32Special
Member
I've been on a .22 revolver kick lately. I'm getting older, and I guess I like recoil/expense/noise less now.
First was a 351C. I shot it with several different kinds of ammo. The CCI 30grain TNT shot right to the sights at 50 feet, and was the only one that expanded in wet mud, and it opened to about .40. Velocity was 1250 fps over my old PACT chronograph. None of the 40 grain loads or polymer tipped loads opened up at all. Gun had an extractor problem, however, in that the extractor slipped past the rims leaving them in the chambers. S&W fixed that however. I haven't tried any of the specialty "short barrel" .22 mag ammo, but don't plan to use anything but the 30 TNT since it shoot to the sights and expands and seems readily available. All the loads are LOUD. This was the only gun that I had when the weather was warm so that I could shoot outdoors and chronograph. My groups with this gun can't be compared with the others since I used a rest, but the 30 grain TNT went 2.2" for seven at 50 feet.
After I got the 351C, I learned about the 43C and watched for one for months until I finally got one off Davidsons Gun Genie through my dealer about 3 few weeks ago. I have shot it will 9 different types of ammo, and the only load that hits to the sights are CCI Minimags. SADLY, they back out against the breechface and jam the gun such that the cylinder would not turn without extremely excessive force on the trigger. Worse, 7 out of the 9 tried loads did this to some degree or another. CCI Stingers did not (I think due to the nickel case) and Remington Viper didn't. However, both those loads were really old and I wonder if the new lots would work. Viper hit close to the sights at 50 feet, but Stingers were 3.5 inches low (CCI Segmented 32 grain loads hit low as well). Also, these were all difficult to extract as well except for the Viper and Stinger. I shot some of the Aguila 60 grain ammo, and it hit high and tumbled, but I expected stability issues. I've written S&W for a return label. A $600 22 should shoot any normal 22 ammo. Right now, the Viper is the only load I'd use in the gun, but the accuracy is nothing to brag about at 5.8 inches for 8 at 50 feet.
The last gun was an LCR .22. It had the least problems of the .22 snubbies, and the best trigger of all, and was $200 cheaper. It also shot the Aguila 60 grain loads high with stability issues, but the group was still only 1.9" at 50 feet! However, since the bullets were already tipping, I would bet they wouldn't even be on paper at 25 yards. Mini Mags shot to the sights, but gave cylinder binding issues similar to (but not NEAR as bad) as the 43C. Ammo that gave no problems in this included CCI Velocitor, Rem Viper, Stinger, CCI 32 grain segmented and 40 grain segmented. Minimag and Aquila 60 grain bound up the cylinder rotation. The 32 grain loads hit 1.5" low, and Velocitor hit about .5" low at 50 feet, and Viper about 1" low and 1" left. So far, Velocitor is the load for this gun.
All shooting with the 22 LR guns was standing offhand at an indoor 50 foot range. While I feel S&W will fix the 43C, right now I could only recommend the LCR to friends.
I also picked up a new Ruger SP101 in .22 (I had one of the old ones). No problems at all other than a heavy trigger. I put in a spring kit and got misfires, so I left the light trigger spring in and returned the factory mainspring. A definite keeper even though the trigger is a bit heavy. Sights adjust great so I can adjust to hit with any load. I didn't try the Aguila 60 grain load in this (yet), so I don't know if it will be stable or not. I don' t have the targets handy, but groups were acceptable.
Over the years I have numerous .22 revolvers (S&W, Colt, Ruger and one High Standard), and I've never had this cylinder binding issue show up before. Maybe I was just lucky until now.
First was a 351C. I shot it with several different kinds of ammo. The CCI 30grain TNT shot right to the sights at 50 feet, and was the only one that expanded in wet mud, and it opened to about .40. Velocity was 1250 fps over my old PACT chronograph. None of the 40 grain loads or polymer tipped loads opened up at all. Gun had an extractor problem, however, in that the extractor slipped past the rims leaving them in the chambers. S&W fixed that however. I haven't tried any of the specialty "short barrel" .22 mag ammo, but don't plan to use anything but the 30 TNT since it shoot to the sights and expands and seems readily available. All the loads are LOUD. This was the only gun that I had when the weather was warm so that I could shoot outdoors and chronograph. My groups with this gun can't be compared with the others since I used a rest, but the 30 grain TNT went 2.2" for seven at 50 feet.
After I got the 351C, I learned about the 43C and watched for one for months until I finally got one off Davidsons Gun Genie through my dealer about 3 few weeks ago. I have shot it will 9 different types of ammo, and the only load that hits to the sights are CCI Minimags. SADLY, they back out against the breechface and jam the gun such that the cylinder would not turn without extremely excessive force on the trigger. Worse, 7 out of the 9 tried loads did this to some degree or another. CCI Stingers did not (I think due to the nickel case) and Remington Viper didn't. However, both those loads were really old and I wonder if the new lots would work. Viper hit close to the sights at 50 feet, but Stingers were 3.5 inches low (CCI Segmented 32 grain loads hit low as well). Also, these were all difficult to extract as well except for the Viper and Stinger. I shot some of the Aguila 60 grain ammo, and it hit high and tumbled, but I expected stability issues. I've written S&W for a return label. A $600 22 should shoot any normal 22 ammo. Right now, the Viper is the only load I'd use in the gun, but the accuracy is nothing to brag about at 5.8 inches for 8 at 50 feet.
The last gun was an LCR .22. It had the least problems of the .22 snubbies, and the best trigger of all, and was $200 cheaper. It also shot the Aguila 60 grain loads high with stability issues, but the group was still only 1.9" at 50 feet! However, since the bullets were already tipping, I would bet they wouldn't even be on paper at 25 yards. Mini Mags shot to the sights, but gave cylinder binding issues similar to (but not NEAR as bad) as the 43C. Ammo that gave no problems in this included CCI Velocitor, Rem Viper, Stinger, CCI 32 grain segmented and 40 grain segmented. Minimag and Aquila 60 grain bound up the cylinder rotation. The 32 grain loads hit 1.5" low, and Velocitor hit about .5" low at 50 feet, and Viper about 1" low and 1" left. So far, Velocitor is the load for this gun.
All shooting with the 22 LR guns was standing offhand at an indoor 50 foot range. While I feel S&W will fix the 43C, right now I could only recommend the LCR to friends.
I also picked up a new Ruger SP101 in .22 (I had one of the old ones). No problems at all other than a heavy trigger. I put in a spring kit and got misfires, so I left the light trigger spring in and returned the factory mainspring. A definite keeper even though the trigger is a bit heavy. Sights adjust great so I can adjust to hit with any load. I didn't try the Aguila 60 grain load in this (yet), so I don't know if it will be stable or not. I don' t have the targets handy, but groups were acceptable.
Over the years I have numerous .22 revolvers (S&W, Colt, Ruger and one High Standard), and I've never had this cylinder binding issue show up before. Maybe I was just lucky until now.
