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Why is there no love for 22 short an 22long
- Thread starter ladyT
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I shot shorts when I was a kid because they were cheaper. They will kill paper, tin cans, and small game just as good as LRs. If shorts were the only 22s I could find I would buy them until the money ran out. Larry
CScott
Member
22 Shorts will often knock a squirrel out of the tree when a 22 LR would go right through and leave it lying on the branch.
ColbyBruce
Member
If you think about it, rifles used to be chambered for Short/Long/Long Rifle ammo. For the last twenty+ years, that multiple chambering has been dropped from most makes in favor of .22 LR only.
The only semi auto handguns chambered for .22 Short that I recall we're the tiny Beretta 950/Minx series and some of the High Standard semi autos. There was a conversion kit for the Ruger standard model. Was there a .22 Short version of the S&W 41 or 46? The only .22 Long semi auto I ever saw was a Bernadelli vest pocked auto. The chamber was cut long enough for a LR, but the mag would not accept a cartridge bigger than a Long. I kept a CCI Mini-Mag LR in the chamber of mine and the two mags full of Remington HS Longs.
Revolvers would fire all three types of cartridges but required a thorough cleaning of the chambers due to build up.
Here is a photo of my last Beretta .22 Short.
The only semi auto handguns chambered for .22 Short that I recall we're the tiny Beretta 950/Minx series and some of the High Standard semi autos. There was a conversion kit for the Ruger standard model. Was there a .22 Short version of the S&W 41 or 46? The only .22 Long semi auto I ever saw was a Bernadelli vest pocked auto. The chamber was cut long enough for a LR, but the mag would not accept a cartridge bigger than a Long. I kept a CCI Mini-Mag LR in the chamber of mine and the two mags full of Remington HS Longs.
Revolvers would fire all three types of cartridges but required a thorough cleaning of the chambers due to build up.
Here is a photo of my last Beretta .22 Short.
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The new semi-auto rifles and pistols need the LR higher velocity rounds to cycle the action in a lot of cases, and the magazines are designed for the length of the LR.
If you shoot revolvers or bolt action, shorts and longs are fine in most cases.
If I come across longs at a good price, I'll pick them up to use in the revolver. The last shorts I saw were $4 /50, which is what I expect LR to be, so I passed on them. The stack of 100+ boxes was gone the next day just the same.
I try not to have a mix, as I don't want to have someone at the range loading the wrong ammo. Same reason that .380 and 9 are never on the bench together.
If you shoot revolvers or bolt action, shorts and longs are fine in most cases.
If I come across longs at a good price, I'll pick them up to use in the revolver. The last shorts I saw were $4 /50, which is what I expect LR to be, so I passed on them. The stack of 100+ boxes was gone the next day just the same.
I try not to have a mix, as I don't want to have someone at the range loading the wrong ammo. Same reason that .380 and 9 are never on the bench together.
ACP230
Member
Shorts were $6 a box the last time I asked about them.
Nearly twice the price of Federal .22 LR at the same store.
I have a partial box around here somewhere.
Used to shoot longs a bit years ago. Haven't seen a box of
them in years.
Nearly twice the price of Federal .22 LR at the same store.
I have a partial box around here somewhere.
Used to shoot longs a bit years ago. Haven't seen a box of
them in years.
ibewbull
US Veteran
I would like to see some ballistics on the .22 short fired in an Astra Cub.
The gun is very accurate if you can see the sights.
Small game at close range is very possible.
I would bet it beats any mini revolver.
I remember a Sterling .22 LR many years ago which made a lot of noise and missed a lot also.
If I were to carry a 3rd gun it would be the Astra Cub.
It makes a good pot gun if a companion to a good bore like a 686 3 inch.
I would pick up a case of shorts if I could.
The gun is very accurate if you can see the sights.
Small game at close range is very possible.
I would bet it beats any mini revolver.
I remember a Sterling .22 LR many years ago which made a lot of noise and missed a lot also.
If I were to carry a 3rd gun it would be the Astra Cub.
It makes a good pot gun if a companion to a good bore like a 686 3 inch.
I would pick up a case of shorts if I could.
357-RevolverGuy
Member
Back when 22LR was nearly impossible to find I started to really love the 22 short. It was one of the few calibers that would still be on the shelf and priced at half the cost.
A tad slower and less noise, but still a great little round to practice with on my Ruger Single Six revolver.
A tad slower and less noise, but still a great little round to practice with on my Ruger Single Six revolver.
gregintenn
Member
Well, they are more expensive than 22 long rifle, and I already have a BB gun.
CLASSIC12
Member
If you think about it, rifles used to be chambered for Short/Long/Long Rifle ammo. For the last twenty+ years, that multiple chambering has been dropped from most makes in favor of .22 LR only.
The only semi auto handguns chambered for .22 Short that I recall we're the tiny Beretta 950/Minx series and some of the High Standard semi autos. There was a conversion kit for the Ruger standard model. Was there a .22 Short version of the S&W 41 or 46? The only .22 Long semi auto I ever saw was a Bernadelli vest pocked auto. The chamber was cut long enough for a LR, but the mag would not accept a cartridge bigger than a Long. I kept a CCI Mini-Mag LR in the chamber of mine and the two mags full of Remington HS Longs.
Revolvers would fire all three types of cartridges but required a thorough cleaning of the chambers due to build up.
Here is a photo of my last Beretta .22 Short.
How do you like the Beretta? I ask because I just bought one at an online auction, for no other reason than it's cheap price (90.- Swiss Francs, add 10% for $). It is yet to be delivered.
Olympic speed shooting used .22 short until 2005. One example pictured. In this country you find high quality .22 short (RWS) for 1/2 the prices of minimags. I use them sometimes in my FN Browning Trombone pump action rifle, great fun, and no silencer needed.
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Earlier this year I was having a lot of trouble finding any .22 ammo of any sort. One afternoon at the ACE Hardware store I saw several packages of Remington Golden Bullet .22 shorts in the case. The price... well, it was typical for .22 shorts. I bought them because I was desperate for anything that would work in my 18-3. Very happily all 300 rounds produced extremely good accuracy in my little 18-3. Group sizes and scores were indistinguishable from what would be expected with normal .22 LR ammunition.
The other day at a LGS I found a case of .22 shorts... at $8.99/100rds. Thankfully due to links on the 15-22 forum I've been able to find Blazers, etc. at Cabelas at a more reasonable price. If it were not for the price, I'd buy the .22 shorts as they worked perfectly in my revolver.
memphisjim1
US Veteran
When I was a kid (very early '50s), I used to buy bricks of Winchester and/or Western Spat-R-Pruf shorts for .99 cents. When I felt really flush, I'd pop for a box or two of longs at $1.00 each. Occasionally Christmas would find a box or two of long rifles in the stocking. My Winnie 47 ate those Spat-R-Prufs often...and well. The only modern vintage rimfire in my battery that'll eat shorts or longs is a Henry H0001T. But my vintage Winnies (47, 63 & 290) occasionally get a few rounds of each added to their diet...call it for 'old times sake.' I must admit, though, ALL my rimfires much prefer the CCI MiniMag 40 gr. solid.
ColbyBruce
Member
The Beretta was a nice little pop gun. I did wind up selling it though as somebody made me a ridiculous offer on it.
They were fine....
They were fine in revolvers, but unless a semi was designed for them often they jammed more than than .22 L or LR. This is old info as I haven't seen a short in many years. Long or Long Rifle just became a 'standard' for us.
They were fine in revolvers, but unless a semi was designed for them often they jammed more than than .22 L or LR. This is old info as I haven't seen a short in many years. Long or Long Rifle just became a 'standard' for us.
RobertJ.
Member
One of my favorite .22 rounds is the CCI CB Short. Several years ago, when I was in my stocking up frenzy (thankfully, in hindsight!) I bought a brick of them. They cycle perfectly through my Browning BL-22, they group surprisingly well, and it holds a whole bunch. They're extremely quiet, if I needed to shoot something inside city limits, it wouldn't draw too much attention. I only shoot them once in a while, mostly to remind myself where the point of impact is in relation to standard .22 LR.
I also like the CCI CB Long. It's about the same in power as the Short, but they cycle through my Ruger Mk. II, turning it from semi-auto into a manual repeater.
I also like the CCI CB Long. It's about the same in power as the Short, but they cycle through my Ruger Mk. II, turning it from semi-auto into a manual repeater.
I have an Astra Cub and a 950 Beretta in .22 Short. I
chronographed a few rounds through each one day for a
comparison. The Beretta's barrel is slightly longer than the
Astra's and gives a little higher velocity. The ammo was
Winchester, Remington and Aguila 29 gr solids. The velocities
were; Cub------ Beretta
Win=862 fps------ 866 fps
Rem=812 fps------ 850 fps
Agu=843 fps------ 862 fps
I have a good supply of shorts on hand but with the ammo
situation being what it is I would buy a whole case if I ran
across one at a decent price. I also have a few old 22 rifles
chambered for shorts only.
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Shorts were great in pistols back in the day.
Today my .22 rifles do not do well with the short but my
Winchester pump does ok with the cci longs.
Most bolt or pumps will handle them ok but one type of federal long, will not eject in my pump due to the dia. or rim size.
I would by longs any time I see them.......and I guess the shorts for the kids.
Today my .22 rifles do not do well with the short but my
Winchester pump does ok with the cci longs.
Most bolt or pumps will handle them ok but one type of federal long, will not eject in my pump due to the dia. or rim size.
I would by longs any time I see them.......and I guess the shorts for the kids.
