kit gun shoots, work on your own shooting skills.
This is the only way you'll know the accuracy potential of your gun and what ammo works best. When you find out how well your kit gun shoots, work on your own shooting skills.
Anton Chigurh
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Just about all of them are inherently accurate.
Practical accuracy is another matter. Light weight and short sight radius really presents a challenge.
Practical accuracy is another matter. Light weight and short sight radius really presents a challenge.
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People often mention short sight radius as being a a deterrent to good shooting. This has become another example of flawed "conventional wisdom" because it's so often repeated but not proven by individual shooters.
I have no doubt there is something to the short sight radius handicap, but it doesn't become a factor of any significance until the range extends beyond about twenty-five yards or so, considerably farther than most shoot these days with a handgun anyway.
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When bullets keyhole a target, it indicates either a problem with ammo or a problem with the barrel and/or cylinder.
First, make sure the barrel and chambers are clean and free of lead deposits. Make sure the chambers are locking up in line with the bore, misalignment can result in lead being shaved from one side of the bullet as it enters the barrel.
Undersized chamber throats can swage the diameter of the bullet as it passes through the throat, the result is a bullet that fails to properly fill the lands and grooves in the barrel and will be poorly stabilized. Oversized barrel grooves will also fail to stabilize the bullets.
If the revolver is clean and everything is within specifications, try different ammo. 22's can be very finicky when it comes to ammo.
First, make sure the barrel and chambers are clean and free of lead deposits. Make sure the chambers are locking up in line with the bore, misalignment can result in lead being shaved from one side of the bullet as it enters the barrel.
Undersized chamber throats can swage the diameter of the bullet as it passes through the throat, the result is a bullet that fails to properly fill the lands and grooves in the barrel and will be poorly stabilized. Oversized barrel grooves will also fail to stabilize the bullets.
If the revolver is clean and everything is within specifications, try different ammo. 22's can be very finicky when it comes to ammo.
cgt4570
Member
My most accurate fixed sight snub is an early post-war Terrier. My target sighted snubs are more accurate than I am. Haven't you seen Bob Munden hit balloons at like 200 yards with snub revolvers? 1-78" is plenty to put a proper spin on a projectile.
As stated above, .22's are "finicky" about ammo. I have seen the same model revolvers, with the same barrel length, where one will shoot touching groups, and the other maybe a several inch group. Same lot of ammo. Try standard velocity, 40 grain, first, and then several of the other varieties available and I'm sure you will find one that your gun likes. Be sure to do your testing from a bench rest.
gwpercle
Member
I split the difference .
My 22 LR "Kit Gun" model 317 Air-Lite , came with a 3 inch barrel and adjustable sights ... Perfect !
The 3 " barrel slips into a pocket or holster just as easily as a 2 inch .
Adjustable sights let you pick the load you like and adjust the sights to it ... that feature is worth it's weight in gold !
Mine is a Air-Lite and weighs just a few ounces ... it is usually the revolver that gets picked up and slipped in a pocket when I walk out the door . I would think long and hard on this model ... If it isn't perfect I don't know what is !
No ammo I have shot in mine has ever keyholed ...not once .
Gary
My 22 LR "Kit Gun" model 317 Air-Lite , came with a 3 inch barrel and adjustable sights ... Perfect !
The 3 " barrel slips into a pocket or holster just as easily as a 2 inch .
Adjustable sights let you pick the load you like and adjust the sights to it ... that feature is worth it's weight in gold !
Mine is a Air-Lite and weighs just a few ounces ... it is usually the revolver that gets picked up and slipped in a pocket when I walk out the door . I would think long and hard on this model ... If it isn't perfect I don't know what is !
No ammo I have shot in mine has ever keyholed ...not once .
Gary
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Nor have I ever experienced keyholed bullets in any .22 handgun, revolver or semi-auto, regardless of barrel length or the cheapness of the ammo. In fact, I don't recall ever hearing of such.
Protocall_Design
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The problem with a post like this is that everyone assumes every gun is made to correct specs. They are not. Every gun is an individual entity. Some guns are not made right, straight from the factory. Some are made very well. Most are somewhere in between, with minor flaws that may or may not affect how they shoot.
The guns that are made right will shoot any decent ammo fairly well, with some ammo being exceptional.
The in between guns may be a little finicky, but some kinds of ammo will shoot reasonably well.
The guns that have problems won't shoot well with anything. Most times these are minor things that are easily fixed, for example, poorly done forcing cone and/or barrel crown, tight chambers, barrel choke, over or undersized chamber throats, out of time, etc. Getting these issues fixed will usually turn a poor shooter into a great one, if the work is done right.
The guns that are made right will shoot any decent ammo fairly well, with some ammo being exceptional.
The in between guns may be a little finicky, but some kinds of ammo will shoot reasonably well.
The guns that have problems won't shoot well with anything. Most times these are minor things that are easily fixed, for example, poorly done forcing cone and/or barrel crown, tight chambers, barrel choke, over or undersized chamber throats, out of time, etc. Getting these issues fixed will usually turn a poor shooter into a great one, if the work is done right.
Model19man
Member
Looks to me like a hypothetical question based on bad advice.
Old Corp
Member
Interested in the difference I'd been witnessing on my range between my K22 6", a M18 4" and the M63 4", I sandbagged them all one day......
Far from scientific and with only a small variety of .22 LR ammo.
Shot at 20 yards.
As pretty much expected, the K22 mostly made a ragged hole with 1-2 cylinders-full of most ammo, HV and SV.
The M18 seemed a little more ammo-finicky but would also do the same with it's favored fodder.
The M63, would certainly 'group', but in a much more casual relation to the existing holes it made. IIRC, it liked CCI SV ammo best.
Final un-scientific results: The M63, at least mine, is not a target pistol and was not intended to be.
It does great for it's intended role - a handy small frame, high quality .22 revolver.
Far from scientific and with only a small variety of .22 LR ammo.
Shot at 20 yards.
As pretty much expected, the K22 mostly made a ragged hole with 1-2 cylinders-full of most ammo, HV and SV.
The M18 seemed a little more ammo-finicky but would also do the same with it's favored fodder.
The M63, would certainly 'group', but in a much more casual relation to the existing holes it made. IIRC, it liked CCI SV ammo best.
Final un-scientific results: The M63, at least mine, is not a target pistol and was not intended to be.
It does great for it's intended role - a handy small frame, high quality .22 revolver.
Could be as simple as the difference in triggers. The K frame triggers on mine seem to be much smoother than the one on the 63.
Robert
Before I had the knowledge I have accumulated today, I had a beautiful looking 2" 34. It had a bad keyhole problem. When perfectly clean, would be OK for the first 50 rounds or so, then start keyholing.
With what I know now, probably some work on the forcing cone could have fixed it, but didn't understand that at the time (30+ years ago)
Fast forward to 7 years ago, decided to give a 2" kit another chance. When I am on my game, a 1/2 size uspsa silhouette at 65 yards can be hit with boring regularity and the full size at 100 same thing. At close range inside 10 yards, offhand dime to nickel size groups are routine.
Shoots more accurately than any other snub I have ever used, and better than any of my compact pocket autos of similar size.
With what I know now, probably some work on the forcing cone could have fixed it, but didn't understand that at the time (30+ years ago)
Fast forward to 7 years ago, decided to give a 2" kit another chance. When I am on my game, a 1/2 size uspsa silhouette at 65 yards can be hit with boring regularity and the full size at 100 same thing. At close range inside 10 yards, offhand dime to nickel size groups are routine.
Shoots more accurately than any other snub I have ever used, and better than any of my compact pocket autos of similar size.
Rpg
Member
Those I've shot and owned are just as precise as my target 22's.
I've never even heard of a M34 or M63 keyholing.
As a practical matter, barrel length in these guns has no effect on its llikelyhood to keyhole. I find that the 4" is easier to shoot well at distance than the 2".
I've never even heard of a M34 or M63 keyholing.
As a practical matter, barrel length in these guns has no effect on its llikelyhood to keyhole. I find that the 4" is easier to shoot well at distance than the 2".
I always wanted a m34 snubby. I never wanted to put out the cash for a new one and never came across a deal on a used one. Finally a few years ago after 60yrs of wheeling and dealing I picked one up on trade. I could not hit jack with it. Bag it and it shot right with 4" 34.
There was a learning curve in shooting a 34 in 4" after being use to K22.
But the snubby barrel goes beyond learning curve for me. I probably could have done better in my 20-30s before eyes and nerves started to go. The 4" is more useful all around shooter.
There was a learning curve in shooting a 34 in 4" after being use to K22.
But the snubby barrel goes beyond learning curve for me. I probably could have done better in my 20-30s before eyes and nerves started to go. The 4" is more useful all around shooter.
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I had a 2" 34 some years ago. Point of impact at 25 yards was about 6" or so high with just about any .22 ammo. I eventually sold or traded it off, but a different rear sight blade may have solved the problem.
Piwo
Member
I have both 2 and 4 inch J frame kit guns. Both are more accurate than I am. Some people will have to work harder than others to shoot them at distance. The 4 inch is much easier for me to shoot, capable of squirrels and such in a pinch at 20 to 25 yards. The 2 inch, probably due to sight radius and my eyes, is good to 50 feet max for me. That is still useful for tin cans and pests at "working around the cabin" distances. I actually use the 2 inch more as a training aid for my J frame 38s.
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